$50 Newegg Gift card and I don't know what to buy.

[luciusad2004]

Maybe you guys can give me some ideas. I got a newegg giftcard to the tune of 50 bucks and I'm not sure what to get. I can't afford much in terms of actual PC components. My system specs are up above.

Heres some of ideas:


Save it and wait till I have more money to finally get a real video card
Save it and Get a power supply so i can finally POWER a real video card
Save and use it on the purchase of a new HDD
Backlit keyboard (I didn't see much nice in the $50 range but I could add some of my own money.
Mousepad
Moar ram. (but them im at the 4GB cap of 32 bit windows)
2.5->3.5 hdd adapters so I can run my spare laptop harddrive in my tower.
Internal Wifi Adapter


I really want a new video card or powersupply. I think my instincts are telling me to save it for something more worthwhile than small accessories.

Anybody have any ideas of what I can get for fiftyish bucks? (with a ten to twenty dollar tolerance)

How much should one spend to get a decent power supply? I get payed soon. I'm not sure how much power I would need but my plans aren't anything spectacular.

I was thinking about Upgrading to a gforce 9 series video card and maybe a core2quad if i can afford it. Then it would just be another 2GB of ram and i probably wouldn't sink anymore money in to this.

[billygoat333]

I really want a new video card or powersupply. I think my instincts are telling me to save it for something more worthwhile than small accessories.

you should def. save up. just think of it as a $50 coupon. :D

[luciusad2004]

you should def. save up. just think of it as a $50 coupon. :D

Lol I think your right. I guess now the question is what do i want to save for.

I'm not sure on the specs of my power supply but i think its 480watts. The reason i wanted to get a new one is because mine doesn't have the proper connectors for modern PCIe video cards. You can get molex adapters though. I would also enjoy modular. I ran the power supply calculator and it told me I only need 346 watts. This seems really low. I even added extra components that I probably wont get and i can't get it to break 400watts for my uses.

You guys think I should get a new power supply first or save for a videocard?

Edit: I guess its probably worth considering that i've had my power supply since highschool. probably goin on over 4 years soon. Is it likely that its no longer running at optimal conditions?

[blueonblack]

I'd say a PSU would be a good idea. Video cards are great, but the PSU feeds EVERYTHING.

This 650-watt Corsair (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005) is only $100 with free shipping.

This 550-watt OCZ (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341022) looks like another good option, $75 with a $25 mail-in rebate.

I've been using a Kingwin 800-watt modular (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817121026) for over a year now with zero problems, and will be installing its 1000-watt big brother in my new system.

[luciusad2004]

Do you think i should go with that much power for my intended purposes? I don't plan on going SLI or anything. Or is this one of those situations were more is always better just in case.

Also, is the EPS12V thing important now-a-days? This wasn't around last time i was in the market for a power supply. Is this something I should def look for? I guess I should get something at least moderately future proof since ill probably end up using it in my next rig.

thanks for the input guys. I think I'm def gonna save this for a power supply.

[Twigsoffury]

Do you think i should go with that much power for my intended purposes? I don't plan on going SLI or anything. Or is this one of those situations were more is always better just in case.

Also, is the EPS12V thing important now-a-days? This wasn't around last time i was in the market for a power supply. Is this something I should def look for? I guess I should get something at least moderately future proof since ill probably end up using it in my next rig.

thanks for the input guys. I think I'm def gonna save this for a power supply.


just think of it as a future buffer, Back when i first bought a 6600GT i had a 400W PSU and that was up towards the top of the line, but my system needed even moar powah!!, so i dumped 250$ on a 600W Enermax Noisetaker, It was the best out there in 2003-04 period.

But that being said, its powering my GTX260 these days just fine, And about three whole sets of computer parts if you count that first XP 3200+, So i mean i've gotten well over my 250$ worth of fun out of it.

not saying you gotta spend 250$ you know, But if you get quality parts, you tend to get better overall performance and stability, + the suckers last forever unlike some of the cheaper ones with crap Rectifer sinks and poor cooling. Those Corsairs have been around awhile, and they seem like really good units. And maybe you don't have SLi now, but It's always a nice option to be able to toss another graphics card in there, right when they hit that cheap point before they fall off market, and double up your performance, knowing you've got a unit that can handle it.

i'd doubt you would need anything crazy, 600W is fine for most anything besides super SLI systems, even at that point im not even sure if it warrents 1kw PSU's

check out some GTX260's There double the performance of 9 series cards (outside the 9800GX2 and 9800GTX+ SSC) and most roll in under 200$
i know for a fact there is a BFG GTX 260 216 at bestbuy for 169.99 (was on sale for 125.99 over the holidays!!1 (i thought hard about that one, but getting the kiddo more presents won)

9800GTX+ at about 110-130$ is also a good deal, But overall right at this point in time, its not a very good time to be buying a GPU, as new stuff is right around the corner about to roll out.

if you noticed alot of video cards are "out of stock" at the moment on the egg.

