How much RAM.

[Shubhro1]

I have a 19" monitor. Video card is 9400 gt nvidia. Now all the games are running slow, whether it be a low end game or high end. My RAM is 2 GB. Should i increase that?

 

[PurdueRy]

I would look elsewhere and give us more information...

 

[geoffry]

More specifically what games you play, what your other specs are and what your budget is.

 

[sanders4617]

Confused... Did the games start playing slow all of a sudden? Or did you get a new monitor and they started going slow?

Check and make sure your fan on your videocard is still working.

 

[Shubhro1]

Games like Age of empire 3 ,far cry 2, NFS undercover, FIFA09 etc. They were fine when i was using 17" crt monitor.
AMD Athlon 64X2 Dual Core 5000+ 2.59 GHz
9400 gt nvidia 512 MB.
Ram 2 GB.

 

[AzN]

9400 gt is slow whether you have 2 or 4 gigs of ram.

 

[Shubhro1]

Fans are working. Same thing is happening with all the games. Starting fine, suddenly breaking for few secs, this repeats.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Shubhro1
Games like Age of empire 3 ,far cry 2, NFS undercover, FIFA09 etc. They were fine when i was using 17" crt monitor.
AMD Athlon 64X2 Dual Core 5000+ 2.59 GHz
9400 gt nvidia 512 MB.
Ram 2 GB.

vista or xp?

if you mean you went from a CRT at 10x7 resolution to 14x9 19' Widescreen, you need to upgrade your video card for the greatest improvement.

 

[Shubhro1]

xp...resolution is 1360 x 768.

 

[Fox5]

Yeah, if the LCD monitor has a higher res than the CRT, and your games are running at the resolution, it will stress the video card a lot more. (using a lower resolution and scaling it to full screen with the video card also has a performance impact, but lesser)

 

[Shubhro1]

So should i change the video card? To what ?

 

[apoppin]

what is your budget?

what was the old resolution on your CRT, 10x7?

 

[AzN]

9400 gt is a low end card. It's not really for gaming but more incline with HTPC.

A 9400gt is 3x slower than 9800gt or 4830.

For 1440x900 gaming you can get a cheap 9600gso, 4670, 9600gt, or even 9800gt and 4830.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: Shubhro1
So should i change the video card? To what ?

First determine if your computer has AGP or PCI Express (not to be confused with PCI) for its graphics card.

Then you should get a better graphics card. Your budget (and size of your case) will determine what's best. If you tell us these things, we'll be able to recommend something. We'll also probably recommend newegg.com, since it tends to be just about the cheapest site around for computer stuff. Right now, the radeon 4850s look like great deals, at under $100.

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: Shubhro1
So should i change the video card? To what ?

First determine if your computer has AGP or PCI Express (not to be confused with PCI) for its graphics card.

Then you should get a better graphics card. Your budget (and size of your case) will determine what's best. If you tell us these things, we'll be able to recommend something. We'll also probably recommend newegg.com, since it tends to be just about the cheapest site around for computer stuff. Right now, the radeon 4850s look like great deals, at under $100.

the 9400gt is pic-e so thats what he has. at such a low res and with his cpu a 4850 certainly wouldnt get fully utilized. a 9600gt would be a good card for his setup. if he needed something lower power than a 4670 would be a decent option.

 

[happy medium]

Looks like the lowest price 9600gt is 77$ on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814143161

Why not spend the extra 13$ and grab a 4830?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102822

If his psu will allow?

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: happy medium
Looks like the lowest price 9600gt is 77$ on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814143161

Why not spend the extra 13$ and grab a 4830?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102822

If his psu will allow?

well the 9600gt is better suited to his very low 1360 x 768 res and cpu but there just doesnt seem to be that many deals on them. there is a BFG 9600gt on newegg for 66.99 after 10 mir and with free shipping that comes with CoD WaW. if he wanted that game that could an okay deal.

