Upgrading my pc

[}TCP{Trønec.]

Hey all,

I want to upgrade some of my hardware and thought I'd ask you guys for some tips.

My current specs:
Processor: AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core processor 3800+
Video card: Nvidia GeForce 7600GT/256mb Pci-E
Memory: 2x 512mb/667 DDR2 (wtf that might be =P)
Motherboard: MSI K9N platinum

That's about it...
Now I don't want to spent more then lets say... € 300,-
What do you guys recommend?

<3 Tronec

[NmS]

Hmm...getting more memory and a better graphics-card should do the trick I think. That will fit in your budget as well. At least 2GB of memory these days and have no idea about a good graphics-card, but AMD seems to have the best bang for the bucks.

[}TCP{Trønec.]

Hmm, I've always had Nvidia and I'm really quite satisfied with it...
What about the GeForce 9800GT?
Or should I go even newer and pick 1 from the 200 series like the 260GTX?

[Taz]

GTX 280 is not bad, I have it

[Model:PA-215]

AMD look for 250 euro

AMD Phenom II X4 920 125W, AM2+, 8MB Cache, 2,8Ghz, Boxed
Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-UD2H, Socket-AM2+/AM3 AMD 780G+SB700, m-ATX, DDR2 , Firewire, GbLAN, HDMI, PCI-Ex(2.0)x16
Crucial DDR2 PC5300 2048MB CL5 Kit m/twee identieke DDR2 PC5300 1024MB CL5
Antistatic Wrist band including ground cord


or Intel 209 euro

Intel Coreâ„¢ 2 Quad Q8200 2,33GHz, Socket 775, 4MB, 1333MHz, Boxed w/Fan
Gigabyte Gigabyte GA-G41M-ES2L, G41, Socket-775 m-ATX, VGA, GbLAN, DDR2, PCI-Ex(2.0)x16
Crucial DDR2 BallistiX TRACER PC6400 2GB CL4 ,2.0V, 240pin, 800mhz, LED`s
Antistatic Wrist band including ground cord



or higher?


Intel 359 euro

Intel Coreâ„¢ i5 Quad Processor i5-750 Boxed
Intel DP55WB LGA-1156 DDR3
Corsair XMS3 1600MHz 4GB KIT CL8, 1.65v
Antistatic Wrist band including ground cord


or AMD 239 euro

AMD Phenom II X4 920 125W, AM2+, 8MB Cache, 2,8Ghz, Boxed
Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-UD2H, Socket-AM2+/AM3 AMD 780G+SB700, m-ATX, DDR2 , Firewire, GbLAN, HDMI, PCI-Ex(2.0)x16
Crucial DDR2 PC5300 2048MB CL5 Kit m/twee identieke DDR2 PC5300 1024MB CL5
Antistatic Wrist band including ground cord



these are upgrade kits

[}TCP{Wolf]

If the newest game you play is UT2k4 then you don't really need an upgrade I think, although I agree with NmS, that a bit more memory and a Graphics card with some more memory probably wouldn't hurt. But speed upgrade is not needed, neither for CPU, nor for the graphics card.

UT2k4 runs perfectly fine on even a single core with 2 Ghz and a Ti 4200. I know because I started playing UT2k4 for real on those specs. It -does- use up a lot of memory though, your 1 GIG RAM should be okay for TAM, but if you ever play ONS or something else with large maps and lots of players you -may- get an ungraceful exit of the game telling you to upgrade...

If we're proposing MOBO brands I recommend keeping your hands off Gigabyte. MSI is very stable, so is Intel and Abit. Hands off Asrock, and also Asus have done one large pile of bs after another the last couple of years.

[}TCP{Trønec.]

Ok, I've been looking at the following so far, think it'll be good enough!
I have a really good small shop here in Almere where I've been buying my pc and hardware for years now.

Graphic card: Nvidia GeForce 260GTX € 189,-
Memory: Corsair Twinx DDR2/800 4GB € 57,-

For now I mostly play UT2004, but I'm also a fan of games like assassin's creed, and I could really use a better graphic card! =D

[}TCP{Wolf]

One question, which operating system are you using? Be aware that no 32 bit OS can make full use of 4 GB of RAM.

[}TCP{Trønec.]

I'm using windows XP
But I'm not sure where to find my bit? =S

[}TCP{Coco]

Hi!

Hehe, you'll be on 32 bit then.

The reason for what Wolf said is simple: 32 bit CPUs can only address memory with adresses as high as 2^32-1 (cause numbering starts from 0). 2^32 is exactly the number of bytes that 4 GB have. Now theoretically, it would match perfectly.

BUT: All hardware registers are being mapped into the adressable memory area as well, so the CPU can access them. That means, if you have a graphics card with (for example) 512 MB memory, 512 MB of your CPU memory won't be used because the graphics memory is mapped into that area. And this goes for all other hardware registers as well!

So what Wolf means is: Buying 4 GB of RAM with a 32 bit CPU will result in just 3 to 3.5 GB usable memory, depending mainly on the amount of memory on your graphics card (which is to be subtracted from the 4 GB).

Coco.

[}TCP{Wolf]

Yep, the operating system itself also plays a role. A 32 bit Linux will have more of those GIGs available than a 32 bit Windoze. Amazingly, I was informed that a UNIX machine does as bad as Windows lol.