Upgrading my 8-year old Presario computer

[GTAsoldier]

Hi everyone,

I have an old computer that I mainly use as a MAME arcade machine ar hom. I even built the cabinet with all the buttons and joysticks and a 32" monitor. However, I want to run the games via Direct3D and not DirectDraw but the PC doesn't have the strength to do it well (the sound and graphics stutters and I get error messages when I launch MAME). I don't want to play the games using DirectDraw anymore because the graphics look quite blurry and I want the games I have to run smoothly as possible. So I'm plan to upgrade it with a new processor, more RAM, and a new Video Card (for the Direct3D capabilities).

It's a Compaq Presario SR1504X with it's default rig (Windows XP, Celeron processor, 512 MB RAM, and Intel integrated graphics). I looked up the info on it's motherboard and I think I jotted down the stuff I need to make it perform at it's best:

http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/document?docname=c00068983&tmp_task=prodinfoCategory&cc=us&dlc=en&lc=en&product=1102925

New Processor: Intel Pentium 4 2.80 GHZ Socket 478
New RAM: 1GB
New Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 6 Series PCI

Is this a good upgrade? Any suggestions?

 

[geekapproved]

Complete waste of money.

You would need a new cpu, new ram, new graphics card, probably a new psu because I doubt a 8yr old compaq can power a new 6 series nvidia card, and it's probably not even standard ATX. And it's still going to be an ancient dinasour.

Pointless.

You could get a modern cpu/mobo/8GB DDR3 for less than $200. Then add a decent video card and a new power supply. That's basically a whole new computer minus hd, case, os and optical drive.

 

[unksol]

Did you even read his post? Its for an arcade emulater. In an arcade box. Used exclusively for arcade games. That runs fine on what he has now. He doesn't need ANY of that extra stuff.

He said gefore series 6. Not GTX 6XX. It is an ATX board, as he linked to it, but as its a pci card thats pci powered thats irrelevant. why should he spend 100s for something he'll never use when he can spend 40?

 

[GTAsoldier]

Totally, whatever upgrades I would like to get will cost me around $80 total via Amazon with various sellers.

 

[Wolfshadw]

RAM: 2 x Kingston PC2700 DDR-333 512 MB - $18
Graphics: EVGA Geforce 6200 PCI Graphics card - $45.

I wouldn't worry so much about the processor. Adding the graphics card should off-load the tasks from the processor and the extra memory should allow the system to run much faster.

I'd also love to see some images of the cabinet you built. I've been wanting to do something similar for years, but I just don't have the space in my small apartment.

-Wolf sends

 

[geekapproved]

$80 wasted dollars.

 

[Wolfshadw]

Hmm... Then again, if you currently have Windows XP available for install on a system (or can use Linux and MAME), I'd probably take a look at this Dell Optiplex GX280 @ $45 ($10 +$35 S&H). Already has the better processor, 1GB of RAM and an ATI X300 graphics card.

-Wolf sends

 

[GTAsoldier]

I just looked at my computer's motherboard. One of the RAM slots is DDR and othe other slot is DDR2. The RAM stick that's currently in use is in the DDR slot. If I buy the Kingston RAM sticks you mentioned above, can one of them go into the DDR2 slot? (They're DDR).

Oh, and here's a pic of my cabinet

http://t.co/odGLSTq

EDIT: Nevermind about my RAM question above. I re-looked at the DDR slots and they look like exactly the same. According to the website I posted above, they're both DDR DIMM (184-pin) sockets. The "DDR2" on the motherboard indicated the 2nd slot (while DDR1 was occupied).