Upgrade decisions !!?!

[bennyg]

My desky is showings its age... got it mid-02 - so it's 3 1/2 years old now. It was mid-hi range when I got it but having just got a copy of Doom 3 ... After a week of tweaking I was able to get it running ex-shadows fine @ 1024x768 but the feeling of 'oh bummer, upgrade time' remains. The only other game I've had trouble with was Morrowind (which came with the Gfx card) but that doesn't count since it's bloatware. Spex:

P4 2.4G (old one, "Northwood" I think it's called)
Mobo: GA-8SG800 socket 478 Exhaustive spex
512Mb 333 MHz (PC2700) RAM (crappy generic "nanya", I read elsewhere it was prob. OC'ed PC2100)
GeF 4 Ti 4200 128Mb 8xAGP
60Gig HDD
DVD+ROM
CD-RW
Non-onboard sound card

(Sorry I can't give more specific details right now b/c I am practically living at my GF's helping her with her thesis. Above is from mem)

From my PoV I have three options:

** RAM. Get better and more of it (I was thinking 2x1Gb sticks of non-generic PC3200, about $200-$250). Would the 400MHz pose probs? The mobo link above mentions 2gb of 333MHz in 2 slots, but nuthin about 400MHz.

** GFX card. Advice here: what's better: a 256mb 6600, a 128mb 6600GT, or a 256mb 6800LE, since they're about price range I'm thinking (<$250 possibly up to $300). The only queries:
1) would 256mb of tex mem be worth it since RAM and CPU would be limited and that may improve perf - or would a RAM upg be better here - or is RAM <-> Gfx mem not a big problem anyway
2) it'd have to be AGP, and since the rest of my stuff is outdating quickly I don't want to limit further upgrade options
3) what's the point since I strongly suspect CPU and RAM would limit the perf of a faster card anyways

** New CPU/Mobo. As far as I can tell, I would go for a 939-AMD of some flavour - prob 3500+ or so - on a PCI-E mobo. That would cost much more (equals wait time plus extra justification of the expense to 'significant other') but might be what's required. plus it would mean no games until I get a PCI-E Gfx card (I'd rather put the 100 bucks I'd spend on a crappy one for a better one in the future)


I think in terms of future use and cost, RAM looks the best option. But I'm not sure what kind of performance gain I might expect tho. Any comments from anyone who knows something (not me) would be greatly sppreciated.

[gto-pontiac]

with gaming you should see some performance increse with more RAM but 2GB is bit overboard.
if the motherborad can't handle 400mhz DDRs then you can't run the RAM at 400. but you can put the 400 in to a 333.

you should better off getting 2x512MB of RAM and buy a 6600GT to boost the performance of the gaming.

well new MoBo and CPU will be the best idea but you P4 2.4Ghz are fast to run all thouse new games.
so if i was you i'll get a new RAM or extra 512Mb (you have 512Mb) to make it to 1Gb and New video card prob a 6600GT or X800. AGP

[Blackwatch]

Quite a few reviewers use Doom3 as a reference point when reviewing graphics cards and your general hardware setup. I've got the following :

OS: Windows XP Pro SP2
CPU: AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Venice Core (Socket 939)
Mobo: Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9 (PCI-E DDR400)
Ram: 1 Gb ( 2 x 512mb) set up as dual channel
Graphics: WinFast PX6600 GT TDH 128MB
Storage: 160GB Western Digital SATA WD1600JS 300MB/s

I have Doom3 running with all the effects @1027x768 with High Quality option, and its runs smooth as silk at 60+ fps, which I read was the max frame rate you can get anyway. (Ultra Quality only works with 512Mb graphics cards which are rare and expensive). I spent quite a bit of time getting all the tweaks right to maximize gameplay.

So if you got a system with at least the above it should be able to handle almost anything (game or application) adequately.

My only concern is when Windows Vista comes out next year, will it be able to handle it ok, but that is another question.

[bennyg]

I think I'll go for 2x1G PC3200 RAM. The mobo *apparently* supports 400MHz, mightas well try it. The whole system works fine mildly OC'ed, so my current 333 RAM is running fine at 375, so I'll push it as far as it can go. Plus I can transfer it to a new computer sometime, perhaps.

Don't want to waste $$$ on an AGP card when the next system will undoubtedly be PCI-E, my Ti-4200 is running stuff well enough now (Doom 3 at 60 frames most times at 1024x768 on Low quality, 2xAF, all VFX but no shadows, or AA). The prob seems so be HDD access, but since PK4s unzipped and defragged, it's much better. 2G ram will stop HDD access from being such a problem!


The moral of the story: ask people for advice. Thanks guys.