which component should i upgrade first cpu or gpu?

[jdh440]

I want to upgrade my computer and later into a whole new machine.
my pc is a Pentium 4 3.0ghz , 1.5gb ram, LGA775 x925 motherboard , Nvidia 8600gt 256mb PCIe and a 350w power supply.
which should i upgrade first? processor and motherboard or graphics card and power supply?

 

[Zecow]

ermmm.. dont you need a new graphic card for the mainboard? P4 uses AGP don't they? You will need PCI-E card.

I'd go for CPU and Board.

 

[SpinachEater]

I agree with ZeCow but there are a lot of things to consider. Your mobo determines all of the rest of your components that you need so pick that out first. Are you going to get into an i7? What is your budget? What are all of the components that you want in it?

Depending on how you want to transition into your new rig, you might have to get a new PSU along with the mobo and CPU. The 350W won't get you too far. Also, you will need to upgrade the PSU before you get a new GPU. If you are going for a top end card you will need the juice to support it.

You want to wait on the GPU because by time you get around to being able to use it, there will be a newer faster group on the market. Just about any recent card out today will be very limited by your P4 so it wouldn't make too much sense to buy one without the CPU to support it.

Hope this helps a bit.

@ZeCow, he listed his video card being a PCIe card. The older P4 socket mobos like the 478 only had AGP as far as I know.

 

[hsetir]

Depending on resolution, a new c2d/quad core can increase your frame rates by almost 50% without needing a new power supply, a new gpu would do same but requiring new psu. If going for high end components, prices of gpu's fall much faster than that of cpu's. Even with bloomfield knocking doors, prices of cpu is not gonna fall that much because of lack of more affordable mobo chipsets for i7.
If you'd game at 16x10 or higher res, I would suggest a new gpu and psu. Otherwise a new cpu.

 

[just_in]

I think you should get a new procsor because if you get any thing higher than a 8600gt you have to upgrate your psu. But onestly i think you should save your money and get someing better. A P4 aint gunna cut it with dual cores comeing out now days. But rember any upgrate you pick depends mostly on your mobo and psu

 

[seffeers2]

i think better u get 9800gt SLI n psu...more cheaper than u get i7 and new mobo...
at least this thing also can increase ur frame rates up to 40% and u overclocking ur that pentium 4...u will have more performance if u really gamers...change ur mind if u use more such editing movie/pics or use more program...

 

[Euphoria_MK]

Upgrade the CPU and Mobo for sure.

 

[knowsitall]

i d get a 275gtx and a powersupply to be honest.

 

[antemon]

anyone else didn't notice the post dates?


hsetir * 11-05-2008 at 01:17:57 PM

just_in * 11-05-2008 at 01:44:22 PM

seffeers2 * 04-02-2009 at 06:10:06 PM


just saying...

 

[Techno-boy]

I am currently selling my Pentium 4 PC and I am not even using it since it is aging.

I think that it is better for you to first upgrade your CPU and Motherboard like getting Core i7 or wait for Core i5 in summer.

Your Pentium 4 system could bottleneck your new video card's speed. Your P4 CPU and PCIe 1.0/1.1 bandwidth are the things that can bottleneck the speed of your video card since the newer video cards would be using PCIe 2.0 bandwidth.

For the video card, you would wanna wait for DirectX 11 GPU which could come within only 3-5 months so you can do a bigger step upgrade and since DX 10/10.1 is about to be obsolete. However, DX 10/10.1 GPUs will still work with future games since they would still be compatible but it won't allow you to play games in DX 11 mode since you cannot use full DX 11 features, in other words, it is like you are playing another DX 10 games and not DX 11 games with the current generation DX 10 GPUs. It is also like you are stuck in time with DX 10 ability so that would not be something good and waiting for DX 11 is better. In order to play DX 11 games, you need DirectX 11 video card so basically, DX 11 GPUs could future proof yourself for the next 2-3 years before DX 12 comes out which would save more money and it's more convenient as well as working 100% fully well with future games and future products that might also need OpenCL for a longer time.

 

[Techno-boy]

anyone else didn't notice the post dates?


hsetir * 11-05-2008 at 01:17:57 PM

just_in * 11-05-2008 at 01:44:22 PM

seffeers2 * 04-02-2009 at 06:10:06 PM


just saying...

Whooops! Indeed, I did not notice that this thread is quite old.