PC upgrade from P4 (Oo,)

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necro007

Golden Member
Sep 2, 2005
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Hi guy’s, my P4 decided to finally stop working after 5years of great service :( so I need to get a replacement PC.

I've done some reading and I'm thinking of getting a Core i3 -530, for price/ performance it seems great.

PC parts I would like to reuse:

1. X1800XL (until I find the need to upgrade it)
2. Multi Card reader
3. Thermaltake ultima 90
4. 19 inch LCD (1280*1024)

I’ll be running XP Pro service pack 3.

I require assistance picking out the rest of the parts.

Usage:
- Surfing the web: 60%
- Video editing: 10%
- Gaming: 30%


All help would be great.
 
mpilchfamily

mpilchfamily

Diamond Member
Jun 11, 2007
3,559
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I'm pretty sure the X1800XL is a PCI-e card. There is a chance the built in GPU on the i3 will be better then that card. Not that it will matter if you decide to use the card anyway.
 
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hondaf17

Senior member
Sep 25, 2005
763
16
81
I'll be the first to say that if your gaming is 30% you'll need to get a new video card above the X1800XL. I had a 512MB X1800XT and while it can run COD:MW2, it couldn't run BF:BC2, so going forward I don't think your X1800XL will serve you well for newer games.
 
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M0RPH

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2003
3,302
1
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hondaf17 said:
I'll be the first to say that if your gaming is 30% you'll need to get a new video card above the X1800XL. I had a 512MB X1800XT and while it can run COD:MW2, it couldn't run BF:BC2, so going forward I don't think your X1800XL will serve you well for newer games.
Click to expand...

X1800XL is about as fast as an 8600GT which is what I'm using to run BF:BC2 and it runs ok at a lower resolution like the OP has. Does it run great? No, but it runs acceptably for me at medium settings.

So when you say that your X1800XT "couldn't run BF:BC2" I think you really should be saying that it didn't run the game well enough for YOU.
 
P

Paperlantern

Platinum Member
Apr 26, 2003
2,239
6
81
M0RPH said:
X1800XL is about as fast as an 8600GT which is what I'm using to run BF:BC2 and it runs ok at a lower resolution like the OP has. Does it run great? No, but it runs acceptably for me at medium settings.

So when you say that your X1800XT "couldn't run BF:BC2" I think you really should be saying that it didn't run the game well enough for YOU.
Click to expand...

Well said. Everyone's interpretation of "gaming" is different. For example, I game 30% of the time on my rig, but all i need is a 6800 XT to run Wolfentein: Enemy Territory at 200+ fps and a solid 60fps on Guild Wars. I dont play anything else. Most new games aren't worth it to me and i dont waste my time with them.

So yeah, its all a matter of what you do with it.
 
0roo0roo

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
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at 1280x1024 you need more than that video card to run things decently.
so forget about keeping it in the build.
 
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M0RPH

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2003
3,302
1
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0roo0roo said:
at 1280x1024 you need more than that video card to run things decently.
so forget about keeping it in the build.
Click to expand...

Again, I will dispute this. It all depends on what your standards are for things running "decently". He should be able to play BF:BC2 at medium settings at that resolution. Worst case scenario he may have to drop to the low settings. I don't know about other games.

Of course he SHOULD upgtrade the video card, I'm just saying if he's not a big gamer and he wants to get by with it for a while, he CAN play recent games like BC2 with that card. I know a lot of you guys are used to going out and buying a new video card every time some new game comes out, but some of us don't, and you might be surprised that even these newer games do in fact scale back pretty well to allow play on older cards.
 
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0roo0roo

0roo0roo

No Lifer
Sep 21, 2002
64,795
84
91
yea sure, but if you are going to spend money upgrading, running on low settings/giving up all sorts of fsaa etc is just kinda devaluing the whole point of upgrading.
 
Zap

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
Paperlantern said:
I game 30% of the time on my rig, but all i need is a 6800 XT to run Wolfentein: Enemy Territory at 200+ fps and a solid 60fps on Guild Wars. I dont play anything else.
Click to expand...

Wow, someone here still plays WolfET? I was playing it pretty extensively until COD4 came out, and still play it on occasion to this date.

The OP can keep using the card until either it dies or he gets a new game that doesn't play acceptably on it.

The CPU is a decent and affordable dual core choice and is SO much faster than a P4.

I would suggest an H55 chipset motherboard with whatever features you want. Why H55 and not P55/H57 is that H57 features probably aren't too useful and P55 doesn't have a video path for the CPUs integrated graphics. Who knows? Maybe some day necro007 will upgrade again before his hardware dies and then he can give a relative his old parts using integrated graphics? Also, if the X1800XL dies he will at least be able to browse the web to order a new card.

