Upgrading PC (split from CH)

[Mr. Darkside]

I've been thinking of getting a new computer for sometime now, and I find it hard to choose... I mean, I could buy an used one, or a new one. I'd have to save much more for a new computer... So, I decided to buy a used one. They have lots of computer shops in Finland which sell them, so it's the easier choice. But, I cant actually think which could be the stantard, good computer, which would be good for playing games too.

I found this computer shop near us, called "Cruz Broker". It's got lots of used stuff. My friend bought a computer from there, too. It's got a bad graphics driver, but they're getting a new one. So, I looked at their website, and I set my eyes upon this one:

HP Vectra P4 Micro

Intel Pentium 4 1.6 Ghz

Memory: 256 Mb

Hard Disk: 22 Gb

Floppy

Ati Rage128 Pro 32Mb

Integrated Voice Card

Integrated Lan

Usb

And it costs 349 euros... Is that a good deal? I mean, I dont need a super computer, I just need a new one. This one that I've got right now, crashes all the time. Cant view pages with frames, cant install some programs because it crashes... And a new computer like this would probably would cost double the price. Finland has one of the most expensive prices, so... Ugh.

Should I buy this, save for a new one or does anyone know a good netstore that sells cheap, used computers internationally? O_o

(And I'm almost 100% sure that a netstore like that doesn't exist...)

Edit: Silly me. Just after posting this message, I looked at their new stuff. They're also selling a pretty good pc with a 40gb hard disk for 330 euros. Not sure about the other stats, they dont mention them so good at the new computers section. I'm going to visit the shop on monday, it's only a small car trip from my home.

[Ibis]

I don't know. The processor is slow and old, probably a Willamette = "crap".
Low amount of RAM, atleast 512 I'd say.
Small HDD and a crappy graphics-card. No driver will fix that.

I'd say, buy an upgrade package from here: http://www.komplett.se/k/kl.asp?bn=10300
or an finnish online computer store.
The "frakt" shouldn't be that much, were both members of EU and neighbour-countries

Take a look here too: http://www.datorbutiken.com/
Don't know any finnish shop though

Those things are only a motherboard, a new processor and memory, so you need to keep the display, and the graphics card, HDD etc, but you get much better performance.

Anyway, problems with webpages using frames is not likely to have anything to do with hardware, rather software. Reinstall Windows and see if that helps.

What kind of computer do you have now?

[Mr. Darkside]

Erm... Let me look...

Well, we've got a crappy Intel 82810E Graphics Controller... 256 mb memory. We've got 1.01GHz of power. And a old intel audio controller... A 18,6gb hard disk...

It's a bad computer. Cant stand it... -_-

[Ibis]

Erm... Let me look...

Well, we've got a crappy Intel 82810E Graphics Controller... 256 mb memory. We've got 1.01GHz of power. And a old intel audio controller... A 18,6gb hard disk...

It's a bad computer. Cant stand it... -_-

What kind of Processor? If it's an Intel PIII, then you'll not get that much more performance of that new one :/
I just built a kinda cheap and "good" performing budgetsystem on Datorbutiken.com.

• AMD Sempron 2400+ Sempron 1667MHz/1.667GHz 256Kb 333MHz 0.13 Boxed (with cpu-cooler!) SocketA = 645.00 SKr ~ 70.72 €
• Asus A7V8X-X KT400 6PCI 1AGP8x 3DDR-DIMM ATA133 LAN USB 2.0 6CH-Audio SocketA ATX = 649.00 SKr ~ 71.16 €
• Standard 512Mb DDR PC2700/DDR333 184pin 333MHz cas2.5 = 715.00 SKr ~ 78.39 €
• AOpen QF50C MidiTower silver 300W ATX = 549.00 SKr ~ 60.19 €
• Samsung 16X DVD-ROM/48X CD-ROM bulk IDE = 329.00 SKr ~ 36.07 €
• Club 3D Radeon 9200SE 128Mb DDR TV-out DVI RETAIL AGP = 475.00 SKr ~ 52.08 €
• Seagate Barracuda ST380011A 7200.7 80Gb 7200rpm 2Mb UDMA100 IDE = 615.00 SKr ~ 67.43 €

Total: 3977.00 SKr ~ 436.07 €

More expensive, but much better performance.
And you can always make it cheaper, smaller HDD etc.
Not a gaming system, but much much better than that P4

If you can find a online shop with similar prices in Finland, I'd go for that. And you can probably get them to put it together for you.

[Mr. Darkside]

Erm... Let me look...

Well, we've got a crappy Intel 82810E Graphics Controller... 256 mb memory. We've got 1.01GHz of power. And a old intel audio controller... A 18,6gb hard disk...

It's a bad computer. Cant stand it... -_-

What kind of Processor? If it's an Intel PIII, then you'll not get that much more performance of that new one :/

Do you mean with the upgrade package or the new computer? O_o

I've got a limited amount of money at the moment. 200 euros. My mother said that she could put the computer price in half, like she pays the half, and me too. But not at the moment, then when she has extra money...

I did found some upgrade packages on a finnish site... Hmm:

ASROCK K7S8X R3.0 motherboard
*Audio controller and graphics controller
AMD Sempron 2600+ 1,833GHz processor
Processorcooler
512Mb DDR PC3200 400MHz

239 euros. Not sure about if it's a good deal. The audio controller and the graphics controller can be bad...

[Ibis]

Do you mean with the upgrade package or the new computer? O_o

I've got a limited amount of money at the moment. 200 euros. My mother said that she could put the computer price in half, like she pays the half, and me too. But not at the moment, then when she has extra money...

I did found some upgrade packages on a finnish site... Hmm:

ASROCK K7S8X R3.0 motherboard
*Audio controller and graphics controller
AMD Sempron 2600+ 1,833GHz processor
Processorcooler
512Mb DDR PC3200 400MHz

239 euros. Not sure about if it's a good deal. The audio controller and the graphics controller can be bad...

I meant the computer you are using now

Hmm, I guess you're not after any new display etc?
You might be able to use your current chassi too, to save some cash, but the powersupply might not be sufficient.
Is it a Dell, Compaq or something like that you are using now?

I guess that the soundcard they talk about is the integrated, and almost every integrated soundcard sucks, so it really doesn't matter But they usually work good enough though.
I couldn't find any info about an integrated graphics controller though, but that will most probably be really bad.
You could always buy that package, and just buy an extra card later on.

[Mr. Darkside]

We plan to buy a new comp. The one that costs 330 I believe, If we dont find a better one for cheap in the store.

We just have to do this, this comp went nuts last night... O_o

We plan to buy a upgrade pack around christmas, heh. It actually doesn't matter that much at the moment, I play browser games much. I think I'm really going to buy games when I get the upgrade pack...

Edit: Well, I found a good graphics controller. Well, I think it's pretty good. It's a Gainward GF FX 5200 Ultra 128M DDR 760XP/GS tv A... What do the people here think about it? Should I buy it after the computer? It costs 100 euros. This is where I'm looking at it:

http://www.bdog.fi/cgi-bin/netstore/tuo ... teryhma=07

It's finnish, but you should understand the stats of the stuff there. I think the controller is pretty good for gaming... But there might be better ones there. I dont have that much time at the moment to look at them that much...