Upgrade/Little money to spend - Hardware & Software

Here's the deal, my cousin promised to give me a brand new q9450 that he hasn't even used. What I need Definitely: Motherboard, Ram, Cooler What would be nice to upgrade: Videocard: He said he would throw in a spare 8800gt for cheap until i could get more money. Current Specs AMD Athlon 3500+ @2.3 ghz 2 gigs pc3200 7600GT 256mb 550W Antec Truepower Trio I have approximately 200-250 USD to spend at first and can upgrade slowly after, as I get money. I know its not a lot but do the best you can. I have an Antec SuperLanBoy mid-tower case. I don't think anything will be TOO big to fit in there anyway.

you gonna overlock that 9550? if not, no need for a 3rd party cooler... i wish my cousins were as cool as yours

[QUOTE=rampageturke;20060774]you gonna overlock that 9550? if not, no need for a 3rd party cooler... i wish my cousins were as cool as yours[/QUOTE] The thing is, he only has the q9550 and no cooler for it. Some deal he has with his work. And yes I plan on clocking it to the suggested speed ~3.6ghz Also, he can't use it cause hes lga 775 motherboard doesn't support that line for some reason.

[url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065[/url] this cpu cooler.

[QUOTE=sbradford26;20061356][url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065[/url] this cpu cooler.[/QUOTE] This one.

[QUOTE=sbradford26;20061356][URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065[/URL] this cpu cooler.[/QUOTE] Looks reasonable and still leaves me around $200 to spend on the motherboard and ram. Most likely the one I will get unless anyone says otherwise.

[QUOTE=Ins4ne;20061546]Looks reasonable and still leaves me around $200 to spend on the motherboard and ram. Most likely the one I will get unless anyone says otherwise.[/QUOTE] It's the best low budget CPU Cooler you can get.

Not sure what to look for but I think these might work out. Leaning towards the Asus one. [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128358[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131232[/url] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128372[/url]

[url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128372&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction[/url] This one.

[QUOTE=ghostofme;20062693][URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128372&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction[/URL] This one.[/QUOTE] Awesome, I think that was one I was looking at earlier too. That leaves me 80 Dollars for ram+whatever. Should I go for 4 or more gigs and ddr2 1366 or 1066?

[QUOTE=Ins4ne;20063736]Awesome, I think that was one I was looking at earlier too. That leaves me 80 Dollars for ram+whatever. Should I go for 4 or more gigs and ddr2 1366 or 1066?[/QUOTE] [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211281[/url] Sadly there will be no whatever. DDR2 is a ripoff at the moment.

[QUOTE=sbradford26;20063784][URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820211281[/URL] Sadly there will be no whatever. DDR2 is a ripoff at the moment.[/QUOTE] How about [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227289[/url] or [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227298[/url]

[QUOTE=Ins4ne;20063849]How about [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227289[/url] or [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227298[/url][/QUOTE] No need to spend extra the difference between ddr2 800 and 1066 in unnoticeable. I would just get the one I posted.

[QUOTE=sbradford26;20063882]No need to spend extra the difference between ddr2 800 and 1066 in unnoticeable. I would just get the one I posted.[/QUOTE] Worried about the quality though. [editline]07:46PM[/editline] Also what the fuck happened to the prices, they used to be so damn cheap.

[QUOTE=Ins4ne;20064120]Worried about the quality though. [editline]07:46PM[/editline] Also what the fuck happened to the prices, they used to be so damn cheap.[/QUOTE] Adata is great quality and they are transitioning to ddr3.

[QUOTE=sbradford26;20064207]Adata is great quality and they are transitioning to ddr3.[/QUOTE] They already did transition

[QUOTE=anikilol;20064400]They already did transition[/QUOTE] Well here they did but there are still plenty of people buying ddr2. I know scary.

Will my PSU be able to handle all this?

[QUOTE=Ins4ne;20072788]Will my PSU be able to handle all this?[/QUOTE] Very easily.

Also edited, 9450 he told me the wrong name. I don't think it'll make a difference though.

[QUOTE=Ins4ne;20073235]Also edited, 9450 he told me the wrong name. I don't think it'll make a difference though.[/QUOTE] It's still a nice quad for free. I am just green with jealousy. :froggonk:

Well it's either a e6700+evga mobo and ram or the quad.

[QUOTE=Ins4ne;20073591]Well it's either a e6700+evga mobo and ram or the quad.[/QUOTE] Is he giving you the option of either? If so take the Quad.

Yea he's giving me the option. The other will be for server type usage.

[QUOTE=Ins4ne;20073690]Yea he's giving me the option. The other will be for server type usage.[/QUOTE] How much RAM would the CPU+Mobo combo come with?

[QUOTE=ghostofme;20073726]How much RAM would the CPU+Mobo combo come with?[/QUOTE] 4 gigs ddr2 800 and evga 680i or something like that.

[QUOTE=Ins4ne;20074255]4 gigs ddr2 800 and evga 680i or something like that.[/QUOTE] Oh wow. Not a half bad dual-core actually. [url]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115007&cm_re=e6700_cpu-_-19-115-007-_-Product[/url] The CPU+Motherboard+RAM is the better freebie. But if you want a better CPU the quad is the way to go. I don't know which one I would take if this was me.

If you plan on playing new gen games, I'd highly highly recommend the quad core. Dual cores are starting to see the end of the light in gaming. All the new game engines are going to have lots of physics calculations and will scale much better on a quad core. Take the new Bad Company 2 BETA. It will only run with med-high end dual cores or just a plain old quad core. Don't know how long that e6700 will last... Also what resolution you gaming at? Curious as to how that 8800 will hold up with new games too.

1280x1024 I somehow get 30 frames in left 4 dead 2 with med-high.

[QUOTE=drummerundrcovr;20078634]If you plan on playing new gen games, I'd highly highly recommend the quad core. Dual cores are starting to see the end of the light in gaming. All the new game engines are going to have lots of physics calculations and will scale much better on a quad core. Take the new Bad Company 2 BETA. It will only run with med-high end dual cores or just a plain old quad core. Don't know how long that e6700 will last... Also what resolution you gaming at? Curious as to how that 8800 will hold up with new games too.[/QUOTE] No. Dual-cores are fine for gaming. And I'm sure everyone would have a quad-core if they could afford it.