Upgrading to a stronger Gaming Rig! Help?

G

Gundyy

New Member
hello everyone :) now personally i'd say i'm a beginner when it comes to building computers but i know enough to get the job done, i think. anyways, my computer as of late doesn't cut it for me anymore :( sad right? i play a variety of games from WoW, to CoD, to CS:S and so on... it plays WoW fine until i get into hefty situations with lots going on, CoD is the same but CS:S is good. But i want to upgrade the gaming are as much as possible within a budget. now, i can't afford an entire new computer so i want to replace the necessary components which, correct me if i'm wrong would be CPU, video card, maybe MoBo and possibly RAM if i can fit it in my budget. what i've got now is:

Visionman X-blade case
450 PSU
GeForce 8600GTS (i know... sad)
Intel Pentium Dual E2180 @2.00 GHz
250GB Hard Drive
Asus P5N-MX Motherboard

I'm looking to spend maybe $500 - $600? i don't necessarily need to upgrade EVERYTHING and i'm going to get parts as i can afford them... any thoughts, suggestions and input would be GREATLY appreciated! thanks
 
Do you have a retail or OEM copy of windows? If you have retail, then with that budget you could upgrade to a pretty good Phenom II or Core i3 rig if you reuse the case and drives. (btw, look in toe top left corner of the page...look familiar?)

Regardless of what you upgrade, get a better PSU:
OCZ Fatal1ty 700W- $75
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115131

If you want to build a (mostly) new one:
AMD said:
CPU- Phenom II x4 955- $160
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808

Mobo- Gigabyte GA-MA790GPT-UD3H- $90
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128398

GPU- Sapphire HD5770- $155 (xfire another one later)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102873

RAM- Corsair XMS3 2x2GB- $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145263
Click to expand...

Intel said:
CPU- Core i3 530- $125
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115222

Mobo- Gigabyte GA-H55M-UD2H- $104
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128421

GPU- XFX 4850 x2- $220 (I'd say 5770 again but that board can't xfire)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102809

RAM- RAM- Corsair XMS3 2x2GB- $100
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820145263
Click to expand...

And if you just want to upgrade what you have:
CPU- Core 2 Quad Q9400- $190
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115131

GPU- XFX 4850 x2- $220
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102809

I'd say upgrade your RAM some more but you only have two slots...or do you already have 4GB?
Click to expand...


I think the AMD setup if the best route to take if it's possible.
 
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i have a burned copy of windows XP from my parents old computer. also the AMD route is no longer an option since i just spent $700 replacing the computer in my truck :( i'll most likely go with the last list of parts. also will the XFX 4850 x2 run on my motherboard being DDR3? i can use DDR2 not sure about 3... people on other forums never replied. will the performance be hindered because of this? or will it not work at all? i was looking at the motherboard you linked
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128398
and was thinking maybe add that as well? another point is i'm able to get discounts on best buy/future shop stuff so i'd probably get my RAM from there (currently at 2GB)
 
The graphics card doesn't go in the RAM slot. It has some DDR3 memory attached to it, but that's dedicated to the video card only. It has absolutely nothing to do with the system's RAM.
 
from whats been said above, I would upgrade your computer that you have now. Take the Intel CPU, PSU and GPU that Drenlin mentioned and upgrade that. That would be the best, cheapest and most efficient route to go.

The memory on the graphics card doesnt correlate to the RAM at all!! Your bourd can take DDR2 RAM/Memory, your graphics card is running its own memory and that's what its labeling. 2 different things
 
wow! sorry i read that different. okay thanks. might i ask what they put GDDR3 on a GPU for anyways? or is that more in depth
 
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