Please help me upgrade my computer.

[darkfusion]

Well I got a top of the line Alienware at X-Mas and my old PC is now just sitting here gathering dust. I'd like to bring it up to date to handle the likes of UT2004, Call of Duty, C&C: Generals etc. with no sweat, as I would like a decent second computer that I can keep at my moms house for when I'm there.

Here are the current specs of the computer:

2.4Ghz
256MB DDR RAM
80GB Ultra DMA/100 Disc Drive
64MB AGP GeForce 4 MX440

Now, I'm guessing all I really need is another 256MB of RAM and a better GFX card...

Thing is, I've not done much upgrading before, as I've usually taken the easy way out and just bought a better computer

However I don't think it's worth it, as it has a pretty fast processor and shouldn't cost too much to bring it up to todays current standards (I hope!)

So, what GFX card do you recommend under £100 that will work with my PC?

And also, do I need a special type of RAM (like I said, I'm a n00b to upgrading) because I've heard sometimes certain types of RAM are uncompatible with certain motherboards or whatever...

According to the booklets I got with my PC, my motherboard is an "IM845G Motherboard" if that helps...

Thanks in advance, any advice is much appreciated

 

[Geek]

That computer will handle UT04 just fine with 256MB more RAM and an ATI 9600XT card (the other graphics cards are trash when it comes to 04, if you're looking for performance AND stability, and built-in overclocking which reacts to temperature).

Total cost is about $250.

And for your information, your 2.4 computer isn't "old," as a matter of fact, with the right upgrades and proper maintenance, it'll be 75% the speed of your new alienware.

My $1150 home built P4 2.4GHZ machine outperforms the $1600 alienware intel machine, based upon their performance test tool.

And my machine is a year and a half old.

Cheers,
Geek

 

[pedxing]

Geforce 4 MX 440 is pitiful. It won't run the latest directX games very well and some games even have labels with warnings: "Will not work with GeForce 4 MX". If you need a faster video card right now, get a good ATI card. nvidia doesn't offer a good cheap solution right now. I think you should wait till summer after the new generation of video cards have been announced. The price of older gfx boards may drop and you might have a shot getting a high end ATI or nvidia graphics at a discount.

2.4 GHz Pentium 4 is somewhat fast. The 3.0+ GHz Pentium 4 are faster, but I don't think its worth spending the money for the diminishing performance gains. Basically, the new Pentium 4 architecture that was recently released runs slower per clock cycle than the old one you currently have. If you do decide to do a processor upgrade, I would stick to Intel because AMD motherboard chipsets are unstable (including AMD, nvidia, via, and SYS).

I would defintely get more RAM, at least 256 MB more. Watch out - make sure your new RAM matches the old RAM speed.

 

[Eagle_Driver]

Quote:

Originally posted by pedxing If you do decide to do a processor upgrade, I would stick to Intel because AMD motherboard chipsets are unstable (including AMD, nvidia, via, and SYS).

Agree with you for the most part. But when it comes to "low-latency" DDR memory, the current Intel chipsets have serious issues with such memory. In fact, most of the fastest (and I mean timing-wise, not rated PC#### speed-wise), low-latency memory modules are currently recommended only on AMD-based machines or on Intel-processor-based machines that don't use Intel chipsets, according to their manufacturers.

 

[MuZI]

Is that a company made computer?

Dell?

You might wana call them first to check compatibility, like does it take 8X AGP slot..i`m preety sure you have DDR ram in there aroudn PC 2100 or 2700.

 

[Ctn]

I used to play ut in comp. One of Oz's best ut teams.

I find that the min ram you should have is 1G for ut2004 since it uses about 900 megs on some maps. You will get hdd stutter with 512 although ut manages the lack of mem pretty well better than the original.

Anything as good or better than a gf4 ti will suffice.
Atm the fx5900 or 9800 pro are INSANELY cheap !
Either one will set you back around $150-200.

 

[ch1nkster]

Try finding a nice 9800 non-pro with the Samsung ram chips and then BIOS flash the thing up to pro speeds. you save anywhere from 50-100 USD that way. I'm not too sure about your mobo, but if it supports Dual Channel, then get the same EXACT type/model/ mb size of your other ram card and you can have a faster comp. You can also get a nice Sapphire 9600 for pretty cheap if you look around.

As for my comp, I bought a AMD 2500+ Barton (unlocked, AQXEA stepping) for only $88 and it's running at 2.4 ghz fine right now. You really get ripped off big time by spending a wad of cash on so-so comps built by Dell, Gateway, Sony, HP, etc which IMO aren't really worth it.

 

[wallijonn]

Sounds like you have an EMachines 590 PC.

http://www.e4allinc.info/dir1/suppor...therboards.htm

http://www.e4allinc.info/dir1/mother...8/imperial.htm

The Imperial-G board is the only one that has an AGP slot.

