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Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:11 am
by Ashton Lawson
Hey guys,

I've been really desperate these days.  It seems that this computer upgrade of mine will probably be at the end of the year, and there is no doubt, that that new computer will blow up everything (in a game and out).

Anyway, I've been sick and tired of waiting for Intel and nVIDIA to create the parts I'm expecting, so I was wondering, what graphics card could I get to make my PC better?  Also, I may add more RAM, and was wondering how much I should add.

Here are my specs:

CPU:   Pentium 4 2.8Ghz Hyper-Threading
Mobo:  P4PE-X/TE                                            Has an AGP 4X slot, and a few PCI slots of unknown speed
RAM:   Some Generic Kingston 256Mb RAM
PSU:   Some Generic 350W Unknown Brand

As far as I'm concerned that's all you really need to know.

Thanks,

Str!ker

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:21 am
by Nick N
What if I were to tell you the new graphics cards that work best with the new motherboards and processors are not far off either?

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:45 am
by Ashton Lawson
nah, if 2 gigs of RAM is what its gonna take, then i guess ill just wait for my end-of-year build.

im so sad. :'(

at least i can still play soldat tho :D

and FS9 on full settings at 15fps aint bad either considering...

thanks Nick.  your enlightening words hav enlightened me (as you would expect).

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Tue Jul 31, 2007 11:57 am
by Nick N
[quote]nah, if 2 gigs of RAM is what its gonna take, then i guess ill just wait for my end-of-year build.

im so sad. :'(

at least i can still play soldat tho :D

and FS9 on full settings at 15fps aint bad either considering...

thanks Nick.

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 6:06 am
by Ashton Lawson
Hey Nick,

I actually got lucky, and managed to get my hands on a Gig of RAM today.  Already, my computer has seen a huge performance increase, not so much in FS9, but all my other games, especially Far Cry, and various programs, like 3ds max.

If I'm lucky, I may be able to get another module, but I doubt that'll happen.

As for graphics cards, are you sure my rig has got about the right one?  Just curious, and I want to make sure.

Thanks again,

Str!ker

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 9:02 am
by Nick N
[quote]Hey Nick,

I actually got lucky, and managed to get my hands on a Gig of RAM today.

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 10:33 am
by aussiewannabe
AND if you dont go from a turtle to a jet airplane and instead decide to go with a used Radeon 9800 or there abouts, then you are switching from a turtle to a car instead of a jet airplane, and you will still need fuel to run it.


I think your analysis is right on the money, Nick!

Although my system isn't up to snuff to play FSX or FS9, I question whether or not I would be happier by upgrading my video card and PSU just for the pleasure of playing them. To be honest, I'm not a true gamer. But's that's not why I bought the system. My old system was about to crap out (7.5 years old) and I was in my first semester of graduate school and needed a better one. Yes, it may be a slug as far as my video card is concerned, but as long as I can gain access to the Net, I'm a happy camper.

Whether I upgrade or not remains to be seen. However, having asked questions about what my system can and cannot do has put me in a better position in looking at systems a lot closer in order to know what I want it to do in terms of tasks or gaming.

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:33 am
by Nick N
AND if you dont go from a turtle to a jet airplane and instead decide to go with a used Radeon 9800 or there abouts, then you are switching from a turtle to a car instead of a jet airplane, and you will still need fuel to run it.


I think your analysis is right on the money, Nick!

Although my system isn't up to snuff to play FSX or FS9, I question whether or not I would be happier by upgrading my video card and PSU just for the pleasure of playing them. To be honest, I'm not a true gamer. But's that's not why I bought the system. My old system was about to crap out (7.5 years old) and I was in my first semester of graduate school and needed a better one. Yes, it may be a slug as far as my video card is concerned, but as long as I can gain access to the Net, I'm a happy camper.

Whether I upgrade or not remains to be seen. However, having asked questions about what my system can and cannot do has put me in a better position in looking at systems a lot closer in order to know what I want it to do in terms of tasks or gaming.


actually, the onboard x300 is not a slug, more on the lines of a powered scooter, so faster than a bike but slower than a car.


value or need is the same thing as speed in terms of relativity

One persons needs are different from another. But I dont think anyone would turn down a free spaceship if it was offered so needs are very much driven by economics over anything else.


In the case where you may spend 300-400 to get a jet airplane, vs 2500 to get a spaceship or 5 grand+ for a starship, the jet airplane is still a very good value

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:07 pm
by Ashton Lawson
[quote]Keeping in mind that about the time you get your new spaceship I will transfer to a warp-drive star ship

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 12:38 pm
by Nick N
[quote][quote]Keeping in mind that about the time you get your new spaceship I will transfer to a warp-drive star ship

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 2:30 pm
by john_uk
nick. can we see a photo of the comoponents in ur case, or would we be shot by the US government :P

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:12 pm
by Nick N
nick. can we see a photo of the comoponents in ur case, or would we be shot by the US government :P



LOL

Not at all

Although the SS hard drives are on those lines, everything else is over the counter and even the drives are available to the GP today if you know where to look. I have been using those $$ units for about 3 years now. No disk access and 100% pure data delivery on a SCSI RAID interface, like having RAM for a hard drive, although still no where near as fast as RAM.

The phase change components are from a company that does NASA contracts but the part$ and $upport are available to the GP

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 3:33 pm
by HugoCampos
Well, you may have a starship but in order to run FSX at its max you'll need to call your UFO friends and ask them to deliver a supercomputer right from their distant planet LOL
Well, I think that if you've got the money you can just buy the components you need to build your starship. The problem is when you have a really limited budget and you wanna make sure you choose the right components.

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:09 pm
by Ashton Lawson
[quote][quote][quote]Keeping in mind that about the time you get your new spaceship I will transfer to a warp-drive star ship

Re: Graphics and RAM upgrade

PostPosted: Thu Aug 02, 2007 11:22 pm
by Nick N
[quote][quote][quote][quote]Keeping in mind that about the time you get your new spaceship I will transfer to a warp-drive star ship