New Vid card and RAM, or a new PC?

EdH · 09-02-2006, 07:45 PM

Hi there,
Im experiencing some very slow gameplay even with the card and game settings turned right over to performance in most games and have a direct draw problem with my current card's latest compatible driver since i loaded it. For games I need it turned on with all accellerations, but everything freezes when I try to watch a DVD or Mpeg unless I turn everything off.

The game I am having especial difficulty with currently is Empire Earth 2 although I have to turn advanced features off for other games like Halo

The question is, Should I buy a new vid card and some more ram (I have 512 currently) or would it be cheaper in the long run, accounting for the fact I have a very old machine, to simply buy a new PC? Also an issue is that I have an independant manufacturer DVD drive and couldn't install Quake 4, much to my chargrin. Will I be able to play other DVD ROM games?

My curent specs are:
Radeon 7000 series
Pentium 4 2.4GHz
Windows XP
512MB RAM

Thankyou in advance for any and all replies and sorry for all the Qs!

Tumbleweed36 · 09-02-2006, 07:50 PM

Hi,

You know, without answering all your questions, you would be much better to just go for a newer and faster machine. The 512 memory is not enough for playing challenging games, the P4 2.4 is rather slow by today's standards, the Radeon 7000, while a very good card, can not compare to the new pci-e cards that are reasonably priced. What all this adds up to is build something new and do it right instead of trying to piecemeal an older and outdated computer.

IMHO, it is not wise to waste new money on an old computer. What you end up with is an old computer with limited technology and the prices of the new cpu's (on sale now) are rock bottom during this time period. I could go on and on, but won't......Go for the new one.

EdH · 09-03-2006, 06:18 PM

I thought that might be the answer. In this light, what make and spec would you suggest? I have a limited budget but would like reasonable quality. I also do video and audio editing, so need reliable all round performance.

Thanks!

EdH · 09-03-2006, 06:59 PM

Oh and I'll probably want to hang onto my flatscreen, so info about multi moniter capable cards would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks again!

Clifford · 09-03-2006, 07:03 PM

I would go with the socket 939 platform. It isn't the newest technology but it really gets the job done. Why I say that is, AMD in my opinion is great, also the new AM2 platform doesn't offer much a performance increase, lastly the only thing going for intel is the core 2 architecture which is expensive and is overkill in most cases. An averaged priced socket 939 mobo and processor together wouldn't run too much. Pci-e graphics cards also aren't that expensive right now, if you know where to look. Check out www.newegg.com for good deals and references.

Clifford · 09-03-2006, 07:05 PM

If you like, you can add my AIM name or send me a pm over the forums for my e-mail and I can help you with deciding.

Tumbleweed36 · 09-03-2006, 07:18 PM

Hi,

Before we get into that, have a question. What kind of case are you planning on using and what wattage, brand name, and amps per rail does your present power supply have. What I need to know is if it is powerful enough to pull something bigger and more powerful. Or, are you planning on buying a new case and all?

Clifford's idea is a good one, NewEgg.com is about as good as it gets for price and service and the 939 boards are a great platform (own one) to work with.

Clifford · 09-03-2006, 07:21 PM

Eh, yea that got my brain running now. Depending if you want to use the same case and PSU or not, your other upgrade path could be with one of the mobile processors....semprons and such wouldn't cut it for editing.

EdH · 09-03-2006, 07:29 PM

Wow, thanks for all the interest!

I think I should mention that im pretty much a newbie where it comes to pc jargon and will have to take some time working out what all of that meant!

Also I live in the UK, so I don't know how that would affect specific places to go for value, also id have to account for shipping if it were an american dealer i used.

Do you mean the wall socket power supply or the power unit in my current PC? over here we have 240 volts in all wall sockets, Id have to open up my PC to check it's stats.

Thanks again for all the help!

Clifford · 09-03-2006, 07:37 PM

We are refering to the unit inside your pc. Yea, living in the UK would kinda make it hard if newegg is all american. Look at the unit inside of your pc and post the specs. Ill try to look up some links that might help.

EdH · 09-03-2006, 07:41 PM

Cheers!

It's kinda late over here now, so i'll post them tomorro.

Thanks again!

Clifford · 09-03-2006, 07:44 PM

I found this. I believe it to be like a newegg in the UK. It is in Manchester. Maybe you can find decent prices there. http://www.aria.co.uk/

**MunkyPhil** · 09-04-2006, 08:37 AM

Try www.overclockers.co.uk. Almost every component I have is from there.

**koala** · 09-04-2006, 02:56 PM

Another good one for online shopping in the UK http://www.microdirect.co.uk/

EdH · 09-04-2006, 05:05 PM

Cheers, I'll check all the above in due course!

My PSU is made by SUNTEK and is 300W output. I'm not certain what amps per rail means, but it's frequency is 47Hz~63Hz AC input and 5V 3.3V and 30A 22A DC output.
In the 'Voltage' section it reads: +12V -12V, 16A 0.8A DC output.

