Author Topic: AMD Duron 1.3, GeForce3 Ti500, 500MB DDR $100 to spend (Read 309 times)

Spongebob · « **on:** November 13, 2004, 11:13:13 AM »

My system is AMD Duron 1.3, GeForce3 Ti500, 500MB DDR

I have $100 to spend.

Waht should I upgrade first?

If you have a similar system but have a faster vid card or a faster CPU, post your frame rates and settings in AHII please. I get at best 25 FPS at 1024x768 & sliders to performance, I need to do better...

Thanks to all who post.

zmeg · « **Reply #1 on:** November 13, 2004, 11:24:22 AM »

My son's machine has a g3 ti200 with an athlon 1.4 with 133hz fsb. He gets up to 85fps (max refresh rate) at 1024 res, sliders at default. In heavy traffic it gets down into high 20's.

eagl · « **Reply #2 on:** November 13, 2004, 01:29:42 PM »

What motherboard is that duron on? You could probably upgrade the cpu to a non-duron for $100. Durons pretty much suck unless you're comparing them only to celerons.

I'd say upgrade the cpu to the fastest your mobo will take. If your mobo will accept it, put a barton cpu on there. Even if you can't afford the fastest barton, get a barton and maybe overclock it a bit. Even if your mobo won't take a barton, the faster thoroughbred cpus will beat that duron by quite a bit.

If you can scrape together $200, you could put a geforce4-4200 on there as well as the cpu upgrade and then you'd be able to play at 1280x1024 no problem. For $100 only though, my guess is that you would be best off with a better cpu.

Spongebob · « **Reply #3 on:** November 13, 2004, 02:06:39 PM »

TY zmeg and eagl,

eagl, the Mobo is a Shuttle AK32A, 266 FSB. I checked the Shuttle website and the bios I currently have will scale to an XP2400+. Based on the input from you guys and some research in the forums and the web, I think I'll go with a CPU upgrade. My multiplier will go to 14 max so the XP2400+ is the best I can do. I might try to jack up the FSB a few clicks just for Schitts and giggles...

Is the XP2400+ a Barton or just a Thoroughbred on steroids?

BTW, later bios revs said they were to support Thorton CPUs and Duron Palomino. I don't think I'm interested in those. Isn't the Thorton a POS?

zmeg · « **Reply #4 on:** November 13, 2004, 06:37:55 PM »

No the 2400+ is not a barton but in some aplications it can outperform a 2500+ barton but doesn't overclock as well. You should be able to pick one up for around $50 to $60 and mabey have enough left for a fx5200.

Roscoroo · « **Reply #5 on:** November 13, 2004, 08:00:40 PM »

the 2400+ is a Tbred 2.0ghz there are two types an earlyone and a later one . I think the later one is the better of the two.

the 2400 likes to be set at 12.0 x 166 for the best stability vs the 15.0 x 133 settings , and it will overclock slightly but dont expect to much (2.1ghz is about avg that they oc to )

as for the old 1.3 duron you have if its the morgan (Which i think it is) its actually a good cpu , they are alittle shy in the L-2 cache department (64kb) but if your not afraid to modify the cpu die you can jumper the L-2 cache to 256 . then it runs really nice (i did this to my old gamer ) and then I added a ati 9550 256mb card to it and it plays AH2 just fine , very decent fps

Spongebob · « **Reply #6 on:** November 13, 2004, 10:51:08 PM »

Well fellas, went out and bought an XP2200 (All I could Find locally) and it's doin' wonderfully. It's the Thoroughbred-B chip with the .13 micron die runnin' at 1800mhz. Might drop the multiplier and boost the FSB just to see if I can make it squeal.

Frame rate is much better, low 70s on the high end and low 30s on the low end - all with the same GeForce3 Ti500 video card. I think having 500Meg of DDR helps some too. Sliders at halfway, 1024x768, vertical sync on.

Next up...a new monitor

What is the advantage of limiting the FR to 45 (or 65) in the AH video settings? Does it allow your CPU to do a better job processing the non-video comonents of the game?

Rosoroo, how do I jumper the L2 cache to 256 on my 1.3 Duron? Do you have a link to a webpage possibly?

Thanks again Roscoroo, zmeg, and eagl

BluMeeni

Roscoroo · « **Reply #7 on:** November 14, 2004, 12:03:52 AM »

wish i could find that darn web page again ...

Well on the die were it has the L-2 there will be 4 sets of connections (traces) and you will see that 3 of them are connected and 1 set is not . (this is what sets it at 64k)

: I I I <--- it looks sort of like that on the cpu

If you very carfully/lightly scratch between the set that isnt connected and use either Solder or a highly conductive paint , you can link this together and make the connection it needs for the 256k Cache . you can also use a lead pencil for this also . but i never trusted the connection this way.

Ive got a picture of this somewere ... It may be on my pc at work cause thats were I did mine at , I think thats were the link is at to

I'll look some more Monday at work for ya .. But this is a DO AT your own Risk sort of thing .. I did mine a couple of yrs ago and thats whats in my old gamer that Ive passed down to my Little Roo and it still runs like a swiss watch .

zmeg · « **Reply #8 on:** November 14, 2004, 12:14:16 AM »

Will that work pn a 750 duron?

Roscoroo · « **Reply #9 on:** November 14, 2004, 12:17:44 AM »

Im not shure Zmeg .. I know it works on the 1.0- 1.3 . but the 750-950's were alittle different cpu .