Upgrade video card or build new pc????????????

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suspenz

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ok before i start this is my current setup...

An HP a520n

XP SP2
AMD Anthlon
160GB 7200rpm
1GB ram
Geforce 6200 OC (i know its not the best)

ok let me try and make this quick....i currently play CS:S and thats it!...not sure if i should just upgrade my video card to a X1900 XT and my ram to 2GB or should i build a new pc.

the thing w/the new pc is that my budget is $700 at the most, and thats not including the case since i already have the case. Here's the link to my current case i have purchased....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811146029


can anybody let me know what processor can i upgrade by looking up my current model of pc i have. the model is listed on top of this thread. but im not sure if thats necessary if i upgrade my video card and ram.
i know most of you guys say new build...but would it really make a difference? i dont do much but play CS:S on it and browse the net...nothing like 3D rendering anything.

Thanks in Advance


 
Track

Track

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Well.. An Athlon XP is going to hold back most card u can buy.
But you may be happy with a 7600 GS which u can buy right now off of Newegg for 100$.

Or you can just buy a whole new PC. 700$ can buy quite a bit.

CPU - E4300 - 120$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115013
MB - MSI P6N SLI-FI - 110$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130082
RAM - G.Skill 2GB 6400C4 - 130$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231065
PSU - Antec SP500 - 70$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817103937
GPU - 8800 GTS 320 - 260$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130082

You can use the case and the HDD you already have.
If you buy the Zalman CNPS 9700 and overclock your CPU above 3.2Ghz, then you will have one of the most powerful computers in the world.
 
TheGreatGrapeApe

TheGreatGrapeApe

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Well if that's all you play or all you ever plan on playing (until the next CS version) then the CPU isn't really a major bottleneck, it's an old game. So if all you want to do is increase the graphics then don't bother wasting extra money, just get the best value card you can get (which IMO is not the GS). However if you are building for future titles you might play after tiring of CS:S then Track's PC's pretty good (although I'd change a piece or two it would mainly be cosmetic).

For the single card solution off of NewEgg;

This X1950Pro AGP for $140 is sweet. It's a nice HIS with awesome cooling HSF and stock overclock;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161081

Then the Sapphire X1950GT for $115;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102093

Which isn't as attractive as the X1950Pro IMO.

Then this X1650Pro GDDR3 for $59;
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102057

The GF7600GS and other X1650Pros would be more attractive if they were GDDR3, but those models are more expensive, which is the problem with the AGP GF7600GT. They just boost the price into other better options.

Considering the cost of the X1650Pro it's even an option to test drive, because even reselling it on eBay you're unlikely to loose that much money and @ $60 it lets you see whether you like the improvement, and if not then you've only spent $60 more than building the whole new PC anyways, and now that old HP could be used for an HTPC or as a 'guest gaming rig' more so than with the GF6200.

So if you were planning on playing some other new games then I'd say build a new PC, but considering it's only CS:S then you'd be OK with your current rig and just some more eye-candy. Of course a new PC would help as well, but I don't think the boost would be as significant as if you were looking to play Oblivion, or Fear, or Prey or Future games.
 
Track

Track

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It would be kind of stupid to buy a whole new graphics card just for a single game. Maybe this guy doesnt know about torrents..

If he was to get a new card, I'm for the X1950GT for 115$. It's got the exact same performance as the X1950 Pro, but its cheaper. And and AGP version of the X1950GT for 115$ is amazing!
 
TheGreatGrapeApe

TheGreatGrapeApe

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He probably already has CS:S and like many people they find a game they like and play it with their friends, and don't care what the rest of us play.

If he was to get a new card, I'm for the X1950GT for 115$. It's got the exact same performance as the X1950 Pro, but its cheaper. And and AGP version of the X1950GT for 115$ is amazing!
Click to expand...

What are you talking about? The X1950GT is not the same performance as the X1950pro, while they are similar cores, they aren't clocked anywhere near the same, plus the memory on the X1950GT is much slower (not just clocked but rated) and so even when overclocking you're not going to get the GT near the X1950Pro speeds.

You could argue that the difference may be minimal to someone playing CS:S, but the X1950GT is neither the same performance as the Pro at stock, nor does it have the same overclock potential. The X1900GT shipped with better memory than all but the rarest of X1950GTs, and even they were below the X1950Pro in performance.
 
Track

Track

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What in heavens name are talking about? :heink:

The X1950GT and X1950Pro both have the same core. This means that they will both overclock to the EXACT same freaquency. And their clocks aren't clocked anywhere near the same?? It's a 75Mhz difference!
As for the RAM, the X1950Pro may reach a 50Mhz higher overclock, which really doesn't mean very much.

The X1950GT is the far better choice.
 
blade85

blade85

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But the GT is more power hungry and gets hotter than the pro.

Plus the pro does outperform it in most games i play. As an example, i would rather play oblivion at 27 fps (pro) than 23 (GT)

but yeah, if budget is an issue, then the GT is cheaper.

Though since the OP only playes CS, the GT would do him just fine.
 
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cristip60

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How great ape stated if you only plan on playing cs.s get only a new video board.

