Upgrading need recommendations

tofumonster · Aug 11, 2008, 08:08 PM

Well I have a Dell XPS Gen 3 (from 2004?) The specs are:

Pentium 4 3.2Ghz with HT
1GB DDR2 SDRAM
SoundBlaster Audigy 2
ATI X800 XT 256MB PCI-E x16

I would like to upgrade it and not buy a new setup yet. When I have a job I will hand this one to my brother and build myself a computer. But for now I would just to upgrade it for now. Is there any upgrades I can add to max this old computer up?

I can play Call of Duty 4 fine as well as UT3 on high detail for around a good 20-40 FPS but I'd like to push it more to run smoother. A few more questions; Will adding 2GB more RAM boost it up a bit? Can a GeForce 8800GT card be put in this system?

I have a budget of ~$200, can you also link to some parts if it is not too much trouble?

-Thank you,
Tommy V.

**kris23** · Aug 11, 2008, 08:22 PM

Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

get yourself some of these and youll get plenty more power

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102747

probably cant get both but this is good too

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102747

and once you build a new system, simply take the RAM and GPU to your new build, theyre extremely powerful

tofumonster · Aug 11, 2008, 08:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kris23

Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory

get yourself some of these and youll get plenty more power

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100242L Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

probably cant get both but this is good too

Newegg.com - SAPPHIRE 100242L Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Desktop Graphics / Video Cards

and once you build a new system, simply take the RAM and GPU to your new build, theyre extremely powerful

Thanks for the reply but I think my RAM slots are limited to 1GB per slot. How's that card compare to an 8800GT?

**kris23** · Aug 11, 2008, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tofumonster

Thanks for the reply but I think my RAM slots are limited to 1GB per slot. How's that card compare to an 8800GT?

lets just say its a bit more powerful than the 9800GTX+ also, what motherboard model do you have?

tofumonster · Aug 11, 2008, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kris23

lets just say its a bit more powerful than the 9800GTX+ also, what motherboard model do you have?

It is the Dell stock one, I think Intel 925X based motherboard.

**kris23** · Aug 11, 2008, 09:21 PM

looking at the chipset specs, it can support 2x2GB as its maximum is 4, though since its a dell and the BIOS is almost always locked, you will need sticks that run at 1.8v capacity doesnt matter but the cheapest method and probably best performing is to get 2x1GB sticks, you will loose around 512mb of RAM thanks to the GPU but its still better than running only 3 sticks.

tofumonster · Aug 11, 2008, 09:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kris23

looking at the chipset specs, it can support 2x2GB as its maximum is 4, though since its a dell and the BIOS is almost always locked, you will need sticks that run at 1.8v capacity doesnt matter but the cheapest method and probably best performing is to get 2x1GB sticks, you will loose around 512mb of RAM thanks to the GPU but its still better than running only 3 sticks.

Thanks, will take under consideration. I've been looking around and many have said that my processor will bottleneck a 8800GT so won't it do the same to that Radeon HD card?

**kris23** · Aug 11, 2008, 10:17 PM

yea it would, but if you are planning to upgrade sometime soon, it can be put into a better system, theres not any better value than the 4850, and the x800 is already nearly all the P4 can handle, the 4850 will at least allow you to play more games than with the x800

Judas · Aug 12, 2008, 05:08 PM

just a fyi

check Dell's website... search for your product and see what it has for memory upgrade options..

dell has a HUGE habit of preventing non dell supporter memory modules from working at all or properly.

They also modify thier motherboards, or get slightly modified chips.... i would not be surprised if 1gb sticks are the max... and 2gb wouldn't work.

**kris23** · Aug 12, 2008, 05:15 PM

usually kingston is good for Dell systems as they are always speced the same as the OEM modules

Judas · Aug 12, 2008, 05:35 PM

yeah dell promotes kingston ram...

but check the dell store... see if 2gb sticks are available.

because even when using kingston... sometimes dell does something stupid.

one case i ran into was using even dell memory... rated faster then the system was speced for orginally.. the damn thing would boot due to the memory being pc133 and not pc100.... EVEN with another stick of dell supplied PC100 ram in either slot...

Aug 11, 2008, 08:08 PM	#1
tofumonster DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 4 Rep Power: 0 System Specs	Upgrading need recommendations Well I have a Dell XPS Gen 3 (from 2004?) The specs are: Pentium 4 3.2Ghz with HT 1GB DDR2 SDRAM SoundBlaster Audigy 2 ATI X800 XT 256MB PCI-E x16 I would like to upgrade it and not buy a new setup yet. When I have a job I will hand this one to my brother and build myself a computer. But for now I would just to upgrade it for now. Is there any upgrades I can add to max this old computer up? I can play Call of Duty 4 fine as well as UT3 on high detail for around a good 20-40 FPS but I'd like to push it more to run smoother. A few more questions; Will adding 2GB more RAM boost it up a bit? Can a GeForce 8800GT card be put in this system? I have a budget of ~$200, can you also link to some parts if it is not too much trouble? -Thank you, Tommy V.

Aug 11, 2008, 08:22 PM	#2
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,017 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Newegg.com - G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory - Desktop Memory get yourself some of these and youll get plenty more power http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102747 probably cant get both but this is good too http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102747 and once you build a new system, simply take the RAM and GPU to your new build, theyre extremely powerful __________________ 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!

Aug 11, 2008, 09:21 PM	#6
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,017 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	looking at the chipset specs, it can support 2x2GB as its maximum is 4, though since its a dell and the BIOS is almost always locked, you will need sticks that run at 1.8v capacity doesnt matter but the cheapest method and probably best performing is to get 2x1GB sticks, you will loose around 512mb of RAM thanks to the GPU but its still better than running only 3 sticks. __________________ 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!

Aug 11, 2008, 10:17 PM	#8
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,017 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	yea it would, but if you are planning to upgrade sometime soon, it can be put into a better system, theres not any better value than the 4850, and the x800 is already nearly all the P4 can handle, the 4850 will at least allow you to play more games than with the x800 __________________ 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!

Aug 12, 2008, 05:15 PM	#10
kris23 Going Insane..... Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 6,017 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	usually kingston is good for Dell systems as they are always speced the same as the OEM modules __________________ 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!