More Memory or Upgrade Video?

[Froid64]

I am considering spending about $100-$130 on an upgrade for my computer. It is my opinion that I should upgrade my video card, but would like more memory also. What do you think? Here is my system:

Asus P4PE800-Deluxe
P4 2.8C (800mhz)
512MB (2 x256) OCZ PC3500
GeForce4 MX440 64MB AGP Video
80GB WD 7200rpm Special Edition
160GB WD 7200rpm Special Edition
Nec 1100 DVD +R burner
Nec 2500 DVD +-R burner
Allied 450W ps


I would also like recommendations for what to upgrade with. I am looking at various ATI 9700 Pro 128MB video cards. If I upgrade to more memory, I will look to get a matched pair of OCZ PC3500 chips.

I appreciate any input/opinions that you have.

Thanks

 

[JeffreyY]

If you play a lot of games I would definitely upgrade the video card. From what I understand the 9800 pro is one of the best bang for the buck cards right now... but it's out of your price range unfortunately. The Radeon 9800 SE may be softmodded to 9800 pro speeds, but that will run you around $150. For $100 to $130 though... I'm not too sure.

 

[Froid64]

You make a great point. I don't play many games on the computer. I mostly edit pictures & video into DVD and/or VHS productions.

I am considering a Sapphire 9700 Pro Atlantis 128MB video card. The reviews were very good for this card back when it was announced. I am leary of the 9600 series. Haven't heard too many good things. I may also consider saving some money and getting a 9500 Pro if I found one at the right price. I would like the 9800 pro or XT, but it is out of my price range.

 

[Froid64]

Update***

I had my eye on a Sapphire 9700 Pro 128MB card refurbished on Newegg for $135. I was reading some posts in the video forum and discovered that another guy was looking so I went back to Newegg and they were all gone.

So... I looked down the list and Newegg now had a Sapphire 9800 Pro 128MB card for $149. I thought this looked like a screamer of a deal so I put down some cash and it's on the way.

Thanks for your post Jeffrey

 

[Froid64]

Video cards are harder to distinguish than life insurance. I went and read some posts on Sapphire 9800 Pro video cards and realized that I had purchased a 128-bit version. I immiedately canceled my order with Newegg. I didn't realize that there were 128 & 256bit versions of the 9800. Back to the drawing board.

 

[myocardia]

You should definitely get more memory, if not a bigger, faster hard-drive, since you don't play any games. The videocard you have is horrible for gaming, but is fine for what it sounds like you do with it.

 

[Corporate Thug]

why bother with a 9700/9800 when you are not gaming?

 

[RussianSensation]

videocard, no contest......if you game

For all other tasks, more ram and faster hard drive like myocardia has mentioned

like 250gig Hitachi 7k250 or at least 120gig 8mb cache drives, or maybe even 74 gig raptor.

 

[AristoV300]

If your not gaming get more memory.

 

[Froid64]

Thanks for everyone's ongoing input.

I forgot to list my hard drives. I have a 80GB WD 7200RPM Special Edition w/8mb cache and a 160GB WD 7200RPM Special Edition drive. I will probably go to a 10,000 rpm sata drive in a year or so, but for now I am looking for the weakest link in my performance. I do some games, but not a real addict.

O.K. This is a dual channel question. I have 2x256MB of OCZ PC3500 memory in the blue slots of my mobo. I know that I can put another matched pair in the black slots and maintain my dual channel memory configuration. My question is: Should I look for PC3500 only or can I install PC3200, PC3700, PC4000, etc... If I install PC3200, will it slow down the PC3500 or will that only happen in an overclocking situation?

 

[RussianSensation]

Originally posted by: Froid64

O.K. This is a dual channel question. I have 2x256MB of OCZ PC3500 memory in the blue slots of my mobo. I know that I can put another matched pair in the black slots and maintain my dual channel memory configuration. My question is: Should I look for PC3500 only or can I install PC3200, PC3700, PC4000, etc... If I install PC3200, will it slow down the PC3500 or will that only happen in an overclocking situation?

More likely than not your system is running Syncronously by default I imagine. In other words, since your processor is not overclocked, I think the BIOS sets the cpu: ram ratio = 1:1. So 2.8ghz = 200mhz x 14 multiplier or 200FSB: 200mhz memory (since DDR => 400) So your PC3500 is only running at PC3200 speeds. In other words as long as you buy memory at least as fast or faster than PC3200, you'll be fine. Download CPU-Z to check how fast your memory is running at just in case.

 

[myocardia]

It would still be better to buy OCZ PC3500, since that's what you already have in your system. Although you aren't overclocking now, you never know...

 

[Soulkeeper]

when your video card came out most people were arguing about 256mb vs 512mb
not much has changed
more people with 512mb and 1024mb but nothing really needs (losely speaking) 1gb and prob won't for another year or so.
your fast hard drive and a good video card would more than compensate for the slight loss in performance when compared to 1gb of memory in similar systems.
the geforce mx is definately yur gaming bottleneck if you ask me
i would recommend saving till you get atleast 200
unless you can get a cheep 9700, 9800, etc. or fx5700, 5800, etc. for like 130 bucks or whatever

good luck
ps, even a refurbed gf4 would a noticeable step up from the mx

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: Soulkeeper
when your video card came out most people were arguing about 256mb vs 512mb
not much has changed
more people with 512mb and 1024mb but nothing really needs (losely speaking) 1gb and prob won't for another year or so.
your fast hard drive and a good video card would more than compensate for the slight loss in performance when compared to 1gb of memory in similar systems.
the geforce mx is definately yur gaming bottleneck if you ask me
i would recommend saving till you get atleast 200
unless you can get a cheep 9700, 9800, etc. or fx5700, 5800, etc. for like 130 bucks or whatever

good luck
ps, even a refurbed gf4 would a noticeable step up from the mx

No/hardly any gaming + video encoding= needs more ram, man.

 

[selfbuilt]

Something else to consider ... you are frankly not really likely to notice much of an effect of extra memory on that system, even on video encoding. I know it may be different with Intel systems, but I've benched nearly identical AMD machines with similar WD 8MB hard drives to yours on home-made videos, and I can tell you adding an extra 512MB PC3200 low latency was surprisingly meaningless for video encoding times. Of course, it *seemed* to me like general editing was faster with more RAM, but I can't quantify that. In contrast, a better graphics card will be immediately noticeable in any games you play.

It's just a cost-benefit trade off ... small benefit on something you use frequently, or large benefit on something you do infrequently, for the same cost. Frankly, you can't really go wrong either way, as long as you stick to your current budet. Diminishing returns kick in if you really spend big coin on slightly faster graphics cards (e.g. 9800 XT vs Pro) or extremely low latency mem - not worth it, as far as I can see.

 

[Froid64]

Thanks Everyone! I am still pondering the right move. As mentioned in at least one post, I probably won't see a huge increase in performance either way, unless,,, and that is a big UNLESS I am gaming.

Thanks again everyone!

 

[Zebo]

Why bother upgrading anything? The ram is only useful if you actually use it and since you don't game and just edit photos I fail to see how you will ever come close to using what you already have let alone 1024MB. Then a expensive video card is useless to you unless you need a card to do calculations ie 3d gaming which you don't.

Take the lady out for a nice diner instead.

 

[JeffCY]

512MB PC3200 RAM... $120
128MB Radeon 9700 Pro... $130
Getting some after taking the lady out for a nice dinner... priceless.