Computer build questions... please help!

So I hope this is the right section, i couldn't find one more approriate.

I currently have a custom built computer about to turn 5yrs old. It still works great, I still get 100fps constant in games like CS:Source with settings on high, but now the newer versions of Photoshop/Lightroom and loading giant RAWs is getting really demanding. I'm hoping to build something a little faster. I have some decent stuff I can still canabilize, but I don't know much about integrating new gear, and what I can salvage and what I can't

Eventually I want to get a nice big iMAC but $2000 just isn't and option right now, so a couple hundred to build this back up is preffered.

Heres what I currently have (which I would like to upgrade)
AMD ATHLON 3500+ Venice 2.2ghz 939. (ADA3500PBOX)
ABIT AN8-ULRA 939 NIVIDIA nForce4 Ultra ATX
450watts PS2 ATX12V
CORSAIR 1gig (2x512) 184pin DDR
WinXP

Heres what I have that I would could still use
Western Digital 1.5TB Hard Drive
DVD/R Writer/reader
My case is still good, I love it. Nice and simple with plenty of ports
XFX nVidia 8800GS Apla Dog series (Was a warranty replacement of my nVidia 7800GT)
ALLinOne Multi card reader


So where do I start!?
I'm just looking for a faster computer for digital processing of images. I don't NEED some sick Million Core 700,000ghz.

My budget is around the $400-$500 range
Save me!

I'm designing my next build at the moment. I can honestly say I wouldn't touch that cpu with a barge pole it is very low end. That plus 1Gb of RAM would not be worth the effort in my opinion. No matter how bad your current setup. I'd pitch a little higher. If I were you I'd go for a barebones option or a nice mobo kit. Depending what works out cheaper over there.
Are you stuck on Athlon only?

Lara loo wrote in post #10323806
I'm designing my next build at the moment. I can honestly say I wouldn't touch that cpu with a barge pole it is very low end. That plus 1Gb of RAM would not be worth the effort in my opinion. No matter how bad your current setup. I'd pitch a little higher. If I were you I'd go for a barebones option or a nice mobo kit. Depending what works out cheaper over there.
Are you stuck on Athlon only?

I think you missed the point....
The items listed on the top are the ones I would like to replace. New MOBO, new Processor, New PSU and ect.

The stuff on the bottom is stuff I could canabilize off my current CPU and put into a new rebuild.

Im not set on Athlon

Drakeskakes wrote in post #10323865
I think you missed the point....
The items listed on the top are the ones I would like to replace. New MOBO, new Processor, New PSU and ect.

The stuff on the bottom is stuff I could canabilize off my current CPU and put into a new rebuild.

Im not set on Athlon

Oh I missed it alright by a mile.:o:o

If you're not wanting the latest greatest like you say I'd go for an i5 cpu/mobo combo. I had a look on new egg and you can pick it up for a few hundred and have a couple of hundred left for RAM (which is pretty cheap now), a psu etc.

New Egg is the only Merkin shop I know for PC stuff and I'm not really to up on your prices. Otherwise I'd be a bit more pacific and design a little combo for you budget to see what you think. If there are any other shops you are thinking of getting your stuff from post a link and I'll have a look.

Oh and did I mention

Anyway you could go to $600? Is that 8800 a PCI-E card?

If so , i7 860 ($280), 1156 mobo (asus, msi, evga, intel, etc, about $100), 4GB RAM (2x2GB, about $100), Corsair 650 PSU (about $80 after rebate).

Heres the Graphics card
http://xfxforce.com …cards/8series/8​800gs.aspx

$600 isn't out of hte questions, I just feel its 30% of the cost toward a iMAC

Now, do you think this system will out perform an iMAC? I do need a new monitor, so 600$ + $300 is 1/2 the cost of the larger iMAC or 95% of the low end $1100 one....

Im not dead set on mac for any reason other than bang for buck performance right out of the box.
I don't mind PC, I just wanna have a machine that will perform.

This doesn't lookto bad....
http://www.newegg.com …spx?ItemList=Co​mbo.406250

Neil let me know what you want to build next time you're around, lol. I'll help ya out.

If you want cheap, grab a dualcore, 6gb ram , and Win7. Maybe even throw a SSD in there if you have money left over for main OS.
what's more important is a nice screen for editing.

edit- Every now and then there's AMD quad combo kits for sale for 299 shipped on NewEgg or TD. Just need to wait for the right time.

Which one of these would be middle of the road and handle CS5 well?
http://www.newegg.com …=1&name=CPUs-Motherboards

You definitely want at least the 8 series Nvidia video cards that supports CUDA right out of CS5.
I updated my P4 system for $300

$80 new motherboard
$150 used Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 2.5GHz and 2x2GB DDR2 RAM
same GeForce 7600GT
same case/PSU/HDD/DVD
$70 used Vista Ultimate (upgrade from Windows XP)

Does the POTN Photoshop benchmark in less than 40 seconds!

Drakeskakes wrote in post #10324034
Heres the Graphics card
http://xfxforce.com …cards/8series/8​800gs.aspx

That will work in the new system just fine.

This system will have an i7. The i7 iMAC is $2200 so even with a monitor you are still less than half the price of a similarly spec'ed iMAC. Both will perform similarly. The lesser iMACs will of course not perform as well.

I don't agree with bang for the buck performance right out of the box. i think you get more bang for your buck with a PC. But if you want to go MAC I would look at nothing less than the i5 versions.

Now when you say you want a machine that will perform I have to ask shy you would pick out a cheap AMD X2 system. With PCs you really should look at the latest and greatest, but not quite top of the line. This is the i5 and i7 line of CPUs right now. AMD has been behind the times lately.

For the $600 above your system will be pretty stout! Add an SSD for even better performance if you want or wait for prices to come down some more.

Here's what you need to do:
1) Upgrade your CPU to Core i7 920 or 930 - $200-$230
2) Bump up the RAM to 6GB - $200
3) Upgrade PSU to Corsair 750w - $110

If you have cash left - upgrade primary HD, although this is not necessary. Your video card is totally fine, and there's no need to upgrade the MoBo.
Do what I said, and you will thank me later

aboss3 wrote in post #10324729
Here's what you need to do:
1) Upgrade your CPU to Core i7 920 or 930 - $200-$230
2) Bump up the RAM to 6GB - $200
3) Upgrade PSU to Corsair 750w - $110

If you have cash left - upgrade primary HD, although this is not necessary. Your video card is totally fine, and there's no need to upgrade the MoBo.
Do what I said, and you will thank me later

No need to upgrade the mobo? How is the i7 920 or 930 going to work in an old AMD 939 socket?

In2Photos wrote in post #10324755
No need to upgrade the mobo? How is the i7 920 or 930 going to work in an old AMD 939 socket?

Oh snap!

A new i7 cpu with corresponding mobo would be a great start.

About that power supply -- An 8800GS card pushes 105w peek. That's a decent amount (way more power than most photogs will ever need)...but that's still not cause for 750w psu. I know you can buy 650w and 750w psu's for killer deals now, but there's really no reason to think you'd ever need more than 500w. So anything over 500-550w is *massive* overkill.