Upgrade question

[jbauman102]

I want to upgrade my PC to run the newer games at better res. I have a Intel E6750 2.66 Dou with 2megs pc2 6400 and a 8800GTX. I was thinking about a new video card and 2 more megs of ram, Just would like some thought or advice. Im trying to stay under $400

Thanks

Jes

 

[flyinfinni]

For under $400, I would say pick up a Radeon 5850 for ~$300, 2x1gb DDR2 800 for ~$50-60, and OC the crap out of your CPU. If you have the stock cooler, you could spend the last $40-50 of your $400 budget to get a new CPU cooler to improve your overclocking.

 

[shadow187]

Under $400..

Get an HD5850 ($350) and an aftermarket cooler ($50) for your CPU. OC it to 3.4ghz, and you'll be fine.

 

[flyinfinni]

Sapphire 5850 is only $299.99 on Newegg right now;-) or $319 with MW2 bundled.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102884
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102885

 

[shadow187]

Was going for a vapor-X or MSI one, .

 

[flyinfinni]

Ahh. Well, with a reference Sapphire, you can still OC it plenty Plus I'm guessing the CPU will end up the bottleneck as opposed to the GPU in the end.

 

[jbauman102]

Im running Win XP should I upgrade to Win 7. I have Vista but unistalled it when one of my old time favorites wouldnt run on it C&C Generals, I still cant get away from that game

 

[builderbobftw]

what OS are you using? 2GB of ram is fine for a Win XP 32bit

First thing I would do is OC your CPU if you can, if not upgrade it

the 8800GTX is still a very good card, if you want to upgrade it look into an ATI 5830 or 5850.

Please don't recomend the 5830 to anyone.

Please.

I die a bit inside anytime anybody dies that card, and then posts about how awesome it is in Fourms.

 

[flyinfinni]

Viable but pricey generally does not merit a recommendation when you can get a card, only slightly slower, for ~$75 less, or a card, significantly faster, for only another $40. When someone is truly looking for the best, but have a totally rigid budget at $250 or whatever, then sure- its a fine recommendation, but if its a little more flexible, the 5850 is a much much better buy.

 

[flyinfinni]

Quite so- I was just making sure the OP understood clearly the value of the 5830 as from this thread, it could be hard to tell if it is even worth buying at any price.

 

[builderbobftw]

Quite so- I was just making sure the OP understood clearly the value of the 5830 as from this thread, it could be hard to tell if it is even worth buying at any price.

Honestly, If someone offered me a 150$ 5830 and a 150$ 5770, I would be hard pressed to get the 5830.

Just a few% faster, much moe heat power, and just a crippled card.

 

[shadow187]

An OC'd cypress is much more impressive than an OC'd juniper.

 

[builderbobftw]

RIght, But the 5830 runs at higher defualt clocks than the 5850, So countray to popular belief, the 5830 has a much smaller headroom than the 5850.

And Can't you Volt-Mod the 5770 after you flash iut's bios?

 

[flyinfinni]

Not sure about the volt modding the 5770. I know the 5850's and 5870's and 5970's do, but haven't seen much with the 5770s in that respect. People seem to have plenty of OC headroom WITHOUT volt modding the 5770's.

 

[builderbobftw]

Yeh.

And Laso, Yay, Server updated, i'm a vetern!

 

[flyinfinni]

lol- me too Not that it really makes a difference though.

 

[builderbobftw]

My E-Penis just grew 1/32nd of an inch!

 

[shadow187]

Builder, it's not the status, it's the bage.

55+ Best answers, biznitch

Woulda been like 100, but so many people don't know to click the icon thingy.

 

[flyinfinni]

Haha- thats probably true Shadow- I'd probably have a few more if people would just choose a best answer, but really- its not about either of those. Its even more about helping people who are having problems- thats why I do it. I love to see people happy with their PCs and enjoying great performance (though its nice to see my 35+ best answers and Veteran status:-D)

 

[shadow187]

I do it for the experience. My first job will be a DIY helper, so hey, the more I know the better.

 

[flyinfinni]

Thats a good call Shadow. I just enjoy it, as I'm already an engineer it doesn't really affect my job

 

[builderbobftw]

I can't wait for my badge and subsequent swelling of My E-Penis.

 

[shadow187]

lock thread already T_T