B-day yesterday. Given money, should I upgrade the computer?

2006-11-09 09:03:50

#1

Rosebudteg: Member; +6|6414|Washington State

Hey there. I have an old computer. Lemmi first give you some specs.

M-Board - ASUS P4T Intel i850 chipset
CPU - P4 1.7 GHz 423 Socket
Ram - 1 GB PC800 RDRAM Non-ECC
Vid Card - ATI Radeon 9600XT 128 MB

Windows XP Professional Edition. Running Norton Anti-Virus but before I play I usually put it on hold because it sucks up a lot of resources.

Now here is my problem. 423 socket P4 chips only go up to about 2.0 GHz, so if I upgrade the CPU any, I'd have to upgrade the motherboard. But the RDRAM was only available in motherboards that were 423 socket. So if I upgrade the CPU, I have to upgrade the motherboard. If I upgrade the motherboard, I have the upgrade the RAM. The motherboard is 4x AGP, so if I upgrade the motherboard I also have to upgrade the video card (because I'd like to have PCI-E).

Now it's going to cost a lot of money to upgrade this computer as I have to upgrade nearly every component, so I am saving the money now.

But here is the question. I play BF2 at the lowest settings that are available. The only thing I have raised is the draw distance so I can see someone beyond 40m.

I have $100 to spend from birthday money. I'm considering purchasing a new video card to help this situation out until I can save up enough money to purchase a beast of a machine.

But would a new video card help me out or is that not where the biggest bottleneck is? If I buy a video card would I be solving the wrong problem?

Edit: Well, the $100 would be added to what I have set aside for a new Vid Card... so probably $150-170 for the video card. I could get a nice AGP card like a ATI X1600 256 MB or the 512 MB. But like I said, would I notice so marginally an improvement that I'd feel like I wasted my money?

Last edited by Rosebudteg (2006-11-09 09:18:32)

2006-11-09 09:08:32

#2

ELITE-UK: Scratching my back; +170|6493|SHEFFIELD, ENGLAND

you wont get much with $100, you should ask for a whole new pc for chiristmas or something

2006-11-09 09:08:52

#3

=Karma-Kills=: "Don't post while intoxicated."; +356|6603|England

You are flogging a dead horse.

Spend the money on a new Mobo and then save up some money to build up from there.

2006-11-09 09:09:42

#4

Delta Leader1: Member; +0|6464

How do you play on this system? ( sorry for the comment ) well anyway. id upgrade the motherboard and add some RAM. when i upgraded to 4 gigs of ram from two. it made a hell of a dif. BF@ ran so smooth after that id never stoped playing ( lol ) well that my gues... or upgrade your graphics card? stick with ATI though. nvidia is just a joke against my xtx crossfire (=

2006-11-09 09:10:18

#5

nlsme: Member; +48|6434|new york

ELITE-UK wrote:
you wont get much with $100, you should ask for a whole new pc for chiristmas or something

2006-11-09 09:16:34

#6

Rosebudteg: Member; +6|6414|Washington State

Well, the $100 would be added to what I have set aside for a new Vid Card... so probably $150-170 for the video card. I could get a nice AGP card like a ATI X1600 256 MB or the 512 MB. But like I said, would I notice so marginally an improvement that I'd feel like I wasted my money?

2006-11-09 09:20:34

#7

DoctorFruitloop: Level 13 Wrongdoer; +515|6565|Doncaster, UK

Do not throw money after this dinosaur of a PC. Seriously, the CPU is a massive bottleneck along with the AGP 4x, and any money you spend on a new graphics card is gonna be totally wasted without replacing pretty much everything else.

Just continue to save what money you can and replace the whole rig when you can.

2006-11-09 09:42:14

#8

Rosebudteg: Member; +6|6414|Washington State

Delta Leader1 wrote:
How do you play on this system? ( sorry for the comment )

I'll post a screenshot tonight of what I'm playing with. You'll wonder how I can see anyone at all. At a sniping distance a head is 4 pixels. There is no neck. The gun is a 2 pixel wide stick sticking out of their pixelated body.

2006-11-09 10:02:00

#9

=Karma-Kills=: "Don't post while intoxicated."; +356|6603|England

DoctorFruitloop wrote:
Do not throw money after this dinosaur of a PC. Seriously, the CPU is a massive bottleneck along with the AGP 4x, and any money you spend on a new graphics card is gonna be totally wasted without replacing pretty much everything else.

Just continue to save what money you can and replace the whole rig when you can.

Listen to the man!

EDIT: Or woman, or human of "other" sexual orientation. Sorry for the insensitivity.

Last edited by =Karma-Kills= (2006-11-09 10:03:50)

2006-11-09 10:04:10

#10

CMDR_Dave: Redneck; +66|6860|Missoula, MT

Don't upgrade...send the money directly to me. Thanks!

2006-11-09 10:08:44

#11

Delta Leader1: Member; +0|6464

Lord have mercy on your soul...

2006-11-09 10:59:27

#12

p3lvicthrust: Banned; +16|6421

Give the money back and say "buy me a new computer for christmas", take your old comp to a store and say "what can I get for this". They'll gladly give you 80-100 bux lol not to be a ass but seriously...if you just give the money back and ask for a new comp, even a comp that costs 800-1000 would really be an upgrade

2006-11-09 14:36:06

#13

younggun: Member; +28|6663

Save up dude... seriously.

2006-11-09 14:40:08

#14

Doktorbob: Member; +26|6507

BE a man and go buy yourself a good hooker.... Why waste it on stoopid computer crap?

2006-11-09 20:06:34

#15

-101-InvaderZim: Member; +42|6863|Waikato, Aotearoa

Buy a whole new rig

2006-11-09 21:22:28

#16

leftoverkiller: Member; +9|6482

save up to build a new PC. Ive invested alot into old technology only to say to myself . self why did you buy that old memory and video card you could of spent a few bucks more and built a nice new gaming machine. if you can play bf2 or 2142 on it well keep using it till its dead. just save the cash.

2006-11-10 05:55:32

#17

Bertster7: Confused Pothead; +1,101|6600|SE London

That PC is a lost cause. Start again.

2006-11-10 10:29:56

#18

p3lvicthrust: Banned; +16|6421

ook who karmastatpad me? leave your name dude lol

2006-11-10 10:31:45

#19

Jinto-sk: Laid Back Yorkshireman; +183|6610|Scarborough Yorkshire England

Hookers dude hookers

BF2S Forums B-day yesterday. Given money, should I upgrade the computer?

ELITE-UK wrote:

Delta Leader1 wrote:

DoctorFruitloop wrote:

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