What to upgrade, need advice

**Amompharetus** · June 10, 2006, 07:43 PM

"I feel the need, the need for speed."

I have posted a summary of my computer specs. Anyone can help out with what I need to upgrade, or change to make my system more optimized for RTW, let me know. Thanks!

Budget: $300

CPU: Intel P-4, 3.40E GHz, 1MB L-2cache, 800 Mhz

Motherboard: Gigabyte P4 Titan GA, Intel 865PE AGP Chipset 8IPE1000 PRO2

Graphics Card:
Gigabyte GV-R96X128D
Chip type: RADEON 9600 XT AGP (0x4152)
DAC type: Internal DAC(400MHz)
Display Memory: 128.0 MB

Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy2 Value Digital Audio 24-bit Sound, Advanced HD

Hard Drive: 250 GB HDD Maxtor Diamond Max 10 SATA 150, 7200 RPM
Free Space: 201.9 GB
Total Space: 239.4 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: Maxtor 6L250S0

CD/DVD Drive: Buffalo DVSM-388FB (DVD-R/RW ±8x, RAM 3x, CD-R 24x, CD-RW-16x)

RAM: 1536 MB RAM
1) DDR 512 MB – CL3.0 PC3200 (400)
2) DDR 256 MB – CL3.0 PC3200 (400)
3) DDR 512 MB – CL3.0 PC3200 (400)
4) DDR 256 MB – CL3.0 PC3200 (400)

Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 2 (2600.xpsp_sp2_gdr.050301-1519)

Page File: 309MB used, 2152MB available

Edit: DXDIAG info removed
Edit: Added 1G of faster RAM, trashed slower RAM

**Hadrian** · June 10, 2006, 08:40 PM

Woah Woah Woah!! TMI! Too much information man! 96% of that is meaningless to us, as we request you review the sticky entitled," PLEASE READ:before you post a question". Quickly though, you need a new video card and you mainboard's graphic interface is AGP so your choices are limited. Also you need to consolidate you memory and your mixing multiple Cas latencys which isn't advisable.Your Maxtor HDD is almost full (yea, temporary insanity overcame me and I read through some of the exhaustive transcript) so it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a larger one or purchase an additional disk.

**Amompharetus** · June 10, 2006, 10:19 PM

Great! Thanks for the advice. Based on your comments I removed the dxdiag.

Originally Posted by Hadrian

you need a new video card and you mainboard's graphic interface is AGP so your choices are limited.

OK, so you are saying I should replace my motherboard? Any recommendations? Wouldn’t that require me to reinstall windows? I would enjoy reinstalling windows about as much as I would enjoy 50 paper cuts on my tongue.

Originally Posted by Hadrian

Also you need to consolidate you memory and your mixing multiple Cas latencys which isn't advisable.

If I had a choice of only replacing the motherboard, the memory or the graphic card, which should it be?

Originally Posted by Hadrian

Your Maxtor HDD is almost full so it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a larger one or purchase an additional disk.

I have 200 free gigs, how can it be full?

Again, I sincerely thank you for your advice.

**Lee1026** · June 10, 2006, 10:22 PM

Memory.

**Amompharetus** · June 10, 2006, 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by Lee1026

Memory.

Would you recommend starting all over with the RAM or adding two boards of
DDR 512 MB – CL3.0 PC 3200 (400)
to my existing two boards of
DDR 256 MB – CL3.0 PC 3200 (400) ?

Thank you very much!

**Hadrian** · June 10, 2006, 10:40 PM

Sorry Amompharetus, I read it **s backwards, my bad.The maxtor is good to go....

Yeah, if you replaced your mobo then you gotta reinstall everything, especially windows. I'm not that familiar with that mobo but if you stay with it, just realize AGP is being phased out by the industry and future upgrades will become increasingly more difficult if not impossible. I think the GeForce 7800GS is the best VC you can still get for it.

You could go with as little memory as 1GB or as much as 2 GBs, its your choice. Try to keep your memory in matching pairs as well. When the Cas latencys are different all the dimms will run at the slowest Cas and variations can cause instability.

Replace the memory and graphics card, but that'll be the last graphics card you'll be able to buy for AGP probobly...

**Lee1026** · June 10, 2006, 10:43 PM

Replace the slower ram. And keep the faster ones.

**Amompharetus** · June 11, 2006, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by Lee1026

Replace the slower ram. And keep the faster ones.

This I have just done! Thank you!

**Lee1026** · June 11, 2006, 11:48 PM

Is your computer running better now?

**Incinerate_IV** · June 11, 2006, 11:53 PM

If you still want to improve performance in games, follow Hadrian's advice too and get another video card, a Radeon 9600XT is getting pretty out-dated. I'm guessing you still got $200 left, a X800GTO should be a nice upgrade. I don't think anything better is worth it anymore, since high end AGP video cards are too overpriced.

**Amompharetus** · June 12, 2006, 01:43 AM

Originally Posted by Incinerate_IV

If you still want to improve performance in games, follow Hadrian's advice too and get another video card, a Radeon 9600XT is getting pretty out-dated. I'm guessing you still got $200 left, a X800GTO should be a nice upgrade. I don't think anything better is worth it anymore, since high end AGP video cards are too overpriced.

The guy at the shop I went to for lunch said that the GeForce 7800GS would probably 40% less in 6 months, when the "premium" value of the card has worn off. I was figuring that I would probably wind up buying something then, if this is the last upgrade I will be able to make with my current MoBo.

I thank you for your advice. But, I will prolly come back and post again in 6 months asking which gpu is the best then (unless I have found a clue by that time).

I havent installed my new RAM yet, prolly wont get to do it until the weekend.

I will also use the remaining $200 to placate my wife with new shoes or something next time she gets mad at me for gaming too much.

Again, I sincerely thank everyone for your advice.