New PC or Upgrade? Need some help

[Teleklos Archelaou]

First off, I'm very actively still modding RTW and will continue to do so for the next year or so. I've had a very good office computer that I did most of my work on but my job was temporary and I don't have access to it anymore. I do have my home PC - here it is:

Pretty much store bought - emachines
-Athlon AMD 1.303 Ghz
-1 Gb RAM (two 512 cards - it came with one but I upgraded it)
-Nvidia GeForce4 MX 4000 - 128 Mb (not standard - I installed this PCI slot dual-monitor card - it refuses to show the 3d trees on the campaign map, and shows tree sprites instead)
-factory sound card (fine by me - sounds good, not looking for professional quality in sound)
-Harddrive 200 GB WD (my original one failed, but I had sensed it and backed things up - this one is about six months old)
-Windows XP Professional (I had XP Home, but my harddrive failed and I had to use the factory disks, which refused to reinstall it. The IT guy at work took pity on me and since he saw I had a legitimate copy that just didn't work, he installed XP Professional from some sort of master disk that permitted automatic downloads of most Microsoft product updates. The drawback is that I don't have the disks if my current HD fails).

I currently have Word, Excel, Powerpoint 2002, also from the major reinstall mentioned in the previous lines, but these would not be able to be installed on a new build.

========================
So, I've got somewhere max around 500 bucks (U.S.) to spend and I'm wondering if I should try to get an entirely new system and bring over my harddrive (could I pretty much run the things like Word, Excel, etc. on the old HD?), or selectively upgrade some things that might include the motherboard. My big problem is that I can't reinstall the OS and MS Office if something goes wrong - and paying for a new version of MS Office is not something I can do currently, much less XP itself.

Running Europa Barbarorum, I've had to go down to lowest unit sizes now. I'd love to go back to huge unit size, and enjoy the grass and unit detail and vegetation too, but currently I can't. I know the video card RAM is holding me back too, but I really really would have a hard to going to a single monitor. I don't have space issues - so two CRT's are fine with me, it's just the card that I'm worried about. This also has slowed me down on my productivity in regards to EB - I can't kick out things on Photoshop as quickly as I could before (I do most of the non-unit 2D graphics like load screens and GUI's and banners and building icons) and running Firefox (with more tabs open than I should), Textpad, EB, Word, and Photoshop at the same time is much more of a hassle than I had before with my nice office PC. And as I mentioned, I've usually got Word documents open at the same time, often the dissertation too which slows it down too.

I might also add that since RTW came out, I've not bought or played any other computer games. I don't have a big desire to get any new resource hogging ones either, but after MTW2 has been out a year or so who knows. :tooth:

So, what should I do? Keep plodding along and just save my money? Try and get a new system? Bump up to 2GB of RAM? Get a new dualmonitor video card? Gah! Thanks for any advice in advance.

[Shaun]

Well normaly, I would recommend a whole new PC, but since you are on a tight budget I would recommend an upgrade.
A new processor and GPU should be enough, as 1 BG of RAM is plentiful to play RTW. And also there is no need for a sound card either.
What skt mobo do you have? If its 754 then I would also consider a new mobo, as you wont find a good processor to fit an old 754 skt.

Once I find out this, I will be able to give you recomendations.

[Incinerate_IV]

Download CPU-Z, it will tell you your CPU's socket type.

http://www.cpuid.com/cpuz.php

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Ok, here are the specs:



If I did get a new motherboard would I be at risk in seriously screwing something up and not being able to reinstall everything? I have a minimum of competency in these things at least though - having replaced a motherboard on my previous cpu a few years ago.

What about the video card situation? Are upgrades in videocard memory for dual monitors going to provide a big benefit compared to the money spent?

[Shaun]

Getting a new mobo will be just fine. It appears that you have really old skt 465 or something, I would recommend skt 939 if your on such a tight budget.
Ok, for a processor, I would recommend maybe a Athlon 3800 X2 (dual core) skt 939, they are really good bang for buck, should cost a little over $150. Get an nVidia 7600GT as well, good price, a little over $150, then the rest of your cash can be spend on a new mobo and some faster RAM. PC2700 RAM is pretty slow, get PC3200 RAM, its realtively cheap, remember to get at least 1 GB.

[OTZ]

Dual core CPUs aren't much better in terms of RTW performance than single core 939s are...I suspect it is the same for most games now, and probably a wee bit into the future (ie MTW2). If money is an issue, a higher end single core 939 would be better than a low end dual core.

[Shaun]

Dual core CPUs aren't much better in terms of RTW performance than single core 939s are...I suspect it is the same for most games now, and probably a wee bit into the future (ie MTW2). If money is an issue, a higher end single core 939 would be better than a low end dual core.

Ah OK sorry I forgot about that. Althoug im not sure how high end of single core Athlon you will get for the price of a 3800 X2.

[AlfonsoVIII]

I would go with a new computer, because if you could find a new mobo and video card, that case probably would not handle it. I spent $948 on my new rig and it consisted of a Processor, Mobo, Video Card, RAM, and the case. I kept my old hard drive and old dvd rom drive, so use this as a start. Go with AM2 as you can put the higher RAM on the board. Here is a quick newegg.com cart that has $400 spent without the new case. This is only a basic setup, you should wait until you know the specs of M2TW because with this system, it might bog down based on the cheap components. If you can, wait. But if you buy what I did, you will not believe how good RTW plays, you will get what you pay for.

