Help PC Upgrades

[Tilda]

Age of Conan is coming out this saturday and I'm having last minute concerns that my PC will struggle to run it.

I have:
amd 64 3000+, running at 1.8ghz, 1024 MB ram and an NVIDIA GeForce 7600 GT 256mb

My mobo is [FONT=&quot]A8V-VM SE Socket 939 VIA KM890 VGA AUDIO mATX

I've been told by a friend that this is generally pretty shite

So I'm presuming I need an upgrade!
The main question is, can I get away with just upgrading the weakest component (ie probably the ram?) or is it all so rubbish the whole lot should change?

I can play most games I want to fine, although not on the highest quality settings but have recently got a 1900x1200 monitor and have noticed some games slowing me down a bit I guess due to this.

My case and psu I bought on the big side so that it would be easily upgradeable so if things do need to go its just mobo, psu, ram, gfx card.
Thing is I dont know what to do as I have no clue about the latest kit!
[/FONT]

 

[throdgrain]

It's all pretty old now mate. If you want to upgrade one, you'll have to upgrade it all really.

 

[Cyradix]

You'll have to upgrade everything I'm afraid.
The open beta might not have been as optimized as the release client, but my quad core with 4 gig RAM and a 8800 GTS 512 only got 30-40 fps on 1680x1050 with all settings on max.

 

[Tilda]

Ok, suggestions for new kit then? Preferably all from the same place so I can order the lot.
I'd rather not spend hundreds of pounds though

 

[Bahumat]

CPU - Q6600 Energy Efficient Quad Core. Can get them pretty cheap now and they are a really really good processor.

Nvidia 8800GT can be purchased for about £110-150. You want the 512mb as for some reason it out performs the 1024 (i heard from a friend so dont know how reliablle that is). The card is very nice and with all these new ones coming out the prices have really dropped.

 

[Bahumat]

The Q6600 uses an Intel P35 board. I bought an Asus as I like those. DONT get an ABIT as I kept reading about them suffering from a "double boot" issue. I dont know if the newer mobo's can use that processor (they probably can) but its best to let one of the techies confirm that.


Ebuyer - Cheap Computers, Laptops, Digital Cameras, TVs & more!
Overclockers UK

These are both nice sites. Ebuyer is cheapest iirc

 

[Tilda]

I'm struggling with the mobo/cpu deal.
I think (from reading!) that I want an AM2 cpu and mobo, but have no idea which mobo to get! My current one is asus, but there are so many of them!

 

[throdgrain]

I'm struggling with the mobo/cpu deal.
I think (from reading!) that I want an AM2 cpu and mobo, but have no idea which mobo to get! My current one is asus, but there are so many of them!

I wouldnt buy that to be honest.

What you need is a dual core intel cpu with a suitable mobo (Asus imo) and at least 2 gig of ram. For Example, then you need to buy a 8800 GT or GTS to go with it.

Job done!



[kyten] dont forget to check your power supply is up t oit though, or you'll have to get one of those too (seriously) [/kryten]

 

[Bahumat]

I'm struggling with the mobo/cpu deal.
I think (from reading!) that I want an AM2 cpu and mobo, but have no idea which mobo to get! My current one is asus, but there are so many of them!

iirc AMD are pretty standardised with their mobo & cpu's meaning they are easy to buy for. AM2 is what you'd need if you want to save some money.

Components » Processors » AMD Athlon X2 AM2 - Overclockers UK

 

[Bahumat]

Please also note that your power supply will need a 6 pin (2 pins by 3) plug for the PCI-E graphics card.

 

[Mabs]

tbh you might get away with more RAM if you dont want to spend a shit load;

if you do its going to be: board, chip, gfx, ram and a few 100 easily if not more

that is ofc if you dont want to play it at 10000x100000 with everything turned on, how much of a gfx whore are you ?

and while i havent done it myself, i know a few people who have got "last weeks" stuff off Ebay for a 10th the price, but takes your chances with that

 

[Mabs]

its not on here yet, but they are usually quite upto date for testing :

system requirements lab

 

[inactionman]

Looking at your specs, you're going to need a complete system upgrade, what's the budget? Looking at a minimum of about £300 really.

 

[Tilda]

I found the 8800 GT 512 on ebuyer for 100, i can handle that.
Can someone find me asus mobo/ amd cpu combo for around/under 150?

 

[inactionman]

Look at Scan's today only later today when they update it, always some bargains.

 

[Mabs]

AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core 5600+ 2.80GHz Retail / Asus M2N-SLi Deluxe / 2GB Corsair XMS2-6400C5 Dual Channel Kit - Bundle

180 - but has ram aswell


but its overclockers - they do pre-bundles, - worth looking there for combos that work, they have good hardware forums, then buy somwhere cheaper

 

[Tilda]

Trying to get that on ebuyer I get:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 2.9GHz Energy Efficient Socket AM2 1MB L2 Cache (2x512KB) Retail Boxed Processor - Ebuyer

ASUS M2N-SLI nForce 560 SLI Socket AM2 Gigabit Ethernet FireWire onboard Audio ATX Motherboard - Ebuyer

Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 XMS2 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL4(4-4-4-12) E.P.P. Technology Heat Spreader Lifetime Warranty - Ebuyer

Point Of View 8800GT 512MB GDDR3 256bit Dual DVI PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

Which comes to £270

Do I need a fan for the cpu or will it come with one? Can somone choose me a fan that doesn't sound like a jet engine?