For memory go with any budget DDR3-1333 that only requires 1.5v.

Will you be overclocking? Do you care how noisy/quiet your computer is? Those will affect your case and CPU cooling choices. If the answers are no and no, then just stick with stock CPU cooler and go with whatever case has good airflow and can fit your X1800XL (and maybe future graphics cards you may buy). To be able to re-use your CPU cooler you must find a motherboard that has both socket 1156 and socket 775 mounting holes. Not impossible, but pretty rare. I haven't looked for H55 chipset boards but I know there are a handful of P55 chipset boards that have dual mounting holes.
 
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hondaf17

Senior member
Sep 25, 2005
763
16
81
M0RPH said:
X1800XL is about as fast as an 8600GT which is what I'm using to run BF:BC2 and it runs ok at a lower resolution like the OP has. Does it run great? No, but it runs acceptably for me at medium settings.

So when you say that your X1800XT "couldn't run BF:BC2" I think you really should be saying that it didn't run the game well enough for YOU.
Click to expand...

Actually no, I meant literally what I said. My X1800XT could not run BF:BC2. It would crash to desktop EVERY SINGLE time after loading a map. I dropped in a GTS250, changed NOTHING else, and voila, the game worked. So I am saying, again, my X1800XT could not run BF:BC2.

And considering that he's spending 30% of his time on gaming, and the games will, generally speaking, only get more demanding, I stand by my recommendation of spending the money on a new video card.
 
P

Paperlantern

Platinum Member
Apr 26, 2003
2,239
6
81
hondaf17 said:
Actually no, I meant literally what I said. My X1800XT could not run BF:BC2. It would crash to desktop EVERY SINGLE time after loading a map. I dropped in a GTS250, changed NOTHING else, and voila, the game worked. So I am saying, again, my X1800XT could not run BF:BC2.

And considering that he's spending 30% of his time on gaming, and the games will, generally speaking, only get more demanding, I stand by my recommendation of spending the money on a new video card.
Click to expand...

I'd be willing to bet your issue was some problem with your particular card, compatability issue in general with the driver that would be resolved in a later release of the driver. The card should be able, physically to play that game, as in capable muscle wise. Your one instance isnt enough to convince me it wouldnt work AT ALL... ever, and if it was that widespread, as i said, im sure they will fix the driver.
 
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hondaf17

Senior member
Sep 25, 2005
763
16
81
Well the card is technically one step below minimum requirements. I thought the same thing as you, considering that that card previously ran Crysis on my machine, which has tougher system reqs. And I had all the latest drivers. And I conducted a controlled experience and put in a GTS250 while changing nothing else and problem was resolved. But I'm done arguing with you. Point remains that OP should look at getting a new vid card.
 
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necro007

Golden Member
Sep 2, 2005
1,002
0
71
Hi guys thank you for all the comments and suggestions, much appreciated.

My video card is a pci-e.
I’d like to stick with Intel and I’ve heard good remarks about Gigabyte but otherwise I don’t have any preferences for hardware.
My budget is R4000.00 (South African currency- Rand)
I’ve heard that the Corei3 is great to OC and I would like to try my luck but nothing crazy.
I’m not really worried about how noisy/quiet the PC is.

I know, by now standards my video card isn’t much but I’d like to continue to use it and upgrade that later.
Let me explain why I’m going this route, I have a PS3 and I mostly game on that as of now so I don’t want to drop $$$ on a card when I know my gaming needs has changed. I’d most likely buy a game for a PS3 then PC unless the PC version has a crazy amount of extras or something; that makes sense to me.
With that said the most demanding game’s I own at the moment are Crysis, Oblivion, COD4.

Thanks for your help.
 
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necro007

Golden Member
Sep 2, 2005
1,002
0
71
Hi guys a small update.

I've decided on a case

Coolermaster CM692
http://www.take2.co.za/electronics-coolermaster-rc-692-kwn1-cm692-no-power-supply-unit-5829867.html

Just not sure to get the side window or not. I want to do a mod on it 


Here is the processor: Core-i3-530
http://www.take2.co.za/electronics-...r-2-93ghz-dual-core-socket-1156--5385090.html

Only parts left are the motherboard, ram, power supply.

I’m trying to find out if there is a Thermalright LGA1156 clip support, while looking I found this:

http://www.take2.co.za/electronics-thermalright-lga1366-clip-support-5031157.html

Anyway, if I can’t get that mounting bracket for my cooler what other CPU coolers do you’ll recommend?

Thanks for the help.
 
Lyfer

Lyfer

Diamond Member
May 28, 2003
5,842
2
81
Get a Sapphire 4850 512mb for $70 from newegg, its dirt cheap atm and will be able to run most new games at moderate settings.
 
N

necro007

Golden Member
Sep 2, 2005
1,002
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71
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