I'm not certain thats what you were after, but i just copied that from the table displayed on the side. Oh and what do you mean by what case? Do you mean literally the case the units are contained in?

Thanks!

Clifford · 09-04-2006, 05:46 PM

You definately would need a bigger power supply if you are keeping the same case. *Case* being the one your current computer is in.

EdH · 09-04-2006, 05:57 PM

Ok, so a new power supply too. The case I have now is quite spacious and has lots of room for PCI slots, but Im uncertain as to whether I have just PCI or PCI-e slots on my motherboard. Above each plug it says PCI1, PCI2 etc. which leads me t believe they're just PCI.

I checked a uk site overclockers and found an Athlon 64 for £50 - thats $95.37. Would I be able to simply install it on my motherboard, or would I need a new board aswell?

Again, sorry fo the barrage of Q's, but Im finding my feet here, If I do buy a whole new PC, can I specify all of these things like cpu manufacturers and power supplies, or would I have to take a package?

thanks again!

Clifford · 09-04-2006, 06:02 PM

Please post the specs of your computer. Tell us what motherboard and all you have. That will greatly help us determine what we can do to help you upgrade and such and also if problems arise.

EdH · 09-04-2006, 06:02 PM

If it helps, I could post a picture of my PC's insides and anything else. Just say the word.

Clifford · 09-04-2006, 06:04 PM

By all means post a pic of the inside with a list of what all the specifications are.

09-02-2006, 07:45 PM	#1 (permalink)
EdH Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 65 OS: Windows Vista / Linux, Ubuntu 7.10 My System	New Vid card and RAM, or a new PC? Hi there, Im experiencing some very slow gameplay even with the card and game settings turned right over to performance in most games and have a direct draw problem with my current card's latest compatible driver since i loaded it. For games I need it turned on with all accellerations, but everything freezes when I try to watch a DVD or Mpeg unless I turn everything off. The game I am having especial difficulty with currently is Empire Earth 2 although I have to turn advanced features off for other games like Halo The question is, Should I buy a new vid card and some more ram (I have 512 currently) or would it be cheaper in the long run, accounting for the fact I have a very old machine, to simply buy a new PC? Also an issue is that I have an independant manufacturer DVD drive and couldn't install Quake 4, much to my chargrin. Will I be able to play other DVD ROM games? My curent specs are: Radeon 7000 series Pentium 4 2.4GHz Windows XP 512MB RAM Thankyou in advance for any and all replies and sorry for all the Qs! Last edited by EdH; 09-02-2006 at 07:46 PM.

09-02-2006, 07:50 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,669 OS: XP Professional	Hi, You know, without answering all your questions, you would be much better to just go for a newer and faster machine. The 512 memory is not enough for playing challenging games, the P4 2.4 is rather slow by today's standards, the Radeon 7000, while a very good card, can not compare to the new pci-e cards that are reasonably priced. What all this adds up to is build something new and do it right instead of trying to piecemeal an older and outdated computer. IMHO, it is not wise to waste new money on an old computer. What you end up with is an old computer with limited technology and the prices of the new cpu's (on sale now) are rock bottom during this time period. I could go on and on, but won't......Go for the new one. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread. Last edited by Tumbleweed36; 09-02-2006 at 07:52 PM.

09-03-2006, 07:18 PM	#7 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,669 OS: XP Professional	Hi, Before we get into that, have a question. What kind of case are you planning on using and what wattage, brand name, and amps per rail does your present power supply have. What I need to know is if it is powerful enough to pull something bigger and more powerful. Or, are you planning on buying a new case and all? Clifford's idea is a good one, NewEgg.com is about as good as it gets for price and service and the 939 boards are a great platform (own one) to work with. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread. Last edited by Tumbleweed36; 09-03-2006 at 07:19 PM.

09-03-2006, 07:29 PM	#9 (permalink)
EdH Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 65 OS: Windows Vista / Linux, Ubuntu 7.10 My System	Wow, thanks for all the interest! I think I should mention that im pretty much a newbie where it comes to pc jargon and will have to take some time working out what all of that meant! Also I live in the UK, so I don't know how that would affect specific places to go for value, also id have to account for shipping if it were an american dealer i used. Do you mean the wall socket power supply or the power unit in my current PC? over here we have 240 volts in all wall sockets, Id have to open up my PC to check it's stats. Thanks again for all the help! Last edited by EdH; 09-03-2006 at 07:36 PM.

09-04-2006, 08:37 AM	#13 (permalink)
MunkyPhil TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Liverpool, England Posts: 1,140 OS: Win XP Pro SP2 My System	Try www.overclockers.co.uk. Almost every component I have is from there. __________________ "Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds." - J. Robert Oppenheimer, July 16th 1945. CPU-z -- Memtest -- Speedfan -- Prime95 -- SandraLite Important Power Supply Info -- Applying Thermal Paste -- Posting System Specs

09-03-2006, 06:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
EdH Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 65 OS: Windows Vista / Linux, Ubuntu 7.10 My System	I thought that might be the answer. In this light, what make and spec would you suggest? I have a limited budget but would like reasonable quality. I also do video and audio editing, so need reliable all round performance. Thanks!

