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Computer upgrade advice
- Thread starter KenM
- Start date
LiVeWiRe
ENergetic Comm. Supporter
KenM said:
KenM,
I would go with an upgrade to your video card. I think you certainly have adequate RAM with 512MB. Really depends on your budget as to what kind of video card you could upgrade to though...
A great card with a somewhat reasonable price tag is the Radeon 9600 Pro XT (usually priced around $140).
Just curious as to why you think you need to upgrade though...what about your sound card/system? I know for me, I like a quality sound card and speaker set / system with my gaming rig!
HTH,
LW
Len
Prodigal Member
That's almost the same computer that I have.
I don't think you need more RAM. A video card upgrade would be more helpful for games. But don't be too quick to toss out that Ti4200 unless you can upgrade to a top-line card like a GF FX 5900 or Radeon 9800 (or at least 9600 Pro). With current games the GF4 is almost as good as current mid-range cards. Upcoming games like Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 will want a newer card that supports DirectX 9 though.
After the video card, the CPU is probably a better upgrade than more RAM. Although depending how old your motherboard is, you might not be able to plug in the fastest Athlon XP's.
I don't think you need more RAM. A video card upgrade would be more helpful for games. But don't be too quick to toss out that Ti4200 unless you can upgrade to a top-line card like a GF FX 5900 or Radeon 9800 (or at least 9600 Pro). With current games the GF4 is almost as good as current mid-range cards. Upcoming games like Doom 3 and Half-Life 2 will want a newer card that supports DirectX 9 though.
After the video card, the CPU is probably a better upgrade than more RAM. Although depending how old your motherboard is, you might not be able to plug in the fastest Athlon XP's.
jdavis
First Post
The new generation of videocards will be coming out this spring so the present cards should start dropping in price soon, I'd wait on a video card at least a month or two, you might get a much better deal. You can never have enough memory, but then you already have 512 and that's not that bad.KenM said:
Eh. You can get 512 MB of RAM (presumably 2 X 256) for less than $100. But I don't think any upgrade you can get for that amount of money is going to be significant, given what you've got, except perhaps good speakers or another hard drive.
More than 512MB of RAM is rarely a factor in gaming, and going from a Ti4200 to a current low end video card would be a downgrade; a current midrange video card would be a very small upgrade. So unless you're willing to spend enough to get a high-end card (a Radeon 9800 variant or GF5900 variant), it's probably not worth upgrading. And you can't get a significant CPU upgrade for $100 either.
More than 512MB of RAM is rarely a factor in gaming, and going from a Ti4200 to a current low end video card would be a downgrade; a current midrange video card would be a very small upgrade. So unless you're willing to spend enough to get a high-end card (a Radeon 9800 variant or GF5900 variant), it's probably not worth upgrading. And you can't get a significant CPU upgrade for $100 either.
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I'm not sure on the brand, but my soundcard is an intergrated 5.1 soundcard. I don't have room for a 5.1 speaker set up, so I have it set up with just 2.1 speakers. I also use headphones, and that gives the illuision of surround sound.
For a video card, I want to upgrade to something like Gforce FX 256 RAM, and be compltely direct X 9 compatible.
For a video card, I want to upgrade to something like Gforce FX 256 RAM, and be compltely direct X 9 compatible.
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Memory mmmmmmm! It use to be the first thing people needed but now most PCs have more than enough. Video cards seem to be the biggest replaceable item in the box. I say wait to the new generations hit the street this year and go with it or the top of the current line as price drops.
Oh, think about game controllers as something else to look at.
Oh, think about game controllers as something else to look at.
Goobermunch
Explorer
There's a thread on the first page that addresses what to look for in video cards. You should check it out if you decide to go that route.
I'd go with the video card rather than the RAM. Depending on your budget, however you could get both . . . . .
A new ATI Radeon 9600 Pro w/256 MB RAM is only $112.00. The 128 MB version is only $90.00.
256 MB PC3200 DDR RAM can be found for as little as $29.00/stick.
Head on over to http://www.pricewatch.com and see what there is to see.
--G
I'd go with the video card rather than the RAM. Depending on your budget, however you could get both . . . . .
A new ATI Radeon 9600 Pro w/256 MB RAM is only $112.00. The 128 MB version is only $90.00.
256 MB PC3200 DDR RAM can be found for as little as $29.00/stick.
Head on over to http://www.pricewatch.com and see what there is to see.
--G
mps42
First Post
Upgrade
Without knowing what the rest of your system is, I am going to go against the crowd and say "MORE RAM!"
I also have a system similar to yours (although my CPU is a touch slower) and I can pernoally tell you that it made a HUGE difference going from 512 to 1gig of ram. EVERYTHING became faster! (except the internet, of course
)
You also might consider and actual sound card. A decent one (sound blaster live) will only run you about $35 and will take some of the load off of your CPU.
Without knowing what the rest of your system is, I am going to go against the crowd and say "MORE RAM!"
I also have a system similar to yours (although my CPU is a touch slower) and I can pernoally tell you that it made a HUGE difference going from 512 to 1gig of ram. EVERYTHING became faster! (except the internet, of course
)You also might consider and actual sound card. A decent one (sound blaster live) will only run you about $35 and will take some of the load off of your CPU.
