What to upgrade...

by **Mugzy** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:47 pm

Current system:
AMD 3000xp
Asus N78X
Audigy 2 ZS Gamer
ATI 9800pro (128m)
1.5g ram (3200)

So if I have say $300 to blow, what would be the best upgrade for gaming?

Would going to the AMD 3000 64 make much of a difference? How about an ATI xt800?

by **JimmyTango** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 1:50 pm

Video card, make sure it is a 256 meg card.

by **Gen. Ouch** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:21 pm

yeah thats what i'd say too.

by **nameless** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:33 pm

sorry, but if i were you i would save the money. if you're able to play bf2 with a, for you, satisfying resulution and graphic options, than you should save the money and invest in a new mobo, ram AND graphiccard at the end of the year when the 64-bit cpu and mobo's come down to a payable price. if you now buy a new graphic board you must, if i read the manual correct and you have an A7N8X, buy an agp card. the next generation boards will only support pci express so you're not able to recycle it in a new board. if this doesn't matter, buy a new graphic board.

by **PraiseA||ah** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:14 pm

Definitely don't invest in a new video card if it isn't PCI E because you'll end up having to buy a new one when you do upgrade the rest of your system. I second what nameless said, save your money and wait until you can upgrade the rest. Whatever path you take, in my opinion and this is what I do, I always keep in mind whether or not I can re-use the new purchase in future systems. Some things you can't but a video card is one thing you definitely can. Unless you have cash to spare, in that case, send some my way..

.

by **JimmyTango** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:15 pm

Originally posted by nameless
sorry, but if i were you i would save the money. if you're able to play bf2 with a, for you, satisfying resulution and graphic options, than you should save the money and invest in a new mobo, ram AND graphiccard at the end of the year when the 64-bit cpu and mobo's come down to a payable price. if you now buy a new graphic board you must, if i read the manual correct and you have an A7N8X, buy an agp card. the next generation boards will only support pci express so you're not able to recycle it in a new board. if this doesn't matter, buy a new graphic board.

Actually, there is a new MB chipset comign out that has huge potential. I beleive I read a review of a test board on Anandtech and they compared the 'power' to current nvidia boards.

What's nice about this new chipset? Both AGP and PCI-E.

by **Jim0322** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:30 pm

Originally posted by JimmyTango
Actually, there is a new MB chipset comign out that has huge potential. I beleive I read a review of a test board on Anandtech and they compared the 'power' to current nvidia boards.

What's nice about this new chipset? Both AGP and PCI-E.

If you can wait, do it. If you want an AGP card then get a new graphics card. I don't think going to the AMD 64 3000 will do much for you unless you get a new PCI graphics card to go with it.

So, you could:

1) Wait. Upgrade your mobo, CPU and PCI graphics card all at once.
2) Upgrade your graphics card. (I did) Then wait until You are ready to go to an AMD 64 and either find a mobo with AGP support (they are out there) or wait until the new chipset that will support both AGP and PCI comes out.

I have
AMD 2800xp
Asus A7N8X
Geforce 6800GT 256MB
1.0g ram (3200)

Jim

P.S. Some 939 Nforce3 Ultra boards that are AGP

DFI UT NF3 ULTRA-D Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce3 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

MSI K8N NEO2 PLATINUM Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce3 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

GIGABYTE GA-K8NS Ultra-939 Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce3 Ultra ATX AMD Motherboard - Retail

by **PraiseA||ah** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:33 pm

You can still get motherboards that have AGP and are new chipsets however, the handwriting is on the wall, as they say and AGP is definitely going to come to an end and PCI-E is the future standard. You can say that you will still be able to find AGP motherboards in the future and you're right. Except we're talking about a gaming machine here and not something for a housewife to store photos and/or recipes on. You don't want to buy low end equipment.

by **Davis** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 4:50 pm

Don't even bother...

Wait till this fall/ winter and get a new, comp, with PcI, not AgP. AgP is dead and gone forever.

But the video card if you want. Pricesare not going to get mush lower anytime soon as they are now. Its just PcI- exspress has more selection, and yes, WAY cheaper price's on same card, same specs.

But if you can, try to sell your 9800 pro and get atleast a x800xl.

That will last...

by **Weasel Meat** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 5:14 pm

Current system

What can I upgrade?

AMD 64 3500+
MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum
2 GB Corsair XMS PC 3200 (3-3-3-8)
3x36GB WD Raptor (RAID 0)
BFG GeForce 6800GT OC (AGP)
Audigy 2 ZS
Plextor 716SA SATA DVD Burner

by **PraiseA||ah** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 5:19 pm

You can upgrade MY system. Thank you.

by **Namloot** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 5:27 pm

Wait for the next gen of PCI E motherboards and video cards. According to Maximum PC Mag, there is going to be big performace hikes before the fall.

by **ANTONIUS** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 5:34 pm

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103442
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102530

u need 150$ more

by **radar77** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 5:58 pm

IMO wait till you can get new pci-e pc

by **Camel toe joe** » Mon Jul 25, 2005 6:15 pm

I'd save the money

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