What to choose???

**Saxondreamer** · June 10, 2006, 06:26 AM

hey...

my computer is now 5 years old and can still run most games, without problems... BUT few weeks ago i bought age of empires 3,(awesome game btw) and the graphics lacks, then i choosed to bye a new graphic card but what to choose.

Im right now running: NIVIDIA: GeForce FX 5200, and badly need something better

I would also like to here your experience wtih graphics cards?

**Custor** · June 10, 2006, 06:44 AM

Have a look at http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/graphics/charts.html for benchmarks for each graphics card and AOEIII. Remember to adjust for your own CPU and RAM compared to test system.
Best to state what country you're in, budget and other PC specs for better informed or that should be realistic options.

**Frost, colonel** · June 10, 2006, 06:45 AM

What processor have you got, because a five year old computer will bottleneck a to good a GPU

**Hadrian** · June 10, 2006, 11:07 AM

Saxondreamer, do look at the sticky above called, "PLEASE READ before you post a question". If you fill out this info it will help us give you very specific and more accurate responses to your questions....

**Incinerate_IV** · June 10, 2006, 03:14 PM

Yep, you can at least give us your motherboard so we know if your graphics card is PCI, PCI-Express, or AGP. And a price point would be nice too.

**Saxondreamer** · June 12, 2006, 02:21 PM

well im sorry fellas' i read the tread and got even more confused... then i downloaded the file... but it ****ed up totally... it just couldnt finish the DL, its like its freeze every time i hit around 60 percent...

anyway...here is what i know about my cpu: 2.08 ghz. and 512 mb ram (if the hardisk space matter then i got 180 Gb, on 3 different drives)

Price nearly dos'nt matter ive got plenty of money after my last job

btw thanks for the link:original:

**Saxondreamer** · June 12, 2006, 02:26 PM

i will not lie: im pretty much noob to this stuff but i'm really glad for the help... thanks

**Shaun** · June 12, 2006, 02:30 PM

I have the same question, and also have basically the same specs as Saxon dreamer.
CPU: Athlon 1.8 2800+ (getting new one at Christmas, so buying a GPU aroung that processor is pointless)
CPU Cooling:Fans( 2 I think)
Motherboard:Not sure, but its not PCI-E
RAM:512 DDR
Graphics Card:5200 FX
Sound Card:built in with motherboard
Hard Drive:150 GB SATA
CD/DVD Drive: DVD
Power Supply:not sure, but 330W comes to mind
Case:not sure
Other stuff we should know: Dosent overheat due to lack of side panels on case

Right, that was my system specs to the best of my knowledge, so I was wondering what GPU to buy. I am also upgrading my RAM to 2BG DDR2, so thats not a problem. And i will also be getting a new processor at Christmas time. I will get a new Mobo to suit the recommended graphics card, and i have a budget of £500 for a GPU and Mobo, but also give recommend me some cheaper options please?

**Incinerate_IV** · June 12, 2006, 03:04 PM

You should wait untill Christmas then before you choose any thing, its too far off too predict anything.

@Saxondreamer, can you look at your mobo and see if theres only 1 big brown slot and the rest is white slots? If thats the case your mobo is AGP. I'm pretty sure you got an AGP mobo, but check just in case.

Also can you tell us what kind of processor you got? If its AMD then your fine at 2 ghz, if its Intel then its going to bottleneck a new graphics card a lot.

For now the best of the best for AGP is the 7800GS:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130274

There are more expensive models of the 7800GS with more pipelines, but I don't think anyone should be getting any one of them since they are so overpriced.

**Saxondreamer** · June 12, 2006, 03:11 PM

well i checked what u said... and yea my processor is AMD... btw that 7800GS looks great if it fit my cpu as you say then im very happy ...

dunno that mobo type right now... but i will check it fast... again thank you very much

**Saxondreamer** · June 13, 2006, 08:00 AM

well checked my mobo... and it looks like what you call AGP(i dont know what that means)

**Incinerate_IV** · June 13, 2006, 11:30 AM

I just noticed you got a 330 watt powersupply, thats probably not enough for a 7800GS. So if you are planing to get that, or any high-end card, you need to get a new powersupply. (Check the PC buyers guide sticky, I listed a couple in there.

