Computer Memory Check - Graphics Help

Rotanee · 01-13-2007, 10:40 AM

I am almost ashamed to ask this question for as long as I have been gaming on PC's.

What memory is important to max out for online gaming on a PC for performance?

I have a 7600 GeForce and an AMD 64x2, 3800, 2.0 ghz, 1024 DDR, PCI, 1 GB RAM. The set up was supposed to be for a gaming machine when I got it last summer; however, I have just not been satisfied with the graphics. I get the feeling after looking it over the memory might be the issue? I give a lot of blame to the user having no tweeking ability as well.

I started to look around and I honestly have been out of the loop just about half a decade too long. There are so many different acronyms, bit speeds and the like I hoped I could save myself a lot of time in the short term and get a general idea of where to start learning here.

Twobit Whore · 01-13-2007, 10:56 AM

The 7600 is a weak point. It's less powerful than the previous gen's 6800GT/Ultra.

Vorph · 01-13-2007, 11:27 AM

As far as video goes, there's basically three price points to consider now:

$150ish = X1900GT 256MB
$250ish = 7950GT 512MB or X1950Pro 512MB
$370 (after rebate) = 8800GTS

The first two aren't DX10 cards, so I wouldn't recommend them unless you're desperate.

As for the RAM, the good news is that you have a X2 and all versions of that cpu use at least the E revision core. You can spend $100 or so and get another pair of 512MB DIMMs without having to worry about it bumping the clock speed down to 333MHz and 2T command rate to compensate for filling up all four slots. The bad news is that you're buying DDR RAM at a time when any cpu upgrade you do in the future is going to require DDR2.

If your budget is limited, get the RAM now and wait for affordable DX10 cards.

If you can spend $500, get the 8800GTS and the RAM both. (If you put the 8800GTS in a 1GB machine you will still have a pretty serious performance bottleneck, so you really have to do both at once in that case.)

Rotanee · 01-13-2007, 10:45 PM

Sweet, thanks. I will get both I think.

Vorph · 01-14-2007, 12:02 AM

If you know exactly what RAM you have now, try to get another 2x512MB kit that's the same. If not, I'd go with Newegg.com - OCZ 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail ... you can double check the speed of your current RAM using CPU-Z, but that stuff is about as fast as it gets and anything costing less probably doesn't have heat spreaders.

For the video card, go with eVGA for price and lifetime warranty. Newegg.com - eVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640-P2-N821-AR HDCP Video Card - Retail

Check your PSU before buying the video card -- you need at least 400 watts and 26A on the +12v rail(s).

Vinen · 01-15-2007, 09:33 AM

How much of a difference is there between the GTS and GTX?

Getting overly annoyed with my ATI 1900XT overheating when playing Vanguard :| going to reseat the fan with some none cheapass thermal grease.

Dabamf · 01-15-2007, 10:15 AM

Heat spreaders do nothing

Vorph · 01-15-2007, 10:55 AM

They have a small benefit when it comes to large amounts of overclocking. That's not why I always get RAM with spreaders though, it's more of an indicator of quality than anything else. Any of that "value RAM" around the same price is crap compared to the 2-3-2-5 OCZ stuff I linked.

Plus, you pretty much have to intentionally try to zap your RAM with static electricity if it has heat spreaders.

GTS vs. GTX. Definitely not worth another ~$180 to me, but some people might feel otherwise.

Vinen · 01-15-2007, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vorph

They have a small benefit when it comes to large amounts of overclocking. That's not why I always get RAM with spreaders though, it's more of an indicator of quality than anything else. Any of that "value RAM" around the same price is crap compared to the 2-3-2-5 OCZ stuff I linked.

Plus, you pretty much have to intentionally try to zap your RAM with static electricity if it has heat spreaders.

GTX vs. GTX. Definitely not worth another ~$180 to me, but some people might feel otherwise.

Thanks Vorph, thats what I figured as well from what I had researched. Probably going to order the GTS tonight...

OneArmedScissor · 01-16-2007, 05:18 AM

At this point is it even worth dropping all that cash on a 8800GTS though? I haven't been watching graphic card development too close lately but isn't ATI going to release their DX10 cards soon? My friend is looking to buy a new gfx card and I want to recommend a DX10 card to him due to obvious reasons with new games utilizing/requiring DX10 but it just seems like such a crappy time to upgrade. Depending on when ATI plans to release their DX10 cards I assume Nvidia will lower the price on their current models and probably also introduce a newer one to compete with whatever ATI has to offer.

This is all just speculation though as I haven't kept up to date with gfx technology.

Vinen · 01-16-2007, 06:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OneArmedScissor

At this point is it even worth dropping all that cash on a 8800GTS though? I haven't been watching graphic card development too close lately but isn't ATI going to release their DX10 cards soon? My friend is looking to buy a new gfx card and I want to recommend a DX10 card to him due to obvious reasons with new games utilizing/requiring DX10 but it just seems like such a crappy time to upgrade. Depending on when ATI plans to release their DX10 cards I assume Nvidia will lower the price on their current models and probably also introduce a newer one to compete with whatever ATI has to offer.

This is all just speculation though as I haven't kept up to date with gfx technology.

