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X1950 AGP - Should I be upgrading or what?

Forum Graphic & Displays : Graphics Cards - X1950 AGP - Should I be upgrading or what?

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I've been a forum lurker for awhile...finally have a bit of a dilemma and decided to create an account and ask!

Here are my computer specs.

P4 3.2 GHZ Precott (socket 478)
2 gig RAM
160 GB 7200 RPM HD
ATI X800 GTO 256 MB

Now I'm at the point where I need to decide a few things. I like video games on my computer...that's proably a pretty important thing to point out. I'm playing games such as Medieval 2, World of Warcraft, BF2142, etc...

Now, should I be upgrading to this new AGP card (the X1950 PRO)? Is my system too old at this point for it to be worth staying with this AGP card?

My problem is, I like good framerates and I like things to look good...as most people do. But the major problem is, I cannot just buy a PCI-E motherboard as my CPU is a sock 478. Heck I cant even FIND a PCI-E MOBO that works in a sock 478 processor. So I'd have to buy a new processor as well.

Basically it comes down to one of two things.

1) Suffer with the X800 GTO for awhile longer and wait until the DX10 stuff comes out, then basically buy a new computer.

or.

2) Buy the X1950 PRO 256 MB now, and get another year out of my computer, then at that point upgrade completely.

hm

Any help is appriciated thanks.

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Either decision is probably OK. An X1950 PRO will probably last you longer than a year as long as you don't plan on playing everything in the next 2 years at super-high detail.

Your GTO isn't that bad, so waiting a while to upgrade the whole kit-and-kaboodle is a good route, too. Probably the better way to go if you plan on upgrading in the near future anyway.

Reply to Cleeve

Cleeve is right, but I can't recommend you invest more into your system unless you are really pinched for cash. The way it is will be a fine system for years yet for other tasks, just not gaming, or IMHO to wait 2 months and move PCI-e and a DX10 card. You don't even have to move to Vista just yet if you want to spread out the upgrade cost. My system is just under yours (Athlon 2800+, 1.5GB RAM) and it's going to my 8 yr old in Feb. So retask your pc and build another, or if you can't offload it onto family (or sell it) just upgrade in a couple months.

If possible you can take advantage of holiday sales now and buy some parts like mobo, CPU, RAM, etc. Then wait for the DX10 card of your choice, and Vista whenever you want it. A lot less painful to spread the cost over several months of paychecks.

Reply to SciFiMan

I was in nearly the same boat as you earlier this year. I had a Skt 478 3.2GHz Prescott. A relatively competent CPU, but of course saddled with AGP. There were a couple of Skt 478 motherboard made to support PCI-E (Asus had one), but you'd be hard pressed to find one now. I really wanted a GFX card manufacturer to step up and give us guys who had otherwise decent systems with AGP slots the opportunity for a good graphics core upgrade. That day never came for me. Now you actually have a decent upgrade path, but it's now 9 months after I was originally thinking of it and a lot's happened since then. I really wanted to hold out for C2D before getting a PCI-E system, but I thought I would have the money long before they came out. As luck would have it, my money came late (or just in time if you look at it the right way), and C2D had just come out. So I did a complete upgrade, and I can say I have no regrets.

If I were you, I would save the money and make the move to a complete new system. A jump from that P4 to a C2D will be enormous, that's not even taking into affect the two cores. Of course you have DX10 if you can afford the cards available right now. In a months time nVidia should have the 8600 available for those who can't afford a 8800G(XX). I would say that you couldn't have picked a better time to consider a complete new build.

Reply to techgeek

Quote :

Here are my computer specs.

P4 3.2 GHZ Precott (socket 478)
2 gig RAM
160 GB 7200 RPM HD
ATI X800 GTO 256 MB

Any help is appriciated thanks.

Is your 2gig of ram 2x1Gig?