Does this setup look ok?

 

[- English -]

your processor will come with a stock fan but i had to buy my own as it wasnt suppliing enough cooling

 

[Bahumat]

Trying to get that on ebuyer I get:

AMD Athlon 64 X2 5600+ 2.9GHz Energy Efficient Socket AM2 1MB L2 Cache (2x512KB) Retail Boxed Processor - Ebuyer

ASUS M2N-SLI nForce 560 SLI Socket AM2 Gigabit Ethernet FireWire onboard Audio ATX Motherboard - Ebuyer

Corsair 2GB Kit (2x1GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 XMS2 Memory Non-ECC Unbuffered CL4(4-4-4-12) E.P.P. Technology Heat Spreader Lifetime Warranty - Ebuyer

Point Of View 8800GT 512MB GDDR3 256bit Dual DVI PCI-E Graphics Card - Ebuyer

Which comes to £270

Do I need a fan for the cpu or will it come with one? Can somone choose me a fan that doesn't sound like a jet engine?

Does this setup look ok?

Stock fan will be fine, unless you live in an over and overclock for the hell of it You can always buy a new one which cost about 15-25 quid.

Also Tilda you chose the Energy Efficient CPU so that will give off less heat ebuyer ftw

 

[Bahumat]

That mobo has 2IDE ports which will mean if you're like me and use an IDE HDD you will be fine

 

[Ch3tan]

urghghhg, Tilda, really do yourself a favour and get a core2duo. It will save you having to upgrade in the near future.

 

[Tilda]

Chet, can you find me a core2duo chip and mobo for a similar price?
It seems the cpu that I linked earlier has now been discontinued, heh!

 

[throdgrain]

urghghhg, Tilda, really do yourself a favour and get a core2duo. It will save you having to upgrade in the near future.

I told him that on the last page but he ignored me

 

[Tilda]

Find me one then throddy!

 

[inactionman]

These should do:
Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 2.20GHz Socket 775 800FSB 2MB Cache Retail Boxed Processor - Ebuyer
MSI P35 Neo-F Socket 775 FSB1333 onboard 8 channel audio ATX Motherboard - Ebuyer

This cooler is pretty good and inexpensive:
Arctic Cooling AC-FRZ-7P Freezer 7 Pro Socket 775 Processor Cooler - Ebuyer

You may want to get this memory and save a fiver:
OCZ 2GB DDR2 Memory - Cheap at Ebuyer!

 

[Kryten]

Two pence:

Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R Socket 775 8 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard - Ebuyer
ASUS P5K AiLifestyle Series iP35 Socket 775 eSATA 8channel Audio ATX Motherboard - Ebuyer

Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 2.20GHz Socket 775 800FSB 2MB Cache Retail Boxed Processor - Ebuyer
Intel Pentium Dual Core E2180 2GHz Socket 775 800MHz FSB L2 1MB Cache Retail Box Processor - Ebuyer (only a basic Core processor but overclocks like a beast and still slaps the AMD around silly)

That's just a very small selection and shows you don't have to spend a lot for a name. And the retail boxed coolers are plenty good enough for normal non to light overclocking use, so a 3rd party one is certainly not a requirement, even more pennies saved.

 

[inactionman]

As Kryten says, a plus point of the Core2Duo's is that they do tend to overclock really easily, particularly on P35 motherboards. All you need to do is increase the FSB and you get a 30-50% overclock.

You don't need to worry about overclocking the Ram either, as you can generally fix it at it's rated speed.

 

[- English -]

cpu

Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 "LGA775 Conroe" 2.66GHz (1333FSB) - Retail
or for a bit extra
Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

mobo

Computer hardware and software at amazing prices, available online from Scan Computers UK

memory's memory tbh... more the merrier u could get 8 gig oof cheap stuff if u get 64x os

gfx

probably an 8800gt

 

[- English -]

some cheap memory

OCZ 4GB (2x2GB) PC2-5400C5 Dual Channel Vista Upgrade Gold Series DDR2 (OCZ2VU6674GK)

or a bit faster stuff

OcUK 4GB (2x2GB) PC2-6400C5 800MHz DDR2 Dual Channel Kit

 

[Tilda]

How does this look:
cpu - Intel Core 2 Duo E8200 Socket 775 (2.66GHz) FSB1333 6MB Cache Retail Boxed Processor - Ebuyer

Reasonable price, apparently easy to OC

Can someone help me choose between these for mobos
ASUS P5K AiLifestyle Series iP35 Socket 775 eSATA 8channel Audio ATX Motherboard - Ebuyer
Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R Socket 775 8 Channel Audio ATX Motherboard - Ebuyer
MSI P35 Neo-F Socket 775 FSB1333 onboard 8 channel audio ATX Motherboard - Ebuyer

Any ideas?
I need atleast 2 pci ports, 4 USB ports and the old type hdd connections and dvd drive connections, not sure what they're called.