[ecnalav]

Hi,
For christmas i have been supplied with a few £100 pounds and i have chosen to spend it on updating my computer. I have been searching through www.ebuyer.com and have found a few things. I would just like to check that everything is good/works fine/good for money/good performace/easily installable ect. if you could help me out with this it would be really great!

Here are my current specs:

Motherboard:

CPU Type Unknown, 1750 MHz (10.5 x 167) 2500+
Motherboard Name MSI K7N2 Delta2 (MS-6570E) (5 PCI, 1 AGP, 3 DDR DIMM, Audio, LAN)
Motherboard Chipset nVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400
BIOS Type Award (01/20/05)
Display:

Video Adapter NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 (256 MB)
3D Accelerator nVIDIA GeForce FX 5200
Monitor Samsung SyncMaster 152Sm/152V [15" LCD] (HSCW605411)
Multimedia:

Audio Adapter nVIDIA MCP2-S - Audio Codec Interface
Audio Adapter nVIDIA MCP2-S - Audio Processing Unit (Dolby Digital)
Storage:

IDE Controller NVIDIA MCP2S Parallel ATA Controller (v2.6)
IDE Controller NVIDIA MCP2S Serial ATA Compatible Controller (v2.6)
Disk Drive ST340823A (40 GB, 5400 RPM, Ultra-ATA/100)
Disk Drive Lexmark USB Mass Storage USB Device
Optical Drive TOSHIBA DVD-ROM SD-R1002 (DVD:4x, CD:4x/4x/24x DVD-ROM/CD-RW)
SMART Hard Disks Status OK
Network:

Primary IP Address [ EVALUATION ]
Primary MAC Address 00-11-09-60-8F-BA
Network Adapter NVIDIA nForce Networking Controller - Packet Scheduler Miniport (82.3 [ EVALUATION
BIOS Properties:

Vendor Phoenix Technologies, LTD
Version 6.00 PG
Release Date 01/20/2005
Size 512 KB
Boot Devices Floppy Disk, Hard Disk, CD-ROM, ATAPI ZIP, LS-120
Capabilities Flash BIOS, Shadow BIOS, Selectable Boot, EDD
Supported Standards DMI, APM, ACPI, PnP
Expansion Capabilities ISA, PCI, AGP, USB
Motherboard Properties:

Manufacturer MICRO-STAR INTERNATIONAL CO., LTD
Product MS-6570E
Processor Properties:

Manufacturer AMD
Version AMD Sempron™
External Clock 166 MHz
Maximum Clock 3200 MHz
Current Clock 1750 MHz
Type Central Processor
Voltage 3.3 V
Status Enabled
Upgrade ZIF
Socket Designation Socket A
Power Management Properties:

Current Power Source AC Line
Battery Status No Battery
Full Battery Lifetime Unknown
Remaining Battery Lifetime Unknown
Sensor Properties:

Sensor Type Winbond W83627THF (ISA 290h)
Motherboard Name MSI K7N2 Series
Chassis Intrusion Detected Yes

Temperatures:
Motherboard 36 °C (97 °F)
CPU 44 °C (111 °F)
Seagate ST340823A 30 °C (86 °F)

Cooling Fans:
CPU 3792 RPM

Voltage Values:
CPU Core 1.64 V
Aux 3.31 V
+3.3 V 3.09 V
+5 V 4.97 V
+12 V 2.05 V
+5 V Standby 5.17 V
VBAT Battery 2.82 V
Debug Info F FF B2 FF
Debug Info T 36 44 41
Debug Info V C1 CF C1 B9 20 29 1A (01)
CPU Properties:
CPU Type AMD Sempron 1750 MHz (10.5 x 167) 2500+
CPU Alias Thoroughbred-B
CPU Stepping B0
Instruction Set x86, MMX, 3DNow!, SSE
L1 Code Cache 64 KB
L1 Data Cache [ EVALUATION ]
L2 Cache 256 KB (On-Die, Full-Speed)

Motherboard Properties:
Motherboard ID 01/20/2005-MS-6570E-6A61BM4KC-00
Motherboard Name MSI K7N2 Delta2 (MS-6570E)

Front Side Bus Properties:
Bus Type DEC Alpha EV6
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 167 MHz (DDR)
Effective Clock 333 MHz
Bandwidth 2667 MB/s

Memory Bus Properties:
Bus Type Dual DDR SDRAM
Bus Width 128-bit
Real Clock 200 MHz (DDR)
Effective Clock 400 MHz
Bandwidth [ EVALUATION ] MB/s

Chipset Bus Properties:
Bus Type HyperTransport v1.0
Bus Width 8-bit

Motherboard Physical Info:
CPU Sockets/Slots 1 Socket 462
Expansion Slots [ EVALUATION ]
RAM Slots 3 DDR DIMM
Integrated Devices Audio, LAN
Form Factor ATX
Motherboard Size 240 mm x 300 mm
Motherboard Chipset nForce2-U400
Extra Features [ EVALUATION ]

