*cry* another attempt at an upgrade...

[{CLR} Naillik]

Could I get some fairly cheap suggestions for a completely new rig from the ground up?

My only real choice so far is a Zotac 9600GT 512MB DDR3 (675mhz) PCI-E Graphics Card
for graphics

and a
Creative Sound Blaster X-FI Xtreme Audio Sound Card
for sound

A
Aluratek 500GB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive
for storage

I'm completely clueless when it comes to MB and CPU, and all the other stuff I have no clue about

I need a rig upgrade cause I think mr. video card has cancer, and is slowly dying, because I can't play any "now" game without getting single digit FPS constanly... On fully low video and audio settings good excuse for a new rig.

Suggestions ftw

[juneau]

That is one totally craptastic sound card. If you want an X-Fi but you don't want to spend a whole lot of money get the Xtreme Music or Xtreme Gamer.

Oh and get a internal HDD for storage. External drives are prone to die more often than their internal counterparts. And are normally more expensive and have slow interfaces (firewire and esata are the only good ones)

Here's a budget base to build on. It might not seem like much but it'll handle pretty much anything with decent performance.

Intel C2D e2180
Abit IP35

If you can stretch slightly further. Ditch the e2180 for a e7200. The 9600GT will do you proud for 12 months or so at 1280x1024 just don't expect any miracles.

Do you have a budget? Or any specific places you intend to buy from? I don't really know any Canadian etailers to link to.

[WalkinTarget]

Skip on the Xtreme Music .. it does NOT have the full blown Emu10k X-Fi audio processor. You'll need to look at the Xtreme Gamer as the sound card of choice for a build.

I give a thumbs up to Juneau's suggestion of the e2180 and Abit board, altho Abit has discontinued the original IP35 and replaced it with an almost identically named board, but it does not have the same quality components .. it is not as good as the original IP35.

The e2180 is good for 3.0ghz and the 9600GT will run most games at 1440x900 at high-ish settings.

[Sirex]

I use the XFI Music in this pc for games, works perfectly for the job, no issues with it.
Never had any issues with the EAX enhancements or anything.

[Sgt.Fury]

upgrade

suggestion would be to go with an 8800 invidia also how much ram is your system running 1 gb is minimal for cod4

use the sound card built into your mother board ( sound cards just up to you doesn't effect game speed ) and forget the external hard drive its best use is to save things in case of internal loss as a back up
you might want to upgrade your internet card like to a marvel yukon gigabit controller

if your getting slow fps in the game it might just be your connection speeds
heres a site to check your connection speeds run the 1 closest to where you are then check 1 located close to cainslair
Speedtest.net - The Global Broadband Speed Test

let me know how ya make out

[{CLR} Naillik]

oh its not connection and ty for the suggestions, I'm buying mostly from Bestbuy or ordering through the local pc shop, Superior Computers... no specific budget atm, I could probably make 1000 bucks or so over the summer if I work I'll go with an internal drive, the external just looked nice
and I thought that the sound card was the extreme gamer but I have to go now my room is currently being invaded by monster winged ants and I'm a bit freaked out at bugs, I'll try and be back later

[imlittlev]

I use the XFI Music in this pc for games, works perfectly for the job, no issues with it.
Never had any issues with the EAX enhancements or anything.

i can second that! with the guide to connect to the front panel in maximum PC i got today, im glad i didnt get the platinum (2 years ago)!

[K PhaNTOM]

Creative Sound Blaster X-FI Xtreme Audio Sound Card

This card killed me a few months ago. It had some serious issues with my 64-bit OS. I ended up using the old one i had in my old computer and returned this one.

[Ghost_Rain]

Forget the Card it crap get 8800GT or 8800GT they are about ?130 to Now as for the Sound card I using the Onboard Sound at the moment and it really good

[juneau]

Forget the Card it crap get 8800GT or 8800GT they are about ?130 to Now as for the Sound card I using the Onboard Sound at the moment and it really good

I think you mean GTS. The 9600GT will be fine for now. A 8800GT or GTS will take a big chunk of the budget away.

[Ghost_Rain]

Hold on I forgot to post the link

[Ghost_Rain]

The 8800Gt Card are at ?131 at the momnet juts click the link below

Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

[Sirex]

a 8800gt for naillik will be 289.99 from bestbuy, need to mind GR that hes in Canada not the UK

extra $40 for the difference.

[Ghost_Rain]

Yer but if I rember right he lives it the uk LOL

[{CLR} Naillik]

London, yes, Ontario, Canada

But yea, I checked to 8800, looked a bit too expensive for me. \
question here, how much longer would a 9600GT last over an 8800GTS?
I dont plan on upgrading again for a long while, so I want something that will last