Gaming Upgrade: Video Card or Processor?

[mflacy]

I am running a 1000 MHz TBird on a A7v133 with 512 meg Pc133. My current Video Card is a Hercules 64 meg 4500, which uses Kyro II chipset. Since that card is so CPU dependent, I'm considering going to a Athlon XP 1800 which I already know my motherboard will support.

I play many FPS games. MOH:AA performs well on my system until I hit some (for instance) smoke effects on any resolution above 1024x768. I'm looking to increase the framerate and avoid those choppy instances.

Anyway, would I be better off shopping for a new video card or a new processor and what do you reccomend? My video card price range is up to $200, but preferably on the lower end.

Thanks for your help.

 

[snidy]

Overclock the thunderbird t0 1200 and get a new video card

 

[CraigRT]

I'd get a new video card. Kyro cards are pretty slow by today's standards.. buy a GF3 Ti200 or a GF4 4200 or something.... no disappointments there!!

 

[Nate420]

I'm with the others, grab a new video card.

GAINWARD/CARDEXPERT GeForce 3 Ti200 128MB DDR at Newegg for $155.

ATI Radeon 8500 64MB DDR AGP at Newegg for $154 ( I'm not an ATI fan, but maybe you are )

O/Cing that Tbird isn't a bad idea either, if your cooling is up to it. Your 1Ghz T-Bird with a G3 or 8500 should play anything on the shelves right now, smoothly.

 

[Derango]

Video card, definitly. That 1ghz can pretty much play anything out there right now if paired with a nice video card.

 

[joohang]

Check out Anand's latest article too. Very nice read.

 

[jcmkk]

Another vote for upgrading your video card. I have a Kyro II in one of my back up machines, and although it is nice, any of the current generation cards in your price range(GeForce 3, Radeon 8500, or GeForce 4 Ti 4200) would stomp it.

 

[m1ke101]

yup you should upgrade your video card.....i had a 1.2 athlon and a geforce 2 pro, but i decided to upgrade both to a 1.6a (overclocked to 2.2) and a ti200.

 

[AnAndAustin]

Why choose dude.

Should be able to get a GF3TI200 (great to o/c to TI500 levels or there-abouts) and a better processor and then get some money back by selling on your old parts.

If you HAVE to choose def go for the card.

I would say a Athlon1000 (esp o/c) with a GF4TI4200 (just released) would perf way better than an AthlonXP1800+ with a Kyro2.

Peace man.

 

[BreakApart]

1000mhz cpu is fine (IF) matched with a high power video card.

Geforce3 Ti200 will give that system a nice boost.
(I luv my Kyro2, but these $120 Geforce3 cards are too good to pass up)