I need hardware upgrading advice

[SylEm]

Ok, my current build is in my sig. I am planning on upgrading a bit within the next two months, but I'm not quite sure what I should really upgrade to. I currently run Vista Ultimate on the machine, and I do a lot of gaming (WoW, FPS games, High graphic intensive), along with lots of bit-torrent townloading and decrypting. What should I upgrade, and whats the best hardware for the money to get? Looking around a budget of about $600 (don't want to max that out if not necissary). Any advice is a great help, thnx!

 

[moosey]

GF 8800 series video card

 

[SylEm]

thats it? What about processor? I was told that card is awesome, but really overpriced.

 

[DaveSimmons]

8800GTS then. Click the Video tab, read the Rainbow 6 (unreal 3 engine) article and see how much faster it is than a X1950XTX.

A dual-core A64 would help a bit too, but you need to get one clocked at least as high as your 3500+ and preferably faster, and don't settle for a slower video card to do it.

 

[Jaanpunjab]

Well if you want to be able to run games that use DX10 in the near future, you're gonna have to get the 8800, but you would definitely want to upgrade your PS and processor to go with it. If you're not looking to play any DX10 games just upgrade the processor and either crossfire your radeon card, or if there is something better (not really sure bout the radeon hierarchy of cards) upgrade the card.

 

[f4phantom2500]

go with a core 2 processor, 8800 gts (or wait for more cards to come out), maybe (probably) new psu, new mobo, and new ram since core 2 cant use ddr.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: f4phantom2500
go with a core 2 processor, 8800 gts (or wait for more cards to come out), maybe (probably) new psu, new mobo, and new ram since core 2 cant use ddr.

umm, did you even read the OP?

Originally posted by: SylEm
Looking around a budget of about $600 (don't want to max that out if not necissary).

Anyway OP, I think getting one of these: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi...+1051707439&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=343

and one of these (some of them are around $350 after MIR):

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductLi...1+1067924922&Submit=ENE&SubCategory=48

You will be good to go for quite a while.

Happy gaming!

KT

 

[DaveSimmons]

^ exactly. 8800GTS and OEM X2 4600+ plus a HSF = $600.

At least a 20% jump in the CPU for gaming (and you can run something else at the same time), with a -huge- increase in 3D power for gaming.

 

[engiNURD]

is that cpu OC'd? if not, OC it and just get a new vidcard.

 

[SylEm]

will my mobo support that dual core AMD? I know the socket is the same, but it will support the "dual-core" part of it?

 

[jbmx4life]

MSI K8N Neo4 Platinum

Just go thru and check the different BIOS's that were released for the motherboard. If you are running a really old BIOS then you may need to update before installing the X2 CPU.

 

[SylEm]

how would I know if it works or not? I dunno how to check it.

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: f4phantom2500
go with a core 2 processor, 8800 gts (or wait for more cards to come out), maybe (probably) new psu, new mobo, and new ram since core 2 cant use ddr.

Um, yes it can. With Intel CPUs it is not the CPU but the motherboard chipset that determines what kind of memory is compatible. Look at the AsRock 775-DUAL VSTA, it can take DDR and DDR2. It's up to the motherboard manufacturer and chipset type to determine what kind of memory controller is built on, nothing much to do with the CPU.

 

[Roguestar]

Originally posted by: SylEm
how would I know if it works or not? I dunno how to check it.

Just update the BIOS anyway, you should be able to then swap out the A64 3500 and drop in an X2.

 

[happy medium]

1st thing is your power supply is weak with only 22 amp 12+ rail and 400 watts.
It won't run a 8800 series card period. Get something like a seasonic s12 or Enemax liberty. That blows about -100.00$

2rd- buy a 8800gts 640mb if your running games at 1680x1050 or more. You can overclock the video card to allmost gtx speeds. -10%. -400.00$

3th- Grab the fastest 939 cpu you can afford and overclock it to fx60 speeds. I like Keith Talent's price on that x2 4400. for 179.00$. You can grab it at tiger direct for 200.00$ with a 50$ rebate (150.00$) if you don't mind rebates. -180.00$



So that puts you at 680.00$ give or take . Buy in that order.

Edit: Sell your cpu, video card, powersupply here in the forums fs/FT section or ebay. You should make back 130.00$ easy. That brings you under $600.00 actual spent.


Hope this helps.


Edit 2 : heres a evga 8800gts superclock for 410.00$ -30.00$ rebate=379.00$ Thats a great price. This card is factory overclocked and has a lifetime warrenty.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications...etails.asp?EdpNo=2824836&Sku=E145-8008.

or this one

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130071

 

[s44]

Originally posted by: happy medium
1st thing is your power supply is weak with only 22 amp 12+ rail and 400 watts.
It won't run a 8800 series card period. Get something like a seasonic s12 or Enemax liberty. That blows about -100.00$

2rd- buy a 8800gts 640mb if your running games at 1680x1050 or more. You can overclock the video card to allmost gtx speeds. -10%. -400.00$

3th- Grab the fastest 939 cpu you can afford and overclock it to fx60 speeds. I like Keith Talent's price on that x2 4400. for 179.00$. You can grab it at tiger direct for 200.00$ with a 50$ rebate (150.00$) if you don't mind rebates. -180.00$

With an OEM CPU, he'll need a new cooler. Can get this nice one and this Enhance 500W PSU shipped together from eWiz for ~$100.

 

[SylEm]

some gr8 ideas. Btw, how do I update my bios?

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: SylEm
I do a lot of gaming (WoW, FPS games, High graphic intensive), along with lots of bit-torrent townloading and decrypting.

For gaming, video card. For torrents I think dual core will help. BITD I downgraded from a P4 with Hyperthreading to one without of the same GHz and noticed some sluggishness when running torrents after the downgrade.

 

[crimson117]

You could also go for a used athlon x2 instead of a new one.

Also, yes the 8800 GTS is a really good card, but you could get a pretty good card ith the Radeon x1950pro for $150 - less than half the price of a 8800 GTS.

You'd still need to bump up your PSU for about $100.

$179 Athlon x2 4400 OEM
(+$20 for heatsink)
$100 Corsair HX520 PSU
$150 x1950pro
$449

Or for a bit more you could get the lower end GTS with 340MB ram
$179 Athlon x2 4400 OEM
(+$20 for heatsink)
$100 Corsair HX520 PSU
$279 eVGA 8800 GTS 320MB (after $20 MIR)
$578

 

[alimoalem]

i like keith and s44's recommendations.

PSU: enhance 500w
CPU Cooler: can't you reuse the 3500+'s cooler? if not, i'm not sure how the $24 one s44 recommended is but i'm no cooler expert. personally, i would read reviews and check out Anand's review on some cheap coolers in the cases & cooling tab at the top of the page
CPU: X2 4400
GPU: 8800GTS 320MB/640MB depending on budget

with the 8800GTS 640MB, if you shop around, you should be under $630. with the 320MB, around $565.