What to upgrade next?

Pc_Pimp

Pc_Pimp

New Member
My birthdays coming up next month and i'm not exactly sure what i should upgrade next? I'm thinking the graphic card should be my next upgrade, but what do you guys think? I want to make this the best gaming rig i can. I plan to overclock my cpu up to atleast 3.66GHz some time shortly, depending on when i get my new cooler.

Here are my rig specs...
CPU: Intel Pentium D 805 Smithfield @ 2.66Ghz
MOBO: Gigabyte GA-965G-DS3
RAM: Corsair XMS2 1GB (2 x 512MB) DDR2 800
GPU: Asus 7600GS 256MB PCI-E x16 (461/922MHz)
DRIVE: Nec ND-3550A 16x DVD burner
SOUND: onboard sound & Virtual Reality Sound labs VRS 2.1C speaker system
HDD: Western Digital Caviar 320GB SATA 3.0GB/s
PSU: Antec SmartPower 2.0 450watt
CASE: Aspire X-Plorer black/blue steel mid tower atx

When gaming its mainly your graphic card that determines what graphic settings you can use correct?

What card has better performance? the 7950GT 512mb or the 8800GTS 320mb? I know the 8800 is DX10 and the 7950 isnt, but what one performs better for gaming? Since the 8800GTS only has 320mb of memory would it still play games that need 512mb of graphic card memory pretty well?
 
The 8800 is a much better card. Memory doesn't matter as much as pixel pipes/ ROP's, core clock/mem clock. So if you want the best bang for your buck get the GTS.

Also seeing as you have a DS3 i would reccommend your next upgrade to be to a Core 2 duo.. On April 22 Intel is slashing their prices meaning you could get one for $100! :)
 
I think the best upgrade would be graphics card since that seems to be the weakest point in your gaming rig, next would be processor. Although 1 gig of memory is pushing it and 2 gigs will be the standard soon for gaming rigs.
 
joeswm8 said:
slashing to 163, not 100. lol

upgrade order: GPU, RAM, CPU

8800GTS 320mb no doubt, and yes all games on highest with ease
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what game in the future would it have problems with, thankfully for me the ony game im looking at isnt that far ahead, i want to buy spore A. designer made decent games in the past B. i would love to play god
 
could always spend the extra money and go with a 640mb 8800GTS instead of the 320mb version if the lower memory makes you uneasy.

however, in the past i've found ram to be just as effective (if not more effective) then upgrading video hardware (granted the card you have has a chance at displaying the games your playing). when i built my first gaming pc, i went from a 500mhz p3 with 256mb ram and a pci 64mb GeForce2 to a 2.4Ghz p4 with 2 gigs of ram and used the same GeForce2. my FPS jumped to 40-50 in the games i played. then when i got an 8x AGB 256mb GeForce FX 5600 (a vastly superior card), my FPS only went up another 5-10. felt like i wasted money on the card.
 
the only real difference is the FSB. the E4300 is 800mhz compaired to 1066mhz for the E6300. besides that, the E6300 has a .06GHz faster clock.

they both have the same cache.
 
no way of telling, but i read that SLI 8800GTX with a quadcore QX6700 could barely run crysis on high, so you tell me. It is an excellent card though
 
joeswm8 said:
no way of telling, but i read that SLI 8800GTX with a quadcore QX6700 could barely run crysis on high, so you tell me. It is an excellent card though
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From what i have read A single 7800GTX will run the game quite well on fairly high settings according to Crysis Art Director, Michael Khaimzon.
 
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