Updraging gfx card/memory

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outcastz50

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These are my current specs..

Mobo: Asus P5E3 Deluxe.. this is the exact mobo I have.. http://www.asus.com/Motherboards/Intel_Socket_775/P5E3_DeluxeWiFiAPn/#specifications

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6850 @3.0 ghz

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX

RAM: 2x 1GB Corsair Dominator 1800 mhz Dual Channel

Power Supply: 750 W

Monitor Res: 1600 x 900
---------------------------

Replacing...

Video Card:
plan to replace with a gtx 550 ti, gtx 560 SE or gtx 460 possibly because the gtx 8800 is outdated now and the gtx 8800 overheats, i think because of damage since I have cleaned out the dust, leave compuer case open, fan speed 100% and underclocked it when I am gaming and that allows me to stay just under 100c. (at 100c+ it starts to lag and overheat)

What is the best compatible video card I can upgrade to for 140 dollars or less? will an upgrade to a new card probably fix the heat issue so i wont have to have the case open/underclock to play newer games? (and yes my case is a beastly large thermaltake with multiple fans and has good airflow, all wires are tied up properly etc)

Ram:
I currently have them running at 1335.8 mhz, i plan to run them at 1800 mhz but im unsure about heating being an issue because they currently have no fans and i plan to install more mem (but they have never had a heat issue yet). I want more mem because new games are asking for 3-4 gb of ram now.

What would be the best compatible ram sticks I can add to this for 40 dollars or less? Is it safe for me to clock the mem I currently have at 1800 mhz without it having any heat issue and still install new mem right next to these with those clocked at their normal speed? if heat might be an issue, what cheap solutions could i use?

all help is appreciated very much, thank you :) .
 
Solution
nforce4max
The ram is a great choice and running the 4gb version of that kit. Its great and you will like that ram. As for the cards that might be tough but I suggest that you avoid the gtx480. atm it is a big bang for buch card but it should be avoided for older systems and is a epic power hog. The chokes/inductors used on this card are not all that great and is common for very high end cards. Got two cards that are well on their way to being crippled due to degradation :(

The 560 is a ok card but there are others that are worth spending just a little more for like the 560ti or a 7850. Picking the right card now can be a little difficult. Look for a card that is more of a custom design that is very very solid construction.
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nforce4max

nforce4max

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Clean the fan and replace the thermal compound with something decent like arctic silver 5, that will solve the thermal issues. If you think that it won't then remove the shroud from the cooler and blast the heatsink clean. Temps should be down into the 80s. Avoid wasting your money on a weak 550ti unless money is an issue. The 560ti is the fastest of the bunch. Going to 8gb of ram is going to make a huge difference in the months to come thanks to bloated ms updates.
 
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larkspur

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Video Card: You either want a radeon 6850 or a 7770, or a GTX 460 (the 256-bit version) or a GTX 560 (not the SE).
-The radeons can be had for $140 (some models even less): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125353
-The full 256-bit 460 is not on Newegg right now.
-The 560 (NOT the 192-bit SE) starts at $160: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814162091

One of those three would be my recommendation with the 6850 being at the top especially if you are playing non-DX11 games (the 7770 only really shines in DX11).

Ram: If you only need 4gbs and want ram rated for that speed then just get a kit of this and toss out your old ram (I don't recommend mixing different modules): http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148559
 
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larkspur

larkspur

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Or do this - it's a great suggestion. Your 8800 is probably fine and if it gets it still gets the job done (if it wasn't overheating) then if you don't mind fiddling with it, you might see if you can still use it.
 
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outcastz50

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i suppose so yea (*feel like a newb tear*). i did want to upgrade my video card anyway because the 8800 is now just meeting the min requirements of newer games but in any case, yea i need to learn to apply the thermal compound on the vid card.

for memory. the crucial ddr3 2x2gb @ 1866 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148559 will work fine even though its 1866 mhz (i assume thats what it means) and my mobo claims to support DDR3 1800(O.C.)/1600(O.C.)/1333/1066/800 MHz? that wouldnt matter that its 1866 and not 1800? just want to be sure before i make any purchases :p

for the video card, i guess ill do what you said about applying the thermal compound but i still plan to buy a new card, so i will probably lean toward the gtx 560 256bit because i rather stick with nvidia since often games seem to have issues at release with ati. 20 dollars more than i planned but if it can last a long while, then i suppose its worth it.

thank you very very much for the help so far.
 
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nforce4max

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Get a 8GB kit, firefox alone now days can suck up as much as 2gb if it has one of it's moments. As for the G80 gtx that card still pwns a lot of the junk that sells for more now days and if you want to see decent gains it is best to aim for anything that is equal to or faster than a 1GB 256bit gtx460. I got a 8800gtx my self stashed away (sentimental reasons) and know how well it holds up.

A cheap ddr3 1600 kit (9.9.9.21/24) that is 8gb costs only around $40-50 depending on the brand.
 
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outcastz50

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there seems to be a vast selection of memory sticks to choose from and i dont know what would be better between the different options that seem to have the same specs and same price.

also 4x2gb ram kits say quad channel on em, does that matter if my mobo says it has dual channel support? would it work like 2 dual channels if i use it or as if its a quad channel or as neither?

 
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outcastz50

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my mobo says it only supports 2gb per memory slot and dual channel. so i would need a 4x2gb to get 8gb i suppose? and thats where my question about dual channel/quad channel stems from.

(yea i eventually need to upgrade my mobo/cpu but that will cost a way lot and my total budget right now for upgrading vid card and ram right now is 190 dollars) which leads me to think i may just get 4gb of ram so i can spend some more on a video card because it seems insisted that i get a 256bit and something better/equal to gtx 460.
 
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outcastz50

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what about these video cards? to pick between, which would you suggest?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130759

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130660

what about this memory?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231277

i plan to get 4gb for now so i can dish out the extra bucks on video card.

btw thanks a lot for the help, i think im nearly done deciding what i will get now. just picking between these depending on what you say.
 
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nforce4max

nforce4max

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The ram is a great choice and running the 4gb version of that kit. Its great and you will like that ram. As for the cards that might be tough but I suggest that you avoid the gtx480. atm it is a big bang for buch card but it should be avoided for older systems and is a epic power hog. The chokes/inductors used on this card are not all that great and is common for very high end cards. Got two cards that are well on their way to being crippled due to degradation :(

The 560 is a ok card but there are others that are worth spending just a little more for like the 560ti or a 7850. Picking the right card now can be a little difficult. Look for a card that is more of a custom design that is very very solid construction.
 
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outcastz50

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May 17, 2012
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ok so im decided on the ram then. about the video cards, what do you mean by chokes/inductors (im not familiar with those terms, maybe you mean bottleneck)? and as far as power, i think my 750W is good enough and i pay a set amount for power where i live so its no issue.

the 560 ti pushes far past my budget since i originally planned to spend 130 on a gfx card lol.
 
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outcastz50

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sounds very different from the 8800 gtx which has been a tank considering the poor care ive given it for 4 years.

you would think i was mad if you saw me when i used a power drill to open the casing on it because i didnt have a screw driver that fits into the small holes. i assume i shouldnt attempt that with a new card :p
 
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