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PC hardware: graphics card and memory
graphics card and memory
by icarus98 - 1/31/07 1:07 PMi have an intel pentium d processor 820 with dual core, memory of 1024mb and a 250gb hard drive. i would like to add a couple of sticks of ram and replace the ati x1300 graphics card i have in the unit right now. i have read a multitude of reviews and i am more confused now than i was in the beginning! i am interested in anyones thoughts on this and any advice you can offer. i run mtw 2 and will soon be running " supreme commander". money isn't an issue on this, i would just like to get it right first time! instead of wasting another $150 on a useless card.
thanks!
Adding RAM. . .
by Coryphaeus - 1/31/07 1:24 PM In reply to: graphics card and memory by icarus98to the motherboard will not improve graphics on a graphics card. You need a graphics card with more on-board RAM.
so.........
by icarus98 - 1/31/07 1:32 PM In reply to: Adding RAM. . . by Coryphaeusso that kinda answers my question, but i want to know whether it's worth adding a couple of sticks of ram and a new graphics card or just the ram? the x1300 has 256mb on board, but i would like to get the most out of the system instead of being left to play these games on minimal settings because the fps slows down and doesn't really enhance the experience, does that make sense? if i have to put down a few bucks to get a decent graphics card and some ram that will make everything run crystal then i'd like to do that rather than waste ( as i have!) money on a card that isn't going to cut it.
ram and card maybe?
by vewert - 1/31/07 5:51 PM In reply to: so......... by icarus98I have the same pentium D chip in my desktop...I upgraded my stock 1 gig of ram to 2 gigs last summer. I'm now thinking about upgrading to a 256 or 512mb graphics card...but I need to upgrade the power supply as well in order to do so....so maybe all three would help because I did see a difference in my games loading because of the ram upgrade, however the games video doesn't lag yet
thanx jake
by icarus98 - 2/1/07 7:07 AM In reply to: ram and card maybe? by vewertthanks for your input jake. what i want is to be able to run these games without all the lag issues as you described. with mtw2 i have to minimise many of the settings to get it to run at a fairly fluid speed, i.e. no jerky animations etc. i have been told that with this type of pentium that you should double upgrade as in 2x1gb memory or 2x 512mb memory because of the way that the dual core processes. is that what you did? a question to you about the graphics upgrade for you......why do you need a different power supply? won't it just plug in and run from the box? my current card (although crap!) is 256mb and that just slid right in and i've had no problems with it. it's just not giving me what i need graphics wise, maybe you should check that out more before spending anything on a new powersource?
power supply
by vewert - 2/1/07 7:15 AM In reply to: thanx jake by icarus98well my stock graphics card is on the low end, at 128mb. My power supply is only 300 watts which is fine for now...However, I want to upgrade my ram eventually to 4GB with at least a 512mb Graphics card from ATI...the box I looked at for the graphics card recommended a 350watt power supply so I need to upgrade my 300 watt.....and I've seen other posts on here about having to upgrade the power supply along with everything else....so for me over this summer I will probably get a 450watt power supply or something like that to have enough power for the 512mb or who knows they may have 1gb. video cards with a good price by then. My computers only a year old and I don't think I will be getting a new one for at while.
memory also...
by vewert - 2/1/07 7:18 AM In reply to: power supply by vewertand the ram....yes for the dual core I found out from first hand experience I had to get a 1 gb stick to go along with my 2-512 sticks already in the system....just adding another 512 stick would not work...also theres only 4 memory slots in my computer which kinda sucks...so if I want 4GB's I have to buy 3 more 1 GB sticks
i hear ya!
by icarus98 - 2/1/07 7:20 AM In reply to: power supply by vewerti got my computer in august and i definately will not be buying a new one for a while as well!!! but thats interesting about the power supply, i haven't heard of that before. if i'm putting 2gb in and a 512mb card does that mean i'm gonna need a new power supply as well?? this is all getting very complicated and expensive if so!!
power supply
by vewert - 2/1/07 7:22 AM In reply to: i hear ya! by icarus98you may not have to get a power supply depending on your stock power supply....you can open up the computer or find the specs and check it out. and compare the stock watts with the watts recommended on the new graphics card. I just know mine is not enough to handle everything...and I want to turn my computer into a SCREAMER eventually if possible lol
power supply
by icarus98 - 2/1/07 7:26 AM In reply to: power supply by vewerti'm with you there. i like all the strategy/war type games so the pc is the only way to go! but the console is great for sports games! i just find it very frustrating to get into games like mtw2, having a whale of a time and then have to deal with niggly little probs like the fps slowing down that kind of ruins the entire experience!! i too would like to have a screamer, but i'd like to have it now!!! lol!!!
supreme commander will probably need at least 1gb
by ramarc - 2/1/07 7:01 AM In reply to: so......... by icarus98but you won't know for sure until the game releases in late february. i suggest you just wait until then, read some reviews, and then look into a new video card. nvidia should be releasing the geforce 8600 cards in the $150-$200 price range by then so today's cards (geforce 7600gt/7900gs and radeon x1900gt/x1950gt/pro) will be either falling in price or obsoleted.
thanks ramac
by icarus98 - 2/1/07 7:16 AM In reply to: supreme commander will probably need at least 1gb by ramarcso what your saying is that i'd need to get at least another 1gb ram and update to a better card? at the current prices i would like to get another 2gb of ram and a new card if that will solve the problems i've had in the past with games. after my initial post yesterday i re-installed company of heroes, played around with the graphics settings in the games graphics settings option, but even with everything turned right down i was still only just getting what they call a "good" fps approx 63fps average. so......i hope that by getting the additional ram and a decent card i can run all these with no problems, i guess i want a kind of "console" type effect when playing.does that make sense? i would like someone to be able to give me a difinitive answer before i shell out the hard earned bucks!
anyone have any other advice?
by icarus98 - 2/1/07 4:28 PM In reply to: thanks ramac by icarus98so......can anyone give me any further advice on my initial question? i would really like to have some kind of concensus or advice before i spend $600 on a graphics card and ram. is it better to buy just ram and stick with the 256mb card i have? will that sufficently enhance the graphics? or am i far better off investing in the card and ram? supreme commander is what worries me here! although no-one will know for sure what is required until the release of the game........after suffering fps problems, lags etc with mtw2 and company of heroes, i want to give myself the best possible shot at enjoying the new game and the others again! seriously....any help you can offer is really appreciated.
2gb ram is plenty at the moment
by JoeRW - 2/9/07 2:21 PM In reply to: anyone have any other advice? by icarus98You really just need 2 1gb sticks of ram and make sure they are in the same color slots on your motherboard, then they will run in dual core. Also since its only two sticks the memory controller will operate more efficiently and you could even overclock further.
You should get a 256mb 7600gt card for about $120 while you wait for the next gen cards to come out. You should also have a sata II 3gb/s hdd for your operating system and page file drive.
Then your pc will kick ass for a year at least.
Upgrade the card
by ffsteve61 - 2/3/07 3:51 PM In reply to: graphics card and memory by icarus981024 of ram should be enough. The x1300 is a bottom of the line card. I had the same one on my PC. I upgrades to a Nvidia 6800 gt w/256 memory and the difference was amazing.If you are going to update the card try the Nvidia 7950gt. It has 512 of video memory and is pretty cheap right now. Around 200-250 bucks at Newegg.com
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