jst0076

I'm wanting to play a few new(ish) power hungry games, and don't really understand what I need. My system is a P4 2.9GHz with 512MB Ram. It says it has Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 with up to 224 MB shared video memory. I'm lead to believe that shared video memory uses the system RAM. Is this correct? How much video memory do I really have?

Also, I know nothing about video cards. Why are some that say they have 256 MB less expensive than ones that have 128 MB? Is there something else I need to be looking at in the specs list? I don't really want to spend more than £150 (preferably <£100) on a card so I want to know I've bought the best one I can on my budget.

Finally, I'm also thinking about upping my RAM by another 512 MB. Would it be better to do this before I put in a video card, or after.

Sorry for so many questions, but as I said I'm new to all this. Many thanks in advance.

Sarkast

Yes shared memory means the onboard graphic adapter uses sytem RAM. I think it dynamically assigns RAM so it doesnt always use the same ammount - but as much as needed at that point of time.

If you are looking at a card under 100 pounds.. (how much is that in $ ... 150 ? ) then maybe a card in the 9600Pro - 9600XT would be a good choice. For around 160$ you can get a 9800Pro right now - even better. And if you want the best bang for the buck the 6600s from Nvidia are the way to go right now. They are under 200$ and you can play all the latest games on good detail with them.

The size of memory also does NOT mean much when it comes to a cards performance. Important things are graphic processor, memory interface, clockrates etc. 256Mb of RAM only makes sense for high end cards as mid or low range cards dont make use of it and the ammount of RAM is just a marketing trick to sell cards at a higher price.

It would probably be a good idea to add some RAM if you can afford it. When you do this shouldnt matter - before the card upgrade or after.

If you have anymore questions keep asking.

jst0076

Thanks very much for that, you've certainly pointed me in the right direction. No doubt I will get back to you with more questions once I've checked those cards out........

Sarkast

Your welcome. Keep posting in this thread and PM me if i should overlook it as this is easy to do with so many new threads every day.

waffleweed

yes, adding another 512megs of ram to you system will give you a boost in performance. another 512megs of ram will benefit you in multitasking, gaming, and even applications like adobe photoshop that are memory intensive applications.

the extra ram in the videocard is beneficial at higher resolutions, like if you decide to play a game at 1600x1200 resolutions.

Volt-Schwibe

for the love of pete, just make sure your new stick matches your old one, and you will definately notice an improvement.

jst0076

Please forgive my total ignorance on this matter, I'm OK at using computers but really know nothing about upgrading them.......what exactly do I need to check? My RAM is 512MB DDR, or so it says in the system specs. Do I just walk into a store and ask for exactly this, or are there other variations that I need to worry about?

UncleMacro

From the sound of your previous posts, you have an Intel 915 motherboard which is a dual channel motherboard. That means that the RAM should be added in pairs and that you probably currently have two 256MB memory sticks. If you want to add RAM you will need to add another matched pair. Most Intel 915 motherboards have four memory sockets but some only have two in which case you would have to remove your current pair to insert a new one. To simplify things, perhaps you could post some technical info about your computer. Just download a copy of Everest and run it. Click the "Report" button and run the report wizard. Click "Next" and then select "Custom selection" on the "Report Profiles" page. Click "Next" and then make sure only that only "Computer" and "Motherboard" are checked and all the other ones are unchecked (otherwise you get a really huge report). Click "Next" and select "Plain Text" and then "Finish". Save the report to a file and then include it as an attachment in your next post. That will give folks all the technical info necessary to help you out.

By the way, you probably have a PCI-Express x16 slot in your machine. If I was looking to do some serious gaming on your computer and had to choose between upgrading either the RAM or the video card, I would go with the video card. Your 512MB is enough to get the job done but I personally wouldn't want to be stuck with integrated video even if it's GMA 900. There are some nice PCI-Express video cards out there which are a big step up from what you've currently got.

jst0076

I'm away from home at the moment, but when I return at the weekend I'll get a copy of everest and do just that.....in the meantime, you say install a pci-express video card. How do I know if I have a PCI-express slot or not? And is the GMA 900 I currently have a video card in its own right; ie is there something in the PC which would need to be removed, or is it just a case of banging in a new video card? Also, is there a difference between a video card and a graphics card, or is it just that different people use different terminology?

UncleMacro

Intel GMA 900 is only in the PCI-Express chipsets as best as I can recall. Everest will tell you what kind of slots you have but that should also appear in the technical specs which came in the computer's documentation. You probably have a PCI-Express x16 slot.

The GMA 900 is an "onboard video" which means that it's a low-cost video solution built into the motherboard. There is no actual separate video card so you don't actually have to remove anything. If you add a video card you may need to disable the GMA 900.

Video card, graphics board, etc. all mean the same thing. I guess that's the result of not having our own version of the "academie francais" for computers.

jst0076

Just got back to my PC and managed to run everest. The report should be attached. Gonna loose internet access at home soon (only temp) but can still get on at work. Thanks for all the help on this one so far. As soon as I know what cards I can use it'll be time to go shopping. I didn't understand all of the report from everest, but it did say it has an empty PCI express 16 slot. Is this a good thing? Can you advise on what to put in this slot to do the most good for the smallest cost?

Attached Files

sysrep.txt (60.6 KB, 14 views)

Sarkast

Is this your PC:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/p...&lang=en&cc=us

jst0076

That's the one...

Sarkast

Well then you have a PCI-E x16 slot. That leaves you with a lot of choices for good graphics cards. If we are still talking the same budget then a 6600 or 6600GT would probably be a good choice.

Something like this:

http://uk.bizrate.com/buy/noncat_pro...283019718.html

jst0076

Thanks Sarkast, I've had a look at that link and that card seems pretty good for the money. Does anyone have any useful feedback on this card before I finally prize open my wallet (and pc cabinet)?

Again, many thanks to everyone who's offered advice so far.

Sarkast

That was just an example i turned up with a quick google search as i am not familiar with the "good" dealers in the UK. (or how to find them) Over here we have our list (newegg.....) but for the UK i just dont have it.
Maybe asking in an UK forum about what good and trustworthy hardware dealers are would be a good idea. I believe that you should be able to find a 6600GT a few pounds cheaper than the one i showed you. (110-120)