new video card? Or whole new computer?

[The Duck]

Well... before I start I'm going to give my current gaming computer's specs...

3.0 ghz P4 processor 800fsb

xfx nvidia 6600gt (agp)

1 gig dual channel ram pc3200

120 GB HDD ata/100

As you can see, this computer is no slouch... but I'v saved up enough money to make some upgrades... First upgrade that comes to mind is to upgrade the video card from the 6600gt to the nvidia 6800 ultra... best video card for AGP... I know it's discontinued, but I'm sure I could find it somewhere... The second upgrade that comes to mind is upgrading the HDD to SATA and using the existing one for slave or something...

Now my problem is, I can't figure out whether to make those upgrades, or wait and save up for a whole new computer... dual core processor with bigger fsb, PCIE with SLI ... RAID 0 with 2 nice SATA's doesn't sound to shabby either... Now I know waiting to save up for a whole new computer is probably the best choice, especially for future upgradablitiy... But that would take a looong time to save up that money... besides, the upgrade to a 6800 ultra and a SATA drive on my existing gaming machine would still make my gaming rig a powerhouse... and I could have it NOW...

I don't know what to do!! ...

[muert0]

Save up, buy a new one, and send me the old one. Just so you feel sorry for me I have a 400mhz mmx with 256 mb of ram. PM for address to send your old one too.

[nihil]

Hi, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year,

My intuitive advice is to buy a new machine. I have two questions:

1. What is wrong with the one you have got?
2. What do you want to do that the current equipment won't handle?

What I am warning against is spending good money on "improvements" that don't give you a good return on your $

Again, I will go back to my favourite sermon on "balance"...............it will only be as good as the slowest component that is required for what you want to do I guess in gaming ( and I am NO expert ) you have:

1. Framerate
2. RAM amount & speed
3. Processor speed
4. HDD data transfer rate

You need to look at your needs in those areas and what improvements to them your "upgrades" might make?

[Raion]

I won't make the desicion for you, I'll just help you make it:

If you buy the new videocard, and save up for the new computer afterwords, you can have a good upgraded PC to either a.) setup in a home LAN or b.) sell to buy better parts for new pc (or maybe even sell the old videocard if you don't want to sell the computer)

However, in my personal opinion, and comming from a 565 MHz pc with 192mb of RAM, I think your computer is more than suitable for home use and gaming and if you save up now, you can get a brand new computer faster. Also, if I were you I'd get PCIe compatible mobo with the next pc, with Windows Vista just around the corner you might need it for really good performance.

[.:front2back:.]

I would just grab the new video card and hard drive.
Then save up and purchase your dream machine, and then you can convert the old box to a linux distro and use it as a server or to learn how to use linux if you already don't know how to use it.

cheers
front2back

[The Duck]

Well... I think I have decided to start saving for a whole new computer... the gaming rig I have now is still really good... I guess I don't see a need to upgrade right away...

I will be saving my money... I have about 500 dollars saved... I will be selling my drum set for another 500 dollars... with that money I will be buying a LCD suitable for gaming... the one I have now sucks... and I'll also be buying a new computer desk... I'll have at least 3 computers on this desk... The computer in the center of the desk will be my main computer (gaming computer)... the one on the left of that will be my old Pentium 2 machine running ubuntu... and the one on the right will either be another old PC or my laptop... So bacially I'm planning on having my own command center to take over the world!! ...

I'll post pics as soon as it all happens... I'm planning on within a month...

[nihil]

Hmmm,

I will be selling my drum set for another 500 dollars

Time to start practice again?.............got to be worth 1,000 bucks from the neighbours?



Muhahahahahahahaha!

[The Duck]

haha... Yeh my neighbors never really were to thrilled... But everytime they saw me they'd fake a smile and say... I hear you all the time... your pretty good... lol...

I'm actually selling it because I just don't have time to play anymore...And I really did kind of lose interest... Oh well...