What to upgrade for best performance.

[sniperelite7]

I want to upgrade my computer to be able to handle the newer games coming out. Nothing fancy or serious. I run an unupgraded dell 8300 series. With 512 megabytes of ram and a AGP graphics card.

 

[micro]

Well of course the main things for preformance on a pc are video card and ram. Most games arnt cpu intensive.

So go to newegg.com or zipzoomfly.com and a good, what people are starting to cal midrange card would be for ati in the x800 series (better than the x1600 btw). These puppy go for about $100, or buy an open boxed one for $80 usd. The equivelent in nvidea would be the 6800 series card.

For ram a minimum amount for gaming would be 1gig. Yes you will notice a major improvement going from 512mb to 1 gig. buying the hyper or xms spanktor ram isnt as important as the amount of ram you have. You can get 1 gig of corsait xms 'spanktor" ram for $80 on newegg.

http://www.edgetechcorp.com/memory/upgrade.asp?cid=21906

It is better to have matching ram, meaning 2 sticks of the same speed and brand, than just having multiple sticks of varied sizes and speeds of ram.

If you want us to post some cards or ram off of these sites just let us know. It also depends on your price range as well. There are better video cards out there and though 2gigs of ram isnt necessary we can help you look that stuff us also.

Can you post more specs like what cpu you have etc... According to the link you can use 3200 or another name for it 400fsb ram.

 

[micro]

http://reviews.zdnet.co.uk/hardware/desktops/0,39023849,10004197,00.htm

Here are some stats on your pc. The 9800 video card is a good card. The x800 is a lot better though.Your current card only has 128mb of ram. If you upgrade be sure to get 256mb of ram on the card. It is hard to find one that doesnt.There are many different versions of each model of card, let us know if you need help deciding etc...

Most boxed pc's(dell hp compact etc..) dont come with the pci-e video slot. Which has better preformance than an agp, and is usualy cheaper to purchace than an agp card.

Creative makes a great sound card btw
The p4 is also a good cpu.

 

[sniperelite7]

Wow Thanks this is really helpful. So one last thing. I would want to get this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125171R

and one of these kits http://www.edgetechcorp.com/memory/upgrade.asp?cid=21906(I am going for 1 gig of RAM so a 512 kit is right?)
and both of these items are self installible right?

 

[WhirlwindMonk]

Wow Thanks this is really helpful. So one last thing. I would want to get this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125171R

and one of these kits http://www.edgetechcorp.com/memory/upgrade.asp?cid=21906(I am going for 1 gig of RAM so a 512 kit is right?)
and both of these items are self installible right?

For one, be careful. Those stats do not list you as having an AGP port. Since it does not say your video card is integrated, I'd assume you do, but it's better to check. Open up your computer and look inside. Don't touch anything without grounding yourself (touch a non-painted metal surface) and see. The video card is usually pretty obvious. It's a big, rectangular "card" that sits perpendicular to the motherboard and pokes the monitor plug out the back of your case. If you can find it, and it is in a brown slot on the mobo, you're good to go, if it's white, you have a pci video card, and if you can't see it, you're integrated and you can't upgrade. RAM you'll be fine, it's easy to install, just look for the other thing in there that looks the same, line yours up, and stick it in one of the other slots. Again, make sure your ground yourself before you touch anything inside the computer (or the parts you order). If you get a static shock from touching one of your components, you've probably ruined it. Working with computer components isn't hard, you just need to take a few simple precautions when doing it.

1. Ground yourself often
2. Wear shoes or go barefoot, not just socks
3. Work only on hard floors/surfaces, never carpet
4. Never force a component in. If it won't go in, make sure it's lined up right and no pins or anything are bent. Then try again. Parts go in pretty easily once you get them lined up right.
5. Be careful what you move/touch. Some of the smaller connections are very easy to accidentally unplug, so watch yourself.

Keep those in mind, and you'll be fine. You can also buy an anti-static wristband that clips onto something metal to keep you grounded, but it's not necessary. I've built two computers and upgraded several more and I've never had a problem.

 

[nathans1987]

you have apg i would suggest a x800gto can be had for $180 australian dont know what they are in america. they are getting rid of agp cards so there isnt much to offer you. the x800gto is a mid range card. if you want somthing a bit better get a 7800gs apg there still a mid range card but are quite a bit better and can be had for about $400 aud (again dont know what they go for in america) i would reccomend x800gto because the other card is not worth 2x the price! you will need to make sure you have a powersupple of ~400w for either of these cards.

all that ^^ i simple. apg(type of slot you have) are old they make very few apg cards because of the new pcie system. the following cards are currently in production:
-ati x800gto
-7800gs nvidia
the 7800 is about 25% better ish but is 2x the price so i reccomen you get a x800gto.and possible another 512mb of ram and a new powersupply.

