[Archived] Pc Upgrade

[Flopsy]

I am currently thinking of upgrading my PC as its starting to strugle with the newer games at any remotely decent graphics settings.

I have a Geforce 5700 256mb graphics card

750mb memory

and a AMD 3600+ chip (I think)

I dont believe I have a PCI - express socket

Would upgrading to 1 gb memory and a new graphics card do.

I have about £400 to play with, but if I can get away with something cheaper that would be nice.

Anyone got any recomendations?

[Dan Furness]

  Flopsy said:

I am currently thinking of upgrading my PC as its starting to strugle with the newer games at any remotely decent graphics settings.

I have a Geforce 5700 256mb graphics card

750mb memory

and a AMD 3600+ chip (I think)

I dont believe I have a PCI - express socket

Would upgrading to 1 gb memory and a new graphics card do.

I have about £400 to play with, but if I can get away with something cheaper that would be nice.

Anyone got any recomendations?

363923[/snapback]

Its struggling on a spec like that?!

[Flopsy]

Are you being sarcastic?

BF2 is low res on most things cant have many of teh details on -

im not sure about the processor being a 3600+ it might be a 2700+ really cant remember

I tell a lie its a Athalon XP 2600+ Socket A chip

[Flopsy]

Thinking about it - I might pop into the shop round the corner who do these things and see what they recommend as I really dont know whether Im competent to change the chip and doing the Bios for it. Anyone think getting a new graphics card in the interim is a good idea?

[Dan Furness]

You rarely need to mess with bios settings for chips, unless its AMD.

No doubt you'll need a new Motherboard too. Id go for newer Processor and Board

P.S. no wasnt being sarcastic

[Ray-Von]

Flopsy, im not expert in these matter (far from it) but I think upgrading your processor isn't really necessary. A pal of mine has stuck a 1 gig stick in his PC, and he claims BF2 flies, even on high settings.

Doing that (about 80-100 quid) and sticking a new graphics card - something like a 6600 or 6800 GT or Radeon X800 should be more than good enought for you.

Over to you, Glenn........

[Flopsy]

  dan_mark_furness said:

P.S. no wasnt being sarcastic

363943[/snapback]

its alright I was being silly - oh well back to the burburry

I think unless i hear otehrwise that I'll try and get a gig of ram and a new Graphics Card - should be about £200 and I can then spend another £250 on a new mobo and chip as and when I need it.

Whats a good AGP card to get for around £150?

the 5700LE ive got is alright but its nowt special (but better than the MX440 I used to have )

[Dan Furness]

Not sure TBH

I had a Geforce3 in my old pc till I got my laptop which has a built in 256MB PCI Express Radeon Mobility X600. So bloody powerful but not run anything decent on it yet.

Epox boards are pretty decent and cheap enough.

[M-K]

Have you considered getting a console instead? Your £400 of new bits will only buy you another 12-18 months of high-end PC gaming.

[Ray-Von]

The current "daddy" is the Radeon X800, however you are looking at 200.00 plus for one of those.

[Ray-Von]

  M-K said:

Have you considered getting a console instead? Your £400 of new bits will only buy you another 12-18 months of high-end PC gaming.

363954[/snapback]

MK, ive said that to myself so many times, and then ive'e seen the lastest PC game such as Medal of Honour, Call of Duty or Champ Manager and my resolve has weakened!

I doubt a hardened BF2 fan such as Flopsy will be heeding your advice........

[Flopsy]

  M-K said:

Have you considered getting a console instead? Your £400 of new bits will only buy you another 12-18 months of high-end PC gaming.

363954[/snapback]

yeah but PC games are better

BF2, CoD 2

All better on PC, plus I can carry on upgrading, however the Consoles cant be upgraded very much (im guessing)

when the software for teh 64bit chips is produced and SLI graphics cards are working correctly im guessing they will completely destroy the consoles. But its horses for courses I have a PS2 and I dont play it - I play lots on the pc

[Biddy]

  Flopsy said:

when the software for teh 64bit chips is produced and SLI graphics cards are working correctly im guessing they will completely destroy the consoles.

363958[/snapback]

Although you'll then have to buy a PCI-E motherboard, new processor, new SLI graphics car, probably new memory, possibly a new power supply if the current one is not up to it, Windows XP 64-bit version etc etc etc.

All that at probably double the cost of the new PS3 (whenever that comes out).

Edited November 30, 2005 by Biddy

[Flopsy]

but with lots and lots more fun .

Im due some money in the next 5 years so If i can keep patching up until then - I can get a pretty decent Ninja PC that is good for a few years.

[M-K]

Annual upgrades to keep your PC gamesworthy, plus a £1,500+ one-off every few years whenever there's a new tech that won't fit in your setup... I work in the games business but there's no way I'd spend that kind of money on such a short-lived piece of home entertainment.

For the price of a high-end graphics card, you could probably get yourself an Xbox 360 plus a DS with Nintendogs for the missus.

[Flopsy]

true

Ive gone and got a new graphics card and some more memory

for £150 so should last me fora while

but youre right about the consoles and upgrading the PC's but I still think the PC is better all round

[Ray-Von]

Just out of interest Flopsy, which card did you go for?

[Glenn]

  M-K said:

I work in the games business

363984[/snapback]

Not Pukka by any chance ? (The only sommerset developers I know ).

[Flopsy]

a Geforce 6600 256Mb which is quite good - delivered for £90 all in

also got a gig of ram -so ill either destroy my PC or be a gaming god

[Dan Furness]

  Flopsy said:

a Geforce 6600 256Mb which is quite good - delivered for £90 all in

also got a gig of ram -so ill either destroy my PC or be a gaming god

364320[/snapback]

You made sure it was the same type of ram right?

[M-K]

  Glenn said:

Not Pukka by any chance ? (The only sommerset developers I know ).

364227[/snapback]

Ahh, no - not games development. I'm on the periphery, ie criticising other people's hard work in games magazines

Hence not enough money to build a PC...

[Flopsy]

which one? PC games or consoles?

[Flopsy]

  dan_mark_furness said:

You made sure it was the same type of ram right?

364335[/snapback]

I endeavoured too.

I did a crucial search - nad I remember that I have 2100 type ram (i hope) so i got a gig of that. What I intend to do - is to remove the existing ram - put hte gig in and check that theya re the same frequency. If not I can always send it back and order the right stuff

[thebigguy]

i just got a radeon x800 for £113(including vat) ish so the person that said £200 is wrong or is gettign over charged

Link here to it

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/in...oduct_uid=97827

also i would say for you to upgrade your motherboard and cpu next but that will entail new ram aswell

[Lee]

  M-K said:

Ahh, no - not games development. I'm on the periphery, ie criticising other people's hard work in games magazines 

Hence not enough money to build a PC...

364336[/snapback]

In that case, aren't Future based down that way?