z3r0
New Member
Good afternoon, everybody!
Considering that this is my first post here at the Computer Forum I just wanted to lay it out all on the line and be the first one to point out that I am by far no expert in IT. All of my two decades worth of experience with computers has been acquired through natural curiosity and experimentation at the hobbyist's level. I really don't keep up with the newest and greatest "trends" in technology, so if you are looking for answers or specific recommendations...then I'm probably not the person you would want to ask. I'm old school and would very much like to keep it that way.
Now...onto the Latitude (system specs are in my signature).
Fortunately when I purchased this laptop off of an eBay seller for $80, I some how managed to skip over the fact that it was one of the newer D620s with a Core2 Duo T7400 processor. I really wasn't expecting much from the Latitude series considering its initial release date was somewhere in between 2005-06, making it an unsupported Dell relic...but was still pleasantly surprised when it booted up faster than my newer but still outdated HP desktop.
So...with all of that out of the way, I've become emboldened. This is what I plan to do with the Latitude in order to update its capabilities:
1) Replace the T7400 processor with the supported maximum M-socket that still runs a 667MHz FSB -- that being the T7600 Core2 Duo (2.66GHz). The current processor supports x86 architecture as the T7600 supports 64 bit. = ($35-50)
2) Expand DDR2 memory to 4GB instead of the current 2GB. = ($33-40)
3) Expand HDD capacity to 500GB (no SSD upgrade) = ($35-80)
4) Purchase a Dell R1631 PD01X Docking Station and Port Replicator that has the PCI-expansion slot. = ($5-50)
Now...we all know the story behind the integrated Intel GPUs. They cannot be replaced because they are soldered onto the board. BUT...they can be avoided when using the docking station with the PCI-slot.
So that's where you guys come in. I need advice as to what compatible PCI-video card I would need to purchase to run Doom 3 without a hiccup. This is my benchmark goal...and no, I don't have any wish or need to run Crysis or Farcry 4 on this machine. It just isn't possible.
EDIT: I thought I would mention...as a whole, this laptop isn't being upgraded to only support older 3D games. It is my studio computer in which I edit videos, mix audio, program games and do extensive graphic design work. All of the above is possible with the D620 excluding the 3D compatibility. The absolute best this can run right now...and it isn't even at full capability, would be the Project64 emulator that my 5 year old uses on a daily basis.
Thoughts?
Considering that this is my first post here at the Computer Forum I just wanted to lay it out all on the line and be the first one to point out that I am by far no expert in IT. All of my two decades worth of experience with computers has been acquired through natural curiosity and experimentation at the hobbyist's level. I really don't keep up with the newest and greatest "trends" in technology, so if you are looking for answers or specific recommendations...then I'm probably not the person you would want to ask. I'm old school and would very much like to keep it that way.
Now...onto the Latitude (system specs are in my signature).
Fortunately when I purchased this laptop off of an eBay seller for $80, I some how managed to skip over the fact that it was one of the newer D620s with a Core2 Duo T7400 processor. I really wasn't expecting much from the Latitude series considering its initial release date was somewhere in between 2005-06, making it an unsupported Dell relic...but was still pleasantly surprised when it booted up faster than my newer but still outdated HP desktop.
So...with all of that out of the way, I've become emboldened. This is what I plan to do with the Latitude in order to update its capabilities:
1) Replace the T7400 processor with the supported maximum M-socket that still runs a 667MHz FSB -- that being the T7600 Core2 Duo (2.66GHz). The current processor supports x86 architecture as the T7600 supports 64 bit. = ($35-50)
2) Expand DDR2 memory to 4GB instead of the current 2GB. = ($33-40)
3) Expand HDD capacity to 500GB (no SSD upgrade) = ($35-80)
4) Purchase a Dell R1631 PD01X Docking Station and Port Replicator that has the PCI-expansion slot. = ($5-50)
Now...we all know the story behind the integrated Intel GPUs. They cannot be replaced because they are soldered onto the board. BUT...they can be avoided when using the docking station with the PCI-slot.
So that's where you guys come in. I need advice as to what compatible PCI-video card I would need to purchase to run Doom 3 without a hiccup. This is my benchmark goal...and no, I don't have any wish or need to run Crysis or Farcry 4 on this machine. It just isn't possible.
EDIT: I thought I would mention...as a whole, this laptop isn't being upgraded to only support older 3D games. It is my studio computer in which I edit videos, mix audio, program games and do extensive graphic design work. All of the above is possible with the D620 excluding the 3D compatibility. The absolute best this can run right now...and it isn't even at full capability, would be the Project64 emulator that my 5 year old uses on a daily basis.
Thoughts?
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