Upgrading a rig for ~500$

[Mustkunstn1k]

Here is my current rig (everything beside the RAM is bought in 2006 autumn):

CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo E6300
Mobo: GIGABYTE 965P-DS3
GPU: GeForce 7600GT
RAM: 3 x A-DATA 1GB DDRII 800 128Mx8
PSU: Fortron Blue Storm 500W
OS: Xp, maybe change to Win7 if it comes out.

I'm trying to get it up to date so i can play games like Call of Duty 4 (WaW), GTA IV etc with good fps and everything set to high. Right now i'm thinking of buying a GPU for the next few years (like the one i have now). Maybe i'll update CPU and Mobo in the future.

In the moment i have a 19" monitor (1280 x 1024), but i'm likley getting a bigger monitor soon. I'm thinking of 24" (1920 x 1200) - that does not go into this budget.

I don't live in USA so the currency isn't $, let's just call it "credits". My budget is about 5000 credits (which kinda equals 500$, but stuff pays more here). I'll post some prices down below and feel free to ask how much something costs.

I myself was thinking of getting one more memory so it will work in duals or whatever, a 4870 1GB GPU and maybe overclock the CPU (once i learn how to do it)?

Anyway, here are some prices:

Gigabyte RADEON HD 4850 1GB - 2535
Gigabyte RADEON HD 4870 1GB - 4020
Asus RADEON EAH4870/HTDI/512 - 3595
Sapphire RADEON HD 4870X2 2GB GDDR5 - 7322
Asus GeForce 200 Series ENGTX260/HTDP/896M - 4330
Gigabyte GeForce 200 Series GTX 280 1GB - 5704
MSI GeForce 9 Series 9800GX2 1GB - 5110
EVGA GeForce 9 Series 9800GTX KO Knock-out version - 5030
A-DATA 1GB DDRII 800 128Mx8 - 175

 

[kenkickr]

I would recommend going with the 4850 so you have some credits to get a better, more up-to-date, motherboard since you mentioned overclocking.

 

[Mustkunstn1k]

How importand a mobo really is for gaming? I've heard that 4870 1GB can make the fps twice as high when compared to the 4850 512mb version.

 

[Asylum]

It can but if you dont have a good motherboard it will bottleneck your GPU!!

 

[phanbuey]

It can but if you dont have a good motherboard it will bottleneck your GPU!!

p965 is pci-e 16X - that chipset is virtually as fast as p35 and will not, under any circumstances, bottleneck a 4870 1gb...

@ OP that 4870 1GB is a STEAL at that price. Get that. Also get another stick of ram so you can run proper dual channel.

your proc will be next on the upgrade agenda - maybe a Q?... that mobo will be fine for a while still.

 

[Mustkunstn1k]

p965 is pci-e 16X - that chipset is virtually as fast as p35 and will not, under any circumstances, bottleneck a 4870 1gb...

@ OP that 4870 1GB is a STEAL at that price. Get that. Also get another stick of ram so you can run proper dual channel.

your proc will be next on the upgrade agenda - maybe a Q?... that mobo will be fine for a while still.

That's exactly what i was thinking. But then again i've heard that bottleneck talk about my Mobo before.

Anyway yeah, i was thinking of getting 4-core CPU when there are more games really utilizing it in the fututure (as i understand, there aren't many now).

 

[Asylum]

p965 is pci-e 16X - that chipset is virtually as fast as p35 and will not, under any circumstances, bottleneck a 4870 1gb...

@ OP that 4870 1GB is a STEAL at that price. Get that. Also get another stick of ram so you can run proper dual channel.

your proc will be next on the upgrade agenda - maybe a Q?... that mobo will be fine for a while still.

Some say yes some say no....I think as long as you are running it at high res. it should be fine!!

 

[phanbuey]

That's exactly what i was thinking. But then again i've heard that bottleneck talk about my Mobo before.

Anyway yeah, i was thinking of getting 4-core CPU when there are more games really utilizing it in the fututure (as i understand, there aren't many now).

most people dont realize/forget how good the 965 chipset is - it has slightly lower MCH timings than p35 which makes it amazing for overclocking... PCI-e 16X isnt a bottleneck for any current video card either, so i really cant imagine how a P965 board can be a bottleneck.

plus that board supports 45nm CPU's...

youre right about the 4core support... there aren't many now but there will be in the future. If youre itching for an upgrade on teh CPU right now i would go with an E-0 E8500 wolfdale... it will clock up to 4.3-4.5Ghz on that mobo w/o a problem and would match a stock clocked q6600/ phenom 9950 in multithreaded calculations. That way you wouldnt have to touch the PSU. If you go quad, you may need a new PSU.

EDIT:also for overclocking settings on the gigabyte boards, go into the bios and press CTRL+F1 for memory settings/added OC options... i can help you OC that board since i used to have the 965-S3... (sorry for long post)

 

[PCpraiser100]

For folding, use a GTX 280. For gaming, rock it with the HD 4870X2. You might need a new board.

