How would Jesus upgrade?

Prospero424 · Nov 28, 2007, 01:06 PM

Heh.

Okay, here's the situation: I have (roughly) $300 to spend in my budget on an upgrade for this two-year-old system:

Athlon X2 3800+ on EVGA nForce 4 Socket 939 mobo
GeForce 7800GT
2 Gigs Corsair DDR400
Audigy 2
Antec P-180 case with 480-watt P/S
NEC 16X (DVD) Burner
Viewsonic 19" p95f+ CRT monitor

This is my main gaming machine, and I do a lot of media transcoding on it as well.

What hardware would you spend the money on? I'm thinking of finally getting a flat panel monitor, but I'm looking for ideas, and the idea of a new video card is getting more and more tempting as prices for decent 512MB DX10 cards are falling below the $250 level.

**kris23** · Nov 28, 2007, 02:23 PM

normally we would just say upgrade to an Intel system but you don't have the money for that.

i say just get an 8800GT

cozumel · Nov 28, 2007, 02:34 PM

....requesting divine intervention from his father. Hell, if he could turn water in to wine then surely changing 7800GT to an 8800Gt would be no problem...

Prospero424 · Nov 28, 2007, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kris23

normally we would just say upgrade to an Intel system but you don't have the money for that.

Exactly right.

Thanks for getting that argument out of the way.

Prospero424 · Nov 28, 2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cozumel

....requesting divine intervention from his father. Hell, if he could turn water in to wine then surely changing 7800GT to an 8800Gt would be no problem...

Transmographication.

Bless his techy ways...

procupine14 · Nov 28, 2007, 03:43 PM

yeah new graphics will be your best option just get that now and then you can upgrade other stuff later.....but this is the only part that you wouldn't need to buy other stuff for....(seeing as your system doesn't run ddr2) and DDR ram is quite pricey these days

i guess another fine question would be can that PSU handle an 8800GT card?

**kris23** · Nov 28, 2007, 10:23 PM

i think the 8800GT is only a handful of watts more, i think its fine

for the time-being anyway.....

Prospero424 · Nov 29, 2007, 07:37 AM

Yeah, my 480Watt should be more than enough for any single card.

I'm still trying to decide between a video card and a new monitor/TV, though.

My gaming PC is in my living room on a 19" CRT monitor only a few feet away from on old 38" ProScan CRT television. A flat panel that could replace both of these CRTs in one fell swoop is attractive.

But that might wind up breaking my budget. I guess I've got some more thinking to do.

Prospero424 · Nov 30, 2007, 11:35 AM

Well, I went ahead and bought a 24" 1920x1200 LCD:

Newegg.com - Westinghouse L2410NM Glossy Black 24" 8ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 500 cd/m2 1000:1 Built in Speakers - Retail

I just had to get rid of those CRTs. I was going to get an 8800GT, but their availability is really low right now, and their prices are going to be high for at least a month because of it. I figure I can wait to play Crysis for a few months

It's not the best monitor out there, but it's 24" of true HD for $350, and the image quality/view angle is supposed to be quite good being that it's a P-MVA TFT.

Sorry, big J. I'll give it to the poor next time. I swear.

kn00tcn · Dec 5, 2007, 04:50 AM

no way, you ditched the crt!?

well now you'll struggle at those massive resolutions..

Nov 28, 2007, 01:06 PM	#1
Prospero424 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 21 Rep Power: 0	How would Jesus upgrade? Heh. Okay, here's the situation: I have (roughly) $300 to spend in my budget on an upgrade for this two-year-old system: Athlon X2 3800+ on EVGA nForce 4 Socket 939 mobo GeForce 7800GT 2 Gigs Corsair DDR400 Audigy 2 Antec P-180 case with 480-watt P/S NEC 16X (DVD) Burner Viewsonic 19" p95f+ CRT monitor This is my main gaming machine, and I do a lot of media transcoding on it as well. What hardware would you spend the money on? I'm thinking of finally getting a flat panel monitor, but I'm looking for ideas, and the idea of a new video card is getting more and more tempting as prices for decent 512MB DX10 cards are falling below the $250 level. Last edited by Prospero424; Nov 28, 2007 at 01:33 PM.

