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NotAGolf · 16 May 2007 at 16:41

Right I'm after some advice on what to do with my computer. My spec is as follows:
AMD 64 4000+ (single core)
Asus A8N SLi premium
2GB Corsair
7800GTX 256mb
410GB hard drive space (1x160GB + 1x250GB)
OCZ modstream 450W
LG DVD-RW
Some kind of antec case

Now my brother wants a new computer. At the moment he has a real old banger of a pc, dont know trhe exact specs, something along the lines of:
AMD sempron 2Ghz odd
512 RAM
Onboard graphics
100GB hard drive, all generic tat from the local computer shop basically

I've said I will get the parts and build it for him but I want to know what my options are, ideally I want to sell him mine and get myself a new one but I'm a student and therefore am skint. So I thought I could sell him bits of mine and spend a bit more and get some newer gear for myself.

My PC is used for everything including gaming. I would overclock but nothing to drastic. As for my brother he wants a PC mainly for video/photo editing(only light work, nothing professional) with a bit of light gaming on the side.

So what do you my options are. My personal budget is around £200-300, everything for my brothers computer he will pay for (prob around the £450 mark).

Thanks for any advice

NotAGolf · 16 May 2007 at 17:30

Thanks t31os.

How much improvement would I see from switching memory to that stuff, I would have thought I' be better off keeping mine (Corsair 2GB DDR XMS3200C2PT TwinX (2x1GB) CAS2) and getting him a gig or 2 of value stuff, and using the left over dosh to get a better cpu?

And dont you worry about charging him for it, you think a student would do all this for free

NotAGolf · 16 May 2007 at 20:49

Well I have done the deal with my brother and he will be getting my CPU, Mobo, Ram and PSU. He'll also give me the money to get the rest of the parts meaning I will have around £450 to buy a new CPU, mobo, ram and PSU. What are your suggestions? I would quite like a new gfx card as well so i could sell my old one for £70 odd.

So I have 450 for the above, or 520 for the above AND a gfx card.

(P.S. is ther any decent cases under £50 about either. Sorry for all the questions!)

NotAGolf · 16 May 2007 at 22:26

Hmm, seems I've made a bit of a balls up. Only got £350 for cpu, mobo, ram and psu.
I'm going to get the 2GB Geil (£59) and either get the Akasa Ultra Quiet 460W Paxpower Active PFC ATX2.0 PSU (£52) or OCZ modstream 450W (£50ish)

That leaves around £250 to get a core2duo and mobo. No idea with regards to the mobo, I was think ing maybe an E4400 for the cpu though but there seems to be a lot around that price bracket. Any suggestions? I would like to overclock so I guess I would need a cooler too. Thanks

NotAGolf · 16 May 2007 at 23:23

t31os said:
I choose the 6320 for the larger cache... the 4300 should be good though, and gives you a little more room for more on the PSU.

But the 6320 has a lower clock speed :confused:

. It's also more expensive. But it has more cache and and higher FSB, whats the most important? What about the 6420 is it worth the extra £15?

NotAGolf · 17 May 2007 at 10:02

Do you think its is worth the £15 for the E6420?

And what is the best mobo and cpu cooler combination I can get for about £120. Is the Asus P5N and Noctua t31os suggested the best for this price bracket?

I guess the other option would be to cut back on the two a little bit and going for an E6600, or would I be better off clocking the nuts off a slower model?

Sorry for all the questions, but there's so many possibilities!!!

NotAGolf · 17 May 2007 at 11:06

Okey cokey, think I have the final list then:

E6420
Asus P5N
Geil 2GB PC6400 800MHz DDR2
Noctua NH-U12F

Only thing left is the PSU. I know the Corsair would be best but it's a bit out of my price range. So i can have either:
OCZ modstream 450W (which I have atm - currently very stable)
OR
Akasa Ultra Quiet 500W Paxpower Active PFC ATX2.2 PSU (can get for a fiver)

Will these be ok to cope with the oc'd c2d and the rest of my system (7800GTX, 2 sata drives)?