Video card choosing...

[X-SECTOR.RU]

hey all,
not a long time ago i have bought ASUS 22" LCD MW221U, and now i would like to buy cool video card for playing new games on resolution 1680 x 1050 and on high setting, games like: Lineage II, Oblivion, Two worlds, STLAKER and more...
I would buy something good for 400$-450$.

Here's my pc:
Processor AMD athlon 3500+
Memory 1GB DDR, (2x512, 2-2-2-6) PC3200
Motherboard DFI LANPARTY UT nF4
PSU - 400watt

 

[Shawnmb]

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Might want to look at bumping that 400 Watt PSU up a bit though.

 

[Rishwin]

Yea, i'd suggest the 320mb 8800gts as well, but i think it may be a little bottlenecked with your CPU... also not sure if that 400 watt PSU is enough.

 

[SantaClaus1]

u will need another gig of ram if u want to play stuff on ultra high and on a resolution of 1680x 1050
a new cpu cause it will bottleneck a new video card .....
and probably a new psu to cause 400 watt is probably just a little to weak


so all in all ur better of with a new rig lol

 

[Vitaminz]

could some choose like an video that is at the price range of 60 USD that can play Worldo of warcraft at fairly good settings.

 

[X-SECTOR.RU]

2 Rishwin, What about 640MB 8800 gts, it costs only for 70$ more?

Okay here i have found one psu - Thermaltake TR2 Power 550W W0101

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and one more - OCZ GameXStream 600W PSU / SLI Certified / Silent 120 mm fan

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ain't sure about because there is writed "SLI Certified " i not so much understand what does it mean, but i know that 8800 gts isn't SLI. So i not understand well in all this. So could you say if this PSU suitable for my pc, coz i like this one more.

And one more question: Is my processor suitable for 8800 GTS 320/640 MB? If ill buy AMD Athlon 4000+, ill see the change? or will be better to add Corsair 2*1GB PC3200 DDR400 2-3-3-6 TwinX2048-3200C2 ?

 

[Rishwin]

2 Rishwin, What about 640MB 8800 gts, it costs only for 70$ more?

will not make a difference because your CPU and RAM will still bottleneck it.

Okay here i have found one psu - Thermaltake TR2 Power 550W W0101

You must be registered to see links

and one more - OCZ GameXStream 600W PSU / SLI Certified / Silent 120 mm fan

You must be registered to see links

either one of thoes will be fine

ain't sure about because there is writed "SLI Certified " i not so much understand what does it mean, but i know that 8800 gts isn't SLI. So i not understand well in all this. So could you say if this PSU suitable for my pc, coz i like this one more.

SLI means having 2 (nvidia) graphics cards.

And one more question: Is my processor suitable for 8800 GTS 320/640 MB? If ill buy AMD Athlon 4000+, ill see the change? or will be better to add Corsair 2*1GB PC3200 DDR400 2-3-3-6 TwinX2048-3200C2 ?

i highly doubt you will see much, if any difference between your current CPU and a 4000+.

also you should not just "add" extra ram, if your motherboard supports dual channeling, then get 2 more sticks of exactly the same ram that you are using now. but if you DO get that ram, then i HIGHLY suggest you remove the ram you are currently using now completely and only use the new 2 gigs of corsair.

 

[Zmiffy]

Take the 320mb or 640mb version, you choose.

1gig ram more or buy new ram from the same company, 2gig (but ddr is expensive)

Maybe a new cpu if you can get a hold on a cheap dualcore.

 

[X-SECTOR.RU]

My motherboard doesn't support DDR2, and dualcores... that is the largest my problem...

What will be if i now moreover put Corsair 2*1GB with my current memory?

btw thanks for help =)

 

[Rishwin]

My motherboard doesn't support DDR2, and dualcores... that is the largest my problem...

What will be if i now moreover put Corsair 2*1GB with my current memory?

btw thanks for help =)

would be useless to put 3 gigs of ddr ram and an 8800gts/x on a singlecored 3500+ tbfh, they will just get bottlenecked by your cpu... i would really suggest saving up some money and upgrading your whole rig instead if just buying a mid end card now (because anything more than that would not make a difference).

 

[NoPeace]

u will need another gig of ram if u want to play stuff on ultra high and on a resolution of 1680x 1050
a new cpu cause it will bottleneck a new video card .....
and probably a new psu to cause 400 watt is probably just a little to weak


so all in all ur better of with a new rig lol

RAM amount really doesn't affect the resolution settings. It's the onboard graphics memory that does.

Anyways my suggestion for your is get a dual core CPU, new motherboard, and 2gb of good DDR2 memory before you get a new video card.

The only really decent cards out there are the 8800s and the 2900s. But to get them you'll need a dual core CPU or else it'll be pointless.

You can get a e6600 for $200, an EVGA 680i SE motherboard for $150, and 2gb of DDR2-800 4-4-4-12 RAM for $100 (OCZ Platnium, Curcial Ballistix, Cosair XMS, etc). So that totals up about $450.

That would do more good for you then a better video card. Then go for a 8800 GTS. Sure that'll cost you $700+ but trust me. It's worth it.

