mcerd1
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 10:28 AM |
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more PC upgrade questions / recommendations
I've more or less decided to keep my old PC for another year - but it needs a little boost
its current state:
CPU = pentium 4 630
MB = asus P5ND2-sli deluxe linky
Memory = 4 x 512Mb 533MHz (generic)
HDD = 2 x 120Gb SATA (raid array)
Graphics = 2 x GF 6800ultra 256Mb SLI (16xPCI-E, but running at 8x each)
Sound = SB X-Fi (PCI)
OS = Win XP pro (sp3)
I'm trying to get hold of a bit quicker CPU (without paying much) something like a s/h 672 or 840
but I really need a newer graphics card - any recommendations ? (I'd want to keep it for any future upgrade/ new PC)
also is it worth swapping the memory for 667's or even 800's ? (you can get them quite cheap now)
the MB can use 667's and can over clock them up to 800 aparently - but I'm a bit out of my depth with this
cheers
-Robert
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tendoshingan
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 12:49 PM |
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Depends what you want to upgrade it for.
Upgrades usually fall into two categories
Speed; for graphics and games etc.
and efficiency; for running several applications at the same time.
To improve speed, how fast the pc runs a single application, you need to update your cpu.
To improve efficiency, how fast your pc runs several applications, you need to update your ram.
Your graphics cards will be able to run most graphics ok without too much of a lag. things ok.
Speed of memory, how fast the memory chats to the cpu, will improve efficiency, so your suggestion of swapping to 800's will be an improvement
on efficiency not necessarily speed.
Also bare in mind XP only uses a max of 3GB of ram
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mcerd1
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 01:36 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by tendoshingan
Depends what you want to upgrade it for.
opps - I knew I'd forgotten something....
Its not that stressed most of the time (internet and MP3's)
but its with new and new'ish games that showing its age (and its a bit slow with some CAD stuff too)
the graphics are a must on the upgrade list (the do ok, but I have to drop the settings right down on allot of things now  )
so for the graphics I'm just wondering what other people are using and how they get on ?
I'm not needing any more memory (2Gb is plenty for XP) so I was just thinking about a strait swap 4x512Mb of 533 for the same of 667 or 800
(bearing in mind that 800 isn't really compatable with my MB)
[Edited on 11/2/09 by mcerd1]
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RK
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 03:55 PM |
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before splurging on a new machine, try a reinstall of the os. it will speed things
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mcerd1
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 04:04 PM |
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yeah, I'll be doing that anyway, but its not actually that bad at the moment I've managed to keep it quite clean since the last
re-install
I've had the thing for more than 3 years (well most of it anyway) and its as fast now as its ever been, but thats just not enough anymore
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 04:41 PM |
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Fit a bike engine...
...oh, hang on a minute, wrong topic!
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prawnabie
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 05:13 PM |
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Id ditch the SLi and jusr run 1 gfx card. The performance increase with SLi is negligble with your sort of system.
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mcerd1
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| posted on 11/2/09 at 05:28 PM |
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quote:
Originally posted by prawnabie
Id ditch the SLi and jusr run 1 gfx card. The performance increase with SLi is negligible with your sort of system.
it does make a difference
with certain programs (but I know what you mean)
the first card cost me a whole heap of beer tokens way back then - its just as well the second was on ebay for cheap a year or two later
the plan is just to get one up to date card to replace them - the problem I'm a bit torn between the new Nvidia's and ATI's
I've still got bad memories of my last ATI (admittedly 9 years ago) and I've really like all the different nvidia's I've had
since
but I keep getting told that the latest ATI's are good (and the new Nvidia's are really expensive) - but I've never actually talked
to anyone who has one themselves......
I'm looking at cards in the £150 to £200ish range (that I can keep for the next incarnation of this PC) and for prference I'm sticking
with ASUS ones - any suggestions ?
[Edited on 11/2/09 by mcerd1]
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MikeRJ
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| posted on 12/2/09 at 12:55 AM |
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The ATI HD 4850 is one of the best value performance cards around at the moment. However, please note that modern GPUs consume an
incredible amount of
power (more than most CPUs) so you really need a decent PSU to run these cards.
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mcerd1
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| posted on 12/2/09 at 08:34 AM |
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I've actually got quite a good 580w PSU at the moment, but I know it might not be big enough (depending on the card I get)
I've got my eye on the new 1kw version of it
linky
[Edited on 12/2/09 by mcerd1]
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