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TrueEevil

Senior member
Jan 16, 2005
206
0
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Im in need of some upgrades to get system performance to where i want it, right now I have:

A64 3000+ (S754)
Dfi lanparty ut nF3
evga 6600gt
512mb Crucail Ballistix

I dont have the money to replace the CPU right now so im working on buliding around it :

EPoX EP-8NPA SLI ATX
Evga 7800gt
1 gb CORSAIR XMS
Audigy 2 Value

The reason for the new Ram is because i have read in multiple places the older version is not compatable with the newer versions of the ram. So I cant just buy another 512mb stick.

I dont want to spend more than $50 for a sound card as my speakers are a 2.1 T3000 setup, but I am tired of Onboard audio. I was thinking about a Audigy 2 Value or a 2 ZS if I can get one on sale.

Any comments or suggestions?
 
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VERTIGGO

Senior member
Apr 29, 2005
826
0
76
If you play any games, you need to go up to 2GB memory. They aren't as expensive as they used to be.
 
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Zap Brannigan

Golden Member
Oct 14, 2004
1,887
0
0
Originally posted by: VERTIGGO
If you play any games, you need to go up to 2GB memory. They aren't as expensive as they used to be.
Click to expand...

Correction, if you play WoW or Everquest 2GB will improve load times.

Other than that 1 gig fine. RIght now I have 1.5 and thats more than enough, all the extra 512 did was impove load time when I used to play World of Whorecrack.
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
0
Originally posted by: Zap Brannigan
Originally posted by: VERTIGGO
If you play any games, you need to go up to 2GB memory. They aren't as expensive as they used to be.
Click to expand...

Correction, if you play WoW or Everquest 2GB will improve load times.

Other than that 1 gig fine. RIght now I have 1.5 and thats more than enough, all the extra 512 did was impove load time when I used to play World of Whorecrack.
Click to expand...


Correction, in some games more RAM will help your minimum frame rate, such as BF2.

But you can get by with 1gb well enough even in those games.
 
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Zap Brannigan

Golden Member
Oct 14, 2004
1,887
0
0
I forgot all about BF2, good catch.

In summary extra ram does not hurt performance, but would you agree that it would be wiser for him to go with a gig in the ram department and save what would have been spent on an extra gig and put that towards a future cpu upgrade since his current one will be the bottleneck in his current system setup? Because if you disagree with that then you truly are lost! *ignites lightsaber*
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
0
Depends, i doubt the OP will be going for AM2 for the next build. It looks like a buyer who is budget concious and as such will most likely stick with the bugdet CPU type, which will be 939. As such if the OP will be upgrading to a system where the same RAM would be useable then i'd go for two gigs now. Might as well have it and use it.

If the OP is going to be going AM2 then its harder to judge.

As to the bottleneck, i'm not convinced, the CPU is at the low end, but if it gets overclocked a bit it's good enough.
 
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TrueEevil

Senior member
Jan 16, 2005
206
0
0
I Do game and the whole reson for the upgrades are for FEAR and some other graphic intense game. With my current rig FEAR was getting horrible frame rates, but thats no surprise.
I could maybe get 2gb but it would have to be the value stuff and I'd have to drop the sound card. Im on a budget (thus why i cant get a new cpu). I want to keep it at ~ $550.

*I realize the CPU is low end and one reason i wanted to pick up a sound card is to take alittle bit of the load off the CPU. Might Not be that much but that and a OC should help out enough.
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
0
A budget!?! :D Fair enough, your choices look pretty good. The CPU will be the weak point, but upgrading it isn't worth the money it would take away from your other parts.

There's nothing wrong with buying budget RAM, the performance increase from high end RAM is very uneconomical.

One thing, drop the SLI board, you're not the sort of user who'd benifit from it and you should be able to shave $40-$80 off the motherboard costs there.
 
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TrueEevil

Senior member
Jan 16, 2005
206
0
0
Ok lets make fun of the teenager and his budget, sounds like laughs all around. ;)

The MotherBoard isnt a cost concern. A local store happens to have two of them on hand, they arent that expensive to shave $40-80 off but I am getting a discount that makes it the same price as the other 754 PCI-e boards out there.

Good point about the High end ram. My system wont benifit from it that much anyhow. So ill look for a 2bg kit.
 
Malladine

Malladine

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2003
4,618
0
71
1gb is fine and as such "upgrading" to 2gb should be your lowest priority.

Forget about high end ram too unless you are a hardcore overclocker.
 
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letstalkcisco

Member
Oct 13, 2005
48
0
0
A game like FEAR is super graphics intensive, so if you really want the best bang for your buck on a 754 system you should spend the money on a new graphics card. The 6600 ain't bad, but it ain't good anymore either. 1GB of RAM is plenty for FEAR -- I'm running it on nearly full settings (shadows on and eye candy maxed, except AA which is 2x) and I average around 50+fps with:

3700+ san diego
xfx 7800GT
2x512MB mushkin
asus a8n-sli deluxe

A friend of mine has a very similar setup except with a 6600GT-esque GPU and is barely able to run it at all minimums...

If you could afford to spend $500 on a graphics card (7800GTX or the new ATI) then you'd be stoked for FEAR. You could also take that graphics card with you when you decided to upgrade the rest of the system.
 
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TrueEevil

Senior member
Jan 16, 2005
206
0
0
Originally posted by: TrueEevil

...I dont have the money to replace the CPU right now so im working on buliding around it :

EPoX EP-8NPA SLI ATX
Evga 7800gt
1 gb CORSAIR XMS
Audigy 2 Value

...
Click to expand...

The 7800gt is the main cost in the upgrade, well along with the PCI-e mobo :)
 
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Bobthelost

Diamond Member
Dec 1, 2005
4,360
0
0
Originally posted by: TrueEevil
While I have it on my mind I want to ask about PSU's. I really know nothing about them so will the one I have now, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817182008 , be enough power. and does it have the connectors I'll need?
Click to expand...


It's enough power, or it would if it were a decent brand. DO NOT BUY THIS PSU.

If you want a budget option get a Fortron (FSP) 400W PSU. Not much more expensive but it's a reliable, fairly quiet and stable PSU.
 
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TrueEevil

Senior member
Jan 16, 2005
206
0
0
I already have it so thats not the problem. I havent had any trouble with it but like i said I dont know much about PSU's. MY question is will it work with the new video card and Mobo or do i need another one before i buy the upgrades? I read the thread about 24 pin PSU's but im still confused :(
 
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alimoalem

Diamond Member
Sep 22, 2005
4,025
0
0
Originally posted by: TrueEevil
Im in need of some upgrades to get system performance to where i want it, right now I have:

A64 3000+ (S754)
Dfi lanparty ut nF3
evga 6600gt
512mb Crucail Ballistix

I dont have the money to replace the CPU right now so im working on buliding around it :

EPoX EP-8NPA SLI ATX
Evga 7800gt
1 gb CORSAIR XMS
Audigy 2 Value
Click to expand...

if you're not changing your cpu, why buy a new mobo? does the epox have pci-e? if so, keep it as an upgrade.

7800gt :thumbsup:
2gb corsair value ram
if you can afford it, the sound card. if not, save up for it and buy it when u have the money
 
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