I built my rig in 2007 and I'm not in the position to replace with a completely upgraded new one. However, my EVGA GeForce 8800 GTS failed on me so I need to get a new card. I figure I can at least get the best card that will help me with my current specs till I can afford to do a complete rebuild.
So....I need to know how I can get the best bang for my buck. Here's my full rig:
Windows XP (not ready to spend the $ on 7 yet)
Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard
EVGA 640-P2-N821-AR GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card (This is now dead)
AMD Athlon 64 FX-62 Windsor 2.8GHz Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core Processor ADAFX62CSBOX
ZALMAN CNPS 9700 NT 110mm 2 Ball Ultra Quiet CPU Cooler (Ultra-Quiet my a$$ - sounds like a rocket ship)
X2 - Corsair XMS2 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 675 (PC2 5400) Desktop Memory Model CM2X1024-5400C4
SAMSUNG SpinPoint T Series HD400LJ 400GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 4 SB0610 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card
KINGWIN ABT-600CW 600W ATX 12V Ver.2.2 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Modular Power Supply
Sunbeam Transformer IC-TR-SV Silver Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
So with my graphics card now toast and my budget on the thin side for the time being. I'm looking at the Geforce GTS 250 1Gb (please note if you suggest something else though) but I have a number of questions:
Do I have a PSU (600w) to handle it? Is my MB and CPU appropriate to fit anything that is suggested for a replacement? Is the above card compatible with the PCIE 2.0 on the MB? IF there's another graphics card that will give me some better bang for mid-level buck expenditure, what might that be? Should I get 2 more gig of Ram of what I've got or scrap that RAM and get 4G of something new? Does XP even see the extra RAM? Can my case handle any of the suggestions or am I also looking at that as a replacement?
SO.....any help or suggestions would be MOST appreciated. I'm hoping to just get a new Graphics card upgrade, and see what other stuff for less $ I might need to also update along the way to get this rig working again but if it's more cost effective to just do it all now, I'd love to hear those arguments and whatever component suggestions you all have to give me.
Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mc1
So....I need to know how I can get the best bang for my buck. Here's my full rig:
Windows XP (not ready to spend the $ on 7 yet)
Asus M2N-SLI Deluxe AM2 NVIDIA nForce 570 SLI MCP ATX AMD Motherboard
EVGA 640-P2-N821-AR GeForce 8800 GTS 640MB 320-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support Video Card (This is now dead)
AMD Athlon 64 FX-62 Windsor 2.8GHz Socket AM2 125W Dual-Core Processor ADAFX62CSBOX
ZALMAN CNPS 9700 NT 110mm 2 Ball Ultra Quiet CPU Cooler (Ultra-Quiet my a$$ - sounds like a rocket ship)
X2 - Corsair XMS2 1GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 675 (PC2 5400) Desktop Memory Model CM2X1024-5400C4
SAMSUNG SpinPoint T Series HD400LJ 400GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Hard Drive -Bare Drive
Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 4 SB0610 7.1 Channels PCI Interface Sound Card
KINGWIN ABT-600CW 600W ATX 12V Ver.2.2 SLI Certified CrossFire Ready Modular Power Supply
Sunbeam Transformer IC-TR-SV Silver Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
So with my graphics card now toast and my budget on the thin side for the time being. I'm looking at the Geforce GTS 250 1Gb (please note if you suggest something else though) but I have a number of questions:
Do I have a PSU (600w) to handle it? Is my MB and CPU appropriate to fit anything that is suggested for a replacement? Is the above card compatible with the PCIE 2.0 on the MB? IF there's another graphics card that will give me some better bang for mid-level buck expenditure, what might that be? Should I get 2 more gig of Ram of what I've got or scrap that RAM and get 4G of something new? Does XP even see the extra RAM? Can my case handle any of the suggestions or am I also looking at that as a replacement?
SO.....any help or suggestions would be MOST appreciated. I'm hoping to just get a new Graphics card upgrade, and see what other stuff for less $ I might need to also update along the way to get this rig working again but if it's more cost effective to just do it all now, I'd love to hear those arguments and whatever component suggestions you all have to give me.
Thanks in advance!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mc1