Upgrading from 7300 GT, total noob

[UnicornSlaya]

Hey guys it's my first post so I just want to say hi to eveybody here . As you have noticed, I want to upgrade my graphics card from the 7300 GT card. Since there's no PS3 games selling in where I live, I decided to play the computer. I'm probably the biggest computer noob and I don't know a lot of computer terms and stuff but I just need some suggestions and some advice in choosing a new card. I bought the computer back in 2007, so it runs on a Pentium D... so if i have a crappy computer I'll just upgrade that and post it on a different section for advice too.


APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Probably until January

BUDGET RANGE: Around $100... if not then $150

USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: Gaming like Bioshock 2, Dead Rising 2, Dragon Age: Orgins, Battlefield Bad Company 2, etc.

CURRENT GPU AND POWER SUPPLY: GeForce 7300 GT. Not sure about the power supply

OTHER RELEVANT SYSTEM SPECS: DualCore Intel Pentium D 820, CPU 2.80 GHz; Motherboard Name Intel Coryville D945GCL, 1GB of RAM, eMachines Model T5224, Dual DDR2 SDRAM

PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: Anything, but I'm more familiar with newegg

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: America

PARTS PREFERENCES: Don't really know a lot about cards so anything would do

OVERCLOCKING: Maybe

SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe

MONITOR RESOLUTION: 1600x900

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: If I have a REALLY crappy computer I'm just gonna upgrade everything on the computer. I could also buy more ram if i need to. Thanks!

 

[Maziar]

Hello and welcome to the forums
Upgrading your CPU to an Intel i5/i7 or AMD Phenom II X4 CPUs will definitely help you.Also definitely upgrade your RAM to 4GB.
And for your resolution,a card like HD 5770 can handle games fine.

 

[UnicornSlaya]

Thanks for the reply! I've heard about upgrading my CPU, it's just that my motherboard only supports Pentium D and Core 2 Duo... so I need to do some shopping lol.
I'm just trying to find some alternative before actually buying new upgrades

 

[rolli59]

Your board supports up to core 2 duo E6700 http://processormatch.intel.com/CompDB/SearchResult.aspx?Boardname=d945gcl If you can find one used and cheap it is not a bad upgrade.

 

[UnicornSlaya]

I'll probably upgrade to core 2 duo but I'm trying to find a decent graphics card that suports ddr2. All the cards I know are ddr3 lol

 

[rwpritchett]

Back up a bit...

Just because your motherboard runs DDR2, it does not mean that you are tied to GDDR2 on the graphics board. Only the interface really matters for compatibility (you have PCI-express).

So, you WANT a card with at least GDDR3... GDDR5 if you can stretch the budget.

 

[UnicornSlaya]

Oh thank goodness... I didn't know that. At least I don't have buy a new motherboard lol. Another question then: what about ram? Am I stuck to DDR2? Other than that il just upgrade my CPU to core 2 duo and get more ram.
Now I need the graphics card suggestion. Any other cards besides HD 5770?

 

[Maziar]

If you are keeping your current motherboard,then you have to stick with DDR2.
Get a 4GB DDR2 800 RAM along with a CPU like C2D E6700 as rolli mentioned.
And like i said,for your resolution a card like 5770 suffices.
GTX 460 is also great but its a little overkill for your resolution IMO.

 

[UnicornSlaya]

Thanks... it's just that HD 5770 is kinda expensive, but if I have to then I have to. What about the 9800 GT? It's affordable, and I've heard that it was great but that was a while back.

 

[colonel vanik]

i PERSONALLY think that 9800gt will be great for you. slightly old but still a rocker. but for that you should've a respectable Power Supply.

 

[Maziar]

9800GT is good, but you can find 4850 for under $100($93 with rebate),and its faster than 9800GT
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161297&cm_re=4850-_-14-161-297-_-Product

 

[UnicornSlaya]

I just realized my power supply for my computer is 300 watts... which really limits my choices again. So now I have to buy a new power supply lol. What's a good power supply for the 4850 and possibly the 5770 in the future?

 

[Maziar]

A good 450W+ PSU is fine for both.(Something like Corsair HX450 is nice)

 

[UnicornSlaya]

Thanks, I'll just get a 4850 plus a 450W+ PSU. By the way, when I checked the site where it shows which processors are compatible with my motherboard, it didn't show my processor.
I have the DualCore Pentium D 820. All I know is that my socket is a LGA 775 which goes all the way to the Core 2 Quad and not Duo... I don't really understand...

 

[Guest]

GTS250 is a great card for a low price. GTS 250 is a competitor of the 5770 though, its not quite as good, but its cheaper.

 

[rwpritchett]

By the way, when I checked the site where it shows which processors are compatible with my motherboard, it didn't show my processor.
I have the DualCore Pentium D 820. All I know is that my socket is a LGA 775 which goes all the way to the Core 2 Quad and not Duo... I don't really understand...

The CPU support list for your motherboard is in two parts. The older list is here and it has your Pentium D 820 listed. If you click on the "Compatibility Tool" link on that page, it takes you to the C2D processor list which was linked by rolli.

 

[UnicornSlaya]

The CPU support list for your motherboard is in two parts. The older list is here and it has your Pentium D 820 listed. If you click on the "Compatibility Tool" link on that page, it takes you to the C2D processor list which was linked by rolli.

Sorry lol... now I feel kinda stupid. Well, thanks for the reply =)

 

[UnicornSlaya]

GTS250 is a great card for a low price. GTS 250 is a competitor of the 5770 though, its not quite as good, but its cheaper.

The GTS 250 is around $120-130 and the 5770 is around $145 I think, but the HD 4870 is $130 and beats both of them in performance but not in power consumption.
The HD 4850 has the performance of a 250 and a 5770 but it's also a power hog... so I'll just stick with a 4850 =)

 

[rolli59]

The HD4850 will work well at your resolution! Big leap from 7300GT enjoy.

 

[Maziar]

+1^
Going for 7300GT to 4850 is a huge upgrade,happy gaming

 

[UnicornSlaya]

Yeah thanks! Playing BioShock on max settings on the highest resolution sounds great, my 7300GT can't even take the lowest graphics and resolution without major lag lol. Thanks for all the advice