Thats another advantage to buying from eVGA. I can take advantage of the price drop and upgrade to a newer card when they are released if it's within the next few months.

EVGA | Step-Up Program

01-13-2007, 10:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
Rotanee Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 836 +0 Internets	Computer Memory Check - Graphics Help I am almost ashamed to ask this question for as long as I have been gaming on PC's. What memory is important to max out for online gaming on a PC for performance? I have a 7600 GeForce and an AMD 64x2, 3800, 2.0 ghz, 1024 DDR, PCI, 1 GB RAM. The set up was supposed to be for a gaming machine when I got it last summer; however, I have just not been satisfied with the graphics. I get the feeling after looking it over the memory might be the issue? I give a lot of blame to the user having no tweeking ability as well. I started to look around and I honestly have been out of the loop just about half a decade too long. There are so many different acronyms, bit speeds and the like I hoped I could save myself a lot of time in the short term and get a general idea of where to start learning here.

01-13-2007, 10:56 AM	#2 (permalink)
Twobit Whore Insert Quarter Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 8,820 -26 Internets	The 7600 is a weak point. It's less powerful than the previous gen's 6800GT/Ultra. __________________ I got a list of demands written on the palm of my hand. I ball my fists and you gonna know where I stand.

01-13-2007, 11:27 AM	#3 (permalink)
Vorph Never Go Full Retard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hell Posts: 5,370	As far as video goes, there's basically three price points to consider now: $150ish = X1900GT 256MB $250ish = 7950GT 512MB or X1950Pro 512MB $370 (after rebate) = 8800GTS The first two aren't DX10 cards, so I wouldn't recommend them unless you're desperate. As for the RAM, the good news is that you have a X2 and all versions of that cpu use at least the E revision core. You can spend $100 or so and get another pair of 512MB DIMMs without having to worry about it bumping the clock speed down to 333MHz and 2T command rate to compensate for filling up all four slots. The bad news is that you're buying DDR RAM at a time when any cpu upgrade you do in the future is going to require DDR2. If your budget is limited, get the RAM now and wait for affordable DX10 cards. If you can spend $500, get the 8800GTS and the RAM both. (If you put the 8800GTS in a 1GB machine you will still have a pretty serious performance bottleneck, so you really have to do both at once in that case.) __________________

01-14-2007, 12:02 AM	#5 (permalink)
Vorph Never Go Full Retard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hell Posts: 5,370	If you know exactly what RAM you have now, try to get another 2x512MB kit that's the same. If not, I'd go with Newegg.com - OCZ 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail ... you can double check the speed of your current RAM using CPU-Z, but that stuff is about as fast as it gets and anything costing less probably doesn't have heat spreaders. For the video card, go with eVGA for price and lifetime warranty. Newegg.com - eVGA GeForce 8800GTS 640-P2-N821-AR HDCP Video Card - Retail Check your PSU before buying the video card -- you need at least 400 watts and 26A on the +12v rail(s). __________________ Last edited by Vorph : 01-14-2007 at 12:04 AM.

01-15-2007, 09:33 AM	#6 (permalink)
Vinen A Cat is Fine Too Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Not in fucking Acton, MA anymore! Posts: 2,759	How much of a difference is there between the GTS and GTX? Getting overly annoyed with my ATI 1900XT overheating when playing Vanguard :\| going to reseat the fan with some none cheapass thermal grease. __________________ Vinna, Feral Druid, Stormrage Server Hope is not a strategy Last edited by Vinen : 01-15-2007 at 09:36 AM.

01-13-2007, 10:45 PM	#4 (permalink)
Rotanee Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Upstate New York Posts: 836 +0 Internets	Sweet, thanks. I will get both I think.

01-15-2007, 10:15 AM	#7 (permalink)
Dabamf Registered User Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 1,766 +0 Internets	Heat spreaders do nothing

01-15-2007, 10:55 AM	#8 (permalink)
Vorph Never Go Full Retard Join Date: May 2002 Location: Hell Posts: 5,370	They have a small benefit when it comes to large amounts of overclocking. That's not why I always get RAM with spreaders though, it's more of an indicator of quality than anything else. Any of that "value RAM" around the same price is crap compared to the 2-3-2-5 OCZ stuff I linked. Plus, you pretty much have to intentionally try to zap your RAM with static electricity if it has heat spreaders. GTS vs. GTX. Definitely not worth another ~$180 to me, but some people might feel otherwise. __________________ Last edited by Vorph : 01-15-2007 at 11:45 AM.

01-16-2007, 05:18 AM	#10 (permalink)
OneArmedScissor Banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 44 +0 Internets	At this point is it even worth dropping all that cash on a 8800GTS though? I haven't been watching graphic card development too close lately but isn't ATI going to release their DX10 cards soon? My friend is looking to buy a new gfx card and I want to recommend a DX10 card to him due to obvious reasons with new games utilizing/requiring DX10 but it just seems like such a crappy time to upgrade. Depending on when ATI plans to release their DX10 cards I assume Nvidia will lower the price on their current models and probably also introduce a newer one to compete with whatever ATI has to offer. This is all just speculation though as I haven't kept up to date with gfx technology.

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