Improvements/upgrades!

[antzsta]

My system -


Operating System - Microsoft Windows XP Professional
CPU Type - AMD Athlon XP, 1674 MHz (12.5 x 134) 2000+
Motherboard Name - Gigabyte GA-7VA v2.0 (5 PCI, 1 AGP, 3 DDR DIMM, Audio)
Video Adapter - NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 (128 MB)
Audio Adapter - VIA AC'97 Enhanced Audio Controller
System Memory - 256 MB (PC2700 DDR SDRAM)
Disk Drive - Maxtor 6Y120L0 (120 GB, 7200 RPM, Ultra-ATA/133)
Disk Drive - Maxtor 91531U3 (14 GB, 5400 RPM, Ultra-ATA/66)

What im really wanting to do is just improve my computer slowly well not slowly just not buy everything i need all at once!

Can i have your thoughts and ideas on what you would change first, and where on the internet i should get them from cheap. And what makes and so on. Havent really got a bufget because liek i said im not goin to buy everything all at once.

Mainly will use my computer for surfing the net, a few games, but i jsut want a computer that will run fast and will be reliable. Nothign speical.

Thank you
Anton

 

[Gamingfreak]

u really need to upgrade the memory if you're using xp cause 256mb really isnt enough i think u would see a big improvement if u upgraded to 512 or if u have the money a gb and i think your motherboard supports ddr400 so make sure u get that

 

[antzsta]

Ok thanks any suggestions on other improvements. and is there nay way on how i can defently check that my borad can run ddr400

 

[the deceived]

Yeah, google "Gigabyte GA-7VA specs"

 

[antzsta]

Thanks

 

[Opteronix]

I would get a new motherboard that has decent integrated graphics, some new RAM, and a new CPU is that isn't too much to buy at once. Trouble is, the ATI Radeon XPress200 chipset with IGP is MicroATX, so you would need a new case! AHHH!! There goes the idea. Get new RAM, yes, most certainly. What is your budget?

 

[antzsta]

In some ways there isnt a budget because im going to take things slowy, just need liek good suggestion's then i can look at the prices, and save up and to no what i need in money terms! what motherboard n cpu and all that would you suggest then!?

 

[Opteronix]

Well, for the motherboard, do you want dual graphics cards??? Or single?

And do you play a lot of games and such or multitask a lot or do video rendering/encoding?

 

[antzsta]

Er.. sorry dont really get all that dual and single stuff, dont really no about it all, but i used to play games like unreal and starwars and going to start playing that matrix online adventurly when computer ready lol

 

[TRDCorolla1]

If you're buying them piece by piece, I would suggest upgrading your components a little to current standard. Try looking into Athlon 64 CPUs and supporting motherboards. They're cheaper than you think and works better than Athlon XPs.