)

**Hadrian** · June 13, 2006, 11:09 PM

Shaun, Incinerates right, hang on until it gets closer to your purchase time, maybe just window shop a little and see whats out there, what peaks your fancy, ya know. Alot of new tech is gonna be rolling out between now and then, a lots gonna change so its going to be a productive waiting time for you. Be patient for the next 5 months, let stuff get released, we'll see if it all works as promoted, and then we'll help you make the best choices for what your trying to accomplish! You have a good delimma mate....

**Saxondreamer** · June 14, 2006, 08:18 AM

okay...

**SweetDreamz** · June 15, 2006, 01:12 AM

Originally Posted by shaun

Right, that was my system specs to the best of my knowledge, so I was wondering what GPU to buy. I am also upgrading my RAM to 2BG DDR2,

Your motherboard doesn't support DDR2.

**sunsmountain** · June 15, 2006, 03:04 AM

@Saxondreamer
2,08 GHz AMD eh? Then you've got either a Athlon XP 2600+ or 2800+. Your motherboard probably has an AGP slot.

If you're getting the best AGP card there is, the 7800GS seems to be it. I would add another 512 MB stick to your system memory though (any brand will do, get value ram with a latency of 2.5 or even 2 if you can get it, get a single stick of 512 (ie no 2x256 crap), and don't fuss about not running your memory in Dual Channel mode - it adds little anyway), and have somebody else install it.

A good price for the 7800GS is $300. Check the slots of your mobo before buying the components, and get a better power supply. A 400 W quality supply should go a long way, and can make the basis for a new computer if you're building/buying any in the future. If you intend to go Crossfire or SLI though (two graphics cards in two PCI-xpress slots) then a 500 W quality supply is in order. Those puppies are expensive, but form the basis of any good, solid performing and stable PC.

For most parts, the industry won't go any further in power requirements: Processors won't, they have a thermal delivery package (a design parameter), which prevents them from using more juice. They're running hot enough as it is, and you cannot assume your end-user will have a cooling solution better than air cooling. Neither will memory, they require little anyway. Same for motherboard. Same for Hard drives.

But graphics cards... hearing about the R600 (new ATi card) having an even larger die size than current solutions does not bode well for power requirements.

**Incinerate_IV** · June 15, 2006, 09:43 AM

Emm, they both have AGP, and I doubt ATI's R600 is going to appear on AGP. Also I'm pretty sure shaun got socket 754, if thats the case his motherboard doesn't even support dual channel.

**sunsmountain** · June 15, 2006, 01:33 PM

Emm, they both have AGP, and I doubt ATI's R600 is going to appear on AGP. Also I'm pretty sure shaun got socket 754, if thats the case his motherboard doesn't even support dual channel.

First, I was talking to Saxondreamer, not Shaun. I forgot to mention that, sorry. Edited it in.

Second, it's irrelevant whether they have AGP, because the R600 was not a tip. The tip was about a power supply that.. quoting myself..
.. can make the basis for a new computer
so i considered the R600 for its effect on power consumption.

Third, an Athlon 2,08 GHz or Athlon 1.8 2800+ processor is not socket 754, but socket A, which is dead. Though socket 754 is its successor, any system sold with a socket 754 is a Sempron, which is why i'm doubting Shaun has socket 754 either. They both have socket A, afaic. Unless they forgot to mention they actually have Athlon 64's...
http://images.tomshardware.com/2004/...le_amd_big.gif

**Shaun** · June 16, 2006, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by Incinerate_IV

Also I'm pretty sure shaun got socket 754, if thats the case his motherboard doesn't even support dual channel.

Im getting a new Mobo and procesor anyway. What processor and mobo should i go for to get the max out of a 7950 GX2?
Also, what are the benefits of an AM2 motherboard? I heard they were crap.