Relatively small budget for upgrades....

[Okele]

Ok guys, the upgrade bug has hit again and I need some real opinions.

My budget is 300.00(I can go 400 in another week or so).

I currently have an AMD 5000 BE on a Gigabyte M55SLi-S4. These have both served me well over the last 3 years, but alas it's time to move on.

I plan to stay with AMD as it's the less expensive choice, but what I can't decide is if I want to spend big on a mobo/RAM, and skimp on the CPU. Or go big on the CPU and get a AM2/AM2+/AM3 with DDR2 RAM compatability. I have found an MSI mobo and an AMD 940 for around 219 combined. Problem is Im not sure how future proof this combination will be. The new 6 core cpu's look great but at 200.00, and the fact that most of the combo boards don't support it(as far as I know), this makes getting the 6 core an unlikely choice.

Thoughts? Ideas? Im willing to check out Intel stuff but if I do that I definitely wont have enough to change RAM, it will have to be on a DDR2 backbone. Thanks in advance.

[blueonblack]

I can't say how future-proof that combination is either, but no one can really. I'm running the MSI 785GTM-E45 with a 940 CPU and have absolutely no complaints at all, and can't how I will for the near future at least. This CPU will overclock to 3.5 in a snap on air cooling also. To be honest, for the money at present I don't know that a better combination can be had.

Which MSI board did you have in mind?

[Okele]

I can't say how future-proof that combination is either, but no one can really. I'm running the MSI 785GTM-E45 with a 940 CPU and have absolutely no complaints at all, and can't how I will for the near future at least. This CPU will overclock to 3.5 in a snap on air cooling also. To be honest, for the money at present I don't know that a better combination can be had.

Which MSI board did you have in mind?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130265

[blaze15301]

if your hard up for some money i have a mother board i can let go pretty cheap. its supports ddr2 and some of the new am3 stuff. here is a link to it.

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=K10N750SLI-110dB

the board was used maybe for 8 months after i got it. i wanted crossfire not sli. if you are interested send me a pm.

if your not interested thats ok. that msi board is pretty good from what i have herd and seen. my uncle just go that board for his wifes computer.

[dr.walrus]

How I would break my budget down:

Processor - 200
Mobo - 100
Ram - 100

Should get you a 6 core processor, an AM3 motherboard and 4GB DDR3. Just. If you shop around.

[crenn]

From what I'm seeing you want a CPU and Motherboard upgrade, this is what I would do for $300

Foxconn A9DA-S AM3 AMD 890GX ATX AMD Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186198) $110
Combo Deal AMD X3 435 and 4GB OCZ DDR3 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.415406) $160

Total $270 not including shipping.

OR

Foxconn A9DA-S AM3 AMD 890GX ATX AMD Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186198) $110
Combo Deal AMD X4 630 and 4GB OCZ DDR3 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.414849) $187

Total $297 not including shipping.


With a $400 budget you can get hex core:
Foxconn A9DA-S AM3 AMD 890GX ATX AMD Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186198) $110
Combo Deal AMD X6 1055T and 4GB OCZ DDR3 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.414741) $285

Total $395 not including shipping.

[dr.walrus]

With a $400 budget you can get hex core:
Foxconn A9DA-S AM3 AMD 890GX ATX AMD Motherboard (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186198) $110
Combo Deal AMD X6 1055T and 4GB OCZ DDR3 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.414741) $285

Total $395 not including shipping.

This. Exactly this.

You get so much more for 400 than 300, for a relatively small price difference.

[Okele]

Im a little surprised at the suggestions for Foxconn. I have never used any of thier stuff, and with the scandals about their workers committing suicide I had all but written them off as viable. I will look into it.

[crenn]

If not Foxconn, you could try this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813153177
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813135261

[dr.walrus]

I have never used any of thier stuff, and with the scandals about their workers committing suicide I had all but written them off as viable. I will look into it.

There is a broad and unfounded misperception that they only produce their own and Apple's products


Foxconn produces the Mac mini (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_mini), the iPod (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPod), the iPad (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPad), and the iPhone (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPhone) for Apple Inc. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_Inc.); Intel (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel)-branded motherboards for Intel Corp.; various orders for American computer manufacturers Dell (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dell) and Hewlett-Packard (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hewlett-Packard); motherboards for UK computer manufacturer Zoostorm (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoostorm); the PlayStation 2 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_2) and PlayStation 3 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PlayStation_3) for Sony (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sony); the Wii (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wii) for Nintendo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo); the Xbox 360 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xbox_360) for Microsoft (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft), cell phones for Motorola (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motorola) and Nokia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nokia), the Amazon Kindle (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_Kindle), and Cisco (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cisco) equipment.[2] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn#cite_note-1)[3] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn#cite_note-wsj-2)[4] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn#cite_note-3)[5] (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foxconn#cite_note-4)

[Drum Thumper]

Im a little surprised at the suggestions for Foxconn. I have never used any of thier stuff, and with the scandals about their workers committing suicide I had all but written them off as viable. I will look into it.

If you have a computer, chances are you're using something made by Foxconn.