 

[nathans1987]

Wow Thanks this is really helpful. So one last thing. I would want to get this card http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814125171R

and one of these kits http://www.edgetechcorp.com/memory/upgrade.asp?cid=21906(I am going for 1 gig of RAM so a 512 kit is right?)
and both of these items are self installible right?

you CANT use that card if you have agp

 

[micro]

No, you cant use that card, that card is the pci-e and you have an agp.
I bought an open box video card from newegg almost one year ago and havent had any problems with it.

Well even without looking, you know you have an agp slot because the 9800 was never integraded video, nor was it pci-e. I couldnt get your ram link to open.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102609R
Here is the x800gto. It has a faster core clock and memory clock than the one you listed earlier. It is an agp slot as well.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145440 here is corsair value select for $92 use. 2x512. i listed this ram due to the 1,400 reviews an 5 eggs.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820161627
Some cheaper ram, but only $85 with s&h.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820220037
or this patriot ram with heat spreaders, a little lower latency and higher voltage for $99.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145450
finaly the corsair xms $82 after rebate. Out of the above listed ram, this is the one i woould get.

In corsair ram the ones with the platinum colored heat spreader is supposted to be better than the ones with the black heat spreader.Is the heat spreader realy that important? No. Are super low cas latency that important. No. people who are extream overclockers buy this stuff so they can turn up the voltage a lot higher etc...

 

[nathans1987]

Your pc?
if that is the same as your pc upgrading to the card you selectec would have no performance benifit i think the x800 are not good performers try to look for a x800xl or x800gto etc. you already have a 9800pro which are still a fairly able card for low res gaming.

x800gto apg this card will give you the 2nd most increase in performance untill you upgrade your whole system but is the best value.

7800gs apgthis one however will perform quite a lot better but at 2x the price and it is the best card you can get for an agp system.

 

[micro]

Your pc?
if that is the same as your pc upgrading to the card you selectec would have no performance benifit i think the x800 are not good performers try to look for a x800xl or x800gto etc. you already have a 9800pro which are still a fairly able card for low res gaming.

x800gto apg this card will give you the 2nd most increase in performance untill you upgrade your whole system but is the best value.

7800gs apgthis one however will perform quite a lot better but at 2x the price and it is the best card you can get for an agp system.

True what you said nathan, but you cant get an x800xl in agp, only pci-e. but then i would buy the gto2 and flash the bios to the x800xt, which i dont recomend to anyone without a lot of experience.

But the 7800 is $285usd before rebate.In the agp form, i dont think it is worth it. Before i would put $300 into a card, i would buy a new motherboard with a pci-e slot, then upgrade in the future. But going from a 128mb 9800 to an x800gto you will definately see a preformance increase well worth $100.Thats why you dont ever ever buy boxed pc's. For about the same price you paid your local pc store could have built you the gaming system that you are now trying to build.

But hey you dont know what you dont know untill you know it. Right?! And your dell is still a better than average system well worth upgrading.

 

[sniperelite7]

Affirmative dont go with PCI, I dont really feel like upgrading my motherboard.

Since this is my first time upgrading a computer its best to go with the card I have chosen.

 

[micro]

um... no the card you chose (the gigabyte) wont work with your mother board.

 

[nathans1987]

True what you said nathan, but you cant get an x800xl in agp, only pci-e.

oops...

but then i would buy the gto2 and flash the bios to the x800xt, which i dont recomend to anyone without a lot of experience.

there isnt a 100% sucsess rate at unlocking it to make it a x800xt, its kind of like lotto some get lucky and can unlock others cant.

But the 7800 is $285usd before rebate.In the agp form, i dont think it is worth it. Before i would put $300 into a card, i would buy a new motherboard with a pci-e slot, then upgrade in the future. But going from a 128mb 9800 to an x800gto you will definately see a preformance increase well worth $100.Thats why you dont ever ever buy boxed pc's. For about the same price you paid your local pc store could have built you the gaming system that you are now trying to build.

But hey you dont know what you dont know untill you know it. Right?! And your dell is still a better than average system well worth upgrading.

i belive the cheapest x800gto i found was $150 the $100 one was a x800... i have actually never heard of a plain x800 before wierd.

 

[micro]

The x800gto that i posted earlier is only $100 usd open box (refurbished)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102609R

 

[penguinrusty]

Normally I would suggest against buying a refurbished part (especially a CPU or gfx card) but as long as you don't plan to overclock then you're fine. However, the GTO is (I'm not 100% sure) just an overclocked x800le.

 

[nathans1987]

Normally I would suggest against buying a refurbished part (especially a CPU or gfx card) but as long as you don't plan to overclock then you're fine. However, the GTO is (I'm not 100% sure) just an overclocked x800le.

it is an x800xt with 4 less piplines and been clocked down and a few other little things. the x800gto2 made by shaphire i think can be unlocked not overclocked to the x800xt speed using a bios flash i think.

 

[micro]

sniperlite7

How did thing turn out?
Did you notice a big improvement in preformance?

Did you get the ram and the card?