Need New Hardware! Suggestions Please

drag9999

Currently I run an Athlon XP 3500+ @ 2,2Ghz, 2GB DDR and a nVidia 6600. I want to upgrade this to a system that can run medium-high end graphics in Age of Conan for example. This is the rig I was thinking on getting:

 

nVidia 8600 GT 512mb

4GB DDR2 800

(not sure on processor, need suggestions)

 

I am trying to build a rig for under $300. Any suggestions on a processor or what would go best on this system to make it run almost anything? I am pretty sure I won't need an extremely powerful processor, and I don't have any preference as to Intel or AMD.

Feel free to switch anything out, the only thing that can't be changed is that the limit is $300.

noquarter

I'm going to assume you can reuse your power supply, hard drive, case etc..  in that case you just need new video, ram, mobo and cpu. I have 3 suggestions after looking at some combo deals and keeping $300 in mind.

 

First is a cheap as quad-core system, decent video card to carry it through:

$55 (-$25 MIR)  Patriot Viper 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model PVS24G6400LLK - Retail

$63  (-$15 MIR) ECS A780VM-M2 AM2+/AM2 AMD 780V Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

$205 (combo, -$10 MIR)  AMD Phenom 9600 Agena 2.3GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Quad-Core Processor Model HD960ZWCGDBOX - Retail

SAPPHIRE 100245L Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

$323 before shipping and mail in rebates.  $273 after mail in rebates go through (but that can take a long time!)

 

2nd setup with a little more power in the cpu plus a slightly higher clocked GPU:

$161 (combo, $20 MIR) OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2N800SR4GK - Retail

AMD Phenom 9850 2.5GHz Socket AM2+ 125W Quad-Core Black Edition Processor Model HD985ZXAJ4BGH - OEM

$155 (-$30 MIR) MSI R4850-512M OC Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

$63 (-$15 MIR) ECS A780VM-M2 AM2+/AM2 AMD 780V Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

This one is $379 before rebates and shipping, $314 after rebates.

 

And final setup is a dual core CPU if your main concern is AOC, which I believe doesn't make use of quad-core cpu's, this would give you slightly better performance than the 1st setup since dual-core chips are clocked higher at equal price points:

$104 (combo, -$20 MIR) OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ2N800SR4GK - Retail

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5800+ Brisbane 3.0GHz Socket AM2 89W Dual-Core Processor Model ADA5800IAA5DO - OEM

$155 (-$30 MIR) MSI R4850-512M OC Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail

$63 (-$15 MIR) ECS A780VM-M2 AM2+/AM2 AMD 780V Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

Total: $322 before rebates and shipping, $257 after rebates.

 

Last notes, if you need it to cost less up front, the Sapphire 4850 is $20 cheaper than the MSI card, but only has a $10 MIR and isn't clocked quite as high.  Also you can throw in a 9800 GTX instead of the HD 4850 they are right around the same price and performance, sorry I didn't take time to throw some of those in .  If you need to get a power supply or anything else and need to bring the price down though your best option is to downgrade the video to a HD4830 or 9600GT, or 4670 if you need to save more.

Cleffy

The HD4850, HD4670 will perform better in Age of Conan.  Its more optimized towards its architecture.

astrob0y

I for one would strongly suggest that you skip the 8600 card becuse I tried to run Age of Conan with it myself and it didnt go well. The 8600  is a low end card and not built to handle the information that Age of Conan craves. ATI has lower their price tag for their 4870 1 gig here in Sweden and I would suggest that you look for that card

 

Edit; here is a test that you may find intresting www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx

drag9999

Seems like I'll be getting a HD4850 and 4GB RAM. As for Intel processors, are there any suggestions with the same price range and performance as AMD?

 

Thanks for the feedback so far!

EDIT: Yes, I'm reusing my HD and power supply.

noquarter

Not really at that price range..  at $120 the phenom II 710 and core2duo e7400 are pretty good deals, if you get up to around the e8400 for $170 they start looking really good though but the quads you have to get pretty spendy with for them to be worthwhile.

Cleffy

The phenom II 710, and 720 are actually better deals then the e8400.

On Intel processors that might be worth it.  There is the Core i7 920 that dropped considerably in price over the last week to sub $300.

astrob0y

I would suggest that you will stick with an AMD processor becuse if you change to an Intel processor you need to change your motherboard as well. And you may have the luck to upgrade your AMD motherboards bios so you can run newer processors like an cheap Phenom x4 (that runs every mmo with a good speed). And if you stick with an AMD processor and are using a ATI graphic card you are then using a system called "SPIDER" that is supposed to be a great platform for gaming. But Ive not enought information about that.

 

If you dont mind you could post your motherboards name so we can google and see if you can upgrade your bios