Help with PC upgrade

[PacoD]

This is my first post...I've been doing alot of reading the last few days and I was interested in getting some advice on how I can do a budget upgrade. I have a Gigabyte GA-8IR533 Mobo (Socket 478, FSB 400 Mhz, 3x 184 pin DDR DIMMs, Supports up to 2GB of DDR 200/266 memory), with a Intel P4 2.0 GHz CPU, 512 RAM, and a NVidia GeForce FX 5200 (APG). I'm pretty sure I need to up to 1Gb of Ram...what is better 1 stick of 1GB or 2x512? Also I've been reading the forum on overclocking. I'm new to that so is this something I should fool around with on my board. Finally, can I upgrade my vid card to something better? My specs say a 4x APG slot with a 1.5 v card only. I have some empty PCI slots...is there a board I can get for there? I'd like to keep the card budget around $100 CDN.

As some background I use this PC for everyday stuff with some gaming. I'm not fanatical about running things at max settings. As long as the graphics are decent and the performance is smooth I'm happy.

Hope this helps and thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[Luckyboy1]

All the RAM ideally should be on two sticks and yes, 1 Gig of RAM is best. Is this a supposedly "brand name" computer? Your answer will dictate your RAM choices.

As far as replacing the 5200 card, just about anything will be an improvement including going back to a 4800ti card! Wait though! Before upgrading the video card, there are things to address. Go too far with the video card and it'll just sit there twiddling its' thumbs... relatively speaking to its' capabilities if you don't have the CPU to push it along. What chipset does it run on? If you don't know, Intel's site has a handy, dandy chipset ID tool.

Here's a bit of an edit for you! Don't worry about the 4 X thingy, because 8 X gives you a whole 2% better performance.

 

[PacoD]

Its not a brand name PC just one I had built from the local tech store about 3 years ago. The reason I'm asking about upgrading is that I've been playing GUN and its a bit choppy. As a result of this forum I'd like to try and upgrade on my own and mybe take a stab at building my own system.

The chipset is Intel 845/ICH2 chipset

Here's a link to the Mobo

http://www.giga-byte.com/Products/mothe...d&ProductID=1330&ProductName=GA-8IR533

 

[Luckyboy1]

Ok, now, I'd suggest this for system RAM...

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145440

and yes, it's 3200 RAM, but I stink it will work just fine and also stand up to overclocking better and be cheaper than the slower stuff. You might wanna check with the mommaboard maker on that one.

You can pay big bucks for lower latency RAM than that, but it will only give you like less than 5% better performance over this stuff. Run it at 2.8 volts and it should clock nicely to 220 or even 230.

Now, as far as the video card thing goes it gets much more complicated. To begin with, a 2.0 even overclocked simply won't adequately push an 8 pixel pipeline video card, which is what you want here. It simply lacks the cache to keep up and no overclocking will fix that. So, even if you don't get a new video card, you'll still get more frames per second by getting a better CPU. Go find out what's the fastest CPU that will go on that mommaboard and buy it!


Now, if there's any money left over, you can start thinking video card only if your power supply can keep up. What brand and model power supply do you have?

 

[PacoD]

OK thanks for the info...How would I check to see if 3200 RAM would work. The spec on the gigabyte website say "Supports DDR266 memory". I ahve 512 now so should I remove that stick althogether and and 2 new 512 3200 sticks or mix the old with the new? The part about running at 2.8 volts and clocking 220 or 230...is there a guide here about that...I think I'm getting kinda lost

Also, could you check out this site on the CPU support list

http://www.giga-byte.com/Support/mother...d&ProductID=1330&ProductName=GA-8IR533

I tried to check a few parts sites for CPUs that would match at I could find anything...Its might be that I dont know enough to know what I'm looking for. All the CPUs I find are no good for my FSG. I need a 400 MHZ rated CPU.

Thanks for helping a newbie

 

[Luckyboy1]

Well, you'd call the mommaboard maker or e-mail them and ask them, but I know a guy who has a simular board and it accepted the stuff just fine and dandy.

Don't worry about the overclocking for now and I guess I shouldn't have mentioned it yet. The 220 or 230 is a multiplier factor for your front side buss.

Intel P4-Northwood 2.6G 400 OK

According to the list, that's the fastest the mommaboard will support and lemme go check on a price for that.

wow! Ouch! Alot of money for an old chip if you ask me!...

http://www.stalliontek.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=CPP4%2D101100

Maybe someone's got a cheaper source and also check eBay.

 

[PacoD]

thanks for the site...I'm not sure if I want to spend that much on a CPU...I'll look around. Hopeflu;;y someone will know of a cheaper site. There are alot of old GeForce 4 Ti's on ebay...will theses help out with my situation? Or could you sugget a different card. I was hoping to keep the card to under $100.

 

[Luckyboy1]

The problem with a ti card is that it would be a sideways move over what you have now. You would spend money while gaining or losing little, so why start?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Pentium-4-P4-2-6-51...3QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Tell you what here. You give me a total budget and then we might make sense of it.

Power supply brand and model please?

 

[PacoD]

Antec 350 W...didnt want to spend more than $100 CDN on Vid Card...as for the CPU I'm not sure what is cheap or expensive...so what ever you thought was a fair price...Thanks

 

[Luckyboy1]

What is your final, total upgrade budget please?!

 

[PacoD]

i have no idea...maybe 300-400???

 

[Luckyboy1]

This video card, but only after the CPU upgrade. good news is no new power supply needed here. This video card will flat out blow away what you've got now.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a...2303&CMP=OTC-pr1c3watch&ATT=14-102-303

 

[Luckyboy1]

Ok, then you in the house!

 

[PacoD]

OK thanks for the great help (and your patience)...one final Q...With the 1gb ram, the 2.6 GHz CPU and that vid card...how long will I get out of the comp before I really need to break down and buy a new computer to keep up with the gaming graphics?

 

[Luckyboy1]

Depends entirely on the game(s) or programs in question. Also depends on the eye candy level that's acceptable to you. Also depends on the frame rate that's acceptable to you. How's that for an exact answer! Sorry!


And waiting will only cost more from now on. A technology gets just so old and it starts getting expensive to buy again and you're already dealing with that now!

Jumping ahead motherboards will make a need for new power supply, possibly new RAM beyond what I've mentioned and most likely a new case as well.

Look, the smart people make the most of what they've got. No matter how advanced a technology some pinger picks from www.newegg.com or whatever today, it is just so much road kill tomorrow.

These upgrades already mentioned in combination will about double your PC's gaming capability. Then, if you are greedy for a bit more frames per second while getting better sound in the bargain, get an Audigy 2 Zs card and it will migrate nicely into your next complete build.

 

[PacoD]

Thanks for your time tonight...that does answer alot...i figure if I can get 3 more years out of this old girl thats good for me...Looks are of no concern...I dont even have the side panels on the case...one last thing...what should I do about the RAM? Buy 1 new 512 or scape the 512 stick I have now and get a new 2x512?

 

[Luckyboy1]

Entirely up to you on the RAM, but I'd end up with two of the same brand, size and model RAM in the end. It's just a price thing at this point. So go look and see what one stick would cost, not just new, but on eBay as well.

 

[PacoD]

Yup...thanks for the great help...looks like I'm not gonn geet any sleep tonight!!!!

 

[Luckyboy1]

You can sleep when you're dead! We got games to play!