Best choice for upgrade?

[Naeeldar]

I'm about to puchase a 2405FPW monitor. I mainly run everquest these days game wise but I'll probably pick up some of the newer mmorpgs on the horizon. Here's my current system:

EPoX EP-9NPA+Ultra Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 Ultra ATX
Athlon 64 3000+ Venice
Radeon XS300SE 256mb
1gig DDR PC3200 Ram


Now my main conern is a) being able to run eq in the native resolution of 1920x1200 and b) being on a good path for new mmorpgs/rgps/rts on the horizon.

Right now what I'm considering between the following two upgrades:

a) 7800GTX 256mb

or

b) 7800GT + adding another 1gig of ram to my system

Now with what I have in mind what is the best choice for my uses? Or is there something else I should go with? Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[alimoalem]

i'm not sure about other solutions (i'm sure there are some) but i personally would go with the 7800gt and gig of ram

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Well ideally you'd want the 7800gtx and 2 gigs of ram.

Maybe get a gtx now and down the road stick another gig of ram in as budget allows?
It'll be a lot easier to get more ram than to go through the hassle of upgrading your videocard.

If this is all your budget allows though and you don't plan on spending another $80 or so on it in the near future, with your gaming a 7800gt and a gig of ram might be the right choice.

 

[Naeeldar]

Oh no I'll probably spend for another gig say after xmas or so I'm just talking about for the next 3-4months or so what is the best choice for me to mainly play EQ? I want to run it in native resolution (possible with eq) and not worry about rediuclously slow frame rates.

IS the GTX a good dealfaster then the the GT? Honestly I'm so behind on computer technology these days I really don't know.

Oh by the way both forms of the video card are in the 256mb version.

 

[midnight growler]

Go with the GTX, you can always get the extra ram later.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Here, look for yourself
http://www.anandtech.com/video/showdoc.aspx?i=2496&p=5

 

[ribbon13]

is that gig of ram a single stick or two?

 

[Naeeldar]

I have 2 512mb in there now. So I was planning on adding an addition 2 more 512mb and run all 4 in dual channel.

 

[raildogg]

Originally posted by: Naeeldar
I have 2 512mb in there now. So I was planning on adding an addition 2 more 512mb and run all 4 in dual channel.

In that case, get the 7800GTX. Running 4 sticks reduces system performance. I have had this happen to me in my old system. What you can do is get 2gb (1024x2) later on and replace your current ram. Right now, the video card uprade is the better option for you.

 

[Naeeldar]

Originally posted by: raildogg

Originally posted by: Naeeldar
I have 2 512mb in there now. So I was planning on adding an addition 2 more 512mb and run all 4 in dual channel.

In that case, get the 7800GTX. Running 4 sticks reduces system performance. I have had this happen to me in my old system. What you can do is get 2gb (1024x2) later on and replace your current ram. Right now, the video card uprade is the better option for you.

Really? Hmm also been considering just doing the gtx and the ram. I mean at this point I'm talking 1400 spent whats another 75? But if it lowers performance I guess thats a no no.

Anyway new chipsets are out next year. So maybe I'm just better off holding off on the ram. Grab the GTX7800 for the monitor. Play for a year then build a new pc next year with the new chipset and just move the GTX over tyo new system and put my Radeon back in for a pretty nice secondary pc.

 

[imported_nunya]

Anyway new chipsets are out next year. So maybe I'm just better off holding off on the ram. Grab the GTX7800 for the monitor. Play for a year then build a new pc next year with the new chipset and just move the GTX over tyo new system and put my Radeon back in for a pretty nice secondary pc.

Go with that. If all you're doing is playing EQ you have no use for another gig of ram right now.

 

[V00D00]

In the long run it is better to buy a lower end video card that won't half itself in value in 6 months. Then in the future you can buy another value card and in the end you will have spent just as much on just ONE ridiculously priced video card. That is the best way to future proof.

 

[Naeeldar]

Well since dell decided to pulll the 20% off deal on monitors irght now I've got some time to decide while I wait for yet another coupon to get the damn thing back into the 900's.

I think what I'll do is pick a 7800GTX up with the monitor and then come xmas pick up two stick of 1gb ddr400.