Upgrading and Upgradeability

[imported_Xavier]

Current Specs:

AMD Athlon 2500 "Barton" - Not Overclocked yet
Asus A7N8X Deluxe Retail Motherboard w/ Onboard Sound
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
Antec True430 PSU
Maxtor 40GB 7200 RPM HDD
Kingston "HyperX" 1024mb Ram

Games I play the most:
Flight Simulator 2004
Counter-Strike: Source

Budget:
Roughly $400

The deal with my video card:
I got the card when they first came out. About a month or two ago, it all of a sudden starting showing its age and the graphics were all of a sudden worse one day and they haven't looked back since.

What I first thought of doing:
I first though of just keeping my motherboard / CPU. Overclocking my CPU to 3200+ speeds, which I originally thought of doing. I was going to buy the Radeon X800 XT AGP card, upgrade my CPU, buy a PCI SATA adapter and then buy the 36GB Raptor HDD down the road sometime.

My problem:
I am a college student, and all I want to do is be able to run FS2004 on MAX settings. I almost ordered the ATI Radeon X800 XT for $350, but it was AGP, and upgradeability in the future isn't looking to good for AGP. I've heard AGP is dying out quickly, and PCI-e is coming in fast. So if I bought the card, and decided to upgrade my motherboard to a 939socket for the A64 chips, I don't want to have to upgrade my video card again.

Also, I am wanting a new HDD since mine is about 5 years old. I am wanting a WD 36GB Raptor HDD which I found for $90.


Can you guys provide give me some ideas on what you would do with my current system, and in the way you would do the upgrades please?

Any help is appreciated.

 

[shoRunner]

raptors not worth it. i'd say overclock your cpu and save your money until you can afford a new cpu/mobo/gfx card. the 9800 should play cs:s pretty well at least to 1024x768 with some AA and AF on.

 

[imported_Xavier]

Well ever since my graphics got worse one day, the graphics on CS:S are worse too. I can see jaggies and all that jazz a lot clearer now.

The thing is, I want to start upgrading now

So, what would you advise I upgrade first?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

I was going to say I think for a $400 budget you'd be best off just getting a 6800gt in AGP.

Then I remembered that I told you that already

first thread

 

[shoRunner]

mmm well i play CS:S with a 9700pro and average >50fps @ 1024x768 wth 4xAA and 2xAF. is the RAM PC3200?

 

[Ike0069]

Well, on that budget you are pretty limited in what you can do.
First, a 36GB Raptor is a bad idea. Definitely not worth the money.

As for a $400 budget, a new S939 CPU/MB would be ~$250.
Or you could go with a S754 CPU/MB for closer $150 for a Sempron, or around $200 for an A64. S754 does not have a real upgrade path though if that's important.
For the VC, 6600 GT's can be found for around $170.

Or you can OC the Barton and just get the X850XT. This would be my suggestion for now, as IMO it would be a better gaming system than an A64 and a 6600 GT.

 

[imported_Xavier]

I have heard that AGP is getting phased out, and if it is, I don't want to buy an AGP card obviously.

What about getting a 939 mobo with an A64 Processor, but I suppose I would have to upgrade the video card at the same time, correct?

Unless there is a 939 mobo that has an AGP slot, which I haven't found one. I guess that is why everyone is saying AGP is dying out?


Also, since I really only play Flight Simulator 2004 which is an older game, do you think the 6600GT would run it on Max settings?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Buy a computer for now. Don't worry about more than minimal upgrades.

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Xavier
I have heard that AGP is getting phased out, and if it is, I don't want to buy an AGP card obviously.

What about getting a 939 mobo with an A64 Processor, but I suppose I would have to upgrade the video card at the same time, correct?

Unless there is a 939 mobo that has an AGP slot, which I haven't found one. I guess that is why everyone is saying AGP is dying out?


Also, since I really only play Flight Simulator 2004 which is an older game, do you think the 6600GT would run it on Max settings?

There are plenty of 939 boards with AGP.

Getting an A64 with an AGP slot is the same basic problem as getting a newer AGP card now.... I mean let's say you get an A64 system now with AGP... ok... then in the future when AGP is getting phased out, you'll have to get a new motherboard anyway.

If you get a faster AGP card now, down the road you'll have to get an A64 with and AGP motherboard if you want to keep using the card.

Unless you get both A64 and PCI-e now, you're going to end up with an A64 AGP system unless you get A64 AGP now and then ditch your A64 AGP motherboard down the road and get a PCI-e one.

