Hi im looking to upgrade my current PC and I was wondering if I could get some help from you guys as i've read posts in the past and they all seem really helpful. I used to really be into building pcs etc 2-3 years ago but havnt kept up to date since then on any new parts so i'm not sure what the best pieces are for my budget etc. thanks in advance, Tom also if i have neglected to post any vital information can you just let me know and ill find out for ya. Budget: £350 Main uses of intended build: Gaming, listening/producing music, videos Parts required: Motherboard, GPU, RAM Previous build information (list details of parts): 2GB DDR2 RAM, ATI Radeon 3850, Core 2 Duo 2.40GHz, 160gb HD, Monitor resolution: Not sure of resolution but its a 26" Toshiba TV. Storage requirements: Case should be able to fit anything. will you be overclocking: possibly Any motherboard requirements: Just something that could fit my CPU as I do not wish to change it. Extra information about desired system: Mainly for gaming would like a future proof build that can run new games coming out.
I tried having a look on scan to build a computer that run modern games at decent resolutions for less than £350 and I seriously don't think it's possible lol I got to £370 before I added an operating system or RAM
HI, if you just need more gaming performance, then step one would be to up-grade the graphics card. Say a GTX 460 768mb or ATI 6850, you may need a new PSU for this. I wouldn't bother with a new motherboard until you are ready to move to i3 / i5 and DDR3 RAM. Plus you may want move to 4gb RAM if you are running Vista or W7. These two together would come in at less then £200.
CPU - AMD 955BE - £112 MOBO - MSI 770 C45 - £52 RAM - 4GB DDR1600 corsair - £62 GPU - ASUS 768MB 460 - £123 TOTAL = £349 OS ? - Win 7 HP 64bit - £72 are you running XP ? if so a upgrade to windows 7 is really needed too. within your budget i couldnt factor in an aftermarket cooler for overclocking either. is the TV a 1080p set or 720p set im guessing 720p in which case it has a rubbish resolution of 1280x720 or 1366x768
^ this but if you can't increase your budget then get another 2GB of RAM (maybe second hand in the marketplace?) the Asus 768mb GTX460 and Windows 7. You CPU (assuming it is an E6600) can be overclocked to about 3.2GHz fairly easily but even 3.0GHz is enough assuming your existing motherboard will do it. Make sure your PSU is up to it though. The GTX460 and Windows 7 will set you back circa £200, add around £20 for 2GB second hand DDR2 RAM, maybe allow another £50 for a PSU if needed and you are still under budget. The GPU, O/S and PSU you buy (but not the second hand DDR2) can be used in a new build when you have saved enough for a new CPU, RAM & motherboard.
Thanks for the fast reply guys. I am currently using Vista 64 which is terrible but I am a student and apparantly I can upgrade to W7 for £30. I looked at a review of the GTx460 and it seems to be what im looking for. atm I think I have a 460W PSU which came with my coolermaster case would that be enough to run the gtx460 or would I have to upgrade? If so what would be the best PSU to buy? Also, I think I am going to just add another 2-4gb of DDR2 RAM instead of upgrading my mobo.
4GB RAM is all you need, just make sure whatever you get matches what you have. Do you have the model number of your existing PSU? It should be written on the side.
i think i know which one it is - it should be a coolermaster 460W extreme which is perfectly fine if it is.
If you are looking at a GTX460, the Gigabye 1GB OC is an absolute bargain at the moment @ Scan - £123! - http://www.scan.co.uk/products/1gb-...z-shader-clock-1430mhz-336-cores-dl-dvi-mhdmi.
It was listed at £123 including VAT but the website was changed later in the day - an error on Scan's part it transpires. Someone else here on the forum actually ordered it at that price and we are waiting to see what Scan do about it: http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=192315&page=10 (discussion starts at post #188).
