Author Topic: Another probably obvious answer question. (Read 442 times)

SkyWolf · « **on:** March 18, 2005, 06:26:39 AM »

Greets

I have a crap system right now. Saving up for a 939 AMD 64 system and I'm halfway there. Only problem is wife keeps ripping me off to buy crap like Tiffany Lamps. So I'm wondering if a Bettter Video card would make much difference. I'm getting 30 FPS with everything turned down pretty low but it drops to single digits sometimes. I now Have:
AMD Athlon 1 GHz
512MB
Crap ATI 7000 32MB Video Card
60Gb HD but running AH off a 40.
Lots of Spyware Blockers, a Firewall...some other crap.
If I was to pick up an FX5500 or FX5700 for now would that help enough to be worth the bucks? How about if I kill my wife....will that help?

Woof

Ghosth · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2005, 08:52:48 AM »

Yes that ATI 7000 is getting a bit dated.

There are a lot of much better/faster cards for 100 - 150$ right now. Most of em will be 128mb cards or higher. It WILL make a difference.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2005, 10:57:55 AM »

Yes.

More RAM would help too. But the video card is your biggest culprit.

Roscoroo · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2005, 12:27:43 PM »

the 1 ghz cpu is defentally on the slow side . 512 ram is still ok though

its that 7000 32mb card !!! im suprised that you can play at all .

my old gamer
1.3ghz amd
512 ram
was a gf2 mx 400 64mb
had frames in the singles and i couldnt fly in the furballs anymore .. i replaced the card with a powercolour 9550 256 mb
it plays ah2 just fine now 25-80 fps avg thruout the game . (it will hit the teens though in a 50+ buff formation though)

the nividia cards just dont seam to have the power of the ati's until you get up to a fx 5900 or better ...

also if your mainboard will run with a bigger cpu it might be a good idea to grab a 2400+ or 2500+ cpu you have to check the manuf specs on ur board 1st though .

SkyWolf · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2005, 02:08:21 PM »

Thanks for the responses guys. The system is an HP. Very little expandability. Not even a second hard drive bay. It's got a 4X AGP and I'm probably luck to have that. I know it's an Asus board... but I can't see any numbers on it without Disassembling the system. It might take 1.2 or 1.3 Athlon. Can't get HP to tell me and don't wanna take system apart cause I'm lazy.
I'm looking at a 128MB FX5700 OC for like 99 bucks as I don't want overkill and whatever I get is staying in that machine and not moving to a better one. I know I can get it cheaper than Compusa.. but I don't want to wait.. I just wanna go get it. Any thoughts on that choice or a better suggestion that won't break the bank (spelled attract the Tiffany Lamp Lady's attention)?

. Or is THAT card overkill?
Thanks,

Woof

john9001 · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2005, 02:36:11 PM »

check online with CPU sellers, put in your computer model number and they will tell you what update CPU's you can install.

Roscoroo · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2005, 03:06:13 PM »

i would probely just save and put all the $$$ in the new system .. even if i had to buy it all one peice at a time .

SkyWolf · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2005, 10:08:15 PM »

Quote

i would probely just save and put all the $$$ in the new system .. even if i had to buy it all one peice at a time .

I wanna PLAY NOW!

SkyWolf · « **Reply #8 on:** March 18, 2005, 11:33:43 PM »

Also.......
I've totally confused myself. You guys think a 6600 card is too much for my POS?

Woof

Roscoroo · « **Reply #9 on:** March 18, 2005, 11:48:22 PM »

if your planning to stay agp even with your new system then in go out and get biggest baddest agp card around .. or at least a 9800 pro /5900 or better

just beshure the card is an AGP .

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #10 on:** March 19, 2005, 01:30:46 AM »

If you want a card you can keep when you upgrade the computer, the 6600GT is about the best bang for the buck right now. Its not the best CARD on the market, by any means, but its the best VALUE for what you spend, and its a decent performer. I've seen 6600GT models out for under 200 bucks, although they are rare.

Before you decide you cant upgrade though, check this out.

http://www.geeks.com/details.asp?invtid=MK8M800&cat=MBB

I just bought a similar one from them (for half this much on sale) and I'm itching to get it and see what it will do compared to my Athlon XP 2600.

Being a microATX, it will fit in your POS HP's case (I just finished upgrading one for my wife in fact, ripped the old PIII stuff out of it and replaced all the guts with new). You'd still need a processor and a new Power Supply. Not that the HP case is easy to work in, its not. Matter of fact, it reqired some cutting. Ok, I just cut it because I enjoyed it. But seriously, the HP is NOT the case of choice. I just mention it because....................we ll because I'm sadistic and want to see you all suffer

SkyWolf · « **Reply #11 on:** March 19, 2005, 09:43:13 AM »

Ok.. I think what I'm going to do is to buy a decent video card today (though not a 6800) for this POS and see if I can get buy for a couple of weeks. If the POS still sucks rocks then I'll gut the thing, take the CDRW and the DVD, Floppy, and HDD's and build a new one. I can get an Aspire case for about $150 with 6 fans, top, front, side, back, a 500 watt PS, a 3.2 Athlon 64 754 Processor, a Chainteh VNF250-3 MB (overclocks good) Use PC3200 Memory I already have and maybe ditch my second ATA HDD for a SATA Drive, and go from there. Then I'll sit around for awhile and wait to see how cheap 939 (or whatever else by then) stuff is and do it again....though this AMD system should last for awhile. Or maybe I'll go ahead and use 939 stuff and a 3500+ Winchester Core Processor. Guess that would kill my AGP Card though. Confusing.

Woof.

StarOfAfrica2 · « **Reply #12 on:** March 19, 2005, 11:27:01 AM »

It depends on how the market goes really. I'm banking on the AGP cards hanging around for awhile as a viable option, and that the 939 boards will not show HUGE improvements over the 754s. At least not for the home user. So you may not have to worry about upgrading for awhile if you have the decent video card now. I'm going to wait until closer to Christmas, and see if they put out a slew of new PCIe stuff and try for a cheaper price on a really nice AGP card. If the gamble doesnt pay off, I'm no worse off than I am now.

SkyWolf · « **Reply #13 on:** March 19, 2005, 12:00:06 PM »

Ok....I got a BFG 6600GT OC. Hopefully I have enough power supply... but if not I'll go get another one. I may not, with the 2 HDD's, have a power connector to run it anyway...the dude at the store tried to sell me a splitter... but that seemed like a dumb idea.

Woof

Schutt · « **Reply #14 on:** March 21, 2005, 03:22:53 AM »

When your power supply is fried show it to your wife and get a new comp.

Guess best is if you hang around in the kitchen and "help" cooking till she will go out and buy your comp herself.