First Build

[vorlin8]

Greetings all

Need a new rig. Want to build this one. Will be my first build but i am not new to computers and have installed parts before (RAM,PSU,VID card, ect)

Would like to keep this build in the $400-$450 range.

I am a medium gamer and my desire is to be able to play Vangaurd on balanced setting.

I will be reusing my Key board, mouse, monitor(VGA), PSU (sunbeamtech 550), cd drive(acer ASUS 52x s520/a4/as,and my DVD/CD burner (Optorite dd0405).

I will only need 80gig hard drive, want PCI express Graphics card and would like something that is going to be upgrade some in the future.

My current rig has a AMD 2500+ barton chipset/motherboard socket A and a MX graphics card so after doing some looking it don't look like it is worth putting $$ into.

What would you suggest. Any help would be great.

[glc]

In that budget range, it will be difficult building anything that's any better than what you have. Is that PSU a 24 pin ATX 2.0 unit?

I'd max out the ram in your present board and get a strong AGP card and run it some more.

[vorlin8]

It is. I also forgot to mention i have a legal copy of xp home. So would need Motherboard,cpu,Graphics card, Ram and a case.

[glc]

You need to look at more than your budgeted price to make it worthwhile. A Barton 2500+ is no slouch.

[vorlin8]

Hmm interesting. By my calculations it would be around $300 to pick up 2 more gig of ram and a vid card.


Would something like this not be a significant upgrade with a bit better platform to work off?

http://www.newegg.com/product/Produc...82E16813136015

http://www.newegg.com/product/Produc...82E16819103046

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16822135106

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130025

2#: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820144151

Or am i missing something? As i said new to the building thing.

Comes to around $420 before shipping.

[glc]

It's a significant upgrade, but that's an old NForce 4 board - and DFI's are very picky and quirky - you will lose performance big time with that slow value ram, and that's an entry level video card. I would not spend $420 for all that. I'd put the money into 2 gigs of ram and a strong AGP card myself - or wait till I had some more money to do a new build the right way.