guys im kinda in a weird posistion...

[Fuxy_Muxy]

ok well, im only 13 years old and i currently own (and my sisters') a HP a810n..
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0006VHV64/002-1303762-9883230?v=glance&n=541966
ive added a 430 watt PSU, 17in LCD (crappy 16ms) 512 OCZ Ram, and a 6600GT a while ago, and thinking about upgrading...

the thing is, right now i have about $500... and during summer i plan on getting a couple $200 from working with my grandparents and neighbors... so what do u guys think...here are my choices:

1. Buy a 7900GT and 2x 1GB RAM -right now *and keep this computer in the "family room" where my sisters are on a lot and sometime get to kick me off...

2.In a month, wait till AMD drops prices and get a X2 3800 and a 7900GT and another 512...

3. Buy a nice 19in LCD and a 7900GT or a 7600GT AND 512 ram when i have enough

4. Save up till end of 8th grade...(a year) when ill have like $1,800 and can get my own computer...and have to put up with this computer...


well... options 1, 2, and 3 are upgrades right now or in like a month or so...but if i got those, i would also save up till a new computer at the end of 8th grade (when i can officially have a computer in my room ) but it wouldnt be as nice though...its pretty much a decision to upgrade now and get a worse computer in a year, or get nothing now and get a nice one in a year...

its either 1, 2, 3, or 4...but u can also change w.e. u want, but im on a budget of $500 or so...

 

[AnthraX]

So if you upgrade now, how much do you think you would have saved up for a computer in a year?

 

[reggie_da_man]

I'd save up for a new PC. That one will last you a little bit longer so why not get a beast when you can.

 

[Fuxy_Muxy]

well im not even sure though...i get about $400 a year for allowance...and in 8th grade i will be working a lil and get like $300 a sports season...(for an after school sports program thing) and this summer im guessing im gonna get like $200 from working w/ my grandpa...and like $100 w/ my neighbor...

so...


500 (right now) +400 (allowance)+ 1,200 ( *$300x 4*:after school work)+200 (grandpa) +100 (neighbor)= $2,400...

whoa i think i got this all wrong...i guess ill have like 2,400 in a year without upgrading...and like 1,900 with upgrading...

im almost sure im probably not gonna get this much though..lol so i would like subtract a couple hundred bucks cuz i like to buy small things...

 

[AnthraX]

Even if you only have about $1,200 you can make a really nice system. And you don't have to spend all $500 right now to upgrade. Maybe upgrade to a 7600GT and some more RAM.

 

[Trotter]

Right now, your rig is a socket 754 and cannot overclock.

My advice is to make due and build your own. AMD will be cutting prices in a month or so. AM2 may be the new thing, but 939's are fully mature and we know how to tweak them.

Save your money and snap up key parts when you can find them on a good sale.

And you don't have to spend all $500 right now to upgrade. Maybe upgrade to a 7600GT and some more RAM.

A gig of RAM can give you a decent boost. 754's can't do dual-channel, though.

If your current card can cut it, don't upgrade it... you'd be throwing away your money.

 

[zmatt]

save up to the price drops this summer and buy your parts, you can build a machine for dirt then.

 

[zdude255]

Lots of new stuff is coming next year, Conroe, Vista, Direct3D 10 graphics cards.

Save your money for now and probably build a new rig once we've sorted all of those out. That way if you have it in your room, they can still use the old one without bugging you.

 

[nsomniac]

Something else to think about is that every once in a while you find a pretty good system for sale on here (or similar places) for a good price...I was in a situation similar to yours, saving up toward a $1000, or $1200...or $1500 system (depending on how impatient I got). Then out of the blue I found a real nice deal for $700 that's not exactly what I would have bought, but almost as nice (actually better in some respects) with a few hundred left for whatever I decide to upgrade.

Anyway...I say all that to say, keep saving, keep your options open...if some deal doesn't come along, you just have a bigger stash for a good build.

 

[Fuxy_Muxy]

thanks guy...well i think im gonna wait...cuz it seems that it would be pointless to upgrade RAM or Video Card cuz then my mobo/cpu would be outta date and i would eventually end up upgrading the whole thing...i guess im gonna save up, see how much i have/work a lot till conroe and dx10 and stuff...if by then i have enough, ill grab a cheap AMD cpu (unless conroes the $#1T ) and a Dx10...if i dont have enough, i guess ill just save some more till the next wave of technology... maybe ill pick up another GB or so...


also, if i put like a different speed 512 stick with my other 2 512 sticks, will it mess things up? im kinda confused about adding different memory...