CPU/MOBO or Video Card?

KingsFan707

Distinguished
Sep 29, 2003
2
0
18,510
I'm currently running an athlon xp2000+,a gig of pc2700 ram, and have a Geforce4 ti4200. I feel like upgrading but am wondering what you would upgrade first. I'm either going to buy the barton 2500+ with mb, or a radeon 9700pro/9800non pro. What do you think would have more of an immediate affect on games ect. I plan to get both eventually but only have the money for one right now. Thanks !
 

cleeve

Illustrious
9700 pro/9800 will show you a bigger performance increase in games.

Barton 2500+ will get you a better increase in content creation/everything else.

I know becuase I just upgraded a 2000+ to a 2400+ and it didn't do diddley squat. (I got it for free, I wouldn't have paid for an upgrade that small)

But while I had my 2000+ and upgraded from a 8500 to a 9500 PRO, I saw a massive game performance increase.

------------------
Radeon 9500 (modded to PRO w/8 pixel pipelines)
AMD AthlonXP 2000+
3dMark03: 3529
 

Alstair

Distinguished
May 25, 2003
29
0
18,530
If you already modded your 9500 to have the 8 pixel pipelines, then overclock it to around 9700 speeds. The 9500 128MB nonPro has the 256bit memory interface making it better(once you've done the hack) than the 128bit 9500 Pro. You can squeeze some more performance out of that thing if you already haven't.
 

cleeve

Illustrious
My 9500 non-pro has 128 megs of memory but only the 128 bit memory interface, so it is not moddable to a 9700... just to 9500 PRO.

The hack only opens up the 4 extra pipelines, it doesn't change the memory interface. The memory interface is either 128 bit (straight line) or 256 bit (l-shape) depending on the PCB. You don't have to 'enable' it.

I do plan to OC in the future though, just need some spare time on a weekend to get around to it...



------------------
Radeon 9500 (modded to PRO w/8 pixel pipelines)
AMD AthlonXP 2400+
3dMark03: 3586