Barebones system, Best bang for buck?

[JrRacinFan]

I was looking at this.

Just looking for some opinions here, I plan on keeping pretty much everything else but making the switch over to DDR2.

Remember, I need a new case and plan on using the power supply from the barebones in a different PC.

What is everbody's thoughts?

 

[LiveOrDie]

well depends on what type of Motherboard your geting because you cant just put DDR2 in a DDR board and you can get a way beter case for the same price

 

[JrRacinFan]

I understand that.

That is a barebones system(case, psu, and motherboard). I am just tryna to think if I should just get a new mobo + ddr2 ram. Do not worry about getting a new case and forget about the other rig that I plan on building.

The other rig is only going to be a secondary Socket A system, SDRAM and 100FSB based Tbird or Duron.

 

[Thermopylae_480]

Yes, if I were you I would just put that money into a better motherboard, and keep your old case and power supply. That case and PSU don't seem like they could be better than what you have, I seriously doubt the PSU is.

You could probably get this board http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130099, put it in your case, save $30 and have essentially the same thing as that barebones.

 

[JrRacinFan]

Thank you very much Thermo! For some reason I must have missed looking at that motherboard.

PS The case I have is pretty old and kinda banged up, but it does its job.

 

[LiveOrDie]

o ok sorry i would just save up your money and buy a new mother board that will last you some time and just bye a low price case

 

[JrRacinFan]

Hey its no problem LoD, I am just wondering if I would get a better overclock with a new mobo as well. This celeron d is serving me very well, have no complaints about it either.

I mean, the whole upgrade about 8 months ago cost me a total of $90:

$20 for motherboard
$50 for proc in retail box w/hsf
$20 for the power supply.

Not too shabby, I am just wondering if I could get a motherboard with ddr2 that has voltage options in bios, a new cpu hsf, and get a better overclock. If anyone else can come up with suggestions, I am open to hear them anytime.

 

[Thermopylae_480]

You might squeeze out a slightly higher overclock with a new motherboard, but I'm not sure you would end up with a $100 dollar difference. You would probably notice a larger difference just from getting a pair of decent DDR400 RAM modules and upgrading the amount of memory. Getting a new motherboard just for DDR2 probably isn't the most economical choice, and if you only get DDR2 533 there really isn't any performance gain worth mentioning.

 

[LiveOrDie]

well the celeron D will go abit higher than you have it now ocing it with faster DDR2 Than DDR but buying a new motherbard goin for the medium DDR2 frequency like DDR2 667 is cheap as now you will notice the speed rise

 

[petepete]

if you want the best bang for your buck i would suggest you put most of the money in a good motherboard, you will be thankful in the end



pete

 

[JrRacinFan]

Thanks everyone. Always open to suggestions.

 

[joinmeindeath417]

i got 2 socket A processors in my FS thread! if your interested

 

[LiveOrDie]

are you using the stock cpu cooler for oc your temps mite be abit high

 

[JrRacinFan]

i got 2 socket A processors in my FS thread! if your interested

Thanks, YGPM.

are you using the stock cpu cooler for oc your temps mite be abit high

It is the stock HSF and actually they are not half bad for being so, take a look at system specs.

EDIT: And BTW, I can get the chip up to almost 4.6Ghz but, Its totally instable and am limited to stock vcore.

 

[LiveOrDie]

yer thats quite good for stock cooling i use to have a celeron D they run quite fast for what they are they dont get that hot if i rember

 

[JrRacinFan]

LoD, It is a 65nm Cedar Mill core. SO its a tad bit better than the ones under it when speaking of spec #'s.

I was also looking at nflesher's BST for that P5NSLI. Looks good but maybe too much for what I need.

 

[LiveOrDie]

yer thats boards quite good how much are willing to spend on one

 

[JrRacinFan]

TBH, Least amount as possible, ~$40-45 USD just for motherboard, if it were a barebones ~$100. Willing to go Biostar, ECS route if need be. I would really love an Asus or MSI board tho!!!

Not wanting to do the Asrock 4core VSTA only due to voltage options and I have heard alot of isues with it, if I had an agp card and was in transition from older hardware I would have bought it.

 

[LiveOrDie]

so is your 7600gs AGP or PCI-E they dont make many AGP board any more what about some think like http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=249625 thats if you have AGP

 

[JrRacinFan]

It's PCI-e.

Also, I have never purchased from ZZF, always use Newegg. What is their policies like?

 

[LiveOrDie]

zipzoomfly there policies are like most online stores here there policies http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/Service/Return.jsp you mite have to pay bit more than that PCI-E board are bit higher in Price this is a good board its like 20% off because it has a opened box http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=240507-OP or this board little higher in price http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=242691

 

[JrRacinFan]

Hmmmm, Abit ... It's been a while since I've had an Abit mobo! Wouldn't mind getting another but really would like an Asus ...

I am going to go do some shopping right now for a mobo. Thank you all for the suggestions.