Need some RD RAM

[P2Mc28]

I've got an aging Dell machine that still has a decent kick to it, as far as WoW goes (which is pretty much the thing that happens around these parts.) The problem is it has a mere 256 MB of RAM, and its RD RAM.

Regardless of the fact that I can (and probably will, very soon) build a completely new machine with updated specs, I was hoping to get a pointer or two where I could pick up some more memory for the thing without sawing off an arm as a down payment or something. I think I spotted a gig or so on eBay for about $70. The seller didn't look half bad, and compared to the $200-300 prices I was seeing, I nearly just bought it right then and there, but I figured perhaps I should look around a bit more.

Anyone have any tips, sites, heck, any memory listed in the forums for sale? Thanks =)

To specify: I believe it's EEC, 45ns, and... there's an 800? I believe? I'm sure it's whatever is the standard going for a Dell Dimension 8200, I looked it up once.

 

[Concillian]

WoW got a lot more demanding with the expansion, I was dropping into the teens with an e5200 and 7900GT on my wife's machine lastnight in Warsong Hold. I'd be thinking any processor old enough to be using RDRAM is going to have problems even if you have plenty of memory.

I know there are a few people in my guild who still have AthlonXPs and they were screaming bloody murder lastnight and have already started figuring out their upgrade path. I'm not sure I'd spend any money on such an obsolete technology right now.

$70 is almost half-way to a workable whole system upgrade that runs WoW very well (AMD 4850e + 780G mobo + 2GB DDR2 RAM + 8600GTS is around $200)

 

[P2Mc28]

Gah, down to $200 nowadays, eh? Guess I'll play around on NewEgg. Last time I got curious about the "cheapest system I could make" I came up with a $300 system that was actually a couple steps up from "cheapest possible." Guess I'll do that again. It is nearly Christmas, after all! Not to mention... I've got four (running) systems in the house... all from different generations and can't share parts (my C2D system, a P4 w/ DDR2, the Dell P4 w/ RD, and an ancient Athlon machine w/ PC100)... drives me crazy that I can't cobble them together to make one machine that my brothers can play WoW on. It's long since been time to retire a couple of those things...

 

[Concillian]

There is a 4850e + 780g combo for $120 right now. I used generic DDR2 RAM and 8600GTS is $50. It was $222 before rebate and $212 after since I'm in CA and have to pay tax. If you live out of state it's under $200 for that upgrade. You can nickel and dime your way up to $250 if you go 4GB ram and a better card like a 9600GT / GSO or HD4670.

Yeah, you can get a pretty decent setup CHEAP now.

4850e is not the fastest CPU, but it's a pretty strong value, especially because it OCs so well. It's certainly enough CPU to feed the cards that will be in the <$150 range that anyone on this kind of a budget will be considering.

I think I've steered several guildies to this path. WoW really likes dual core CPUs now. Night and day difference. Pretty much any dual core is enough, so you can cheap out on that, then get whatever you need for video card. Even my single core A64 machines were a little iffy in places when I tried them in WoW since the 3.x patch. I think the time has come to update or junk the single core machines. Kind of what I've been doing. My only single core now out of my 4 machines is my fileserver, and it barely uses CPU.

 

[Denithor]

WoW really likes both dual-core CPUs and lots of RAM. And a decent GPU is nice if you play at higher resolutions or like to have long draw distance enabled without choking.

Go for either the 4850e/780G or an e5200/P43 set and 4GB DDR2 (as cheap as $20AR if you look around the hot deals forum). I would suggest either a 9600GT or a 9800GT video card, which will set you back $70-100AR (8600GTS is outdated and not worth the money). All told you should be able to upgrade the innards of one of your boxes for about $250.