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X800 XL/6800 GT or system overhaul?

H

HeaterCore

Senior member
I've got the upgrade bug again, but I'm trying to puzzle out the economics. I'm currently running a Barton 2800 @ 2.5GHz, 1:1 at FSB 200, RAM at 2.5-3-3-7, paired with a 128MB 9800 Pro @ 450/380.

This system runs basic apps just fine, so my real concern is gaming. Will I see a genuine benefit from just tossing an X800 XL (whenever an AGP version shows up in volume) or 6800 GT in there, or will the rest of the system hamstring the card? I know that I'll be CPU-limited in some cases, but I don't really care unless that limitation drops the framerate below certain levels -- i.e. if a new card is capable of pushing 90FPS at 1600x1200 but I'm CPU-limited to 65FPS, it makes no practical difference.

The other alternative is to wait 3-6 months and do a complete system overhaul -- nForce 4, PCI-E card, etc.

-HC-
 
Do a overhaul. Even though AGP will stick around, doing a overhaul will give you a better value for your money...

You can try my route.
A64 3000+
MSI Neo4-F (Nforce 4)
ATI X800XL PCI-E

It'll give you a good bang-for-the buck. The GPU should match the CPU power and you have PCI-E for future upgrades along with SATA and stuff like that.
 
Originally posted by: razor2025
Do a overhaul. Even though AGP will stick around, doing a overhaul will give you a better value for your money...

You can try my route.
A64 3000+
MSI Neo4-F (Nforce 4)
ATI X800XL PCI-E

It'll give you a good bang-for-the buck. The GPU should match the CPU power and you have PCI-E for future upgrades along with SATA and stuff like that.
Click to expand...

Overhauling is better value for the money in gaming? You've got to be kidding me.

If you already have a gig of RAM, buy a 6800GT for $350. Your barton at 2.5 still has some oomph left in it. At that resolution, your CPU won't be doing much limiting at all, and you'll notice a huge difference over your 9800 pro. If you don't have a gig of RAM, I suggest upgrading to that first, then get the video card.

The video card upgrade is going to pale a system overhaul in comparison in gaming.
 
I would stick with a 6800...has shader model 3.0, which will be needed to run next gen games (unreal 3 engine games), and it has been said by the creators of the engine that even a 6600gt would run it easily. The x800xl wont last as long though, as it has shader model 2.0.
Stick with overhauling, and get a 6800 (unless the R520 cards from ATI are out...those look nice)
 
If I was going to spend $300+ on components I'd overhaul. Dont forget you can probably still get about $75 for your Barton 2500 as its still a useable CPU, and you'll get more money for your other components if you sell now rather than keep the system for a year.
 
Please, don't make your decision strictly on SM3.0. I got an X800XL over the 6800GT and couldn't be happier. SM3.0 is NOT (repeat for the weak-eyed) NOT worth the extra $100. If you want to spend that extra dough for something uneeded go right ahead, I personally didn't want to part with that extra money and still get the same performance, but thats me. Down the line, sometime in the Summer of 2006 perhaps, there should be games that utilize it more but at that point you won't have to pay a premium for it and we'll be focusing on other features instead. I usually just roll my eyes at the SM3.0 topics but finally decided to let my voice be heard. So if you got money to burn, by all means pick up a 6800GT, I just refuse to be another fool seperated from his money by the video card makers and the opinions of a few selected fanboys who kneel at the SM3.0 alter.
 
Originally posted by: hans030390
I would stick with a 6800...has shader model 3.0, which will be needed to run next gen games (unreal 3 engine games), and it has been said by the creators of the engine that even a 6600gt would run it easily. The x800xl wont last as long though, as it has shader model 2.0.
Click to expand...

I'd rather get an X800XL over a 6800NU or a 6600/6600GT any day of the week, SM3.0 or not. As far as Unreal 3 Engine goes, it will never be SM3.0 only, it will HAVE to support SM2.0(b) simply because of the market and to get the widest demographic possible. Making it SM3.0 only will severely limit their customer base and makes no sense what so ever. While SM3.0 will offer some performance gains with optimizations and such, I do not feel it is as great as you like to make it out to be. As far as framerates are concerned, I feel the raw speed/power of the X800XL will easily overtake a 6800NU and below even if it "only" has SM2.0b support.

