Upgrading computer [Solved]

[Guy]

I'm looking to possibly upgrade my computer so it can handle games at higher quality. These are my specs at the moment:

 

 

Windows XP Professional 2002 SP3

ASUS EAH4830/HTDP/512MD3 Radeon HD 4830 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card

Intel Core2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz L2 Advanced Smart Cache - 8 MB ( 2 x 4MB (4MB per core pair) )

4GB DDR2 RAM (dell) (4x1gb)

MSI P43TC51 ATX LGA775 P43 DDR2 1PCIE16 2PCIE1 3PCI USB Sound GBLAN Motherboard

500W PSU

 

What should I upgrade? Can I mix 2gb and 1gb ram sticks? IE. 2x 1GB 2x 2GB? Or is it easier to just buy 4x 2GB? Or a new graphics card or processor? My budget is around $250, not including a new OS, which I already have sorted.

 

Thanks :)

[Kaphias]

I'd say the VRAM is your limiting factor, that would be what I would upgrade.

[OldJoe]

You can mix ram, the slowest stick will be the one dictating. Also, if you go 2+2+1b your speeds won't be optimized but you wouldn't notice i.

Personally i'd just buy a third or two ram sticks and then overclock cpu+gpu.

[Guy]

I'd say the VRAM is your limiting factor, that would be what I would upgrade.

VRAM being the ram that the OS can recognise being 32bit?

 

You can mix ram, the slowest stick will be the one dictating. Also, if you go 2+2+1b your speeds won't be optimized but you wouldn't notice i.

Personally i'd just buy a third or two ram sticks and then overclock cpu+gpu

Sorry, I should have mentioned that it was 4x 1GB sticks that I have. So you reccomend perhaps ditching the 4x 1GB and buying 3x 2GB? And then also overclocking both GPU and CPU?

 

Thanks both

[OldJoe]

Aha.

4gb would for me, be still enough. You could ditch two rams, and put 2+2gb i guess so you get 6gb.

Your computer is good, if you know how to, or has the desire to learn, then yes, i'd overclock. 4830 can get near to 4850 with OC. And Q6600 will easily get to 3ghz, 3.5-ish if you're good and gotten the right cpu and got the right hardware.

[obfuscator]

I'm assuming the new OS you've obtained is 64 bit?

[Guy]

I'm assuming the new OS you've obtained is 64 bit?

 

Yes, yes it is :P

 

Thanks all. I might need a new heatsink because my CPU is sitting at 50 idle at times, but that shouldn't be too much of an issue.

[Sbrideau]

I'd say the VRAM is your limiting factor, that would be what I would upgrade.

 

I fail to see how the VRAM is the limiting factor, except if op has either a resolution of 1920x1080 or has more than one screen, that's where it will limit, else it shouldn't. Heck, I have a 9800GT 512MB, am on dual screen and fail to notice much difference when playing games.

 

The things I would upgrade in that computer would be the OS (Windows XP is so old...) to Windows 7 Pro x64 and the processor, even though it's a very good processor, there are stronger ones (and still on LGA775).

[Laura]

I'd say the VRAM is your limiting factor, that would be what I would upgrade.

 

I fail to see how the VRAM is the limiting factor, except if op has either a resolution of 1920x1080 or has more than one screen, that's where it will limit, else it shouldn't. Heck, I have a 9800GT 512MB, am on dual screen and fail to notice much difference when playing games.

 

The things I would upgrade in that computer would be the OS (Windows XP is so old...) to Windows 7 Pro x64 and the processor, even though it's a very good processor, there are stronger ones (and still on LGA775).

It's probably the GPU, and not the VRAM, that's limiting him right now. Any CPU that he buys for a 775 won't make much difference, unless he upgrades to one of the 3.0Ghz+ C2Ds. But that doesn't make much sense for such a nominal benefit, and even then you get less performance on games that utilize the four cores. Might as well just OC the Q6600, which is pretty easy to do on that chip - providing you have cooling methods in place.

 

RAM is probably fine too, at 4GB, but I don't know how you have things set up.

[Guy]

I'd say the VRAM is your limiting factor, that would be what I would upgrade.

 

I fail to see how the VRAM is the limiting factor, except if op has either a resolution of 1920x1080 or has more than one screen, that's where it will limit, else it shouldn't. Heck, I have a 9800GT 512MB, am on dual screen and fail to notice much difference when playing games.

 

The things I would upgrade in that computer would be the OS (Windows XP is so old...) to Windows 7 Pro x64 and the processor, even though it's a very good processor, there are stronger ones (and still on LGA775).

It's probably the GPU, and not the VRAM, that's limiting him right now. Any CPU that he buys for a 775 won't make much difference, unless he upgrades to one of the 3.0Ghz+ C2Ds. But that doesn't make much sense for such a nominal benefit, and even then you get less performance on games that utilize the four cores. Might as well just OC the Q6600, which is pretty easy to do on that chip - providing you have cooling methods in place.

 

RAM is probably fine too, at 4GB, but I don't know how you have things set up.

 

 

What do you mean by how I have things set up?

 

Thanks guys, Ima OC my GPU+CPU and get a new heatsink. :)