• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

What needs Upgrading?

Gamingphreek

Gamingphreek

Lifer
I wanna play most all games out now at full detail with around 1024x768 or 128x1024 resolution. Also i would like to be able to play Doom III and HL 2 at those settings or maybe one notch below. How is my system and what needs upgrading.

Asus A7N8X-E Deluxe
AMD Athlon 2500+ OCed to 3000+ (400FSB)
1x 512mb of Kingston Value RAM
Stock HSF
4 3000 RPM case fans
Foxconn Allied 400Watt Dual fan PSU
Western Digital 20GB 7200RPM hdd
WD 856MB 4200RPM HDD
DVD-ROM @ 16x
CD-RW Drive
Chieftec Dragon Case w/ window but w/o side fan
KDS Visual Sensations 19" monitor
Logitech Z-640's 5.1 Speakers
Nvidia Soundstorm
Microsoft Sidewinder Precision 2
Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer 3.0
MSI 5900XT 128mb VIVO OCed to 450 and 800 (core mem)

Any suggestions are welcome. I am on a limited budget so no insane recoomendations plz. Try to keep below $200 Overall.

-Kevin
 
Ok plz tell me why the hell i would need a new video card :roll: . I just upgraded to this card and ill garauntee that it is as fast if not faster in a lot of games than a 9800Pro. The video card will even run Doom better than ATI. Video Card is absolutely fine!

-Kevin
 
because this is the VIDEO forum, not the software or cpu forum. If your video card is fine, then your question probably isn't appropriate here, because it'll be an issue another component.
 
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Ok plz tell me why the hell i would need a new video card :roll: . I just upgraded to this card and ill garauntee that it is as fast if not faster in a lot of games than a 9800Pro. The video card will even run Doom better than ATI. Video Card is absolutely fine!

-Kevin
Click to expand...

whoa dude you can't respond to a suggestion like that and expect help from us, this is the video forum you know.
 
Yes i know this is a flippin video forum. What the hell does everyone want me to do post this same msg in every single forum? Video is probably the best forum because i want to run VIDEO/graphic intensive games 🙂 I dont give crap how fast windows runs (ok maybe i do but not too important). The video forum is the best place to put this post.

-Kevin

Oh yeah now can anyone give out any suggestions?
 
Hellllz no. Your system is fast enough to last another year or two. Upgrade when Dual Core/Dual GPU, Dual Processor, PCI-express, BTX, DDR2 comes full fledged. You can upgrade GPU anytime you want in the next 2 years to keep up.
 
I thought that my M/B and CPU might be fast enough. But what about for Sound and Memory and PSU. Stuff like that. Peripherals i guess you could say.

-Kevin
 
Double up on your RAM for starters- moving to 1GB is already desireable in quite a few games and it will become increasingly important.

New hard drive would be next up looking at your rig if I were you. We are dealing with ~4GB installs now on a few newer games and this is likely to become more common. I don't know about you, but if I play through a game that I enjoy I like to keep it on the HD for future play. I'd say pick up a ~$100 HD to put alongside your 20GB, that should get you another 120GB or so(haven't checked in a bit, but it should get you at least that).

You should be good to go for the vid card and processor for some time. For sound you could move to an Audigy2 if your particular implementation of SoundStorm isn't too hot(which from my understanding it isn't on the Asus NF2 boards) or perhaps the new TurtleBeach board(although it's likely that CL has the better part for gaming).
 
Originally posted by: Gamingphreek
Ok plz tell me why the hell i would need a new video card :roll: . I just upgraded to this card and ill garauntee that it is as fast if not faster in a lot of games than a 9800Pro. The video card will even run Doom better than ATI. Video Card is absolutely fine!

-Kevin
Click to expand...

If you think you'll be able to play the new dx9 games with all eye candy on and have good fps then I think you will be dissapointed. Even DOOM3 which is optimized for Nvidia won't give you high FPS. As for the comparison with the 9800pro I think you might want to reconsider it. It's a very good card but not comparable to 9800pro especially in dx9. A better comparison would be 9800se vs 5900xt.
Anyway I can't comment on the actual performance of this card since the official benchmarks of these games aren't out yet.

As for what needs upgrading I think you might want to add another stick of 512mb. It will help you a lot.
 
The 5900XT is in perfect competition with the 9800Pro. It wasn't meant to be that way though but nonethelss. I do however admit that the 9800Pro and 5900XT ratio is about 60:40 respectively. But the 5900XT kills the 9800Pro in somethings and the 9800Pro kills the Xt in somethings + a few more. As for the 9800SE being comapred is complete bullsh!t. The 9800SE isn't even and 8 pipe card. Its a 4!!! Also it is clocked a lot lower. If your referring to softmodding it still isn't as good as the real thing.

I was thinking memory. What would be the best memory right now (DDR400 btw i dont wanna go higher than that for this system).
 