Anyway, to the OP. A 2.5ghz Barton has plenty of processing power, and spending $300-400 to upgrade to a whole new platform for an extra 100-200mhz is rather silly. I would buy a videocard now, or just wait until you upgrade it all at once. 2.5ghz is more than sufficient for ALL of today's games and software. So, just to upgrade your platform right now, I feel it is rather pointless and a waste of money.

I am on a 2.2 Barton w/ a 6800 Ultra, and everything plays perfectly fine. While I am CPU limited, an upgrade to A64 will get me an extra 5fps or so. I believe its not worth the cost to upgrade to a whole new platform. I will be doing a complete rebuild in 1.5-2 years, and until then, I am certain my current system will meet the recommended or requirements of every game and software released until then. On that note, I am willing to wager that I'll run all of those games at 1600x1200 no problems as well. Wether or not I can turn on all the settings + AA/AF... well thats a completely different story 😉.
 
Well, i like it cuz i dont upgrade often (once every 5 years) so i needed SM3.0 to be even someone future proof

it comes down to this...if you dont upgrade often, get the 6800...if you do upgrade often, buy whatever you feel like
 
2 Things:

1) Overhaul will not get you better value for the money since at 1600x1200 with AA/AF, CPU speed results in marginal differences (assuming above AXP2500+) - how many times do we have to repeat this on these forums????

2) If you are willing to wait 3-6 months to upgrade, then clearly your 9800Pro is still serving its purpose and you arent ready for an upgrade because the opportunity cost of waiting (or frustration with poor gaming performance) doesn't bother you enough. Then why spend $$$? Just upgrade everything in 6 months because if you are willing to wait, the longer you wait the better as new technology comes out and old one gets cheaper.

No matter how you look at it, A64 3000+ $150 + $100 mobo + $300 X800xl OR A64 3000+ $150 + $100 mobo + $400 6800GT PCIe ..... + heatsink....starts to add up.

but if you are frustrated and you experience choppiness or cant enjoy the image quality you are used to (and you play a lot), you can simply get 6800GT for $340 right now and get 90% of the performance for fraction of the upgrade cost. No one in their right mind would purchase a 6800GT and not play with AA/AF at high resolutions. In this case, when the graphics card is too stressed to handle the game, whether you have 5ghz A64 or 2ghz AXP it wont matter because games are primarily graphics card dependent at high image quality and resolution.

Of course if you can sell the 9800Pro and AXP + mobo, then an overhaul would be a reasonable option.



 
Thanks for all the replies, fellas; lots to think about. I am running a gig, but it's only HyperX PC2700 (when I originally bought, there was a real price premium for PC3200), which won't go above 215MHz even with relaxed timings. And yes, it's all about the graphics. If I can't run high details at at least 1280x960, I get antsy. If a new card will allow me to do that on this old platform for the next year or so, at which time I'll pull a major upgrade, that's probably my best bet.

-HC-
 
Originally posted by: HeaterCore
If I can't run high details at at least 1280x960, I get antsy. If a new card will allow me to do that on this old platform for the next year or so, at which time I'll pull a major upgrade, that's probably my best bet.

-HC-
Click to expand...

As I posted earlier, I am on a 2.2ghz barton with a 6800Ultra. I run 1600x1200 (LCDs Native). I'm currently playing Farcry with all details on very high, with 4x AA/8x AF with very playable framerates. Sometimes it'll dip into the low 20s when extremely stressed, but most of the time it hovers around 40fps.

Heck, with that kind of performance I am getting, with your faster CPU, I am sure a 6800GT/X800XL would let you run 1280x960 with everything cranked up for a while.
 
There darn better be life left in the Bartons as I plan to keep my 2500+ @ 2.2ghz for alot longer. As others have said the improvement of a new gpu far outweights that of a new cpu/system in terms of gaming. I am running a 6800GT with my barton and couldn't be happier as I play all my games at 1680x1050 with AA and AF on.

-spike
 
Go for the 6800GT. ( Or similar performance card )

Your Barton @ 2.5 will drive just about EVERY current game @ 1600x1200 Maxed out..