Nov 28, 2007, 02:23 PM	#2
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,017 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	normally we would just say upgrade to an Intel system but you don't have the money for that. i say just get an 8800GT __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Nov 28, 2007, 02:34 PM	#3
cozumel I'm dangerous but cute... Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Under the waves... Posts: 3,577 Rep Power: 60 System Specs	Jesus would upgrade by... ....requesting divine intervention from his father. Hell, if he could turn water in to wine then surely changing 7800GT to an 8800Gt would be no problem... __________________ Don't worry about money - Be a beach bum! Scuba Rocks

Nov 28, 2007, 03:43 PM	#6
procupine14 Why is it Beeping!?!?! Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: USA, Missouri Posts: 1,400 Rep Power: 58 System Specs	yeah new graphics will be your best option just get that now and then you can upgrade other stuff later.....but this is the only part that you wouldn't need to buy other stuff for....(seeing as your system doesn't run ddr2) and DDR ram is quite pricey these days i guess another fine question would be can that PSU handle an 8800GT card? __________________ HTPC/file server: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit - AMD Phenom x4 9850 - 4GB OCZ DDR2 800 (2x2GB) - 1TB WD Black - 4 x 1TB Hitachi DeskStar in RAID 5 - ATi TV Wonder Digital Cable Tuner - HIS Raedon 4850 512MB - ASRock N68C-S UCC mobo - OCZ ModExtreme Pro 500W PSU GF's Gaming PC: Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit - AMD Phenom 9850 - 4GB OCZ DDR2 1066 - 500GB Western Digital GP - HIS Raedon 5770 1GB - ASUS M3A78-EM - Zalman 650W PSU Media Streamer: Win 7 Pro 64-bit - AMD Athlon x2 3200+ - 4GB SuperTalent DDR2 800 - 250GB SeaGate Barracuda - MSI K9N6PGM2-V2 - ASUS Raedon 5450 SILENT - FSP group 250W PSU

Nov 28, 2007, 10:23 PM	#7
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,017 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	i think the 8800GT is only a handful of watts more, i think its fine for the time-being anyway..... __________________ Hardwareheaven Super-Moderator Building a new computer system and not sure where to start? Click Here! last updated (5/18/11) Rosewill FUTURE case replaces CM 690 II with its greater interior length. Building a PC: Step by Step Guide Written by Kristopher Pedemonte and Nathan Marks-Forder Edited by Allan Campbell Questions or Comments? feel free to post them in the forums!

Nov 29, 2007, 07:37 AM	Thread Starter #8
Prospero424 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 21 Rep Power: 0	Yeah, my 480Watt should be more than enough for any single card. I'm still trying to decide between a video card and a new monitor/TV, though. My gaming PC is in my living room on a 19" CRT monitor only a few feet away from on old 38" ProScan CRT television. A flat panel that could replace both of these CRTs in one fell swoop is attractive. But that might wind up breaking my budget. I guess I've got some more thinking to do.

Nov 30, 2007, 11:35 AM	Thread Starter #9
Prospero424 DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 21 Rep Power: 0	Well, I went ahead and bought a 24" 1920x1200 LCD: Newegg.com - Westinghouse L2410NM Glossy Black 24" 8ms Widescreen LCD Monitor 500 cd/m2 1000:1 Built in Speakers - Retail I just had to get rid of those CRTs. I was going to get an 8800GT, but their availability is really low right now, and their prices are going to be high for at least a month because of it. I figure I can wait to play Crysis for a few months It's not the best monitor out there, but it's 24" of true HD for $350, and the image quality/view angle is supposed to be quite good being that it's a P-MVA TFT. Sorry, big J. I'll give it to the poor next time. I swear.

Dec 5, 2007, 04:50 AM	#10
kn00tcn DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Toronto Posts: 649 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	no way, you ditched the crt!? well now you'll struggle at those massive resolutions.. __________________ http://www.kn00tcn.net/site/ati-catalyst-profiles/ http://www.kn00tcn.net/FPSLimiter.rar