Memory Type: Unbuffered DDR Synchronous DRAM (DDR SDRAM)
Memory Speed: PC2100/PC1600
Memory Sockets: Two 184-pin 2.5 V DIMM sockets
Maximum Memory: 2 GB
256Mbit Memory Support: Yes
Front Side Bus: 400MHz

You only have two mem slots.

-------------------------------------------------

Before swapping in the new video card, remove the old video drivers. shutdown. swap the video cards. boot up.

 

[Stephonovich]

Quote:

...and an ATI 9600XT card (the other graphics cards are trash when it comes to 04...)

Huh-wha? Like crap. Unless you're referring to the other low range (FX5600/5700) cards, I assure you, the 5900/5950 is NOT crap. I'm getting a 5900 very soon, and all the tests I've seen show it sticking with ATI's best on almost everything gaming wise.

And quit complaining, darkfusion. I've got a Rage 128 32MB card that's 10 years old. I get about 15fps on a good day in the 2K4 demo, with everything set down

I still will whoop your can, though

It's like in CS; people would/will (haven't played nearly as much since the piece of crap known as Steam happened) laugh at me for playing on a dial-up. As long as my ping was under 300, I could play with the best of them. At <=200, I was in the top 3 frequently. I distinctly remember one l33t d00d harassing me for having a high ping, telling me to "quit playing until you get a real connection". I busted him so fast the next round it made his head spin. Oh yes, I don't use the AWP, either. Scout power all the way, baby. Or MP5 sniping. You'd be suprised how accurate that sucker is across dust2. Heh. But anyway, back on subject.

Your computer is fine. Get another 256MB of RAM and a newer vid card (I'd recommend the 5900, and see if you can't get a Leadtek, XFX, or Albatron, as they've been known to work with the 5950 BIOS hack), and you're good to go.

Ctn, what's this about 1GB of RAM? I play with 512MB of PC2100 just fine. And that's with my HD currently running in PIO mode due to my 80 conducter IDE cable crapping out. No stuttering whatsoever. Granted, 15fps, but I've adapted. I think everyone should be forced to play with crappy hardware/slow connection before they're allowed to get fun stuff. It makes you a better player, IMO. And lets you appreciate us poor 56Kers

(-:Stephonovich

 

[Ctn]

Quote:

Originally posted by Stephonovich Ctn, what's this about 1GB of RAM? I play with 512MB of PC2100 just fine. And that's with my HD currently running in PIO mode due to my 80 conducter IDE cable crapping out. No stuttering whatsoever. Granted, 15fps, but I've adapted. I think everyone should be forced to play with crappy hardware/slow connection before they're allowed to get fun stuff. It makes you a better player, IMO. And lets you appreciate us poor 56Kers

512 is bare minimum for playability. 1G is min for the likes of me where lag = death. Try assault convoy or mothership. Feel the diff 1G can make

Im running 50fps average on convoy. On normal maps I average 80fps

How do you think I got so good

I was on 33.6k dialup (couldnt afford cable) with packetloss celery 400 (couldnt afford p3) and tnt2m64 (couldnt afford a real tnt2) at the time yet my shock combo's owned lpb's

then when I got cable, everyone else were like newbies compared to my skill. I played matches for so many clans it wasnt funny heheh. Everyone was like join my clan, no join mine. Samething in ut2004 hehe.

 

[Chinchy]

Quote:

Originally posted by darkfusion Here are the current specs of the computer: 2.4Ghz 256MB DDR RAM 80GB Ultra DMA/100 Disc Drive 64MB AGP GeForce 4 MX440

Wow, you think that's old enough to warrant a new machine? Double Wow. I've been running off my P3-700 machine with a similar graphics card for about a year now. Prior to that I was running on a p2-400. At least I have 512 MB ram (the max).

Good thing CS doesn't have a lot of hardware requirements to play...

Tell you what. Give me that PC and I'll put it to good use...

Okay, in all honesty, if I really wanted to I would have built a much better PC by now. But my computers are mostly free because they're from the "junk" pile at work. And even with my p2-400 I was whipping people with setups that were amazing. Lesson learned: it's not what you have, it's how you use it.

 

[lan]

It could be hard since they don't make them anymore but I would also try and find an ATI 9800 non-pro.

You have 2.4ghz 400 or 533FSB? Most likely it's single channel memory so I'd get another 512MB.

 

[bootman]

You can see the pattern forming.
More mem and a new vid card.

No need to touch the CPU or HD.

shouldn't need to spend more than $250 total.

Mushkin Basic Green 184 Pin 256MB DDR PC-2700 $42
POWERCOLOR ATI RADEON 9800 $173

Shipping included at newegg.

 

[Ctn]

Quote:

POWERCOLOR ATI RADEON 9800 $173

Get the 9800 pro for less than $200. Not as fast as the 5900 for UT2004 but will most probably be faster in the upcomming games of this year.

 

[lan]

He's in the UK so I doubt he can get 9800Pro for under 100euros.