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Thread ID: 96603	2009-01-16 06:12:00	How much for a decent pc build or upgrade?	8ftmetalhaed (14526)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
739261	2009-01-16 06:12:00	I've been wondering how much it'd cost for me to get a decent pc built for myself, or how much it'd cost to update the one i've got . The incentive was seeing the latest pc world's article on the cheap-ass graphics cards for under $200 . It's the first pc mag i've bought in probably more than a year now, so i'm a fair bit out of touch on what's new and sweet as on the pc front . (i stopped after PC world went DVD, and Net Guide went online . Since at the time i had dialup and no dvd drive :waughh:) Anyway . I'm currently using an HP pavilion a210a, purchased late 2003 . So yes, it's rather outdated . It's a 2 . 2ghz p4 processor, 768mb ddr (1) ram, a 250gb WD 7200rpm IDE HDD (original 40gb failed on me at the end of '07), a CD-RW drive on IDE, (using a usb 2 . 0 ext . dvd drive in a 5 . 25' enclosure), a reasonably pitiful Geforce 4 440mx, and judging by the fact that the integrated graphics chip was an SiS 650, I'm assuming my motherboard was something similar to that chipset . I'll find out later if i can . Now, is this pc even worth upgrading? I was thinking about trying to find cheaper, better graphics card for it, but judging by the fact that it'd be running on AGP 4X, it doesn't seem worth it . Which brings me to the next part of my post . If i were to build one, what would be the approximate cost, considering I want something that is - cheap futureproof/ easily upgradeable without complete overhauls fairly grunty to begin with . If you're a reading phobe, just check the bold .	8ftmetalhaed (14526)
739262	2009-01-16 06:18:00	Depends what you want to get. And your price range. And whether you want AMD or Intel A dual core Intel (if this is what you want) may cost a bit more than an AMD with the same specs You could probably get the hdd,cpu, mobo, PSU for $700-800 And say, $90 - 130 for a case And use your version of windows on it. Thats if youre not going to use that P4 after. Or else, it'll cost extra for another version of Windows	Speedy Gonzales (78)
739263	2009-01-16 06:20:00	Depends, what are you going to do with it? No, its prob not worth upgrading. Your mobo prob doesn't support the newer PCI-E cards or Dual core/Quad core processors.	Blam (54)
739264	2009-01-16 06:26:00	Depends, what are you going to do with it? No, its prob not worth upgrading. Your mobo prob doesn't support the newer PCI-E cards or Dual core/Quad core processors. It doesnt support Dual cores, or Quads, its a P4, (maybe a 478 pin), he'll have to replace everything	Speedy Gonzales (78)
739265	2009-01-16 06:32:00	Yup. Which is why I'm thinking if i DO upgrade, it'll be a clean-slate job. It's a 478 pin, and it only supports up to AGP 4x. Not even 8x. I'll open it up and find out the mobo number now. oh and EDIT - I want to do games. I'm not a hardcore gamer, but it'd be nice to have the option and ability to do a few of the more intensive games.	8ftmetalhaed (14526)
739266	2009-01-16 07:08:00	Y I'm not a hardcore gamer, but it'd be nice to have the option and ability to do a few of the more intensive games. Well its not an occasional sort of thing. You either have a gming capable machine or you don't. And it can depend on what sort of games you intend to play. Most anything new will require a proper gaming PC. Which is not the same as taking a "home office" box and chi-ucking in a graphics card. You will have to start from scratch. What games? Then we can advise you properly.	pctek (84)
739267	2009-01-16 07:35:00	Well as it is, my computer can more than handle the games i play. CS 1.6, HL1, Age of empires 2, stepmania are pretty much all i currently play. However, as i said, when i have the want to try a newer game, then i'd like to be able to. I don't actually KNOW any new game titles, since I am not able to play them due to not having a gaming pc. or ps3. or xbox 360. or access to any of them. I suppose you could just use games like left 4 dead, dead space, farcry 2 or fallout 3 as a guide. What i'm looking for is something that would be able to handle these sorts of games reasonably well, and in addition would be able to run games that are released in the nearish future. Put simply, not something that's going to win all the races, just something that's going to keep up for a long while.	8ftmetalhaed (14526)
739268	2009-01-16 07:46:00	From your game list it seems like any Discrete GFX card will do Something along the lines of this:www.trademe.co.nz	Blam (54)
739269	2009-01-16 07:52:00	really? you think my pc with maximum agp4x capabilities could handle far cry 2, fallout 3, left 4 dead, etc? edit - (with a gfx card upgrade?) surely you jest, sir.	8ftmetalhaed (14526)
739270	2009-01-16 07:55:00	lol I meant any NEW discrete graphics card. And you didn't mention far cry 2, fallout 3, left 4 dead before Now we're going to need a MUCh faster system	Blam (54)
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