call me a hypocrite but it's time to upgrade

b-man1 · Post by **b-man1** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 8:01 pm

i replied in an earlier thread that i would not be changing much, but i now have a bit of $upgrade$ funds available.

i need ideas for what to get with a budget of $500-750...must be hardware related, not games, etc.

my current rig:

antec 1030b tower w/300W antec ps
shuttle ak31 rev3
512MB PC2100
1.4 tbird (non-XP)
radeon 9000 pro 64MB
philips acoustic edge 5.1 sound card
40x cdrw drive
2 x 40GB 7200 drives
1 x 120GB 7200 hot swap drive
Z560 4.1 speakers
19" flat CRT monitor

i'm thinking of...

--wireless mouse/keyboard
--dvd burner
--printer (i don't have one right now)
--lcd monitor (but games...games...must be good enough for that)

blackhawk · Post by **blackhawk** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 8:43 pm

That looks pretty well matched up right now!

Only things maybe would be a middle of the road XP cpu if that mb will take it and a nice kb/mouse combo. Printers are pretty cheap and the vid cards not bad.

b-man1 · Post by **b-man1** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 9:10 pm

i'm thinking more peripherals than major parts...if i go LCD i want at least a 19"...and that's the budget right there. probably makes more sense to get a nice mouse/keyboard, printer, and some other odds and ends.

hmmmmm.

d_b · Post by **d_b** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 9:51 pm

If that radeon is a dual head get a smaller lcd and run both. I have a Viewsonic pf790as my main and a viewsonice va800 (18inch) as my second. The text is so much cleareron the lcd. I use the crt mainly for games.

Shadow250 · Post by **Shadow250** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 10:14 pm

speaking of cheap printers i just picked up a 1200x1200 dpi lexmark z 22 for $23.88 new.

Sean · Post by **Sean** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 10:37 pm

Acoustic Edge, very nice card. I don't think it liks my 7DXR much though, has a very feint whining noise in the background, barely noticeable though.

However, I do agree, I would invest in a second monitor if you have dual display available. And, would go with the odds and ends and not an LCD. I've never really been interested in LCD's myself. But, I'm sure once I use one, I'll never be able to go back.

b-man1 · Post by **b-man1** » Fri Jan 03, 2003 10:39 pm

hehehe...the lexmark z22. i picked one of those up from target for $19 on clearance and it was dead out of the box.

Shadow250 · Post by **Shadow250** » Sat Jan 04, 2003 8:59 pm

really? i got mine from walmart, it works nice. maybe im just lucky? lol

b-man1 · Post by **b-man1** » Sat Jan 04, 2003 9:22 pm

nah...i'm just UNLUCKY.

Slugbait · Post by **Slugbait** » Sat Jan 04, 2003 11:40 pm

The Logitech MX700 I got for xmas has been wonderful so far. Totally beats the crap out of the wireless Intellimouse Explorer I have at work. Even beats the first-gen wired Explorer mouse that it replaced.

If you want support for all DVD formats, I'd suggest the Sony DRU-500A. It got a Kick-Ass award from MaxPC last month.

The large LCD will hit the pocketbook hard. Heck, after a full year my KDS Rad-5 seems to have retained its full value (for the price I paid after coupon/rebate) in comparison with today's sale/rebate/coupon prices. But don't expect the larger ticket items to retain their value for very long. Plus, max rez of those things are usually lower than their CRT cuzins, and let's not get into refresh rates. Besides, LCD prices keep coming down...further, LCD is trying to get into television for the smaller-screen market (it can't do big-screen, which is primarily owned by plasma right now). All those rumors last year about an LCD shortage? Poppycock. They were trying to artificially stabilize/inflate LCD prices...and for the most part, it worked so far. But the huge number of laptops and LCD televisions available say different...