What would you recommend buying for $1000?

[nuclear]

i got $1,000 today. i was wanting to upgrade my computer. here are my specs as of right now:

HP Pavilion 4445
celeron 366 overclocked to 458Mhz
96mb ram
Windows 2000 Professional
32X CDROM
riptide audio card
riva tnt 3d card
cable modem
56 rockwell modem (for traveling)
20GB maxtor hd
6GB backup hd

i definately need a new 3d card, and im gonna go for a soundblaster live audio card as well. what else do you guys recomend updgrading?

[This message has been edited by nuclear (edited 08-11-2000).]

[tw1112]

Hi, I would suggest maybe some more RAM and maybe an upgrade in your processor. Other than that, you already said your going to upgrade sound and graphics so......think you'll have a nice machine...maybe PC133 RAM if you can afford it after the other components.

[Dave2]

1. add 128 MB PC133 RAM.
2. P3 733
3. Asus CUSL2 mb
4. buy a new case
5. 64MB Geforce 2 GTS video card

[Ultima]

Say,

You are saying you still have a riptide in yer machine???

Ohh man, it suprises me yer machine hasn't failed yet.

I work at a pc production company where we build HP Pavilions among others.
They finally decided to kick the riptide out permanently.

I had to test defect components, and those riptide combi cards are the worst.

When I test em, I put the riptide in, and get all kinds of fails.
Audio fail, modem fail, power fail, pci conflict, memory fail, no display, you name it and the riptide can cause it.

And the worst is, it is a 16 bit soundcard with a 56k6 modem on it, and the company pays 175USD for purchasing it.

175USD!!!! That is sick, isn't it???

Ahh well, enough complaining, just happy to see that ya gonna make that wise decision now.

Pim

[nuclear]

my machine only has 2 RAM slots and ive got the 64mb chip that came with it and in my other "older" computer i took out a 32mb chip and put in it. so ill have to get a new mother board. abou that riptide card, i havent had any problems out of it at all except when i use the 3d stereo enhance feature it kills the center channel (my subwoofer) and distorts the he*l out of my sattalite speakers. oh well.

[Ultima]

Just trust me on this one, I can even send ya dozens of reports with failed riptides next monday.

For the last 6 months, that would be over 10.000 pieces.

You'd be better off with any other card.

Pim

[nuclear]

i will get a soundblaster live for sure. ive been looking at some stuff on cantek.com such as motherboards and cpu's and i read up on that motherboard that was recommended in this thread, seems to be pretty good. would you guys recommend getting a dual cpu/motherboard combo since im on windows 2000 or go for a single processor system?

what are the advantages/disadvantages of having a dual processor system

[Ultima]

Well,

the advantage of having a dual cpu system, is that you have more processing power, it divides the tasks between the cpu's.

The disadvantage is, that allthough win2000 supports it, not all programs support it.

I don't know exactly which programs do and don't, but I've heard that in the progs that do support it, the difference is pretty big.

Pim.

[nuclear]

maybe ill go for dual cpu's then!

[Warthog]

My upgrade ideas:

(1)make your RAM total 128
(2)CD-RW drive
(3)SB Live
(4)M64 TNT2 video card

Warthog

[nuclear]

ahh theres no use for a cd-rw when my best freind has an external one that i can use whenever i need it hehe

[KillerBug]

1.) Pep66 socket cooler
2.) AMD thunderbird 700 socket a
3.) Abit KT7
4.) Alluminum oxide thermal compound

That stuff together through pricvewatch and 2cooltek.com will run you less than $400 shipped. You may want the KT7-Raid, it will cost more though.

[This message has been edited by KillerBug (edited 08-12-2000).]

[KillerBug]

Oh, and make sure you have only one set of feet between the cpu and the heatsink, if they both come with feet, pull the feet off the heatsink, not the CPU.