Gaming pc build questions

[kegga62]

My Question is. I want to update my CPU/Processor and my Ram/Memory. If I do that will it boost my FPS While I'm gaming ?

My Computer is as of 2/21/11

Motherboard is: ASUS, M2N32-SLI, Deluxe
AMD Socket, AM2+/AM2
NVIDIA nforce 590 SLI
2xPCI-E x16 Slot,Nvidia SLI Support, At Fullx16x16 Speed
Dual Channel DDR2 800/667/533 Memory/Ram

CPU/Prossesor is: AMD Athlon (tm) 64x2 Dual Core Processor 6400+
Want to upgrade to : AMD HDX920XCJ4DGI Phenom II X4 920 Quad Core Processor

Ram/Memory is now:
Total Memory is : 3070MB
4 sticks total
2 sticks are: 1024MB,667mhz(speed) 64bit
2 sticks are: 512MB,667mhz(speed) 64bit

Want to upgrade to :
2 sticks total
2 Crucial 2048 PC6400 Memory and Ultra TherMax T5 Aluminum Memory Cooler Bundle.
2GB,DDR2 800MHz, DIMM, Contains Heatpipes
Video Cards:
I'm running 2 NVIDIA Geforce 9800 GT 1024MB GDDR3 PCI-E 2.0 Grafix's Card's running in SLI mode.

My question is. First, will it work ? and when gaming, will the upgrades boost
my open GL FPS ?

 

[WR2]

Hello kegga62;

What monitor resolution are you gaming at?
OpenGL? What games are we talking here?

 

[WR2]

Here is the CPU support & BIOS required table for the M2N32-SLI Deluxe

The HDX920XCJ4DGI Phenom II X4 920 is a 125W TDP.

From the CPU support list it looks like the board supports a max 95W TDP CPU.
Like the Phenom IIX4 945 (HDX945WFK4DGM), 3.0GHz, 2048KB, 95W, rev.C3, SocketAM3, Quad-Core

Here is an excellent source of all things M2N32-SLI Deluxe

 

[WR2]

Ram/Memory is now:
Total Memory is : 3070MB 4 sticks total
2 sticks are: 1024MB,667mhz(speed) 64bit
2 sticks are: 512MB,667mhz(speed) 64bit

Want to upgrade to : 2 sticks total
2 Crucial 2048 PC6400 Memory 2GB,DDR2 800MHz, DIMM, Contains Heatpipes

The Memory QVL does not have any 2GB DDR2 800Mhz (PC2 6400) RAM similar to what you want to add.
It's all 1GB or 512/256MB sticks (except for 1 2GB ECC entry).
Since you already have 3GB DDR2 667Mhz RAM I don't think you'd get enough of a performance boost tossing out the 667Mhz RAM
and upgrading with 4 sticks of 1GB DDR2 800Mhz RAM.

 

[lunyone]

I think the upgrade to 4 GB's of RAM isn't going to change things too much. The upgrade on the CPU will help when your playing games that could use more CPU power, but honestly I think you have a decent rig already. I think your biggest and most effective upgrade would be to go to a newer GPU. I don't know your budget, but I'd guess it's around $200 or so (~$80 for RAM and ~$100-120 for CPU upgrade). Of coarse this will depend on what resolution you game under too, but I think a GPU upgrade is all that you really need.

Options:
#1) Upgrade GPU only (depends on games you play and what resolution you play under)
~$200-250 should do you well

#2) Start a partical upgrade of system: CPU, Mobo, RAM, & mabye GPU. Just re-use HD, Case, PSU, etc. You could use a socket AM3 mobo or something equivalent.
~$75 AMD Athlon II x3 CPU, ~$80 Mobo, ~$50 DDR3 (4 GB's) RAM, & ~$150-200 GPU.

Option #1 costs ~$200-250 or less depending on resolution and games. Not a big boost, but could be worthwhile for a short term boost to system.

Option #2 costs ~$200 for CPU/Mobo/RAM & ~$150-200 GPU, so about $350-400.