AMD-compatible Motherboards
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
1 Foxconn K8M890M2MA-RS2H Socket AM2 VIA K8M890 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Model #: K8M890M2MA-RS2H
Item #: N82E16813186100

Video Cards
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
1 BFG Tech BFGR76256GTOCE Geforce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
Model #: BFGR76256GTOCE
Item #: N82E16814143049

Memory (Standard System Memory)
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
1 pqi 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5400) System Memory Model MAC41GUOE - Retail
Model #: MAC41GUOE
Item #: N82E16820141187

Processors
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
1 AMD Athlon 64 3800+ Orleans 2.4GHz Socket AM2 Processor Model ADA3800CNBOX - Retail
Model #: ADA3800CNBOX
Item #: N82E16819103631


Subtotal: $404.48

[Shaun]

I would go with a new computer, because if you could find a new mobo and video card, that case probably would not handle it. I spent $948 on my new rig and it consisted of a Processor, Mobo, Video Card, RAM, and the case. I kept my old hard drive and old dvd rom drive, so use this as a start. Go with AM2 as you can put the higher RAM on the board. Here is a quick newegg.com cart that has $400 spent without the new case. This is only a basic setup, you should wait until you know the specs of M2TW because with this system, it might bog down based on the cheap components. If you can, wait. But if you buy what I did, you will not believe how good RTW plays, you will get what you pay for.

AMD-compatible Motherboards
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
1 Foxconn K8M890M2MA-RS2H Socket AM2 VIA K8M890 Micro ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail
Model #: K8M890M2MA-RS2H
Item #: N82E16813186100

Video Cards
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
1 BFG Tech BFGR76256GTOCE Geforce 7600GT 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card - Retail
Model #: BFGR76256GTOCE
Item #: N82E16814143049

Memory (Standard System Memory)
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
1 pqi 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 667 (PC2 5400) System Memory Model MAC41GUOE - Retail
Model #: MAC41GUOE
Item #: N82E16820141187

Processors
Qty. Product Description Unit Price Savings Total Price
1 AMD Athlon 64 3800+ Orleans 2.4GHz Socket AM2 Processor Model ADA3800CNBOX - Retail
Model #: ADA3800CNBOX
Item #: N82E16819103631


Subtotal: $404.48

Excelent list, although I would recommend a faster processor, as a few hundred MHz in processor speed makes a huge difference when it comes to RTW, and no doubt MTW2, so spend that extra $95 and try and get at least a 4200 single core.

[OTZ]

Ah OK sorry I forgot about that. Althoug im not sure how high end of single core Athlon you will get for the price of a 3800 X2.

You can get a 3800 for 50 bucks cheaper than an X2 3800 and it performs better in gaming benches...

Benchmarks

[Lee1026]

However, dual core is just so much smoother in everyday use.

[Incinerate_IV]

I agree, dual core is much much more future proof. Single core simply isn't "it" any more.

Since your computer is so old, you probably can't scrap the ram anymore, so the only thing you can keep is probably the hard drive/CD ROM.

[OTZ]

However, dual core is just so much smoother in everyday use.

I agree - but I think if you are restricted by a budget, than a single core with better performance may be the better buy. If he saves 50 bucks (or more) buying single core, than that's 50 (+) he can put elsewhere...If I could go back in time and trade my 3800 X2 + X800GTO for a 3800 single core and a 7900GT (for the same price), I would.

[Lee1026]

True, but then the 3200+ is probably a better buy then the 3800+, as after overclocking, the results have to be pretty close.

[Incinerate_IV]

Well it all depends on what he is going to do with the computer, if its going to be just a gaming machine, then go ahead and go with a single core and 7900GT, but if you want to do some other works and muti-task a lot, then I would sacrifice the graphics a bit and go with a dual core. To tell you the truth the 7600GT AlfonsoVIII recommended can already play all games on max, so I don't see any point of not going dual core here. Unless if he is really really tight on budget.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

I definitely won't overclock it. I have a tendancy to run too much stuff at the same time though - hoggy programs like RTW, Word, Excel, too many Firefox windows and tabs, Media Player, Photoshop, etc. But I've been cutting back on that though lately. I may need to replace my plain CDrom drive too actually, as it's been really slow and jerky in loading and ejecting disks lately. So it's looking like I should just bring the cd/dvd burner drive over and forget about the rest. Can the power source be brought over without much worrying about the effects?

Could I possibly bring the memory over though? I have 2 512 sticks of DDR - how do I find the specs on them without cracking the case open?

[Aristocrat]

Download a free program called cpu-z, it will tell all you need to know about your memory and cpu.

[Lee1026]

However, I bet that the memory don't work.

[Teleklos Archelaou]

Ah. I ran it but was looking at 'memory', not 'SPD' results. I see that it was PC2700 instead. Oh well. Thanks anyway.

[Lee1026]

You might also consider using a skt 939 machine instead, as good mobos on skt 939 is getting a lot cheaper.

something like this would do quite well:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...2E16813136152R