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Tom's Hardware > Forum > Games General > PC Gaming > Hardware Advice For Gaming

Hardware Advice For Gaming

Tom's Hardware: Over 1.4 million members in 6 different countries available to answer all your high-tech questions. Sign up now! Its free!
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jasno   05-14-2008 at 06:05:52 PM

I have $140 to spend to upgrade my computer for Age of Conan.

What would you upgrade first and what would you buy with $140?


My Comp Specs:

MOBO: ASUS M2N-E AM2

Processor: AMD Athlon 64 3800+ Orleans 2.4GHz Single-Core Processor

Gfx Card: EVGA Geforce 7600 GT KO

RAM: 1 GB Corsair XMS2

Power: Raidmax 450 W power supply

OS: XP Home


So what would you do with $140? What will help the most with AoC? What replacement would you buy?

Thanks

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Alex The PC Gamer   05-14-2008 at 06:23:08 PM
- 0 +

Get a new videocard. The 7600GT is good if you want to play older games like BF2 and similar...but you won't enjoy new games otherwise.

Look at Toms article for the month of May(Best videocard for the money-May edition)...it should give you a pretty good idea (between ATI vs Nvidia).

**your CPU and RAM would be your next concern***


Message edited by Alex The PC Gamer on 05-14-2008 at 06:38:57 PM
------------------------------ Windows XP MCE & Vista 64-bit (dual boot)
XFX NFORCE 680I LT SLI w/ OCZ Platinum 4 Gigs Dual DDR2 @ 800MHz
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.4GHz w/ ChillTec Thermo Electric CPU Cooler
MSI NX8800 GTX & X-Fi XtremeGamer Soundblaster
 Reply to Alex The PC Gamer
jasno   05-14-2008 at 06:31:26 PM
- 0 +

thanks for the reply alex. Alot of people are telling me on the AoC forum to get RAM First.. But I dont think they are very knowledgeable as far as hardware goes, I think they are just AoC fans. So I came here.

I do have some graphics cards in mind, after reading some reviews.

I have found some really nice cards for $140 or under!

EVGA 512-P3-N861-AR GeForce 9600GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130334

XFX PVT94PYDE4 GeForce 9600GT Extreme 512MB 256-bit GDDR3
Extreme Edition overclocked at 680Mhz
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150283

XFX PVT88PYDF4 GeForce 8800GT 512MB 256-bit GDDR3
Free Company of Heroes w/ purchase, while supplies last
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814150252

EVGA 320-P2-N811-AR GeForce 8800GTS 320MB 320-bit GDDR3
1x Winner of Customer Choice Award - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814130082


what do u think about those choices? what would you do with $140?

Reply to jasno
Alex The PC Gamer   05-14-2008 at 06:45:39 PM
- 0 +

I haven't looked at the prices but I would go with the 8800GTS if it's in your price range. Its the best card in your list.

**EDIT: Actually...320MB is low...I was thinking of the higher one. Go with the 8800GT 512MB.**


Message edited by Alex The PC Gamer on 05-14-2008 at 06:54:47 PM
------------------------------ Windows XP MCE & Vista 64-bit (dual boot)
XFX NFORCE 680I LT SLI w/ OCZ Platinum 4 Gigs Dual DDR2 @ 800MHz
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 2.4GHz w/ ChillTec Thermo Electric CPU Cooler
MSI NX8800 GTX & X-Fi XtremeGamer Soundblaster
 Reply to Alex The PC Gamer
Jaevric   05-14-2008 at 06:53:43 PM
- 0 +

Going from what other people have been saying, I'd probably do the 8800GT over the 8800GTS 320. My understanding is that the (G80)8800GTS was distinctly underwhelming.

What resolution is your monitor? That'll also affect your best option.

Reply to Jaevric
ohiou_grad_06   05-14-2008 at 06:56:46 PM
- 0 +

I'm actually though thinking of the 8800 gs myself. Look at the benchmarks. You can get an 8800 gs superclocked edition which should perform on par with the 9600 gt at lower resolutions, probably better than the 9600gt actually, at least according to the benchmarks. But the EVGA version was about 135 on newegg and then had a 30 dollar mail in rebate. I think I'd pick up something like that, when you get your rebate back, get another gigabyte of memory at least to put you at 2 gigs.

Then after that I would start looking into maybe a dual core CPU. Although before you think video, you may want to check all specs on your PSU to see if it will handle the cards you want.

Message quoted 1 times
Reply to ohiou_grad_06
jasno   05-14-2008 at 06:58:24 PM
- 0 +

yes but the 8800 GTS 512's are also out of my price range of $140

they are more around $200

Reply to jasno
jasno   05-14-2008 at 07:01:13 PM
- 0 +

ohiou_grad_06 wrote :

I'm actually though thinking of the 8800 gs myself. Look at the benchmarks. You can get an 8800 gs superclocked edition which should perform on par with the 9600 gt at lower resolutions, probably better than the 9600gt actually, at least according to the benchmarks. But the EVGA version was about 135 on newegg and then had a 30 dollar mail in rebate. I think I'd pick up something like that, when you get your rebate back, get another gigabyte of memory at least to put you at 2 gigs.

Then after that I would start looking into maybe a dual core CPU. Although before you think video, you may want to check all specs on your PSU to see if it will handle the cards you want.



Actually someone already suggested me to get the 8800 GS and I did look at some benchmarks... and it performed really well.

Also I can get a GS for about $100 right now after rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6814130333

but since i have $140 I was thinking it might be worth it to spend that little extra cash on one of the more expensive ones.

Reply to jasno
infornography42   05-14-2008 at 07:11:54 PM
- 0 +

You know, you can get both the graphics card and some more memory which I would put as your second concern.

RAM is cheap right now.

Reply to infornography42
jasno   05-14-2008 at 07:20:59 PM
- 0 +

yeah ram is cheap, but i am scared to order a small amount of RAM, i have 4 slots and 2 are free right now.

but i have heard from a lot of people saying that if i buy RAM it might not work with the RAM i have alrdy, so upgrading RAM is a pain they said

that said i was just think buy 4BG in 2 sticks that people said works fine with the MOBO, then i dont have to worry later about upgrading.

Reply to jasno
darthvaderkenneth   05-15-2008 at 11:48:48 AM
- 0 +

you should get ram, i know upgrading ur video card should be the priority but with only 1gb of ram, the ram is more immportant than a better video card

Reply to darthvaderkenneth
mi1ez   05-15-2008 at 12:35:25 PM
- 0 +

As has been previously pointed out video card and RAM should be attempted. You should be able to get 2Gb for not a lot and just throw your old stuff out if you're worried about mixing and matching.

If you can find out what you've already got and match the settings that'd work to!

Reply to mi1ez
Flakes   05-15-2008 at 12:44:14 PM
- 0 +

i would get the 8800GT. none of those links work so i cant see the price.

then i would concentrate on your RAM, another stick of 1GB of the same stuff for $38, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820145153

Reply to Flakes
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