Motherboard Manufacturer:
Company Name Micro-Star International
Product Information http://www.msi.com.t...ro_mbd_list.php
BIOS Download http://www.msi.com.t...pt_bos_list.php
Physical Memory:
Total [ EVALUATION ]
Used [ EVALUATION ]
Free 803 MB
Utilization [ EVALUATION ]

Swap Space:
Total 2669 MB
Used 324 MB
Free 2344 MB
Utilization 12 %

Virtual Memory:
Total 3948 MB
Used 800 MB
Free 3148 MB
Utilization 20 %

Physical Address Extension (PAE):
Supported by Operating System Yes
Supported by CPU Yes
Active No


Right, im sure thats enouh information! But anyway these are the items im hoping to update, the image below shows the wanted items. I basically just want to no, if its a good idea, if it will be easy for a noob to fit and install, if it is good, is there anything better i can get for the same amount of money? so on and so forth. But whatever happens everythin i purchase will be from www.ebuyer.com Thank you for any help you can give.

[Advertisements]

Come on guys. I want to get these intem ordered for christmas Im sure it not a hard task

Thanks for anyhelp you can give.

[ecnalav]

Come on guys. I want to get these intem ordered for christmas Im sure it not a hard task

Thanks for anyhelp you can give.

[warriorscot]

You really could do with a new CPU sempron is poor and really doesnt do well for games, and you could do with a new motherboard as well, that one is good but it is AGP and AGP is now obsolete.

[fsb1284]

I would not reccomend that graphics card. It would halve your video memory (128 vs. current 256). If you want a new GPU, that's great, but the video memory is imporatant, too! AGP for video isn't new, but it isn't bad, either. Not all of us have thousands to spend on an upgrade to PCI express technology. I would strongly recommend going with an ATi graphics card. They're better. I have an ATi X800PRO and couldn't be happier. DOOM 3 and HalfLife 2 play very well on this card.

A processor upgrade also wouldn't hurt. Go with an Athlon XP rather than a Sempron. An equally fast, high-end processor will easily outperform a low-end processor, such as your own.

Even more important, though, is memory. Get the most DDR400, PC3200 RAM you can afford. Memory will always yield the biggest gain in performance per pound spent!

[ecnalav]

http://img374.images...untitled3cx.jpg

^ ^ ^ I am considering buying an athlon XP 3000+/3200+... will that be ok with my current MOBO ?

And i currently have 1.25gb of ram which is good right will handle my needs?

I will check out ATI's website for a good gfx card. But i dont no which is compatible?

And im not sure if i can be bothered to play around with another mobo!? Cant i stick with my old one and add the best stuff to it, or is that not good enough?

I only purchased a NEW PSU with the GFX card becuase it says it needed extra power, and im not sure if my current PSU had enouh to go around.

BTW im a kinda noobish, so keep all the high-tech stuff as easily explanable as possible. But thanks for your help!

I want the very best computer i can get with around £300-£400, which in 6 months i wont have to update massivly to cope with ames,software which will hit the market.

Ill await some replies


Howz this GFX card look
POWERCOLOUR - RADEON X800GT 256MB PCIE DUAL DVI - GRAPHICS CARD - £140

Cheapest i can find

Edited by ecnalav, 03 December 2005 - 12:08 PM.

[fsb1284]

Your Motherboard's Manufacturer says that an Athlon XP 3000+ or higher will work. MSI Link 1.25GB of ram will do, but more is better. Upgrading your motherboard woulkd give you access to the newest advances in system architecture, but is NOT necessary to be able to play the newest games!

Look for an ATi X800PRO, 256MB, AGP8x card. This will work for your system and should provide the power you'll need to game. ATi cards are sold online and in many stores. Just search the web!

The power supply should be an Antec or another name brand. I am currently learning a lesson or two about cheap PSUs! The are unreliable.

[ecnalav]

Ok many thanks, i will do that!

but i have one quick question

My widescreen 19inch tft multimedia monitor has a resolution of 1400x800 or something like that. And i wondered will my graphics card affect this ? Becuase on some graphic cards i have researched it says supprots (max.1024.768) do you understand what i mean ? Do i need a special GFZ card to work with my wide screen large resolution screen ?


here is the GFZ card i found ?

is this a good price ? and is this the GFZ card u said i sould look into ?

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...bayphotohosting

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.co.u...1QQcmdZViewItem

Edited by ecnalav, 03 December 2005 - 01:13 PM.

[warriorscot]

I cant even remember any cards that have a max res of 1028x768 that is very strange, you would be alot better off with the 6600GT as it is alot faster than the 5200 by a long shot. Any modern cards would do, an x800GT is probably the cheapest budget gaming cards, 6600GTs tend to be quie expensive for what they are.

But like i said you could do with replacing your motherboard and cpu with something more modern and not obsolete. But an upgrade to one of the athlons would be good but you would still be stuck with AGP and you would be paying premium prices as the athlon xps are becoming quite the commodity.

[ecnalav]

Ive found these gfx cards. When we have sorted out a gfx card i will look for a CPU

http://www.ebuyer.co...oduct_uid=87782

http://www.ebuyer.co...oduct_uid=97159

These seem good yes ?

