Step by step upgrade... advice needed

Xee · 14 Feb 2007 at 10:34

Ok I have a plan to upgrade my PC in a step by step process, as I can't afford to splash out on a complete system in one go (or more to the point the wife would kill me

) So I have come up with a plan that achieves this in steps.

Current Spec:

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ (Socket 754)
msi k8n neo2 platinum (nForce 3)
pc3200 1GB (2x512MB)
Leadtek 6800 GT 256MB (AGP)

Rough Target spec:

~Intel Core 2 DUO E6600
~EVGA nForce 680
~GeForce 8800 PCI-Express
~2 GB minumum maybe 4GB of high speed memory

The plan is to buy a Asrock 4CoreDual-VSTA and Intel Core 2 DUO E6600, use my current memory and AGP graphics card. Then at a later stage buy a Directx 10 card like a 8800. Then change the mobo and finally the memory. or maybe the memory first

So can anyone see any flaws in this plan? Like will the 8800 work in the Asrock? whats the fastest speed memmory the Asrock will take?

melbourne720 · 14 Feb 2007 at 10:50

I'd save up a bit more, sell your AGP card and RAM, and then upgrade without compromises, IMHO. You could get a P5N 650 SLi and that would save a lot over the 680i board.

Xee · 14 Feb 2007 at 11:30

I could not justify a large one lump sum on a PC to the wife. Plus I don't intend to sell my left over parts, as they will be going to the wife's new PC.

My main question is whats the highest spec graphics card and memory this new Asrock mobo can work with?

artaxerxes · 15 Feb 2007 at 00:11

I commend your plan, its pretty much what I am recommending to those in your situation.

Do the memory last - Anandtech say there is only marginal difference between DDR and DDR2 in this setup

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2810&p=7

Xee · 15 Feb 2007 at 01:18

artaxerxes said:
I commend your plan, its pretty much what I am recommending to those in your situation.

Do the memory last - Anandtech say there is only marginal difference between DDR and DDR2 in this setup

http://www.anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2810&p=7

Thanks for the link, most interesting

Mirage · 15 Feb 2007 at 07:05

I'm thinking of doing the exact same thing.
ATM I have 2 systems, one used to be my server and is near silent (2400+, Asus A7V8X-X, 768 Samsung PC3200, GeForce 4200) and my other gaming (2500+M Barton, Abit NF7-S, 1GB GeiL, 6800GT).
I'm looking to upgrade to a 4300, P5N 650, 2GBGeiL and a 320MB 8800GTS but simply can't do it in one month...no matter when.

I've seem an Asrock board that does DDR1 & DDR2, AGP and PCI-E for under £30 so going to go that route, get the CPU first, then ram, GFX and finally the Asus Mobo.

Do you think an Antec True Power 430W would power this?

Cupra · 15 Feb 2007 at 10:31

i hope my wife doesnt see this i told her this isnt possible haha

t31os · 15 Feb 2007 at 12:00

paul_64l said:
i hope my wife doesnt see this i told her this isnt possible haha

Replying to the thread will make easier to find to.... D'OH!'''' lol... *pulls Homer face*