Upgrade bit by bit? Or complete overhaul?

[WPKenny]

I've been saving my money each month and I've got around 300 quid now. I can't blow this ALL on computer parts as it's my rainy day money too. My dilema is this... Do I upgrade piece by piece or do I wait a few more months, get an even larger wedge of money and upgrade my entire system?

My specs at the mo are as follows.

K6-2 450 @ 500
256 MB PC-100 Ram
17 gig UDMA/33 HD
6.4 gig UDMA/33 HD
15" monitor (1024x768 max)
Generic midi tower case
SB Live! Value
Pace 56k modem (ISA)
Voodoo2 1000 Pci (8 meg ram I think)
Creative TNT2 M64
Aopen AX59Pro Motherboard
Gravis Gamepad (yup..that beige 4 button jobby..nice and old skool)
MS Intelliemouse with intellieye USB
Logitech Keyboard (PS/2)
Samsung 4x4x24x4x DVD/CD Re-Writer

Now certain bits of this I'd be likely to keep..mouse, DVD drive, HD's, modem etc but other bits are good for just making a makeshift server/gateway machine for when I get ADSL.

I've been looking around and chips are falling in price, and of course faster processors are coming out. You think I should upgrade bit by bit and risk parts of my machine becoming far to dated for the rest? Or should I just wait a while (I'm sure I can survive on this machine, it plays UT and CS reasonably well enough) and get a whole wodge of parts to make a brand spanking new machine?
I'd love to get the latest bits around at the time ie. GeF3, P4 (maybe??), decent coolermaster case etc etc.

What should I do? Save specifically or go bit by bit now?

 

[old.Rostam]

Personally I think bit by bit costs more over all. But advantage is you'll always have your rainy day mony left. But it means you will always want to upgrade something else, and will never be satisfied.
How ever judging that it took you months to save £300 and you want to keep some for a rainy day then you probbaly will have to buy bit by bit (some parts are beter to buy combo).
I would save a bit more and then buy the major haul parts and that should leave you £2.10 for a pint on a rainy day.

 

[old.spagbog]

In my own experience...

I originally bought a new pc "bundle" as I thought it would save me money, trouble is that components in a "bundle" are not always "top notch"

I found that the components were:

a) not that reliable
b) a bitch to re-install
c) un-upgradable

So I basically began to upgrade my system anyway with "branded" components, OK these tend to be a bit more expensive but I had less trouble. I have found good deals on component bundles also (e.g M/B CPU + FAN or Base units).
Your system does not appear to be so bad you could start upgrading without the risk that certain components are "incompatible"

At the end of the day you have to do a bit of hard research, shop around, read some PC mags, I find prices can vary shop to shop.

Good Luck

 

[WPKenny]

Yeah, I know about prices varying. Damn, I'm a bargin-aholic (does that word exist? It does now) when it comes to the net.

I think I'm swaying more towards buying everything in one lump. I'll buy quality branded stuff when it comes to it and not a packaged PC because I just really don't trust packaged PC's. They can dump whatever the hell kind of generic crap in there they like. I prefer to know specifically what I am buy so if it goes wrong I know specifically where to go to get it sorted. Thanks for the input. I think I'll leave my upgrade for a while as buying bit by bit seems to be more like playing catch up all the time.

Also I am kind of looking forward to building a monster beast PC and turning it on for the first time....only to see little puffs of smoke come from the case...heh. Yeah I like the idea of turning on a brand spanking new PC with nearly all new components in it.

Thanks.

 

[old.Kez]

Upgrade new parts slowly, rather than buy an entire new system, that way you always have money leftover, and you'll always have spare bits to make another computer / test / fix current one

 

[Testin da Cable]

^^what Kez says

 

[Wazzerphuk]

Over the while I've had this computer, the only original components are the CD/DVD drive, and the floppy drive. Not even the IDE cables and stuff are original.

 

[Ono]

Mobo

Processor

Graphics Card

Monitor (when u have more dosh).



Upgrade them.

 

[old.[CS]Sentinel]

Is there anywhere I get a K6-2 500/600 for cheep? I need to upgrade the PC at my mothers as its a 300 and runs like a dog. I'm gonna be staying there for 3 months, so a £40 investment would majorly improve the damn thing (its got a voodoo3, decent sound card and other peripherals) - as would buying a 128mb dimm of ram.

Suggestions?

Sent

 

[old.Rostam]

K6-2 500MMX (100Mhz) OEM
Mfr code: XYZK6/2.500
Quicklinx: FW0WS
20 available now
£30.00 ex vat
£35.25 inc vat
http://www.dabs.com/

It should be one of the cheapest. if not the difference with other places isn't much. I have bought from them before without any problems. Others might not agree and suggest other places.

 

[old.[CS]Sentinel]

Ta very much!

Sent

 

[Moving Target]

 

[Embattle]

I currently have a GF DDR and P3 700. When I upgrade I intend to buy both processor and GFX card since I wouldn't see a great benefit by upgrading only one