[luciusad2004]

just think of it as a future buffer, Back when i first bought a 6600GT i had a 400W PSU and that was up towards the top of the line, but my system needed even moar powah!!, so i dumped 250$ on a 600W Enermax Noisetaker, It was the best out there in 2003-04 period.

But that being said, its powering my GTX260 these days just fine, And about three whole sets of computer parts if you count that first XP 3200+, So i mean i've gotten well over my 250$ worth of fun out of it.

not saying you gotta spend 250$ you know, But if you get quality parts, you tend to get better overall performance and stability, + the suckers last forever unlike some of the cheaper ones with crap Rectifer sinks and poor cooling. Those Corsairs have been around awhile, and they seem like really good units. And maybe you don't have SLi now, but It's always a nice option to be able to toss another graphics card in there, right when they hit that cheap point before they fall off market, and double up your performance, knowing you've got a unit that can handle it.

i'd doubt you would need anything crazy, 600W is fine for most anything besides super SLI systems, even at that point im not even sure if it warrents 1kw PSU's

check out some GTX260's There double the performance of 9 series cards (outside the 9800GX2 and 9800GTX+ SSC) and most roll in under 200$
i know for a fact there is a BFG GTX 260 216 at bestbuy for 169.99 (was on sale for 125.99 over the holidays!!1 (i thought hard about that one, but getting the kiddo more presents won)

9800GTX+ at about 110-130$ is also a good deal, But overall right at this point in time, its not a very good time to be buying a GPU, as new stuff is right around the corner about to roll out.

if you noticed alot of video cards are "out of stock" at the moment on the egg.

Really? I didn't know the 200 series cards were dropping that low. My whole reasoning for getting a 9 series is because it was under 200 and I knew it would handle most modern games fine. I guess ill have to do some more shopping around lol.

[Twigsoffury]

Really? I didn't know the 200 series cards were dropping that low. My whole reasoning for getting a 9 series is because it was under 200 and I knew it would handle most modern games fine. I guess ill have to do some more shopping around lol.

heres that 260 i was talking about 179.99 on the egg

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143189

but i know for a fact its 10$ cheaper at bestbuy.

might wait for a weekend sale to, newegg to :)

9800GTX+ ~140$ (they have cheap models, that one is just nice)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814143149

[LiTHiUM0XiD3]

u got enough ram... 480 watts should be fine to get a decent video card... cuz that old geforce must be hurting..
just find something in the 3000 series atis or such... nice cheap and plenty of power.. my 3850 eats just about everythin i throw at it

[luciusad2004]

Thought I would just bump this instead of making a new thread even tho this one is sorta dead...

Hows this power supply look? It's in my price range and has free shipping. I def want modular because I'm so sick of extra wires. I suck at hiding them.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817341018

OCZ is a reputable brand, yes? Should I save myself some money and get a power supply with lower power?

[TheGreatSatan]

Remember, Newegg has more than computer stuff

[luciusad2004]

Remember, Newegg has more than computer stuff

I looked around but didn't see much I wanted : (.
I thought about picking up some CDs or DVDs but didn't take to much time looking through them.

Plus I never get to buy computer stuff lol. On my budget i can almost never justify it unless something breaks.

Edit: I thought newegg sold DVDs and CDs? I just looked... I can't find it anywhere. Maybe im imagining that.

[Twigsoffury]

I looked around but didn't see much I wanted : (.
I thought about picking up some CDs or DVDs but didn't take to much time looking through them.

Plus I never get to buy computer stuff lol. On my budget i can almost never justify it unless something breaks.

Edit: I thought newegg sold DVDs and CDs? I just looked... I can't find it anywhere. Maybe im imagining that.


http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=71&name=CD-DVD-Media


Stay away from those "value" brand DVD/CD's. They develop green spots on them after a few months and become unreadable.

[luciusad2004]

http://www.newegg.com/Store/SubCategory.aspx?SubCategory=71&name=CD-DVD-Media


Stay away from those "value" brand DVD/CD's. They develop green spots on them after a few months and become unreadable.

Oh no no. I could have swore a few years back Newegg carried like. Music and movies. False memories perhaps.

[Twigsoffury]

Oh no no. I could have swore a few years back Newegg carried like. Music and movies. False memories perhaps.

they used to, at least the movies and stuff. but i think places like netflix shot that out of the sky rather fast.


Yup, the post office lost that movie netflix, the post office.