Upgrade options for a Dell Dimension 4600?

[taylor34]

Hey--

Had this computer for about 3 years, it's a pentium 4 2.66 ghz with 512 mb ram and a 80 gig hard drive (9800 pro graphics card). In any case, it's getting a little slow to play some of today's games like company of heroes, Heroes of might and magic 5, etc (seems like the hard drive grinds forever, the ingame graphics aren't too bad). My question is, is there any processor upgrade that I can do to this machine? Or is there anywhere I can find this info? I've been out of the hardware game for a while, so I wasn't sure if the new dual core's would work in it or if the socket had totally changed from then.

If the processor isn't upgradeable, would I be better off getting some more memory and a faster graphics card or just replacing the whole pc altogether with a dual core? I figure the memory/graphics card upgrade would cost about $200, and a new dual core machine with a radeon 1950 card and 2 gig of ram would set me back around $1k.

Thanks for your help

Taylor34

 

[Boyo]

I would do a new build with a dual core. You will get the most for your money and be able to handle your games better.

 

[Homerboy]

you could slap some more memory and a upgraded video card in it for a couple hundred and get by fine (not 16x12 4xAA or anything, but certainly playable games)
Your HDD is chugging becuase of the 512. Todays games can crush 1GB of memory and simply destroy 512MB so your HDD has to pick up the slack.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Originally posted by: taylor34
Hey--

Had this computer for about 3 years, it's a pentium 4 2.66 ghz with 512 mb ram and a 80 gig hard drive (9800 pro graphics card). In any case, it's getting a little slow to play some of today's games like company of heroes, Heroes of might and magic 5, etc (seems like the hard drive grinds forever, the ingame graphics aren't too bad). My question is, is there any processor upgrade that I can do to this machine? Or is there anywhere I can find this info? I've been out of the hardware game for a while, so I wasn't sure if the new dual core's would work in it or if the socket had totally changed from then.

If the processor isn't upgradeable, would I be better off getting some more memory and a faster graphics card or just replacing the whole pc altogether with a dual core? I figure the memory/graphics card upgrade would cost about $200, and a new dual core machine with a radeon 1950 card and 2 gig of ram would set me back around $1k.

Thanks for your help

Taylor34

Your MB has the Intel 865G chipset and is Socket 478 so it is upgradeable from your current CPU. A new AGP GPU would definitely give you a boost as would another 512k of memory. Unless you have a specific need for the latest and greatest, a modest upgrade should keep you going a while longer.

 

[Tarrant64]

Are you willing to spend $1k on a new build? Actually, someone just posted a build last week that was at or under $700. Dual core and everything.

As Homerboy mentioned, upgrading to 1GB of memory would help out. I'm assuming your on IDE too, and really the only other option would be to step up to SATA, which I don't think you have support for. If you're going to spend any money, sit tight and save up some money, or start adding new PC parts to the holiday wish list.

Keeping your original setup, we can throw in...

New Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819116175

A decent graphics card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814141038

I am looking for memory but I'd like to know what brand/speed you're currently running. It's sad to see these inflated prices.

This is all grabbed tripping over myself at new. Shopping around you can find better deals of course.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
Are you willing to spend $1k on a new build? Actually, someone just posted a build last week that was at or under $700. Dual core and everything.

As Homerboy mentioned, upgrading to 1GB of memory would help out. I'm assuming your on IDE too, and really the only other option would be to step up to SATA, which I don't think you have support for. If you're going to spend any money, sit tight and save up some money, or start adding new PC parts to the holiday wish list.

Keeping your original setup, we can throw in...

New Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819116175

A decent graphics card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814141038

I am looking for memory but I'd like to know what brand/speed you're currently running. It's sad to see these inflated prices.

This is all grabbed tripping over myself at new. Shopping around you can find better deals of course.

SATA isn't going to make a difference... not in his case. He could arguably just get a faster PATA, bu tthe main 2 issues he faces are GPU and the 512MB RAM. He should upgrade RAM first and GPU 2ndary. 9800Pro can still run most games at decent frame rates.

 

[Tarrant64]

Originally posted by: Homerboy

Originally posted by: Tarrant64
Are you willing to spend $1k on a new build? Actually, someone just posted a build last week that was at or under $700. Dual core and everything.

As Homerboy mentioned, upgrading to 1GB of memory would help out. I'm assuming your on IDE too, and really the only other option would be to step up to SATA, which I don't think you have support for. If you're going to spend any money, sit tight and save up some money, or start adding new PC parts to the holiday wish list.

Keeping your original setup, we can throw in...

New Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819116175

A decent graphics card:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814141038

I am looking for memory but I'd like to know what brand/speed you're currently running. It's sad to see these inflated prices.

This is all grabbed tripping over myself at new. Shopping around you can find better deals of course.

SATA isn't going to make a difference... not in his case. He could arguably just get a faster PATA, bu tthe main 2 issues he faces are GPU and the 512MB RAM. He should upgrade RAM first and GPU 2ndary. 9800Pro can still run most games at decent frame rates.

Yes, you're right about the SATA. I meant ot mention that. And the 9800Pro was the sweetest card back in the day, and yes, it can hold its own.

Umm...I'm still running on a 9600xt.