The 5900XT is in perfect competition with the 9800Pro. It wasn't meant to be that way though but nonethelss. I do however admit that the 9800Pro and 5900XT ratio is about 60:40 respectively. But the 5900XT kills the 9800Pro in somethings and the 9800Pro kills the Xt in somethings + a few more. As for the 9800SE being comapred is complete bullsh!t. The 9800SE isn't even and 8 pipe card. Its a 4!!! Also it is clocked a lot lower. If your referring to softmodding it still isn't as good as the real thing.
Click to expand...

Except Doom3 and opengl games, can you specify where 5900xt is anywhere near 9800pro? You should base your comparison on DX9 games since this is what you're looking after all as you said. Do you expect 5900xt to be anywhere near 9800pro in S.T.A.L.K.E.R, HL2 and also look at Far Cry benches. Do you see any close ups?

I was thinking memory. What would be the best memory right now (DDR400 btw i dont wanna go higher than that for this system).
Click to expand...

I would go with Corsair or Mushkin. But I would wait a little for prices to drop. Pretty expensive these dayz.
 
For your price range get a 512mb stick of memory and the fastest Athlon XP Mobile CPU that you can afford. Only upgrade your graphics card when you find a game that requires more horsepower. If you're interested in HL2/Far Cry then you may be somewhat forced into upgrading due to the poor PS2.0 performance of the NV30/35 series.
 
Im not really gonna play HL 2. I have never eally played the half life series. I know however that it does heavily favor ATI cards. Im more interested in Doom III. As to any other games i cant think of any off the top of my head. But... the 5900XT is definately compareable in a lot of things.

I am thinking of getting a mobile CPU. 2500+ mobile when i give my sister this chip and get her a cheap-o board. Would it be wise to sell this memory KVR. I mean i have it running at 400 from 333 so it can handle muhc much more than i originally thought.

-Kevin
 
Lol yeah i know. I am definately getting a WD Raptor over the summer. Maybe 2 if i can afford them. Run it in a striping array. Hell yeah. But would i see a much larger improvement with more memroy? Especially running it in dual channel?

-Kevin
 
Its agreed upon that ONe 74Gb Raptop > Raid O'd 2 36 GB Raptors.

Also, I would not suggest raptops, since they are still relatively slow. But a smaller SCSI drive for running programs, and a huge 250 gb drive to store stuff.

As for the 5900XT, it depends on what you got. If the RAM you got is rated 2.5/2.2 NS (Or sometimes Hynix 2.8, which is just relabeled 2.2), then you got yourself a 5900 NU, and with a bit of overclocking, a 5950 Ultra! If your XT doesn't overclock as well, then your not so lucky, but even poor overclockers do well against an overclocked Radeon 9800 Pro.
 
How in the world can ONE drive be better than 2 drives in a RAID 0 array. Im definately not going for SCSI. Im going for the fastest SATA drive i can get. And that is without a doubt a Raptor. I barely fill my 20GB HDD right now. i dont dld a lot and all that fun stuff. I think 2 36.7 GB raptors in a RAID 0 is what im going for right there. And ill get 1gb of memory. However what about cooling. Im looking to get a bunch of Panaflo fans and an SP-97 HS and a panaflo for the as well. Unless someone can recommend anything better. Also for PSU im looking at a Silverstone from Newegg. It has active PFC. I think its 400 Watt. Its gotten nothing but good reviews. (Its one of thos ePSU with a massive slow spinning 120mm fan).

Anyone else got anything. Would getting a new Sound Card free up a bunch of system processes and as a result sound better and make games run a bit faster?

-Kevin
 
Read up, there are TONS of FAQs/Threads explaining the benefits of RAID 0, and aside from HUGE FILE TRANSFERS (which you explicitly said your not going to do), Raid 0 simply doesn't offer the kind of performance benefit you think your getting.
 
Oh. Well i thought it also decreased latencies a lot too. Well at any rate still if i ever do do larger fiile trnasfers that ill be ready.

Like i said before: Would getting a new Sound Card free up a bunch of system processes and as a result sound better and make games run a bit faster?

Thx,

-Kevin
 
No.

Soundstorm is actually FASTER than Creative Audigy's and such, and performs at similar levels quality wise. A sound card would be a waste of money in your case unless you're a total audiophile IMO.

For $200 you're pretty limited. To me, these are your options:

- a single 74GB raptor
- 512mb PC3200 memory AND a mobile AMD athlon XP
- a R9800PRO (I know I know you don't want it, but it is indeed an option)

I would venture to say that the second option is by far the best one, followed by the first one, then the third.
 
Yes it is an option but im not upgrading Video Cards for anothe ryear AT LEAST! Now what kind of performance games will i see running dual channel DDR 400 with nice timings as compared to what i have now.

How in the world is a single HDD better than 2 in a RAID 0!?!?

How is a PCI card slower than an integrated Audio Solution. Wouldn't using a non onboard chip take a bit of load of the CPU as the creative audigy series have the EMU10K1 (that might be SB Live 🙂 ).

Thx for all the input. Keep it coming

-Kevin
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top