Name that bottleneck!

[Bateluer]

I am going to be selling my second computer soon.

Currently, its an 800@1066 Celeron, 256MBs of RAM, and a GF1 DDR vidcard.

I only have the funds to one upgrade to the system. I can either drop in a P3 933 or upgrade the vidcard to a Gainward GeForce2 Ti450.

I can get the P3 for 64+shipping and the GF2Ti for 91 total. Which of these parents you think would give the system the most bang? Remember, only one part can be ordered. Just the proc, or just the vidcard.

Currently, the system scores around 2000 pts in 3dmark 2k1 with the new 28.32 drivers on the GF1 card.

 

[CedarTeeth135]

I would upgrade the GeForce, old card, but then again, a GeForce 2 isn't much better.

Save up for a nice AMD system. Cost like 300 from newegg.

 

[RaynorWolfcastle]

I'd say the biggest bottleneck in most programs is between the chair and the monitor

-Ice

 

[MoboN00B]

get the geforce 2 gts card at newegg.com for 49 plus shipping

 

[ojai00]

I say upgrade the video card. Get the best one you can that will fit your budget. Try for a GF3 something if you can, or a GF2 Ultra

 

[Bateluer]

<< get the geforce 2 gts card at newegg.com for 49 plus shipping >>



This is no GTS card for 49 bucks

There is a GTS-V card, whats the difference?

 

[CraigRT]

I'd upgrade the CPU.. but i'd get a PIII 1.0 instead of a 933 considering as the video card is near $30 more, so spend a bit more on the CPU if you can.

 

[Bateluer]

Cost concerns, P3 1.0s are over a 120 dollars. About 80 is the most I want to spend.

Its either the 933 or a vidcard, or neither.

Perhaps it would be best to leave some deficiencies in the system, so they can learn to upgrade it later?

 

[jm0ris0n]

<<

<< get the geforce 2 gts card at newegg.com for 49 plus shipping >>



This is no GTS card for 49 bucks

There is a GTS-V card, whats the difference? >>




The GTS-V is an underclocked 32DDR Geforce2_GTS. Not an mx, but a GF2GTS I've heard these things overclock quite nicely

 

[Bateluer]

Hmm, sounds like the consensus is that the video card is the more important bottleneck.

The GTS-V card seems like a good card, and for 52 bucks shipped it is cheaper than the P3-933.

Realistically, how much of a performance boost can I expect from the decent clock speeds on it?

 

[Bateluer]

This is a favorable review of the V.

Seems like I can get around 2400 to 2500 with my Ghz Celery.

 

[nortexoid]

uh, getting an extra 400-500 3d marks is laughable...

i wouldn't even bother upgrading until you had enough to spend on something worthwhile - i.e. radeon 8500LE ($143 from newegg - the hercules one), or a GF3 Ti 200.

 

[lastig21]

From running benchmarks on overclocked 566's, and reading some reviews back in the day, the celermine runs about the same as a p3 running 200mhz slower. Your celeron is about equal to an 866p3. I don't think the p3 would give you the performance increase you are looking for. I do believe the video card is the bottleneck, but I wouldn't buy anything from the geforce 2 line. As has been mentioned earlier, save up for a couple more weeks and buy a video card that will give you a substantial increase. I would think either a gf3 ti200, or see if you can find a hotdeal on a radeon 8500. I've seen some great prices on both in the for sale/trade forums.

 

[Nate420]

If you are selling the system, I wouldn't bother changing either part If I were keeping that system I'd go for the video card though.

Like others have said allready, save a few more bucks and get a G3 if at all possible.

Gainward G3 Ti200 64Mb at Newegg for $146 Shipped.

 

[Bateluer]

Hmmm . . . perhaps I will leave the system alone. She can upgrade it when its too slow for her

 

[boyRacer]

My P3... the whole thing... RAM... motherboard...bleh... so a GF4 would give me an increase of 1FPS. Yey.

 

[microAmp]

<< Cost concerns, P3 1.0s are over a 120 dollars. About 80 is the most I want to spend.

Its either the 933 or a vidcard, or neither.

Perhaps it would be best to leave some deficiencies in the system, so they can learn to upgrade it later? >>




I would go with the P3 and o/c that puppy!

 

[Bateluer]

<<

I would go with the P3 and o/c that puppy! >>



The dude thats selling the procs failed to get them above 1066 Granted, I have a Thermalright Sk-6 and he had Glorbs, but I think its still pretty close to the wall.

 

[GT1999]

I'd save up for a bigger upgrade. Perhaps a P4 1.6A @ 2.1+GHz?

 

[Def]

1066 (1062 actually) is about where 933's crapped out. Most chips that could easily do more were binned as 1Ghz chips, while 933's rarely did more than a 15% OC. Just shows you how close to the bleeding edge Intel was with their coppermine core at the end of its life cycle.