I really dont have money for MOBO change ? Cant i just stay with my mobo and add good stuff to it ? Untill i really need upgrade in a few years then i can get a new mobo and add my stuff to it apart from my GFX card.

I mean a new MOBO will fit all my RAM CPU n stuff yes ?

I need a new

CPU = AMD ATHLON XP2800+ 333MHZ FSB 512Cache L2 Cache CPU Barton - OEM ?

GFX = 8x AGP ati x800 256mb ?

Display = 19inch tft multimedia monitor

Thats what i want, and maybe a new PSU if i need one to power these new products ? Allthough im having no power problems at the mo with my current stuff ?

Edited by ecnalav, 03 December 2005 - 02:24 PM.

[fsb1284]

This card is going to be your best bet:
X800PRO

Someone has already taken the fall on the cooling fan upgrade. This gargantuan add-on (the big thingy on the top in the photo) will take more room in your system case, but the quiet, super-efficient cooling will be worth it. I have such an add-on for my X800PRO card. The X800PRO supports many, many resolutions so long as the proper ATi driver has been installed (newest ATi Catalyst software for WinXP can be downloaded here).

Once the drivers for this and the monitor have been installed, your resolution should be selectable as normal. The monitor driver is VERY IMPORTANT! My ViewSonic VA-720 is terrible without the driver, and I'd assume the same for any other TFT-LCD without a driver. The monitor you wish to purchase ought to come with a driver CD-ROM. If it doesn't come with such a disc, then the drivers are surely downloadable from the manufacturer.

ViewSonic might be a good brand to check out for comparison of monitors. ViewSonic is, as far as I understand, is one of the few manufacturers that make their own components. Others tend to take LCD units, pop them in a cases, connect power cords and ship them out. Whether or not this matters, I cannot say with authority, but I can tell you that I am VERY pleased with my ViewSonic LCD monitor. Here's an exampleVG920 If you can find it on eBAY or another online store, that would be great. Not that the lower the response time, the better for games. The monitor you chose is 8ms, which is good.

In closing, I'd like to say that warriorscot is right in saying that the upgrades mentioned will not be the latest 'n greatest hardware and that you will be investing in 2003/2004 technology (as opposed to 2005/2006 tech). That said, I have done this sort of "old-tech" upgrade myself and am fully satisfied with the results. Unless you're looking for the neighborhood's highest framerates in your games and you're going to start a professional video editing service, the upgrade to an Athlon 3000+ or 3200+ processor and a ATi Radeon X800PRO graphics card will do just fine. Especially when investing in the newest technology is risky now anyway, given that AMD and Intel are currently battling over the next PC formfactor, BTX.

[ecnalav]

Ok,
I have found an X800 graphics card its link is supplied below. Also i was wondering will i need a better power supply or will my current one do ? If needed the info about my psu will be in the first post.

This is the Nearest i could find for my price range
http://www.ebuyer.co...oduct_uid=90398
Is this one ok ?

If everything seems ok. The items below will be my final products perchased

-----------------------------------------
AMD Athlon XP3200+ Socket A 512 L2 Cache Barton CPU - OEM Quickfind code: 62051

Acer 8ms Widescreen AL1916W 19" 500:1 Multimedia Monitor - Silver & Black Quickfind code: 98788

Connect3d Radeon X800 XT 256MB DDR DVI VIVO AGP Quickfind code: 90398

Maybe PSU if needed ?????
------------------------------------------

Is all the above compatible and good stuff for my computer ? And keep me on top of everything for a while?

U can use the quick find code in (www.ebuyer.com) to find detailed descriptions of each product if it helps you in anyway.

Edited by ecnalav, 03 December 2005 - 03:59 PM.

[fsb1284]

All seems to be good.

This power supply will do EBUYER link

Remember- a powerful processor and this new higher-power graphics card will indeed need a more powerful power supply. Always go with a brand name like Antec, or you might be sorry (like I am now with my cheap import PSU).

[ecnalav]

Right so everythings cool, so now i should get all these things :

---------------------------
AMD Athlon XP3200+ Socket A 512 L2 Cache Barton CPU - OEM Quickfind code: 62051

Acer 8ms Widescreen AL1916W 19" 500:1 Multimedia Monitor - Silver & Black Quickfind code: 98788

Connect3d Radeon X800 XT 256MB DDR DVI VIVO AGP - Quickfind code: 90398

Ebuyer Extra Value 600w Power Supply Silver With Tri Colour Dual Quickfind code: 61302

Total = £506.81p
---------------------------
Just to clarify....

Are these value for money and worth £506? or would i be better of buying a good bare bones ?
These are all good things and not out of date rubbish which cant handle alot?
These are all compatible with my computer ( specs in first post )?

Edited by ecnalav, 04 December 2005 - 03:08 AM.

[ecnalav]

Actually ive just found a new site.

Ive found these two products ...

Could you give me some more info on them, or would i be better staying with the items above ?

heres the items:

http://www.microdire...ProductID=11868

http://www.microdire...936&GroupID=464

Edited by ecnalav, 04 December 2005 - 05:56 AM.

[ecnalav]

???????