low funds- new build

[Gait_Keeper]

I'm going to build a AMD machine, on a real tight budget, so i'll be using onboard sound and video until I can buy cards

already have an 1800+ machine, what to move to?? 2500+, 3000+

board with good sound and video

[Buzioid]

what board do you currently use?

[John Prophet]

ECS L7S7A2 SIS 746 comes with free card reader also.

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...tby=14&order=1

Oh wait..no onboard vid...but at $52 shipped you can afford a cheapo vid card. Saw gf2mx400 for $19 at compusa right now.

JP

[Gait_Keeper]

Originally posted by Buzioid
what board do you currently use?

K7S5A v1.0

[woodbutcher]

Originally posted by Gait_Keeper


K7S5A v1.0

I run that board for my internet and parts testing board.
Rock solid in 2 years of use.
Currenty running a XP-2400 @ 2140 mhz with a gig of kingston hyper- x 2700 (testing) and a GF3 card.
I have several other boxes here with higher cpu's on nforce 2 boards (3) and there is not a huge difference n performance.
Then again i'm not a gamer.
Maybe you should opt for a cheap cpu upgrade, say a XP2400 for $78.00 or so.
More of a performance boost then a new board.

WB

[shrae]

Originally posted by woodbutcher
I have several other boxes here with higher cpu's on nforce 2 boards (3) and there is not a huge difference n performance.

You should be able to notice performance difference going to an nforce2. Yeah, probably more so in games, but remember that nforce2 is really 3, almost 4 generations ahead of sis735 (sis735 was competing with kt266 first rev, nforce2 now competes with kt600). Based on benches between sis735 and the kt333, and then between the kt333 and nforce2 (I can't find any benches with both the sis735 and nforce2 chipsets), it's about a 13%-17% difference in performance with all other things equal... which is above the "noticeable" threshold.

That said the sis735/k7s5a is still a very solid budget board, and you will probably save a lot of money by keeping that mobo and buying a separate AGP video card instead of going for integrated. The XP1800+ is on the low side but really not a bad CPU, and for the price of a new mobo/CPU you can easily get a decent vidcard that will far outperform the GF4MX integrated that you would wind up with. After that you can think about cpu upgrades, although the 2400+ is the highest you can go with the K7S5A v1.0. (Unless they added 166FSB support with a recent BIOS update.)

If you really want an integrated solution then consider something like the Leadtek K7NCR18G-PRO which has integrated GF4 and the integrated soundstorm APU.

[pinoy87]

2500 for $90 at newegg. then oc it to 3000+ speeds. save yourself a bundle and save up for your sound/videocards.

[Gait_Keeper]

woodbutcher, shrae, and everyone thanx form your input.

I don't want to touch my 1800+ machine, I want to build a new machine new machine, but I don't want to wait until I have all the money , so that's why I want to get just the basics and get cards later, I have 3 already and want to build a 4th not upgrade the 1800+ on the K7S5A board, this machine has DVD, CD burner, 512 pc2100 ( 2 x 256 )
SB live 5.1 pc128,
GeForce2 400 mx/mx 64mb ( I'm not gaming )
40gig wd 7200rpm 2Mb cache
80gig maxtor 7200rpm 8Mb cache
3 lighted fans in, out and a blowhole
stealthed drive bays
ethernet card

I want a new machine, can't wait ( I'm a big kid, over40 hehe )
thats why I want a board with sound and video, maybe built in ethernet too, until I can buy some cards
thanx again

[twistedbrntucker]

I have built two PC's this year ,both with MSI K7N2G-ILSR mainboards.They have on board geForce4 MX graphics and Soundstorm 5.1 digital audio. Out of the box comes 6 USB 2.0 ports,firewire,and onboard LAN .I also just bought on my last build Athlon XP2500+.That seems to be the best bang for the buck nowadays for less than 100.00 dollars.Good Luck! tbt

[twistedbrntucker]

Oh yeah,best to buy the processor and mainboard last.Due to RMA restrictions.No sense in letting them sit around in a box waiting to build.