Hell, I play HL2 @ 1680x1050 4xAA /8xAF avg about 50fps in fraps ( high action scenes )

And I'm running @ 2.4ghz ( GT @ ultra speeds though )

Hold out for a while longer.. Dual core chips will drive prices down, and might even be worth to get upon release..
 
Moving from a Barton 2.5 to a Winnie 1.8 will probably drop performance in a lot of things; even if you OC the Winnie, they've only been getting ~2.2 lately from what I hear. I'd say it sure isn't worth it right now.
 
Originally posted by: bobsmith1492
Moving from a Barton 2.5 to a Winnie 1.8 will probably drop performance in a lot of things; even if you OC the Winnie, they've only been getting ~2.2 lately from what I hear. I'd say it sure isn't worth it right now.
Click to expand...

An Athlon 64 @ 2ghz maybe 2.2 should be right on par with a 2.5 Barton..

Seems that way in most benchmarks.. With you current setup I would not switch yet..

Your Barton can power pretty much anything right now.
 
Get yourself a 6800GT. As others have said, your Barton still has life left in it. Hell, BobDaMenkey, one of my buds (in real life), has a 6800GT with a Barton 3000+ (333FSB) at stock speeds, and he runs everything peachy. I don't see why you couldn't. I say go for it, and once your Barton stops having life in it, then upgrade.
 
I've been looking at the whole A64/PCI-e thing too. But I already have an AGP 6800Ultra and a mobile Barton @2.4gig. It's always fun to go thru and upgrade to the next platform 🙂 and that would be the only real reason to up-grade for me.

Another issue is my PSU, i'm running a 350watt Antec Smart Blue and I would also have to up-grade that. Get a new 24-pin 450watt+ unit which raises mu up-grade even more.

So to the origional poster, if up-grading is part of the fum of computing/gamming go for it. Because as you all know we certainly don't do it for the Money thats for sure.
 
Originally posted by: HeaterCore
You're telling me I'm not watercooling my CM Stacker-housed rig for the money?

-HC-
Click to expand...

No you are not. You are ceratinly spending the money to do it 🙂
 
Originally posted by: hans030390
I would stick with a 6800...has shader model 3.0, which will be needed to run next gen games (unreal 3 engine games), and it has been said by the creators of the engine that even a 6600gt would run it easily. The x800xl wont last as long though, as it has shader model 2.0.
Stick with overhauling, and get a 6800 (unless the R520 cards from ATI are out...those look nice)
Click to expand...

Who told you that U3 will run fine on a 6600gt? Last time I checked, even the likes of a 6800U or x850xt would struggle to run it with full details. And don't think your sm3 is gonna save the day, because future game will likely bring a 6600gt to a slideshow with or without sm3.
 
I'd say that too, and I'm also running a barton @2.5ghz, and a 9800pro --> xt @455mhz, and I have no problems running latest games at full detail. Of course, I play on a 17-in crt at 10x7. If I had a 21-in lcd, and playing at 16x12, it would be a different story.
 
Originally posted by: Actaeon
Originally posted by: hans030390
I would stick with a 6800...has shader model 3.0, which will be needed to run next gen games (unreal 3 engine games), and it has been said by the creators of the engine that even a 6600gt would run it easily. The x800xl wont last as long though, as it has shader model 2.0.
Click to expand...

Anyway, to the OP. A 2.5ghz Barton has plenty of processing power, and spending $300-400 to upgrade to a whole new platform for an extra 100-200mhz is rather silly. I would buy a videocard now, or just wait until you upgrade it all at once. 2.5ghz is more than sufficient for ALL of today's games and software. So, just to upgrade your platform right now, I feel it is rather pointless and a waste of money.

I am on a 2.2 Barton w/ a 6800 Ultra, and everything plays perfectly fine. While I am CPU limited, an upgrade to A64 will get me an extra 5fps or so. I believe its not worth the cost to upgrade to a whole new platform. I will be doing a complete rebuild in 1.5-2 years, and until then, I am certain my current system will meet the recommended or requirements of every game and software released until then. On that note, I am willing to wager that I'll run all of those games at 1600x1200 no problems as well. Wether or not I can turn on all the settings + AA/AF... well thats a completely different story 😉.
Click to expand...

I agree...my barton at 2.2GHZ runs pretty much everything fine....It is almost as fast as a 2800 a64..Yours@2.5GHZ would compare to a 3200+....
 
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