I wouldn't worry about all this too much though, because AGP is still going to be around for a while. There's also no garauntee that getting a PCI-e motherboard now is going to be compatable (or desirable in the future). There could be something that comes out in the near future that would make all current PCI-e motherboards undesirable too.

Ok... I don't know if that made any sense. I was having a conversation with my gf at the same time so I may have typed some nonsense.

 

[ViRGE]

Look in to nForce 3 boards, they're 939 w/AGP.

 

[Fern]

If I was you, I'd just get a new gfx card.

I recently upgraded to a 6800GT for $300. On eof the best upgrades I've ever done. Lost of bang for the buck.

I had my system under-clocked to 2500+ speeds etc and the 6800GT played games like Doom 3, Far Cry, Painkiller and HL2 at higherst settings with no problem. I can't see a difference since I have set it back up at 3200+ speeds and above.

If your HDD is not a 7200rpm get one of those when they're on sale for about $40.

Your CPU, ram and mobo are fine. I don't think you'd notice any improvement in gaming if you upgraded them.

Fern

 

[imported_Xavier]

So I could get an nForce 3 board, that is 939 socket with an A64 system? I was pretty much thinking there was no board that has PCI-e and AGP slots.

So Im looking into:
Nforce 3 939 w/ AGP
A64 CPU
6800GT


My HDD is a 40GB 7200rpm, which should last for a good while I suppose. I think I will skip out on the raptor unless I wait a few months or something and decide to.

Can anyone recommend some of the above parts?

What order do you think they should be upgraded in?
Does the 6600 GT come in AGP?

I would get the 6800GT alone, but my CPU would severely bottleneck it anyway.

What about this:

I found the ATI Radeon X800 XT AIW for $350. So should I just get this card now, then in a month or two upgrade to the nForce 3 939 socket and A64 CPU. Do you think that would work well?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Your CPU wouldn't bottleneck it that badly in games that are very GPU intensive.

The 6600gt and 6800gt both come in PCI-e and AGP.

There is at least one board that has both AGP and PCI-e on it, but I don't think it's a good idea.

I think it would probably be a good idea to just start with a 6800gt for now and then upgrade to A64 later. A 9800pro to 6600gt will be an upgrade, but moving up to a 6800gt is going to be a huge jump.

You'd probably notice a bigger difference in games just getting the 6800gt than trying to do a 6600gt and A64.

 

[imported_Xavier]

Thanks for the help so far, Yoyo.

Well, the 6800GT from Newegg is $375. I found an ATI Radeon AIW X800 XT from buy.com for $350. Which of these cards do you think is better?

I guess I will just buy a video card now, then later on get an nForce 3 939 socket and an A64 processor.

Do you think this is good? Also, which card, above, do you think is better?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Xavier
Thanks for the help so far, Yoyo.

Well, the 6800GT from Newegg is $375. I found an ATI Radeon AIW X800 XT from buy.com for $350. Which of these cards do you think is better?

I guess I will just buy a video card now, then later on get an nForce 3 939 socket and an A64 processor.

Do you think this is good? Also, which card, above, do you think is better?

They're pretty close.

I think I'd take the X800XT.

benchmarks

 

[imported_Xavier]

Ok, I just ordered the ATI AIW Radeon X800XT for $400 with a $50 Mail-In-Rebate.

I will just use the AGP card, overclock my 2500 to 3200 speeds, and then upgrade to an nForce 3 939socket with A64 CPU later on.

Does that sound like a good plan?

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Xavier
Ok, I just ordered the ATI AIW Radeon X800XT for $400 with a $50 Mail-In-Rebate.

I will just use the AGP card, overclock my 2500 to 3200 speeds, and then upgrade to an nForce 3 939socket with A64 CPU later on.

Does that sound like a good plan?

Sounds good

 

[imported_Xavier]

Thanks for all your help, yoyo

 

[YOyoYOhowsDAjello]

Originally posted by: Xavier
Thanks for all your help, yoyo

My pleasure. I'm glad you found a good deal

 

[Fern]

I would get the 6800GT alone, but my CPU would severely bottleneck it anyway.

No it won't.

I had my rig downclocked to your specs and with the 6800GT it played D3 at the max 60FPS pretty much constant. Same with Far Cry and Painkiller.

There's way too much FUD around here about CPU bottlenecks.

Fern

EDIT: When you get the X800XT, post back about the bottleneck issue please. Play with CPU at 2500+ vs 3200+ speeds. Let me/us know if after doing so you still feel the 2500+ speeds may be substantially hampering game performance or not