2+2

Hi folks, I know some of you are pretty computer savvy so I would like some advice.

My home computer is 450 MHz Pent. II Dell. Yes it is old. I am thinking about replacing the Mboard and CPU on the cheap...such as an Athlon 2000 or the like. I definately don't need the latest and greatest.

I have been to www.tigerdirect.com and they have some good prices on board/cpu bundles.

Is there another vendor that I should consider??

I do a search for computer parts and I get a million small vendors with not much info or selection.....

Also, my power supply is only 200W.

Does this pose a problem in running an Athlon or equivalent Celeron? I have a DVD/CDRW, ZIP, 1.44, 54g card as my peripherals. IF I need a new power supply, then I might as well get a new case...in which case, I should just buy a new computer.

Any advice would be appreciated. TIA

W88951

You will need to buy a new case. Basically you will be building a new computer. Depending on how time you want to invest in learning how to build a computer you may be better off buying a new Dell. Plus, the cost of building vs buying is roughly the same, and if you build you do not have a easy useable warranty. Also, you will not be able to run a new motherboard and processor with a 200watt power supply. I think Dell was pretty good about using a standard case design so you may be able to replace the MB with something generic.

Also, what is wrong with a PII 450? Unless you are a serious gamer or developer that computer is more than adequate for web browsing and wordprocessing and the like.

But, if you want to build a computer, first go to PriceWatch.com to compare vendor prices . I have had good luck with www.MicroPro.com and www.axiontech.com Both carry quality products at good prices.

2+2

Well, I can actually upgrade to Athlon 1900 with 258 Mb DDR for about $150...assuming I don't need to buy much else. I can't get a computer for that...
Yeah the power supply is somewhat iffy as most now days are at 300W or higher....so if I start adding all these, it may not be worth it.

PII 450 is fine for word processing but if I try to watch DVD's, its very choppy. I am also hoping to get a digital camera to take some pics. I do have an AGP 4x 64 card.

Thanks for the links...I will check them out.

gordyboy

One of my favorite places has been www.computergeeks.com

ERAU-944

i built a new computer because of the same thing. i just got a new case with a decent power supply and finished the whole thing up for like $400. pentium 4, 1400mHz, pretty decent. way faster than the gay teway 400mHz pentium II piece of DINOSAUR TURD that i was using before.

-Michael-

Epic2112

Go to www.pricewatch.com . You will find the best prices there. The site isn't a vendor, they have links to thousands of vendors, and you can sort items by price. I buy just about all my comp stuff through that page, and I just built a new comp (P4 2.26 gHz, 5 gigs RAM, etc. etc.)

theedge

www.newegg.com is generally considered the best vendor to order from, maybe not the absolute cheapest but you usually DONT want to order from the cheapest shops on pricewatch.

Youll need a new mobo, cpu, get DDR ram, I suggest AMD, make sure the comob does come with an HSF which it should, depending on the case you have now you may or may not need a new one, same for PSU but might as well get one anyway. Get an absolute minimum of a 300 watt power supply, preferably an Antec or Enermax, or a few others. DONT EVER get a no name or the cheapest PSU, its like buying a no name brand oil.

I suggest getting a new hard drive as well, since the one on your current computer prolly wont be the latest spec one. Your 64MB will be more than enough unless youre a huge gamer.

Epic2112

yeah theedge is absolutely right about the PSU. A friend of mine bought a super cheap computer online and it didn't power up when it arrived. Not a big deal though because we both know our ways around computers. I opened up the PSU and the board and all but crumbled. It was broken in several places. If that's the quality they build them to imagine the quality they function at.

2+2

Thanks guys for your replies. Yeah, it is a snow ball effect isn't it. So now I am looking at mboard/cpu/fat/case/PS at the minimum and if I add a HD, I am basically at a new computer...at which point, I would just go buy a refurb. unit for the same price...!!! Ug... I will have to give this some more thought. I guess I can also just chug along until I find this 100MHz bus dino unbearable.

Here's something to consider for you 951 owners: At least the upgrades that we do to our 951s do not go "out of date" like these computers!

Brian McCoy

Well, there is one plus side (and a big one at that) to building your own computer. It's MUCH easier to upgrade single items at a time, so your computer can continually evolve. While most of the computer I build spec out to about $1000, that's for serious gamers and people who just have to have the newest/latest/greatist... I'm sure that you could build one for under $500 that would hold it's own against anything you could buy for twice the money.

FWIW, I'm also a www.newegg.com fan - their prices are typically within $50 of the BEST prices I can find for a complete system. I know they're a well established company and RMA's through them are easier than going through a local store (in my experience).

dave120

I don't buy from anyone but NewEgg anymore. The only problem is small items they kill you on shipping, but buying anytihng $50 or more it's usually free. Their prices are competitive and the customer service is great. They usually get the stuff I buy from Cali way out here to FL in 3 days with their FREE shipping...tough to beat.

Mark Parker

How does Dell provide your software? Is it on a "recovery disk", or is it on the original Microsoft CDs? The problem will be that a recovery disk will look for the bios on your Dell Moboard. If it doesn't find that bios, it won't let you install the OS on your new computer, leaving youwithout the use of the software you paid for when you bought the computer.

Chris_924s

I located a "barebones" unit from a local shop- better competition in big cities means cheaper prices.
It was cheaper in the long run to buy a barebones box than it was to assemble myself- and I've built literally hundreds of computers from desktops to quad Xeon servers..

Intel P4, 2Ghz, 256Mb ram, 40 Gb Hdd, Case, PS, mouse and KB for under 400$- just add your own OS.
I couldnt piece part it for that cheap- plus it was burned in and a 1 year warranty.
Of course I added on....

theedge

Restore disk crap IIRC. Its a real pain in the butt.

Just download your OS

elvisizer

newegg is tha shiznit. (hee, hee)
i've bought lots of things from them, i've returned a few things to them, too, and never had anything to complain about.
prices are great, and their service is good.