 

[Mustkunstn1k]

most people dont realize/forget how good the 965 chipset is - it has slightly lower MCH timings than p35 which makes it amazing for overclocking... PCI-e 16X isnt a bottleneck for any current video card either, so i really cant imagine how a P965 board can be a bottleneck.

plus that board supports 45nm CPU's...

youre right about the 4core support... there aren't many now but there will be in the future. If youre itching for an upgrade on teh CPU right now i would go with an E-0 E8500 wolfdale... it will clock up to 4.3-4.5Ghz on that mobo w/o a problem and would match a stock clocked q6600/ phenom 9950 in multithreaded calculations. That way you wouldnt have to touch the PSU. If you go quad, you may need a new PSU.

EDIT:also for overclocking settings on the gigabyte boards, go into the bios and press CTRL+F1 for memory settings/added OC options... i can help you OC that board since i used to have the 965-S3... (sorry for long post)

Thank's. Right now it seems to be one more memory stick with 4870 1GB and overlock both mobo and CPU? But i haven't overclocked anything before so i'll prolly need to find a good tutorial.

PCpraiser100 - Don't have that much money.

 

[Asylum]

Heres a few good reads!!
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=22916
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=30480
http://forums.techpowerup.com/showthread.php?t=20251

 

[CJCerny]

Your rig isn't really too out of date. Your CPU and motherboard are just fine. Focus on getting 2gb or 4gb of RAM and a new video card (1gb 4870 would be a great choice). Don't worry about the OS or power suppy or anything else.

 

[Mustkunstn1k]

How needed the overclocking actually is? The links Asylum gave really overwhelmed me - specialy the second. Also, English isn't my first language so i might not ever undestand everything and since i don't know much about hardware i have a feeling i could prolly break something.

Somehow i hope that i can change a GPU. I've changed my RAM and added a HDD before, but i can iamgine a GPU being a little bit harder.

 

[Asylum]

Installing A Graphics Card Is Simple....just Uninstall Your Old Drivers For Your Old Card...go Into Your Files And Delete The Drivers Folder....then Shut Down Your Computer And Remove The Old Card And Install The New One...make Sure To Plug In Power Cable To New Card And Start Computer....then When It Starts Up Cancel All Newfound Hardware Installs That Pop Up And Download Newest Drivers For Your Card And Install!!! And You Are Done!!

 

[Mustkunstn1k]

That's what i hoped for. With memory and HDD i didn't even need to install any drivers. Just plugged it in..

 

[AltecV1]

Sa oled Eestlane

 

[silkstone]

Yup, Video card and Ram and new heatsink for overclocking. don't be worried about trying to overclock - the folks here will give you lots of help.

 

[Mustkunstn1k]

Sa oled Eestlane

Jup.

Yup, Video card and Ram and new heatsink for overclocking. don't be worried about trying to overclock - the folks here will give you lots of help.

Okay, but a new heatsink? What excactly is it (do you mean that i get a new one for my mobo?). Haven't even seen it sold here where i live.

 

[crazy pyro]

A new cooling fan for your CPU is what he meant.

 

[Mustkunstn1k]

A new cooling fan for your CPU is what he meant.

Haven't even seen a new one being sold at any store. How needed it is anyway? Other's didn't mention about it.

 

[crazy pyro]

For overclocking, the stock one you have won't be great. If you're overclocking unless you've either got a very good chip or you want to kill your processor you need better than stock cooling.

 

[silkstone]

If the store is selling high end computer equipment they should also sell aftermarket cooling (CPU fans) they are really easy to install. You don't need one to overclock, but if you want better results you should get one.
If you don;t know much about computers get some practice in.
Open your PC up, see what's inside and have a play. Don't be scared it's really easy as long as you have a little sense.
Look where the wires are in your pc, look at the cards inside. figure out how they separate from your motherboard. just turn the power off. and if you unplug anything inside, plug it back in after. And one at a time, don;t dismantle your whole pc and forget where everything goes.
If your not sure what something does, post a pic and ask the members of the forum.

 

[crazy pyro]

Make sure to drain all power from your PC after turning it off before taking stuff out of it otherwise you may give yourself a shock.

 

[Mustkunstn1k]

Hmh, haven't seen those coolers and the shops on the internet (my country's) don't seem to sell them. But still - how much of a difference does overclocking make? And could i actually just get my Memory and 4870 - put them in the machine and be happy about it?

I didn't really undestand what that last comment of crazy pyro meant. If it means what i think it means then last time i just took the wires out and started moving stuff. Now i have learned that you have to (don't know the phrase in English) so you wouldn't get a shock. Like you need to touch the back side of the rig and that pro's have a special wire going from their wrist.. The last time i opened a rig up i also did it on a carpet, which is prolly really bad. :/

 

[BarbaricSoul]

hi Mustkunstn1k.

To answer your question about OC'ing, is it neccasary? No, not really.Does it help with gaming performance, most definently. Easiest way I can explain this is, take your 2 1/2 year old 1.8 dual core cpu, OC it to 3 gigs(this may be farther than you'll be able to acheive) and your 1.8 dual core is running at the same speed as my $165 higher end E8400 dual core cpu at stock speeds.

Your motherboard isn't gonna cause any bottlenecking in your system, but your cpu at 1.8 gigs will most definently bottleneck a 1 gig 4870. Doing a moderate OC, say for instance taking your CPU from 1.8 to 2.6, is actually pretty easy. And the increase in frames per second in gaming will make it all worth it.

Oh, one last thing, I almost forgot. OC'ing is more performance FOR FREE