PC - where to spend those hard earned bucks?

[WonderBob]

At the moment my systems is as follows:

AMD 64 3000+ running at a 1.9
Asus 6600 GT
1 gig RAM (cheapo single channel)
low end mobo and power supply
120gig IDE HDD

If I want to get some more performance for gaming, where should I invest?

Should I just buy a better grfx card?

Will I get better peformance if I buy a SATA HDD and get some decent dual channel RAM (2gig)?

Maybe SATA drive, dual channel RAM decent PSU and then overclock some?

If I get a better grfx card, will I get full performance even though the rest of my system is a tad on the old side?

 

[|tera|]

Don't upgrade dude, if you've got money to burn, buy a whole new pc!

Your system is average for 2005-2006, it's not a bad system at all. It relates to mine, except mine is dual channel and I've got the SATA thing going.

The best would be to buy a new system, make it something dual core X2 and spend some money on a decent motherboard and so forth. Most people will tell you that now's a bad time to upgrade or buy a new pc, wait for the AM2's to arrive from AMD. I agree with them, but prices on other components will get cheaper, so buy yourself a decent AMD dual core cpu and get the dual channel branded memory, psu and whatever else you want.

 

[incubate]

I have to agree with teraside.

My PC bombed out like 2 months ago and was thinking of buying an interim PC before the new intel core 2 duo's. But have decided to wait since the new intel chips are right around the corner and new dx10 cards should be here early nect year. So i'm waiting for the new intel chips before any new buys

 

[WonderBob]

yea well buying a new system would be great.

Ok, say I wait a couple of months for prices to fall a bit (and my capital to rise a bit) but I buy a grfx card so long (with the idea to use it in the new system). Will I get full performance from say a 7900GT if I stick it into my current system, or will the system somhow keep the card from performing at 100%?

On a different note, how much will prices actually go down with in your opinion? (estimates)

 

[Highflyer_GP]

7900GT will make a huge difference. Just make sure that your current mobo has a PCI-E slot and your PSU can supply enough power

 

[|tera|]

Like incubate says, the new Directx 10 cards are around the corner, so I won't upgrade the graphics if I were you, the gt can handle life until the end of this year.

Prices fluctuate, look at your local pc shops and start learning what things like hardware do price wise. No one can say how much prices will go down, but generally speaking, looking at graphics cards, ram and motherboard prices. It's much much lower than last year.
So it's bound to be much lower next year.

 

[Highflyer_GP]

It will be a while before games start taking full advantage of DX10, he's looking for a gfx card in the mean time before getting a new system. The 7900GT should take him to the end of next year at the very least.

 

[|tera|]

You make a strong case Highflyer, if he's got the dosh I'd have to concur.

 

[WonderBob]

I just dont want to buy a card for a couple of grand and NOT get full performance out of it.

different question:

Will 2 gig Dual channel DDR333 Ram perform better or worse than 1 gig single channel DDR400 Ram?

 

[swordfish1]

PC prices will go up soon with the $/R up 20% so far and still falling like a brick ...

 

[DigitalSoldier]

Wonderbob you can get this card and I am sure it will hold out till end of the year.

http://www.computersonly.co.za/productdetail.aspx?sku=XFX7900GT256&categoryId=

 

[ShockG]

don't get anything just yet, but if you must a 7600GT or 2nd hand 6800GT/Ultra.

DX10 cards won't come next year, but this year. Holiday season sales re massive and nvidia ASIC is said will have hit TSMC\UMC in August\September nd availability as early as October.

Be it games need it or not, its always nice to say you have a DirectX whatever graphics card

Don't worry so much about Dual channel, but maybe another 1GB stick wouldn't be a bad idea. However that 1.9GHz clock is killing the system and is not enough for your 6600GT even. 2.6Ghz would be more like it

 

[DigitalSoldier]

I got 6000gt but only playing Guildwars and waiting for dx10 card just to have bragging rights before any1 else got

 

[Toxin]

The card you have now can run most games comfortably so I wouldn't upgrade that just yet. Your RAM, CPU and HDD won't make much of a dif in games performance.

If you've got the cash the 7900GT is awesome! You'll definately see improved performance. But I'd wait till the next gen cards come out.

 

[killadoob]

you guys keep goin on about these directx cards around the corner

8 months is not around the corner

 

[DigitalSoldier]

killadoob the 6600gt can run all games just fine and with all the delays in games at the moment might as well just wait that few months and spend the money on something else for now

 

[ShockG]

Na uh, that 1.9GHz 3000+ is death to your games unless you're playing hi-res at least 1600x1200 in which case you'd be GPU bound on that graphics card, so it's probably not your gaming resolution.
Belive that a better CPU would boost your fram rates like crazy without you forking out for a new gfx card.

Test:
=====
GeForce 7800GT (490/1.15GHz)
nForce4 SLI Motherboard Driver 6.70
Forceware 84.30

Doom3 High Detail (8xAF 0xAA) 1024x768
===============================
AMD Athlon64 3000+ (1.8GHz): ??? (Suppose its in the early 70's :/)
AMD Athlon64 3200+ (2.0GHz):80.2fps
AMD Athlon64 3500+ (2.2GHz):92.8fps
AMD Athlon64 3800+ (2.4GHz):106fps
AMD AthlonX2 3800+ (2.0GHz):111.7
AMD Athlon64 3000+ @2.8GHz:123.7fps

Trust that there's a difference. Unless you can get that Venice to say 2.6~2.8GHz+ you're goin' to waste that 7900GT.

Going from ay mid 70s to 123fps is alot. That's more than 50fps more just by oc'ig the CPU. Up to you though...
===================
8months? Uh no!
Where you get 8months from? Unless if you're counting from April for some reason. :/

 

[MrBean_pm]

Stay away from 7900 series gfx for now. There is some serious problems with at least a certain batch of them, sudden-death syndrome it's called. I believe there to be a problem with the design of the voltage regulation circuitry on these, which needs to be resolved.

And, it doesn't help some suppliers, eg XFX clocking these things to death to give you the Extreme versios.....I have 2x 7800GTX's in my wife's rig, 2x XFX7900GTX's in mine, and had to downclock the 7900GTX's from 690/875 to 660/855 to make them run cool, artifact free. With water on them they may get to decent 690/875 speeds, but not on air.

If you have to buy now, really must, then get a decent 7800GTX, preferably a 512M card, get a decent motherbaord, socket 939, 1 gig dual channel ram (2x 512M) and keep your ide drive for now - you will hardly see a difference going to single sata.

If I were you, give it a short 3 months, and buy Conroe setup, same 7800GTX and ddrII.

Have fun.