Computer Upgrades +REP

[Jack!]

Basically, I have around £250 to spend on upgrading my PC. (£300 at a push, maybe £350 at a bigger push, Lower the better)

Currently running an old MSI Motherboard, which has IDE and stuff, so I really could do with a new motherboard, Processor and RAM, I know this will take up the majority of my budget.

I have IDE Hardrives, so I would need an IDE to SATA probably, or even new SATA Drives. (If I can get IDE to SATA, Great, If not, cheapest drive possible)

New Graphics card would be amazing, I don't have high hopes to fit it in a £250 Budget though, Maybe £300/£350? VGA Output would be helpful.

Obviously I would need cables, CPU Cooler etc, I have a Case, Case Fans, 450W PSU. (Molex Connectors?)

Any help would be great, looking to run FSX with half decent specs, I run it currently on pretty much basic everything.


Cheers for the help :)

[N!ck]

You haven't really given much details of what you currently have, such as case form factor and more specific PSU details.

Assuming you require micro-ATX and you don't have SATA power connectors on your PSU.

http://i39.tinypic.com/10wpuzq.png

Without a graphics card it becomes £268 (you can just run on the CPU's graphics controller until you want to upgrade).
Without a HDD either it becomes £218.

[Jack!]

Uh, old style PSU, IDE Only? It has 4 holes on each connector, Full size case, so any mobo size

[N!ck]

Uh, old style PSU, IDE Only? It has 4 holes on each connector, Full size case, so any mobo size

You will need power adaptors for the SATA gear on the old PSU. It might be worth a PSU upgrade instead to be honest though. Something along these lines http://www.ebuyer.com/271798-corsair-430w-v2-cx-series-psu-cmpsu-430cxv2uk

[Jack!]

Yeah, I was looking at that PSU, Considering just a whole new computer now, Within a budget of £400 though really, don't need a Graphics card in that budget though.

Recommendations? :)

[Jack!]

Done this, all look compatible and okay?:

http://qoou.net/images/6vAh5.png

[Jack!]

Sorry for the bump, buts its an update!

Ordered everything for ebuyer, paid for 3 days delivery, as a bonus it arrived a day early!

Not really got any pictures unfortunatly! :(

Got a high speed SATA2 Disk, 40GB For a bargain of eBay, and then I remember I had a NAS Drive I don't use, and managed to get 2x 500GB SATA2 Drives out of that, Got 2GB DD3 Ram from eBay, New for £5, waiting on more cash to order the 8GB Sticks.

Got the I3 for £70, New Boxed from eBay, should arrives tomorrow or tuesday.

Basically there, now, and I have only spent around £300 :D

Graphics Card and more RAM will be ordered in 2(ish) weeks, the mobo has Sandybridge Graphics, HDMI, DVI, everything on it, so I should be fine for the mean time.

Cheers for the help Nick, I basically followed your guidelines, just with a few changes :)

[N!ck]

Try to go for RAM rated at 1.5 V or less for use in Sandy Bridge systems.

[Jack!]

How come? The RAM I have currently is 1.5v so it should be fine.

[N!ck]

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/forum/286748-12-memory-sandy-bridge-processors

Should run the memory within 0.5 V of the VCCIO voltage, which is 1.1 V at stock for Sandy Bridge.