 

[happy medium]

Yea with the free game that a good deal.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: happy medium
Looks like the lowest price 9600gt is 77$ on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814143161

Why not spend the extra 13$ and grab a 4830?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102822

If his psu will allow?

Why not just grab a 4850, when they're selling for as low as that 4830?

And I disagree that a 9600gt is enough at that res, there are some games that will stress a 9600gt even at 1024x768 once you max the graphics settings.

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: happy medium
Looks like the lowest price 9600gt is 77$ on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814143161

Why not spend the extra 13$ and grab a 4830?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102822

If his psu will allow?

Why not just grab a 4850, when they're selling for as low as that 4830?

And I disagree that a 9600gt is enough at that res, there are some games that will stress a 9600gt even at 1024x768 once you max the graphics settings.

have you owned a 5000 X2 cpu? I did for 2 years and at a resolution like 1366x768 and especially 1024x768 a 4850 isnt going offer more when it comes to minimum framerate than a 9600gt can deliver in most cases. that res is too cpu bound and a 5000 X2 is not strong enough to push a 4850 to its full potential at such a low res. even a 9600gt wont get 100% utilized at that low res with a 5000 X2.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: toyota

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: happy medium
Looks like the lowest price 9600gt is 77$ on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814143161

Why not spend the extra 13$ and grab a 4830?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102822

If his psu will allow?

Why not just grab a 4850, when they're selling for as low as that 4830?

And I disagree that a 9600gt is enough at that res, there are some games that will stress a 9600gt even at 1024x768 once you max the graphics settings.

have you owned a 5000 X2 cpu? I did for 2 years and at a resolution like 1366x768 and especially 1024x768 a 4850 isnt going offer more when it comes to minimum framerate than a 9600gt can deliver in most cases. that res is too cpu bound and a 5000 X2 is not strong enough to push a 4850 to its full potential at such a low res. even a 9600gt wont get 100% utilized at that low res with a 5000 X2.

It says it's 2.6Ghz, that's not going to be cpu bound for many games.
Two of my roommates had X2s at 2.8Ghz, one had a 4870 and played at 1680x1050, the other had a 4670 and played at 1024x768. Trust me, the 4870 had way better framerates despite the much higher resolution and higher game settings.

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: toyota

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: happy medium
Looks like the lowest price 9600gt is 77$ on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814143161

Why not spend the extra 13$ and grab a 4830?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102822

If his psu will allow?

Why not just grab a 4850, when they're selling for as low as that 4830?

And I disagree that a 9600gt is enough at that res, there are some games that will stress a 9600gt even at 1024x768 once you max the graphics settings.

have you owned a 5000 X2 cpu? I did for 2 years and at a resolution like 1366x768 and especially 1024x768 a 4850 isnt going offer more when it comes to minimum framerate than a 9600gt can deliver in most cases. that res is too cpu bound and a 5000 X2 is not strong enough to push a 4850 to its full potential at such a low res. even a 9600gt wont get 100% utilized at that low res with a 5000 X2.

It says it's 2.6Ghz, that's not going to be cpu bound for many games.
Two of my roommates had X2s at 2.8Ghz, one had a 4870 and played at 1680x1050, the other had a 4670 and played at 1024x768. Trust me, the 4870 had way better framerates despite the much higher resolution and higher game settings.

I know that a 5000 X2 is 2.6 and at 1366x768 not to mention your 1024x768 example he would most certainly be cpu bound with a card better than a 9600gt. that doesnt mean he could not get some more performance but the minimums and averages would change little to none depending on the game and settings. at 1024x768 in my 5000 X2 system an 8600gt, 9600gt, and 4670 all delivered the same minumum framerates in games like UT3, Crysis, and Far Cry2. at 1024x768 the 9600gt averaged 4 more fps in Crysis than the pathetic 8600gt could do. even at 1280x1024 an 8800gt could only average 1 more fps in Crysis than the 9600gt. at 1280x1024 I got over 35% increase in framerate in Far Cry 2 by using that 4670 with an E8500 instead of the 5000 X2.

