Ram or graphics card?

Brendan Calkins · Apr 5, 2014

Should I upgrade my ram or buy a graphics card?

specs:

OS Name Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate
Version 6.1.7601 Service Pack 1 Build 7601
Other OS Description Not Available
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name BRENDAN-PC
System Manufacturer Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
System Model GA-78LMT-S2P
System Type X86-based PC
Processor AMD Athlon(tm) II X2 4450e Processor, 2800 Mhz, 2 Core(s), 2 Logical Processor(s)
BIOS Version/Date Award Software International, Inc. F2, 3/20/2012
SMBIOS Version 2.4
Windows Directory C:\Windows
System Directory C:\Windows\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "6.1.7601.17514"
User Name Brendan-PC\Brendan
Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Installed Physical Memory (RAM) 2.00 GB
Total Physical Memory 1.75 GB
Available Physical Memory 968 MB
Total Virtual Memory 3.50 GB
Available Virtual Memory 2.47 GB
Page File Space 1.75 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys

manofchalk · Apr 5, 2014

I would say a new computer outright, its an AMD Athlon with 2GB of RAM. The domino effect will happen if you try to upgrade it in any significant way and you will get a new machine anyway.

Brendan Calkins · Apr 5, 2014

What do you mean by domino effect? And I am not planning on building a new computer, I just built this one and it's already allot faster then my laptop.

RazerZ · Apr 5, 2014

Brendan Calkins :

You just built it? I would invest in a new machine like manofchalk said instead of upgrading this one. Not sure if you recycled the parts, but this build is pretty old.

manofchalk · Apr 5, 2014

You "just built" this computer with hardware from 2008?

The domino effect. If you try to upgrade anything significantly, it will mean something else needs to be upgraded to handle it, which will incur its own upgrade and so on until you have a brand new PC anyway.
Namely, if you want a halway decent GPU. You need a better PSU and case in all likelihood, if you want to use its full potential you need a better CPU, which means a new motherboard and RAM (since its probably DDR2). If your HDD is IDE that needs replacing as well, which means a new install of Windows. Boom, you have yourself an entirely new computer.

Brendan Calkins · Apr 5, 2014

most of the parts are not very old and it has DDR3 ram.

Part list:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C53C9BS/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ATL19JQ/ref=oh_details_o03_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0040BPHJO/ref=oh_details_o05_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0054OWT0G/ref=oh_details_o06_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

it has a sata hard drive. and shouldn't 480W be plenty!?

manofchalk · Apr 5, 2014

The AMD Athlon X2 listed in your specs above is a CPU from 2008, the Sempron you listed later is a budget CPU from 2010. Either way its old hardware. Its likely that the Sempron unit is a rebrand of the Athlon, which would explain why in the report it showed up as an Athlon.

You didnt mention the PSU anywhere before, and the wattage value it says on the packaging doesn't necessarily equal what its capable of in reality, especially on these generic units bundled with cheap cases.

RazerZ · Apr 5, 2014

Brendan Calkins :

"Processor AMD Athlon(tm) II X2 4450e"

and it says you bought a AMD Sempron 145 Processor

RazerZ · Apr 5, 2014

What is the purpose of this upgrade?

Brendan Calkins · Apr 6, 2014

RazerZ :

I unlocked the second core. Purpose of the upgrade is to add as much power as I can. I do not plan on playing the latest and best games, but games like minecraft.

Thanks for the replies guys

Gate9er · Apr 6, 2014

Well minecraft recommends 4GB of ram and a GTX2xx series or AMD 5xxx and higher. It really depends on your budget.

Brendan Calkins · Apr 6, 2014

So with the parts I have now what should I upgrade first?

RazerZ · Apr 6, 2014

Brendan Calkins :

The GPU.

Brendan Calkins · Apr 6, 2014

RazerZ :

any suggestions?

RazerZ · Apr 6, 2014

Brendan Calkins :

Whats your budget?

Brendan Calkins · Apr 6, 2014

$50 would be nice? could maybe go up to $80 if I had too

RazerZ · Apr 6, 2014

Brendan Calkins :

For that much buying something new would probably not be the best idea. Here's what you could get:

http://pcpartpicker.com/part/sapphire-video-card-1003692gl

But for that price, I'd rather find a used video card off craigslist or ebay.

Brendan Calkins · Apr 6, 2014

alright thanks

Ram or graphics card?

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