Upgrade question

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

Hi guys,


I currently have an:


Athlon XP 3000+
DFI Lan Party Ultra B Nforce 2 mobo
1024 3200 DDR
Radeon 9800 Pro 256mb
Audigy2 ZS


I was thinking about upgrading to a 6800 GT but think that I may simply
run into cpu limitations. I've started having to lower the graphic
settings on recent games and demos, such as the FEAR demo, and was
wondering whether it would be better for me to upgrade my CPU or to
purchase the 6800GT.


As far as I can tell from benchmarks I've seen, like the one at Tom's
Hardware, the GT puts out nearly double the performance of the 9800
pro. Is my CPU powerful enough that I would be able to tell any
difference?

Also, is it difficult to install a new mobo and CPU if you have never
done so?


Thank you guys!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

The only problem with upgrading my motherboard/cpu is that I would also
need to upgrade my AGP video card to a PCI Express one.

Unless I used an Athlon 64 motherboard that still uses AGP slots.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

bosken@gmail.com wrote:

> Athlon XP 3000+
> DFI Lan Party Ultra B Nforce 2 mobo
> 1024 3200
> DDR Radeon 9800 Pro 256mb
> Audigy2 ZS

I have a similar system, but lesser video and audio.

> I was thinking about upgrading to a 6800 GT but think that I may
> simply run into cpu limitations. I've started having to lower
> the graphic settings on recent games and demos, such as the FEAR
> demo,

Anything else?

> and was wondering whether it would be better for me to upgrade
> my CPU

I guess you mean both the CPU and mainboard.

> or to purchase the 6800GT. As far as I can tell from benchmarks
> I've seen, like the one at Tom's Hardware, the GT puts out
> nearly double the performance of the 9800 pro.

I had a dream about that card last night (specifically I dreamt
about how theChaintech SA6600G heatsink allegedly does not contact
the memory chips). But I don't think it's that good, heheh.

The main problem with upgrading the video card in your or my
situation is that we will not be able to take the AGP card with us
when we do the next necessarily major upgrade to a new mainboard,
CPU, and maybe memory.

I'm wondering whether I will be able to take a PCI video card. But
that won't be for a while. The Athlon XP 3000 running with the
memory at 200/400 MHz is pretty fast for me.

> Is my CPU powerful enough that I would be able to tell any
> difference? Also, is it difficult to install a new mobo and CPU
> if you have never done so?

If you are patient and careful, maybe not.

Be sure to only connect the bare essentials first.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

bosken@gmail.com wrote:

> The only problem with upgrading my motherboard/cpu is that I
> would also need to upgrade my AGP video card to a PCI Express
> one.

So don't upgrade right now.

I think a PCI video card will work on many new PCI Express
mainboards. Hopefully, so at least I will get something out of this
cheapo GeForce FX 5200 128MB I purchased recently. Then again, I
won't have dual monitors that way.

> Unless I used an Athlon 64 motherboard that still uses AGP
> slots.

If I'm going for a new mainboard and CPU, I am going for forward-
looking stuff.

Good luck.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

<bosken@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1123547778.012841.209290@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Hi guys,
>
>
> I currently have an:
>
>
> Athlon XP 3000+
> DFI Lan Party Ultra B Nforce 2 mobo
> 1024 3200 DDR
> Radeon 9800 Pro 256mb
> Audigy2 ZS
>
>
> I was thinking about upgrading to a 6800 GT but think that I may simply
> run into cpu limitations. I've started having to lower the graphic
> settings on recent games and demos, such as the FEAR demo, and was
> wondering whether it would be better for me to upgrade my CPU or to
> purchase the 6800GT.
>
>
> As far as I can tell from benchmarks I've seen, like the one at Tom's
> Hardware, the GT puts out nearly double the performance of the 9800
> pro. Is my CPU powerful enough that I would be able to tell any
> difference?
>
> Also, is it difficult to install a new mobo and CPU if you have never
> done so?
<snip>