09-03-2006, 06:59 PM	#4 (permalink)
EdH Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 65 OS: Windows Vista / Linux, Ubuntu 7.10 My System	Oh and I'll probably want to hang onto my flatscreen, so info about multi moniter capable cards would be greatly appreciated! Thanks again!

09-03-2006, 07:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
Clifford Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 125 OS: Windows XP My System	I would go with the socket 939 platform. It isn't the newest technology but it really gets the job done. Why I say that is, AMD in my opinion is great, also the new AM2 platform doesn't offer much a performance increase, lastly the only thing going for intel is the core 2 architecture which is expensive and is overkill in most cases. An averaged priced socket 939 mobo and processor together wouldn't run too much. Pci-e graphics cards also aren't that expensive right now, if you know where to look. Check out www.newegg.com for good deals and references.

09-03-2006, 07:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
Clifford Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 125 OS: Windows XP My System	If you like, you can add my AIM name or send me a pm over the forums for my e-mail and I can help you with deciding.

09-03-2006, 07:21 PM	#8 (permalink)
Clifford Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 125 OS: Windows XP My System	Eh, yea that got my brain running now. Depending if you want to use the same case and PSU or not, your other upgrade path could be with one of the mobile processors....semprons and such wouldn't cut it for editing.

09-03-2006, 07:37 PM	#10 (permalink)
Clifford Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 125 OS: Windows XP My System	We are refering to the unit inside your pc. Yea, living in the UK would kinda make it hard if newegg is all american. Look at the unit inside of your pc and post the specs. Ill try to look up some links that might help.

09-03-2006, 07:41 PM	#11 (permalink)
EdH Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 65 OS: Windows Vista / Linux, Ubuntu 7.10 My System	Cheers! It's kinda late over here now, so i'll post them tomorro. Thanks again!

09-03-2006, 07:44 PM	#12 (permalink)
Clifford Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 125 OS: Windows XP My System	I found this. I believe it to be like a newegg in the UK. It is in Manchester. Maybe you can find decent prices there. http://www.aria.co.uk/

09-04-2006, 02:56 PM	#14 (permalink)
koala Moderator Hardware Team Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: UK Posts: 12,381 OS: XP/7/Ubuntu My System	Another good one for online shopping in the UK http://www.microdirect.co.uk/ __________________ New members: Subscribe to your thread (Thread Tools) to receive an instant email notification when you get a reply. TSF Folding@Home Team 85015 - details here

09-04-2006, 05:05 PM	#15 (permalink)
EdH Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 65 OS: Windows Vista / Linux, Ubuntu 7.10 My System	Cheers, I'll check all the above in due course! My PSU is made by SUNTEK and is 300W output. I'm not certain what amps per rail means, but it's frequency is 47Hz~63Hz AC input and 5V 3.3V and 30A 22A DC output. In the 'Voltage' section it reads: +12V -12V, 16A 0.8A DC output. I'm not certain thats what you were after, but i just copied that from the table displayed on the side. Oh and what do you mean by what case? Do you mean literally the case the units are contained in? Thanks!

09-04-2006, 05:46 PM	#16 (permalink)
Clifford Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 125 OS: Windows XP My System	You definately would need a bigger power supply if you are keeping the same case. Case being the one your current computer is in. __________________ Why of course I am the big red dog..... What makes you think I wouldn't be? Proud to post on TSF! Woof!

09-04-2006, 05:57 PM	#17 (permalink)
EdH Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 65 OS: Windows Vista / Linux, Ubuntu 7.10 My System	Ok, so a new power supply too. The case I have now is quite spacious and has lots of room for PCI slots, but Im uncertain as to whether I have just PCI or PCI-e slots on my motherboard. Above each plug it says PCI1, PCI2 etc. which leads me t believe they're just PCI. I checked a uk site overclockers and found an Athlon 64 for £50 - thats $95.37. Would I be able to simply install it on my motherboard, or would I need a new board aswell? Again, sorry fo the barrage of Q's, but Im finding my feet here, If I do buy a whole new PC, can I specify all of these things like cpu manufacturers and power supplies, or would I have to take a package? thanks again!

09-04-2006, 06:02 PM	#18 (permalink)
Clifford Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 125 OS: Windows XP My System	Please post the specs of your computer. Tell us what motherboard and all you have. That will greatly help us determine what we can do to help you upgrade and such and also if problems arise. __________________ Why of course I am the big red dog..... What makes you think I wouldn't be? Proud to post on TSF! Woof!

09-04-2006, 06:02 PM	#19 (permalink)
EdH Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 65 OS: Windows Vista / Linux, Ubuntu 7.10 My System	If it helps, I could post a picture of my PC's insides and anything else. Just say the word.

09-04-2006, 06:04 PM	#20 (permalink)
Clifford Registered User Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: USA Posts: 125 OS: Windows XP My System	By all means post a pic of the inside with a list of what all the specifications are. __________________ Why of course I am the big red dog..... What makes you think I wouldn't be? Proud to post on TSF! Woof!