I would recommend nvidia because valves games use open gl and nvidia card cope better with open gl then ati card(just look at doom3)
 
Track

Track

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It does not get more power hungry, that is completely absurd!

It outperforms it because it's clocked higher. Something that can easily be done to the GT.
 
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suspenz

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ok well ive been looking at this card....

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150223

and ive been thinking if my psu and i think i might new a new one since im not sure if i have a connector for that video card. most likely im gonna have to purchase a new one which kinda sucks since upgrading everything is not what im looking for if im not building a pc. is that video card (the link from above) better than a $100 pci-e video card?

heres a link for one pci-e for under $100

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130021

if so i would rather go w/a low budget build....what do you guys think?
 
Track

Track

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Didnt u read what we wrote?

Only buy this card - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102093
 
torque79

torque79

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If the x1950pro has a better cooling solution (sounds like it) I'd go with grape ape's recommendation. Yeah it costs a little more, but it's a good investment to have better cooling and a little more clock speeds certainly don't hurt.

my sapphire x1950pro AGP uses standard power connectors, nothing special that your power supply does not have. If you have more than one hard drive and a large number of cooling fans your power supply wattage could be low for this card but I doubt it.
 
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frankienyc123

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Im not an expert on gaming. But $270 is alot of money to spend on an GP card. The 1950gt in the above link for $146 is a much better deal. You might wanna just go for that new system, upgrading to a dual core system and 2gigs of ram will make everything run faster and more smoothly and youll be able to play pretty much any games you want. Heres an idea for a system thats less then $700. It would be perfect if your not planning on overclocking.. Intel is the better choice if you want to overclock, maybe an e4300 and Gigabyte p35-ds3 could be hd for a similar price. Good luck

Asus m2n-e $105
AMD 6000x2 $170
2gig Corsair XMS $85($115-$30MIR)
250g WD SE16 $65
Sapphire 1950xt $160
Antec EA430 psu $65

Total $650

 
TheGreatGrapeApe

TheGreatGrapeApe

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Not with the HSFs that are on there, which is why I point out those very things, and like I mentioned focus on the memory.

And their clocks aren't clocked anywhere near the same?? It's a 75Mhz difference!
Click to expand...

Actually it's a 95mhz difference and it favours the HIS X1950Pro at 590mhz versus the Sapphire GT's 500mhz

As for the RAM, the X1950Pro may reach a 50Mhz higher overclock, which really doesn't mean very much.
Click to expand...

Actually most X1950GTs barely reach 700(1400), while the X1950Pro start at 770(1540) and overclocks well into the 800mhz range from there, so from a stock near 200(400)MHZ difference to an OC difference of over 100mhz, The X1950Pro is far better, and not having to rely on a guess at what your overclocking is. Out of the box the X1950Pro is much faser on the core and memory, so your statement doesn't hold up.

The X1950GT is the far better choice.
Click to expand...

Perhaps it is for value, but you statement of equal and cheaper is wrong either stock or overclocked. Without better memory it's never going to equal it.
 
TheGreatGrapeApe

TheGreatGrapeApe

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Huh?

I think you're confused. Valve's games are almost exclusively Direct3D, Id is the one that prefer OpenGL, which is the minority of games.

For CS:S ATi cards from that generation outplay nVidia cards, easily.
 
TheGreatGrapeApe

TheGreatGrapeApe

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That card will get outperformed in CS:S byt the X1950Pro. The GF7950 is a nice card, but it's twice the price for no benefit in CS:S.

most likely im gonna have to purchase a new one which kinda sucks since upgrading everything is not what im looking for if im not building a pc. is that video card (the link from above) better than a $100 pci-e video card?

heres a link for one pci-e for under $100

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130021
Click to expand...

Now way, once again a PCIe X1950Pro would blwo that out of the water, andif it's exclusively for CS:S then the X1650Pro or X1650XT would beat the GF7600GS for less than that $100.

Don't get confused by what cristip wrote, CS:S is not OGL, so get the best X16xx or X19xx cards you can get. If anything valve has an affinity for ATi over nVidia. If you can find a Gf7800 or GF7900 for under $100 then consider it, otherwise look at the X1650 or X1950 series cards.
 
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cristip60

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Sry ape, i was thinking of cs 1.6 wich is an open gl game and it runs better on nvidia cards.
I didn't really see it was about cs source.
 
TheGreatGrapeApe

TheGreatGrapeApe

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No worries man, that's like the OGL versions of UT2K4, they work very well but aren't the standard.
 
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suspenz

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well check this setup and you guys let me know what you think for a low budget build

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130021 video card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130095 mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136039 hard drive (not sure which is best ...retail or oem)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115003 cpu (if i get this cpu it'll be after the price drop to $186 on july 22nd)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231098 2GB of ram
http://shop4.outpost.com/product/5016605?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG 700W for my psu
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827151145 dvd-rom w/lightscribe
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136059 cd burner

Total comes out to $772 w/out purchasing Vista yet...not sure if i should stay w/XP.

let me know what you guys think.
 
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suspenz

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sorry guys but im at work and my comp is hella slow and i can only refresh it every hour since im busy. sorry for the late response. '

:(
 
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