Computer upgrade sugestions?

[CristAir]

i am wondering if any of you had some suggestions for what i should upgrade on my pc to make it better for gaming. and if my system is bottlenecked.?
Harddrive:Hitachi Deskstar® 7K80 80 GB ATA-100 Hard Drive
CPU: Pentium 4 2.40 GHz 8 kilobyte mem cache, 512 kilobyte secondary cache
SiS-645 chipset
Bus Clock: 133 megahertz
1536 mb installed memory (256,256 and 1 gig)
ATI Radeon 9550 video card wit 256 vram
Microsoft CMI8738/C3DX PCI Audio Device
I dont have alot of money to spend on it. But any suggestions?

[roucious]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

New board to start out with. One that is at least running DDR. Second Video card. Third whole new system. You are running a 800MHz FSB cpu on a 133MHz board. get a new board. That will help out alot!!! Also stay away from SIS. Go with Intel or Nvidia if you can find on that will take your CPU.

[CristAir]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

ok I only have around 120-140 to spend at the time being
Is this a good board?http://www.tigerdirect.com/applicati...Tab=2&NoMapp=0

[ThunderPimp]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

Slow down there. If you get a new motherboard you'll end up having to buy a whole new PC. Your PC is too old, the parts that are compatible aren't available for sale anymore except AGP video cards like the x1950 pro. Since you have 4x AGP I'm not even sure a X1950 pro would work since there have been compatiblity issues with newer 8x AGP cards and older 4x AGP slots.

[CristAir]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

I am probably going to look at the video card. I'm not going to spend too much on my comp because in a year or so when my father decides to build a new pc I am going to get his current 1. All i no about it is it has 2 250 gb hard drives, dual core, 4 gigs of ram, a 256 video card, and i no it can play almost any game at medium/ high settings. Should I just wait for that?

[cloakster]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

Well that comp that your planning on getting sounds like a huge waste of money.

My suggestion is to save your money for a new comp and to come back to use for suggestions.

[CristAir]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

i wouldn't be paying for the computer from my father. He told me he would give it to me because he would have no use for it when he builds a new 1. So i guess until then i might get a new video card.

[cloakster]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

Well then there is no point in upgrading your current comp. Also, that are the exact specs of your dad's comp?

[CristAir]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

thats what i know from what he's told me. very little. But from playing a few games on it i know its pretty good for games. I know he has a ATI graphics card that has 256 vram, i know it has 2 250 gb hard drives, but not the brand or rpm, he has dual core and 4 gigs of ram but again idk the exact brands and other specs on that. I'll ask him more about it when I get a chance.

[solofowaffles]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

thats what i know from what he's told me. very little. But from playing a few games on it i know its pretty good for games. I know he has a ATI graphics card that has 256 vram, i know it has 2 250 gb hard drives, but not the brand or rpm, he has dual core and 4 gigs of ram but again idk the exact brands and other specs on that. I'll ask him more about it when I get a chance.

sounds u wont need a upgrade,ur dad porbably has a top notch rig now bug him to get rid of that piece of crap u got and give his to u.

[cloakster]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

The only thing is 256mb vram means very little.

[CristAir]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

Ill find out what kind of card it is tomorrow.

[cloakster]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

No, no, no, I meant that the amount of vram means very little towards the performance of the card.

[CristAir]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

lol sorry. I misunderstood what you wrote. Im pretty tired so im not thinking straight. But anyways I will try and find out the exact specs of his pc.

[megawhompertoo]

Re: Computer upgrade sugestions?

New board to start out with. One that is at least running DDR. Second Video card. Third whole new system. You are running a 800MHz FSB cpu on a 133MHz board. get a new board. That will help out alot!!! Also stay away from SIS. Go with Intel or Nvidia if you can find on that will take your CPU.

OP pro'ly has DDR. Not sure where the OP is getting his system bus numbers from. The system bus on that chipset is supposed to be 400mhz:

http://www.sis.com/products/sis645_features.htm

Most likely the processor is a 533mhz model, not a 800mhz?

If it was me, and if I couldn't wait to get the new(er) pc my dad had promised me, I would look into an x700, x800, 6600gt, or 6800 off ebay, from a decent seller with a return policy.

Even a 9800pro:

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-ATI-RADEON-9...QQcmdZViewItem

would be worlds apart from what the OP has now.

Having said that, that's still a fairly old card and while it will run Half-Life 2 BF2 adequately for the OP to enjoy it, it will lag like a beach in Oblivion and most of the newest games.