Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Graphics Cards > New Video Card or motherboard first?

New Video Card or motherboard first?

Forum Graphic & Displays : Graphics Cards - New Video Card or motherboard first?

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
Ask the community Add a reply
Word :    Username :           
 
mikem699   05-29-2009 at 08:21:34 PM

Hello everybody,
I have a quick question. I have just run into a stumbling block with my current computer setup. It was running games just fine till I started playing Grand Theft Auto IV and now it is starting to show it's age. I want to upgrade one piece at a time and my first choice is either a Video Card or Motherboard. Below is my current setup:

K9AGM2-FIH Socket AM2 motherboard
ATHLON 64 X2 5600
APEVIA 500W POWER SUPPLY
2 GB DDR2 800 MHZ RAM
256 MB RADEON X1950
500 GB SATA Hard Drive

I am thinking of Upgrading to a Radeon HD 4850 1GB for the video card and the Asus M3A78 motherboard. The question is will the upgrade to the video card show immediate effects with my current setup? Thanks much.


Mike

Add a reply
Sponsored Links
Register or log in to remove.
Bronze Graphics badge mousemonkey   05-29-2009 at 08:35:12 PM
- 0 +

Immediate effect yes, it might not be the effect you're looking for but it will be immediate.

Reply to mousemonkey
Bronze Graphics badge coozie7   05-29-2009 at 09:16:06 PM
- 0 +

Why the change of motherboard?
Yes, the faster card should improve matters and if it is mainly for GTA IV then I have ben told the 1Gb of memory is better than 512 Mb.

Reply to coozie7
mikem699   05-29-2009 at 09:28:32 PM
- 0 +

I want to get a socket AM2+ motherboard to support the Phenom X4. The one I have currently does not support it.

Reply to mikem699
Bronze Graphics badge coozie7   05-29-2009 at 09:33:44 PM
- 0 +

Thought so, just asking.
Sensible way to upgrade: I do it all the time;)

Reply to coozie7
Bronze Graphics badge jyjjy   05-29-2009 at 11:52:01 PM
- 0 +

You should always upgrade the motherboard and CPU at the same time. You will see almost no advantage to a newer motherboard until you have a processor to go with it. And why AM2+? Always go for the latest socket when upgrading your motherboard, in this case AM3.
I would upgrade the video card and get 2 more gigs of ram. All the video cards around $100 are more than twice as powerful as what you have now. That should hold you for a good while. As for upgrading the rest I'd save up for an i7 system personally.


Message edited by jyjjy on 05-29-2009 at 11:53:01 PM
Reply to jyjjy
Ask the community Add a reply
Tom's Hardware > Forum > Graphic & Displays > Graphics Cards > New Video Card or motherboard first?
Go to:

There are 1285 identified and unidentified users. To see the list of identified users, Click here.

Forum map
Bestofmedia Forum ©
2000-2009 Bestofmedia Group
Page generated in 0.501 seconds
Please mind

You are about to answer a thread that has been inactive for more than 6 months.
If you still wish to proceed, please ensure that your posting is original and does not duplicate or overlap any prior responses to this thread.

Add a reply Cancel
Sponsored links
  • Ask the community now
  • Publish
Ad
Related Topics
See all relatives topics
They won a badge
Join us in greeting them
How do I win badges?