Overall I think your system is pretty good now, but if your having issues with certain games, you might want to upgrade most of your system. I don't know, but those options are something to consider.

 

[kegga62]

Thanks

 

[lunyone]

Any idea on which way your going with this??

 

[kegga62]

I looked at GPU's last night. Whats confusing me is the GPU Memory. GDDR5 and so on. My mobo is DDR2. Does that make a diiferance ? Ofcorse I'd have to buy 2 GPU's. SLI compatable . So I was thinking about buying 2 EVGA Geforce GTX Core. 216 Stream Processors. 896MB Video Memory. GDDR3, Momory Type. SLI ready.
One other thing. These cards are PCI-E 2.0 I'm not sure if they'll work in my mobo. Just them two cards are $419.98 Pluss S/H

 

[WR2]

Don't worry about your MB RAM and your GPU VRAM. There is no connection or dependencies.

2x GTX 260 @ $420?
What screen resolution are you using?
What PSU do you have?

 

[WR2]

I think I'd like this type of upgrade better and it would cost less.
AMD Athlon II X4 645 Propus 3.1GHz Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core CPU $115
EVGA GeForce GTX 560 Ti FPB (Fermi) 1GB Video Card $250

 

[WR2]

Passmark GPU scores:

GeForce 9800 GT = 913
GeForce GTX 260 = 1731
GeForce GTX 560 Ti = 2931

 

[kegga62]

Don't worry about your MB RAM and your GPU VRAM. There is no connection or dependencies.

2x GTX 260 @ $420?
What screen resolution are you using?
What PSU do you have?[/quotemsg

Everything is set at 1680x1050 Res. except for Nascar Racing 2003 season. That game. It's set at 1280x1024 Res.
Call of Duty Black Ops runs great and I have all the eye candy, maxed. at 1680x1050 Res.
PSU ? Don't know what your asking me. But I think it's this. 650 Watt.

 

[kegga62]

I run Nascar Racing 2003 Season in Open GL and it's the game I play the most. They keep coming out with newer tracks and cars and it's really demanding on FPS. I'm only using maybe half the eye candy in that game. Because anymore makes it choppy in places.

 

[WR2]

Do you know what OGL version the game best supports?
GTX 560 Ti is on OpenGL 4.1 GTX 260s are OpenGL 3.0

For 1680x1050 a single GTX 560 Ti should rock and will be fine with that 650Watt PSU.
Dual GTX 260s - we'd probably have to talk more about the make/model and age of that PSU.

 

[WR2]

9800 GT are OpenGL 2.1

 

[kegga62]

So your saying my PSU might not support 2 GTX 260's running in SLI. Sorry I was wrong on what type of PSU I'm running. It's a, ULTRA XFinity DR Dual Rail Technology, Nvidia SLI Ready, 600 Watt ATX.

 

[WR2]

It was good that you checked.
Here is a review of the Ultra X-Finity 600W over @ JonnyGuru website
Based on the review results andt he fact than your PSU is 3? 4? years old I think dual GTX 260s would be a problem for this PSU.

 

[WR2]

The certified PSU list over @ http://www.slizone.com/object/slizone_build_psu.html suggestd a PSU like Ultra X4 750W would be right for a system with dual GTX 260s. There were a couple 700W PSUs that made that list but nothing lower.

We might need to think about a new PSU to support even a single GTX 560 Ti upgrade.

 

[kegga62]

What do you think about a PNY Geforce GTX 560 Ti ? It say's minimum PSU Wattage Requirement is 500 Watt.

 

[WR2]

All the GTX 560 Ti will have the same power requirements and should be OK with your 3yr old PSU.

PNY would be ok at a very good price. How much would a PNY, Sparkle or Zotac cost over a EVGA, Asus or Gigabyte? Remember to figure in shipping, etc.

 

[kegga62]

I've got to sell my pick-up truck first, before I buy anything for this PC. Hopefully the truck will be sold today.