If it is 2x1Gig,
If you have a Fry's nearby, they usually offer the C2D 6300 with an AGP or PCIe motherboard that will take DDR or DDR2 memory. If you wait for the PCIe bundle, you could get the PCIe MB bundle and a 7900GS PCIe (after rebate), all for about $300 AR... same as the price of the X1950 AGP. These boards only take two of either DDR or DDR2. So If your sticks are 2x1Gb, you would be able to reuse them in this system. If it is 4x512MB, then you would only be able to reuse a GB.

You would end up with a killer processor, a reasonalby fast and very overclockable 7900GS (as good as the X1950 pro when the 7900GS is overclocked), and not have to spring for DDR2 memory yet... all for the same price as the X1950 pro.

OTOH, waiting a bit longer for DX10 is an option, as is waiting for a really good sale on the X1950 pro ($200 would be good and reasonable). At $300 for an X1950, though, I would go for the CPU/MB/7900GS upgrade instead.

Reply to rdhood

Thanks for the suggestions they're helpful.

Unfortunatly I do not have a fry's near my house (I live on the east coast). Alot of best buys and circuit cities though :roll:

I'm probably just going to wait for the x1950 AGP benchmarks and read the recommendations about the card.

Here's what I may end up doing...

Either, buy the X1950 AGP if the price goes down below 250 (like when it ends up on newegg or something) and if the reviews are GLOWING.

Or..

I might try to find a PCI-E socket 478 mobo that works with DDR ram (if thats even possible...anyone know where I could find one? Newegg doesnt have anything) and buy a PCI-E card which may be cheaper than buying the x1950.

Still a tough call. My gut is telling me to just buy the x1950 because it's just the easier option...since I'm not ready to do a full system upgrade yet.

Reply to chemosh

X1950 pro is a very good card for its price. Check out tom's vga charts if you haven't already. Your pc looks quite ok so I guess you should be fine for another 2 years with this card. Sure you won't be able to play games like ut2k7 and crysis at max quality but still the frame rates-quality ratio will be acceptable. Later when more dx10 games start to come out like mid 2008 you could go for a new system.

Reply to cmsvmylo

Yeah I've made up my mind, now comes the part where I actually have to go find one! :lol:

Only place that I can find on the internet or not is best buy, which has a VisionTek Radeon X1950 PRO AGP for $299.00.

Other places I've seen it offered is off amazon (isn't going to ship until mid January), and zipzoomfly which is backordered.

The price on the ones from the online places seem to be ~240-250...while bestbuy wants $300 dollars for the one in store.

Question is...do I have the patience to wait 30 days, I think so!!!

(hope so) :wink:

Reply to chemosh

I'm in the exact same boat except I'm buying the card for my computer so that when I give it to my wife she can play Vanguard with me. From what I've researched the card is great. If your looking for Nvidia go with the BFG 7800 It's at bestbuy as well and is only 250 of course newegg has one for 205 after the mail in rebates. here

It's really up to a matter of preference. Good luck either way.

Reply to Stewartwi

I'd go whole system upgrade in a few months. The performance gains you'll get with the x1950 will be short lived, and the expenditure on the card will have taken from your future upgrade budget.

Best to put that money to a motherboard and cpu upgrade, and save the pennies for the graphics card and get the lot when the prices have dropped.

Reply to Cherubael

Quote :

I'd go whole system upgrade in a few months. The performance gains you'll get with the x1950 will be short lived, and the expenditure on the card will have taken from your future upgrade budget.

It costs about the same as the PCIe version. We'll all need DX10 cards in 1.5-2 years anyway, so any DX9 purchase today is limited.

I'd go with this card over the 7800 or 7600 GT because those cards are overpriced compared to the PCIe versions. The 7800 should cost <$200, and the 7600 GT <$150.

The x1950 beats even a 7900 GS, and the Sapphire version is 512MB, which is better than their $200 PCIe version.

Let's see what the benchmarks are like. I hope TG tests one of these cards soon! The last shootout at the AGP corral. :wink:

Reply to minty

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