I might have to get rid of my computer ...

[aimeeandbeatles]

Things happened and its expensive now. So Id think this is a chance to build my 1st computer from scratch (Remember I tore one apart and put together again). I know prebuilts are more expensive though Id take suggestions for those.These are my current specs which I like except the graphic cards a bit weak sometimes.

Computer: FOXCONN MCP61M05
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ (Brisbane, BH-G2)
2200 MHz (11.00x200.0) @ 2210 MHz (11.00x200.9)
Motherboard: FOXCONN M61PMV
Chipset: nVidia nForce 6100-405/430
Memory: 4096 MBytes @ 315 MHz, 5.0-5-5-15
- 2048 MB PC5300 DDR2-SDRAM - Kingston 2G-UDIMM
- 2048 MB PC5300 DDR2-SDRAM - Kingston 2G-UDIMM
Graphics: XFX GeForce 8400 GS
nVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS (G86), 512 MB DDR2 SDRAM
Drive: WDC WD5000AAKS-22A7B0, 488.4 GB, Serial ATA 3Gb/s
Drive: HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GH20NS15, DVD+R DL
Sound: nVIDIA MCP61 - High Definition Audio Controller
Network: NVIDIA nForce 10/100 Mbps Ethernet
OS: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium Build 6002

IMPORTANT TO KNOW: Im on a pretty tight budget and Im only able to order online parts with prepaid credit cards in Canada. Ive not got an exact figure for the budget yet though.

Preferences.

I like AMD processors. Id like a dual-core at least, I dont think Id need a quad-core.

As for graphics cards, I dont mind if its ATI or NVIDIA but most my games prefer NVIDIA cards. Also I found ATI drivers, the drivers to be more unreliable. They crashed a lot on me

Itd be nice to have a stereo mix option with the audio (I suppose onboard chipset). The double-male stereo cable gets a tad annoying after a while.

I wouldnt need more than 4 GB of RAM (32 bit OS. The 4 gigs I have are pretty much overkill now as it is for what I do. I think the highest I ever hit was 3.2 gigs or something like that).

I think Id like a bigger hard drive, maybe a terabyte or two. (I like Western Digital most. Theyre quiet and reliable). Im going to do the data partition (Unless I get 2 seperate drives one for system and the other for data. I dont think I could afford that though along with other things). An SSD would be overkill for me!

A DVD-RW is important, although Ive had bad luck with LG drives and good luck with Lite-Ons (Ill take other suggestions though)

I like the full case I have now. I like the ones that have the doors in the front that open up to show the drives and windows in the side to show the inside parts. This isnt very important though.

Ive already got Vista Home Premium and I like it so Id like to build around that. (I dont see why I should buy 7 if Im fine with Vista. I didnt like 7 all that much really.)

I just grabbed a handful of games. The fussiest one (Its from 2008) says "Supported Video Cards At Time Of Release: ATI Radeon 9000/X/HD Families. NVIDIA GeForce 6/7/8/9 families." I know its fussy because somebody on Amazon said that in a review.I dont play any FPSs or stuff like that. Id like to get Civ 5 eventually.

 

[Skwink]

Good idea to get rid of it. It's Vista.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Good idea to get rid of it. It's Vista.

I said Im keeping Vista in the fudging OP.

 

[tokala]

Are parts of the old computer still alive? Then things might get pretty cheap, even for a reasonably powerful rebuild. If your most demanding game is/will be Civ5 for the foreseable future, then a nVidia GTS450/GTX460 will be your best choice. For an rough idea how expensive a "minimum" alround Desktop might get, see this post.
For $100 more you could get a 1.5TB HDD and a GTS450.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Are parts of the old computer still alive? Then things might get pretty cheap, even for a reasonably powerful rebuild. If your most demanding game is/will be Civ5 for the foreseable future, then a nVidia GTS450/GTX460 will be your best choice. For an rough idea how expensive a "minimum" alround Desktop might get, see this post.
For $100 more you could get a 1.5TB HDD and a GTS450.

No, the reason i may have to get rid of it is because its getting too expensive.

 

[tokala]

I might be missing something, but if the old one is "too expensive" (Energy costs?), i fail to understand how buying a new one would make things cheaper? It will take at least $400 upfront, and the runing costs will at best be marginally less

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Its being rented. Though theres an update I might not have to get rid of it. Things happened they changed managers and stuff at the rental place

 

[tokala]

Okay, I didn't know that such a thing as rented computer even exists

If you are/were reasonably happy with the old one, I assume you are not requiring much performance out of it. So my recommendation would be to buy basically the same thing again, with a slightly better processor. Video card as mentioned above, but if the budget is really tight, a GTS430 might do.

If you are building it yourself, you have always the option of upgrade it as needed.

 

[GoodGame]

If you are in school, you can probably get a student discount for 7.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Actually, I can get 7 for free. But I have Vista already and I like that.

 

[Genocidicbunny]

Windows 7 is better than Vista. Its silly (and stupid) to stick to Vista.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Eh, it isnt really a big deal. I have both Vista and 7 (Its from the schol) except that the 7 is some sort of upgrade installer thingy, not a disc. So Id need to install Vista anyways to get to that.

 

[cardgame]

please install 7

Every time someone boots up a Vista computer, God kills a kitten



Here's a pretty decent prebuilt:

http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16883229194

I'm not very good with selecting parts compatible to each other, no idea how to do it really, if I selected a list of parts they'd probably be incompatible and that's why I'll limit myself to pre-assembled kits

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Does that include a monitor? Im not fussy about those, my current resolution is 1680x1050. I dont know how to measure the size of the monitor.

 

[civ_king]

Its being rented. Though theres an update I might not have to get rid of it. Things happened they changed managers and stuff at the rental place

How much is it a Month?

 

[cardgame]

oh, good point, I don't think it comes with a monitor

To measure the size of a monitor (in inches) you have to measure diagonally from corner to corner. Resolution is independent of screen size - I have a 23" 1650x1050, but I know some monitors are 21" with 1920x1200...

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

How much is it a Month?

I dont know the exact figures. My mom deals with paying them.

 

[GenMarshall]

Upgrade to Windows 7!

 

[cidknee]

as far as paying with a credit card... go to CIBC and get the advantage card..its a Visa Check card. No more fees from the pre paid credit cards. And Yes, 7 is a good upgrade, it will make the pc run alot nicer. Hit up your local canada computers, and check one of their barebones systems. Ive used one for a few years, and it worked great.

Any questions, send me an email.

 

[Zelig]

Hit up your local canada computers

Those don't exist outside of Ontario.