Need recommendations on upgrade/new pc

[Freefall]

So the PC in my sig is no longer putting out a display and I think I've narrowed down the problem to the mobo or the cpu. Anyways, since the components are now old and not upgradable, I need suggestions on scrapping together a new pc. I need cheap as possible, but reliable with comparable or better performance. I've always had AMD, but I'm open to intel or amd.

What I'd like to reuse if at all possible:

Windows XP Home
Case
FSP Blue Storm 500W PSU
eVGA 7900GT PCIe gpu
WD 250 GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache HDD
Lite-on DVD Burner - IDE
Monitor, mice, keyboard, etc.
RAM - I've been out of the loop for a while now, but I imagine my RAM is not salvageable? (Corsair Value Select 512MB x 2 (1G) PC-3200)


With that being said, I'm guessing I just need a cpu, mobo, and possibly new RAM. Thanks in advance to anyones advice.

-Freefall

[inflames988]

Originally Posted by Freefall So the PC in my sig is no longer putting out a display and I think I've narrowed down the problem to the mobo or the cpu. Anyways, since the components are now old and not upgradable, I need suggestions on scrapping together a new pc. I need cheap as possible, but reliable with comparable or better performance. I've always had AMD, but I'm open to intel or amd. What I'd like to reuse if at all possible: Windows XP Home Case FSP Blue Storm 500W PSU eVGA 7900GT PCIe gpu WD 250 GB 7200RPM 16MB Cache HDD Lite-on DVD Burner - IDE Monitor, mice, keyboard, etc. RAM - I've been out of the loop for a while now, but I imagine my RAM is not salvageable? (Corsair Value Select 512MB x 2 (1G) PC-3200) With that being said, I'm guessing I just need a cpu, mobo, and possibly new RAM. Thanks in advance to anyones advice. -Freefall

RAM won't be reusable with any modern chip. You will probably need DDR3.
How much are you looking to spend here? If you are looking for something high end, the Core i7 920 would be a solid bet. If not, the Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Quad are still very powerful chips and are (slightly) better value at this point. Between the two lines there are tons of different chips to choose from depending on what your needs are and what you are willing to spend. I haven't kept up with AMD, as it looks like they are lagging behind. I used to be an all-AMD person myself, and have built every computer I've ever built on an AMD chip of some kind, but they have lagged behind a bit at this point. Still might be a good choice if you are looking for something that's a better value than the intel chips, but I will leave that up to someone who knows more

[Freefall]

I figured the RAM wouldn't be useable, figured it wouldn't hurt to double check

The rig will not be used for much....web surfing, watching some videos, and the occasional flash games (gave it to a friend who doesn't doesn't really do any demanding tasks with it). Just something that will be cheap, but reliable. 1 GB of RAM would probably be sufficient for their needs. Money's tight, so I'm trying to keep the costs down as much as I can.

Since my last build, I have not kept up with the new technology, so I came here since everyone here has helped me on my past two builds.

[inflames988]

Originally Posted by Freefall I figured the RAM wouldn't be useable, figured it wouldn't hurt to double check The rig will not be used for much....web surfing, watching some videos, and the occasional flash games (gave it to a friend who doesn't doesn't really do any demanding tasks with it). Just something that will be cheap, but reliable. 1 GB of RAM would probably be sufficient for their needs. Money's tight, so I'm trying to keep the costs down as much as I can. Since my last build, I have not kept up with the new technology, so I came here since everyone here has helped me on my past two builds.

If it's just being used for that stuff, forget about an i7 or quad. I think one of the core 2 duo's would be a good call in that case. They are very fast, might even be a bit of overkill for what you need but that's sort of good because it will last a long time.