• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Best upgrade for UT2k4

Page 2 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Thanks again for all of the replies. To woodchuck I am kind of leaning towards what you and others have been saying, but the problem is that if I upgrade my CPU I need a new mobo and then I need new RAM, and RAM is a rip-off right now. Anyone have any suggestions for good RAM - perhaps a FS/FT forum (I live in Canada so I don't suppose the AAT board would be the best) and pricenetwork.ca is the only similar forums I know of based in Canada.
 
Originally posted by: beatle
Originally posted by: 0roo0roo
its not balanced, the ti500 is dog slow. even a low end video card would give him a decent boost, his vid card is his bottleneck. and of course a super high end card wouldn't be called for, would make the rest of his system teh bottleneck.

You have to be kidding... The 1800+ is not much of a performer, especially when running @ stock (1533mhz) speeds. That's not much faster than my tbird, which was a very similar chip, clock for clock.

With the new cards hitting the market in the next month, the prices of current cards will drop even more. "Sampson Simpson, I stick by my story!"

eh, i just know i ram ut2k3 on a xp 2k+ just fine. i saw it go from unplayable with a normal radeon ddr to playable smooth at low settings on a radeon 9k pro. i have a faster system now, but vid card def makes a difference.
 
Crazy, here's what you need to do: buy a mobile Barton (I recommend the 2600-- mine is running at 2.5ghz), either an Abit NF7-S or a DFI NFII Ultra Infinity (both around $100 US), and some PC3200 ram. You can get all of that for less than $400. Then, sell your current motherboard, cpu, and memory together, for about $125. Then, you only need to add about $75 or so to what you got for your old stuff, and you can add a nice 9800 Pro, and you'll have a kickin' system for quite awhile.
 
You should get a AMD ATHalon 2800 64 or AMD 3400 or higher if your budget permits.
Else take AMD 3000.

Add atleast 512mb more ram.

Take atleast 128mb radeon 9800pro.
 
Hmm, are you talking $400 cdn or US? If CDN, then a 9600 Pro might be a better choice, but that would still be an iffy choice as it would only allow a RAM upgrade(512mb PC2700 or 3200). In reality, upgrading any of the 3(cpu, vidcard, or RAM) will give you some improvements, but all 3 would be preferable.

If it's $US, then do the works, but if you run a little short the 9600 Pro is a good compromise(remember that Upgrading the CPU will likely require some new ram).
 
The $400 was USD, I phrased my question as that just to avoid some confusion, but then I mentioned I live in Canada so to clarify that is ~$400 USD. I am starting to get a good idea as to what my upgrade strategy should be, I appreciate all of your responses. Several people have mentioned add another 512 MB of RAM. The problem is I only have PC2100 RAM right now, and it is in two sticks at that. I would need to buy either 512 or 1 GB of new RAM if I upgrade my mobo and CPU. I think I will get the Mobile Barton, new mobo and new RAM. Then as someone suggested I will sell my old things and put that money towards a video card upgrade. Thanks again, this forum rocks and is very helpful!
 
Just went from 9800Pro, 1GB RAM, XP1900+ to all the same except a mobile Barton 2500+ @ 2400.
A nice jump in UT2k4 performance. (Very nice jump)
 
put game at minimum resolution (640x) and run. any slowdown will be due to cpu. if no slowdowns, then cpu is not limiting factor, spend money on graphics instead.
 
Back
Top