Help decide and find parts
I'm looking to build a cheap system, maybe two.
This is the problem so I hope it isn't too boring. ;-)
Two Pentium III computers (that should be retired) and one of these is an extra computer (laptop is main one - Pentium M, though) and the other Pentium III is a main computer for a relative. I would like to increase the storage capacity for this computer or replace it outright.
So, I've been mulling over building a cheap-ish AMD AM3 machine for being future proof and buying a cheap system from here, RFD, so maybe a decent socket 775 machine. I have spare 2GB DDR2 RAM but it's 1066 speed. Maybe for most cheap setups, it might be too fast or overclock the RAM?
Anyway, is there any way to find a mobo for $80 or less and then a decent performing Intel CPU for about the same? I'd go as high as $100 but I'd like the performance to be half decent.
Or I could combine the two Pentium II machines with a KVM switch and buy the Intel or AMD machine for another machine.
I thought of trying to find a machine with integrated video but then video cards can be found cheap, right? For around $30? So, maybe don't bother trying to find certain motherboards? Just get a cheap video card?
I'm covered for monitors (have enough) and keyboards, mice. I could upgrade my video card and case from my main machine (P35, Nvidia 7950GT and Antec Solo case) and move these components to the one I'm building?
Anyway, if any of these options sound okay or you have other ideas, please recommend and advise!
I need to do something soon because the Pentium IIs are in bad shape and are too slow! ;-) One of the problems is a lack of storage space. I might have a spare 500GB HDD to use so the only other components to add would be PSU, case and video card (which I could upgrade the other computer and then recycle the old stuff in the new machine being built).
Thanks for any replies!
This is the problem so I hope it isn't too boring. ;-)
Two Pentium III computers (that should be retired) and one of these is an extra computer (laptop is main one - Pentium M, though) and the other Pentium III is a main computer for a relative. I would like to increase the storage capacity for this computer or replace it outright.
So, I've been mulling over building a cheap-ish AMD AM3 machine for being future proof and buying a cheap system from here, RFD, so maybe a decent socket 775 machine. I have spare 2GB DDR2 RAM but it's 1066 speed. Maybe for most cheap setups, it might be too fast or overclock the RAM?
Anyway, is there any way to find a mobo for $80 or less and then a decent performing Intel CPU for about the same? I'd go as high as $100 but I'd like the performance to be half decent.
Or I could combine the two Pentium II machines with a KVM switch and buy the Intel or AMD machine for another machine.
I thought of trying to find a machine with integrated video but then video cards can be found cheap, right? For around $30? So, maybe don't bother trying to find certain motherboards? Just get a cheap video card?
I'm covered for monitors (have enough) and keyboards, mice. I could upgrade my video card and case from my main machine (P35, Nvidia 7950GT and Antec Solo case) and move these components to the one I'm building?
Anyway, if any of these options sound okay or you have other ideas, please recommend and advise!
I need to do something soon because the Pentium IIs are in bad shape and are too slow! ;-) One of the problems is a lack of storage space. I might have a spare 500GB HDD to use so the only other components to add would be PSU, case and video card (which I could upgrade the other computer and then recycle the old stuff in the new machine being built).
Thanks for any replies!