Upgrade Help really needed

SparkiUK

SparkiUK

SparkiUK

Associate
Joined
27 Sep 2007
Posts
38
I really need your help, bit of a newbie having built my own pc 3 years ago. Now needs upgrading i think as i'd like to run Vista (some may say why!!)

Currently run an AMD 64 3Ghz processor on a MSI Neo Platinum K8N motherboard (Socket 754), with 2GB of DDR400 RAM, 120GB SATA Disk and a now broken and needs replacing ATI Radeon X1600 Pro (512MB) graphics card.

As I said, I'd like to run Vista and did try 6 months back but slowed my Pc to a crawl for some reason, so back on XP. However, graphics card now packed up so with around £200 or so to spend, am I best to upgrade my graphics card to say the ATI Radeon X1950 Pro at around £110, and hope for the best, or any other alternatives (I play World of Warcraft), or stuff it and change the motherboard and processor and go dual core and new graphics card, RAM which i can do just about for £250 (athlon 64 4800 dual core processor and board at £130, 2GB Ram at £60 and cheaper card).

Really not sure of best route and really appreciate your advice.

Thanks in advance

Simon
 
Thanks for your help so far guys, still unsure of whether to go the whole hog with new board, ram etc, seems such a waste of old baord, ram, processor etc as they'll be jsut scrap as I'm presuming i can fit new board into existing case? would possible go AMD rather than intel? thought the AMD 4800 is better than the intel proposed? I think my old (current) system is DDR2? certainly has DDR2 400 crucial memory in it. Am io really going to notice a difference compared to just upgrading my card?

power suuply is a Hiper HPU-4S425 425W unit, enough to run the X1950 card? To just replace the card is a special offer i know, but the one mentioned above is PCIe, i need AGP i think is that more expensive?
 
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My mistake, it is DDR400, not DDR2

I thought i read somewhere that i needed 450w to power the x1950 card, are you sure my 425w is enough? Also wondering if perhaps this is the reason my old card failed? Not enough power

If i do decide to jsut go for the AGP x1950 and keep current system (for 12 months) then is my current PSU sufficient?
 
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Thanks very much for your help. PSU issue does concern me as the PC used to boot real quick with X1650 in it, then i kept getting an error on boot, too quick to read it before launching windows and then most recently graphics card would'nt work. So my thinking is its the card as my really old ATI 9600 I'm having to use instead is fine, so maybe it is the PSU with not enough power and the X1650 is fine?? PSU i think i bought from you guys 3 years ago.

My thinking is if the PSU is fine, then just get the new AGP X1950 from you guys, should do for 12 months then pass on PC to the kids, or sell it, then upgrade. If PSU is a problem, then not so sure
 
thanks for advice, about to order the AGP card from you guys, upgrade in 12 months. Tested my PSU rails and seemed fine under load, though for some reason today my screen kept going blank for a second, then fine again, maybe that's my old card?

Anyway, ordering now, any further advice apprecaited

Simon
 
All fitted, great service thanks. Though maybe you can advise also? Installed card, picked up drivers ok, and went to play World Of warcraft. Updated setting their too and big improvement in framerate, though never more than 50 and many peopel get over 60 on this card. Adjusted settings down but little effect, but what i do get are regular black screens? CAn still hear music in the game but screen freezes, and have to reboot, didn;t to that before the new card. REinstalled WoW but same problem. WoW think it's my card, but it's brand new. Any ideas, is RAM too low for the card to be at it's best? or CPU too weak. Running AMD Athlon 64 3000, with 2GB DDR400 RAM (Mobo won't take any more).

Any ideas would be appreciated. Still wondering if it's the PSU but seems to fine under load.
 
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