CPU or Graphics card but only one ?

[Granted]

Hi Guys I am looking to upgrade my system for gaming purposes I want to run the latest games at 1024x768 32
eg NFS MAFIA etc my system runs great for general Internet and Office usage. Its just Games where recently its a little jerky on newer titles

My system is

AMD Duron 800
768 Meg PC133
ATI Radeon 64 Meg ddr vivo
SB Live
ABIT KT7A 133a ver 1.3
LG Flatron L1510S

I want to keep my board for another year My question is I can only afford to upgrade either the Graphics Card or the Processor

The processor would be the AMD Athlon XP 2000 The graphics card I had in mind would be the ATI Radeon 9000 128 meg ddr tv out I want to go for the non pro version as its fanless and so will keep noise down.

I was thinking more along the lines the Radeon as the best bang for the buck upgrade what do you think I am open to suggestions I want to spend no more than £80 hope you can help

 

[Czar]

cpu, your current card is fine

 

[Pink0]

well, if you get the 9000 it's going to be bottlenecked by that CPU for sure. If you get the athlon XP it's going to be bottlenecked by that videocard for sure.
I say get the videocard. The reason that I say this is because you plan on keeping the board for another year and when you replace it you can get a much better procssor then.

 

[CrazySaint]

Get the video card and a $55 AXP 1600+ from newegg. If you only upgrade one or the other, you aren't going to notice much difference in gaming performance.

 

[Czar]

Originally posted by: CrazySaint
Get the video card and a $55 AXP 1600+ from newegg. If you only upgrade one or the other, you aren't going to notice much difference in gaming performance.

yahh, do that

 

[Insidious]

Originally posted by: Czar

Originally posted by: CrazySaint
Get the video card and a $55 AXP 1600+ from newegg. If you only upgrade one or the other, you aren't going to notice much difference in gaming performance.

yahh, do that

-another yepperz, do that-


If you are absolutely dead-set to do only one or the other, I guess I'd recommend the video card.
(I'm pretty much familiar with NVidia only, so I can't help much with Radeon info.)

 

[Yvo]

Video Card.


If you were getting an Athlon XP 2000+ it would create more noise then a video card fan to start with because those babies need heavy cooling.

 

[BFG10K]

While both your CPU and video card are obsolete you'll probably see the biggest performance gain if you upgrade your CPU, especially if you don't use high detail levels in your games.

 

[PlatinumGold]

The processor would be the AMD Athlon XP 2000 The graphics card I had in mind would be the ATI Radeon 9000 128 meg ddr tv out I want to go for the non pro version as its fanless and so will keep noise down.

I would get less cpu less Graphics card and get both.

choosing one or the other wouldn't really help your overall performance nearly as much as getting both but just a little less.

xp1600 for eg. and an ati 8500 64 i think would be a better combo.

 

[apoppin]

If it were me, I'd O/C the Duron and get a Radeon - probably the 8500 128MB card. Even if you upgrade the CPU you're still stuck with PC-133 . . . the 8500 will probably run most of today's games with a 1Ghz Duron pretty well.

 

[Looney1a]

The radeon 8500 goes faster. If you can, get a video card based on the radeon 8500 with 128mb ram with a athlon XP of some description.

Looney

 

[dexvx]

Originally posted by: BFG10K
While both your CPU and video card are obsolete you'll probably see the biggest performance gain if you upgrade your CPU, especially if you don't use high detail levels in your games.

Obsolete huh? Funny how that word gets used.

But anyways, I'd get a 1600+ XP with a heatsink/fan and a Radeon8500LE 64MB for cheap.

 

[majewski9]

I say you buy an Athlon XP and the K7S5A. then transition to DDR and then get a better graphics card. Your card right now isnt that bad.

 

[sechs]

While I'd really suggest waiting to get a new computer, the video card is probably the better choice. A Radeon 9000 or 8500 should be fine (performance about the same). Get one with 128MB of memory and you can carry it over to the next computer (as a starter...).

 

[Granted]

Cheers Guys for all your Help I think I will go with the Radeon and If I have some spare cash get a cheap ass Athlon XP1600

It seems the best plan.