upgrade suggestions

[caldera]

I bought a pc from gateway () almost 2 years ago and would like to upgrade the video card and memory without starting from scratch. I do have a nice widescreen 19" lcd monitor that runs 1440 x 900 resolution but framerates hover around 20 fps at that setting. I'm getting 60+ at 1280 x 1024. Textures are set at 512.

Here are the system specs:
   windows xp
   Core 2 Duo E6400 (2.13 ghz)
   SDRAM 1024 ( 2 x 512 ) DDR2/667
   intel motherboard P965
   250 gb 7200 rpm SATA II 8MB
   400 watt power supply
   NVIDIA GeForce 7300 video card
   onboard sound

The only pc game i play is AH. I want to run on 1024 textures at 1440 x 900 resolution AND get good framerates (60+). I will swap out the power supply or add a sound card as necessary. How much memory would you recommend? I hear good things about the 8800GT. Can my system support this? Is it overkill?

If you are kind enough to reply, please do so in very plain language as i consider computers to be black magic (all those specs typed above - I don't know what they mean  ).   
   
   
   

[Motherland]

I got an NVIDIA 8600GTS and another gig of RAM for my computer (similar specs & age to yours) And I can run AH with the High-res texture pack (1024^2) on a 22" 1680x1050 monitor at 60 fps.

[Fulmar]

A new video card an an extra 1gb of ram would do nicely to your system.

[lambo31]

Tomshardware has the GeForce 9500 GT GDDR3 listed as the best bang for your buck under $100. Newegg has the 9500 GT for $89.99.

 Lambo

[Getback]

A new video card an an extra 1gb of ram would do nicely to your system.

Ditto plus get a sound card. On board sound robs resources from the cpu.

Other than that it looks good.

[caldera]

Thank you all for your help, it sure was fast!

I just ordered from newegg:

   GeForce 9500 GT video card GDDR2 (couldn't find GDDR3) for $70.00!
   OCZ 2 x 1GB memory ($30.00 mail in rebate) for $20.00!

That's pretty cheap. Also got a powered usb hub for my psychotic X52 (#$%@*&!). I will look into sound cards next.


Thank you again. 

[Getback]

Thank you all for your help, it sure was fast!

I just ordered from newegg:

   GeForce 9500 GT video card GDDR2 (couldn't find GDDR3) for $70.00!
   OCZ 2 x 1GB memory ($30.00 mail in rebate) for $20.00!

That's pretty cheap. Also got a powered usb hub for my psychotic X52 (#$%@*&!). I will look into sound cards next.


Thank you again. 

You forgot the sound card

[Fulmar]

Yeah, you need the sound card.  That way Getback can teach you how to overclock your kHz!

[Denholm]

 

[caldera]

Went to Newegg - again. $$$ is starting to add up but still way better than building a new system.

Got a Bluegears b-Enspirer 7.1 24 bit sound card and an Arctic Cooling Freezer 7Pro 92mm cpu cooler.

Now i'm done spending (i hope).

[Getback]

Yeah, you need the sound card.  That way Getback can teach you how to overclock your kHz!

 

3.59 right now.