Going from a single core to a dual core is the biggest jump of overall performance you can possibly get.

My motherboard doesn't support DDR2, and dualcores... that is the largest my problem...

What will be if i now moreover put Corsair 2*1GB with my current memory?

btw thanks for help =)

Your motherboard does support dual core CPUs. I've had two of the board that come before that one (Lanparty nF4 SLI) and they both ran 4800+. Just make sure they are s939.

Anyways upgrading old stuff is a waist of money. s939 CPUs cost more then faster C2Ds and 2gb of DDR2 is half as much as 2gb DDR1. So for half the cost you can get better stuff and with the money you save you can get a new motherboard so in the end it will be faster and cost the same.

NoPeace - out

 

[BuBbLeToNiC]

With your setup i'd strongly suggest the Evga 7600gt with dvi/vga great for the price and it will pump out even most of the newest games. The 8800 isnt really worth it i'd wait til later and build a new rig with it

 

[X-SECTOR.RU]

I have though about a new cpu and motherboard + memory and psu - at total it will cost for me 1400$ with videocard, i know the price is very high, just understand it I live not in USA so our prices are high "for a little bit" than yours. at usa it would cost like a 1000$

I think now about just buyng a video card 8600 or 7600 (I dont know the difference between them, but the price is same) and some new PSU, and soon (more 6 or 8 months) ill just make an one big upgrade, ill buy a new pc =)

What do you think about it?

 

[Yamajee]

Lol, just go to any near PC shop and ask them what is the best graphic card for your PC, and that's it.

 

[X-SECTOR.RU]

Yamajee
you really think that in every pc store are "professionals" - i have spoke to one them... he is just dump!

 

[Sardaukar]

Yamajee
you really think that in every pc store are "professionals" - i have spoke to one them... he is just dump!

I actually do have to agree with this.

Main reasons being.. most younger peopel working in a computer store are straight out of high school, ro still in high school and looking fo rany way to earn money.. maybe 1 out of 10 actually know what they are talking about, and only half of those that know what they are talking about can actually tell you what to get without reading a sticker or web site.


Your best bet would be to fork up a few for a new motherboard/Chip/RAM... then perhaps down the road get your hands on an 8800 GTS 320/640.

If you really are looking for a good card for your system, you may be interested in the 7950's as they still support new games at high settings with not much of a problem.




To futureproof yourself, the 8800 is the way to go, for a temporary 1 year or so term, the 7950's would be a good choice.

 

[NoPeace]

With your setup i'd strongly suggest the Evga 7600gt with dvi/vga great for the price and it will pump out even most of the newest games. The 8800 isnt really worth it i'd wait til later and build a new rig with it

Umm....

8800 = higher settings, higher resolution, and DX10 support.

I have though about a new cpu and motherboard + memory and psu - at total it will cost for me 1400$ with videocard, i know the price is very high, just understand it I live not in USA so our prices are high "for a little bit" than yours. at usa it would cost like a 1000$

I think now about just buyng a video card 8600 or 7600 (I dont know the difference between them, but the price is same) and some new PSU, and soon (more 6 or 8 months) ill just make an one big upgrade, ill buy a new pc =)

What do you think about it?

In terms of performance the 8600 GT and 7600 GT are the same. The only real difference is that the 8600 has DX10 support (though it is to weak to run DX10).

If they cost the same get the 8600 GT. Why? Just because it's more up to date and might get more performance via driver updates.

Now if it's an 8800 GTS instead of the GT. It'll be much faster and can run DX10 at low settings.

Lol, just go to any near PC shop and ask them what is the best graphic card for your PC, and that's it.

YEah that's a good idea or not. If I were to walk into Best Buy right now and ask them what is the best card they would say the 8600 GTS or x1950 Pro. Which is obviously not the case.

And to Magdreamer. Stop the spamming.

NoPeace - out

 

[X-SECTOR.RU]

Guys what do you think about it:
Now ill buy AMD Athlon X2 4400+ 2.2Ghz, 2x 1024KB Cache, and a new one PSU, and one more month or two after ill buy 2600XT (If it will be), 8800 GTS or 2900...

 

[NoPeace]

Guys what do you think about it:
Now ill buy AMD Athlon X2 4400+ 2.2Ghz, 2x 1024KB Cache, and a new one PSU, and one more month or two after ill buy 2600XT (If it will be), 8800 GTS or 2900...

How much is the 4400+ and is it the s939 one?

NoPeace - out

 

[BuBbLeToNiC]

Why waste the money on a 8800 right now...Your better off waiting for the 8950's or for some decent drivers for the gts series. Or atleast some DX10 games to even be released.

As far as prices I can get a 7600 for about $75 and a 8600GT for $120. Obviously there isnt much of a difference except the DX10 support and your better off just building a new rig if your goin for the 8800's since DDR3 ram and new phenom chips will be here soon. Espically if your using XP your better off just goin with what you need.

Thats just the way i see it. I'm cheap tight with my money and would rather sell my pc to some idiot for $900 then build a DX10/Vista setup at the end of the year.