You might think of a 6600GT while it doesn't hold the same punch as a 6800GT
it does do quite well with the current games and can be had for as low as
$160. My friend had similar problem's with the same video card that you
have (his proc is a P4 3ghz (northwoods) though) he went the 6800GT route.
Either route would drastically increase your performance in games. Also
when you plan to upgrade next is a big factor as to which card to get (if
you upgrade sooner I'd go for the cheaper 6600GT..). Also none of the
Radeon cards out on the market that I know of (upto the x850's) fully
support directx9.0c, as they don't have shader model 3.0 so that's another
reasonn the radeon card doesn't perform as well with games. Hope that helps
a bit and sorry for being so wordy.

Sean

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

> I was thinking about upgrading to a 6800 GT but think that I may simply
> run into cpu limitations. I've started having to lower the graphic
> settings on recent games and demos, such as the FEAR demo, and was
> wondering whether it would be better for me to upgrade my CPU or to
> purchase the 6800GT.
>
>
> As far as I can tell from benchmarks I've seen, like the one at Tom's
> Hardware, the GT puts out nearly double the performance of the 9800
> pro. Is my CPU powerful enough that I would be able to tell any
> difference?
>
> Also, is it difficult to install a new mobo and CPU if you have never
> done so?

Tom's Hardware did a piece a while back about upgrading your system, and
found that the video card made the biggest difference by far. The Athlon XP
3000+ isn't too terribly slower than some of the fastest processors out
there now. Don't get me wrong...the FX57 is damn fast, but the rule of thumb
of upgrading a CPU is usually to wait until you can get double the
performance for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, I don't think anything
affordable will give you that kind of speed improvement. However, video
cards have made improvements by leaps and bounds.

Do yourself a favor and look at the Tom's Hardware website for their CPU and
Graphics cards comparison charts.

www.tomshardware.com

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

>
> Tom's Hardware did a piece a while back about upgrading your system, and
> found that the video card made the biggest difference by far. The Athlon XP
> 3000+ isn't too terribly slower than some of the fastest processors out
> there now. Don't get me wrong...the FX57 is damn fast, but the rule of thumb
> of upgrading a CPU is usually to wait until you can get double the
> performance for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, I don't think anything
> affordable will give you that kind of speed improvement. However, video
> cards have made improvements by leaps and bounds.
>
> Do yourself a favor and look at the Tom's Hardware website for their CPU and
> Graphics cards comparison charts.
>
> www.tomshardware.com

Thanks a lot! I think I'll go with the 6800 GT. When the time comes
to upgrade again, maybe I'll go from scratch or get a 64 bit board with
an AGP slot.

Thank you again!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: alt.comp.hardware.pc-homebuilt (More info?)

>> Tom's Hardware did a piece a while back about upgrading your system, and
>> found that the video card made the biggest difference by far. The Athlon
>> XP
>> 3000+ isn't too terribly slower than some of the fastest processors out
>> there now. Don't get me wrong...the FX57 is damn fast, but the rule of
>> thumb
>> of upgrading a CPU is usually to wait until you can get double the
>> performance for a reasonable price. Unfortunately, I don't think anything
>> affordable will give you that kind of speed improvement. However, video
>> cards have made improvements by leaps and bounds.
>>
>> Do yourself a favor and look at the Tom's Hardware website for their CPU
>> and
>> Graphics cards comparison charts.
>>
>> www.tomshardware.com
>
> Thanks a lot! I think I'll go with the 6800 GT. When the time comes
> to upgrade again, maybe I'll go from scratch or get a 64 bit board with
> an AGP slot.

You just opened up the endless paradox there... You can upgrade the video
card, which would be required to be AGP, but will there even be AGP
motherboards sold when you upgrade later? nVidia has already said it won't
launch the 7800 as an AGP card, so your upgraded 6800GT will be a limitation
unless you upgrade to PCI Express then with a new card, which could get a
little expensive. The hardware manufacturers keep you on your toes and
putting money in their bank accounts...