I drove myself crazy for weeks testing different cards and was not happy until I just built my own E8500 system. I wanted much higher minimums than my 5000 X2 could deliver. at low resolutions those lower end X2 cpus just do not let even mid range cards get fully utilized. after I got a taste of good performance when using a Core 2 I ended up just getting a much better video card and then migrated over to 1920x1080 monitor.

 

[AzN]

Originally posted by: toyota

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: happy medium
Looks like the lowest price 9600gt is 77$ on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814143161

Why not spend the extra 13$ and grab a 4830?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102822

If his psu will allow?

Why not just grab a 4850, when they're selling for as low as that 4830?

And I disagree that a 9600gt is enough at that res, there are some games that will stress a 9600gt even at 1024x768 once you max the graphics settings.

have you owned a 5000 X2 cpu? I did for 2 years and at a resolution like 1366x768 and especially 1024x768 a 4850 isnt going offer more when it comes to minimum framerate than a 9600gt can deliver in most cases. that res is too cpu bound and a 5000 X2 is not strong enough to push a 4850 to its full potential at such a low res. even a 9600gt wont get 100% utilized at that low res with a 5000 X2.

Have you actually played a gpu intensive game like Crysis? Of course you have. A 9600gt can not even play Crysis @ high settings comfortably even @ 1366x768 resolution. Never mind very high settings. Of course there are some games a 5000x2 can not handle well but majority of those CPU intensive games consist of MMORPG or the latest suck A console ports that does nothing for the PC gaming industry.

 

[toyota]

Originally posted by: Azn

Originally posted by: toyota

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: happy medium
Looks like the lowest price 9600gt is 77$ on newegg.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814143161

Why not spend the extra 13$ and grab a 4830?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814102822

If his psu will allow?

Why not just grab a 4850, when they're selling for as low as that 4830?

And I disagree that a 9600gt is enough at that res, there are some games that will stress a 9600gt even at 1024x768 once you max the graphics settings.

have you owned a 5000 X2 cpu? I did for 2 years and at a resolution like 1366x768 and especially 1024x768 a 4850 isnt going offer more when it comes to minimum framerate than a 9600gt can deliver in most cases. that res is too cpu bound and a 5000 X2 is not strong enough to push a 4850 to its full potential at such a low res. even a 9600gt wont get 100% utilized at that low res with a 5000 X2.

Have you actually played a gpu intensive game like Crysis? Of course you have. A 9600gt can not even play Crysis @ high settings comfortably even @ 1366x768 resolution. Never mind very high settings. Of course there are some games a 5000x2 can not handle well but majority of those CPU intensive games consist of MMORPG or the latest suck A console ports that does nothing for the PC gaming industry.

see my reply to him. a 9600gt or 8800gt didnt deliver hardly any difference over the 8600gt at lower res while using a 5000 X2. btw a 9600gt with a decent cpu can easily play Crysis on high settings at 1366x768 especially if you stick to DX9. 30-35 fps in Crysis is enough to feel okay to most people.

 

[happy medium]

Originally posted by: Shubhro1
xp...resolution is 1360 x 768.

If I were to pick a card for him to use today with that resolution it would be the 8800gt 256 mb version. Might still find one used for less then 50 bucks. I paid 60$ for my 8800gt 512. Games are needing more and more gpu power with every release. Theres nothing wrong with a little future proofing is there?

I'm sure in the near future the x2 5200 cpu will become the minimum requirements for most games and he will need to upgrade it. If he keeps his NEW monitor for a little while (which he probrobly will) he might not need to upgrade his gpu again if he gets something with a little more power now.

For 25 more bucks, if i just bought a new monitor(like him) and had that cpu which I knew was on it's last legs, I'd get a 4770 for 99.00$ if I could find one. At least I could use it in my next setup @ 1360x768 easily.
Who cares about the bottlneck now.(were talking 25 bucks!!) Crank up all the settings and enjoy now and in the future.:beer: