   | Junior Member with 9 posts. | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Experience: Intermediate | | Solved: Upgrading Graphics Card [Okay, be prepared for a reasonably long post.]
Hey there, this is my first post on these forums.
Recently I've been in a dilemma about upgrading my computer hardware to make for increased speed in design programs (photoshop, premiere, after effects etc.) and the ability to play games at higher quality settings.
After a bit of researching, I've inevitably arrived at the idea of upgrading my video card and my RAM. I've already decided on upgrading my current measly 510MB to a much more suitable 2GB. However, my main problem is the choice of video card, and knowing whether or not it would be compatible with my system.
So to sum up, I'd like to know:
- What information I need to find out about my computer, and how this will affect what graphics card I can purchase.
- Although I'm familiar with most of the terminology, things like 'SLI' and 'CrossFire' mean absolutely nothing to me. Are they necessary?
- What is this all about 'AGP' and 'PCI Express'? And how can I find out what my motherboard can support?
Really, I'd like to just give my system specs and ask what would be suitable...but I've found so little resource about graphics card compatibility on the internet, that this would be much more useful to people who are in the same position as me.
Thanks in advance,
and any help is appreciated!
Jonathan Sandman (a.k.a. UmbraProphet) |  | Distinguished Member with 6,084 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: Varkaus/Finland/Northern EU Experience: Been THERE, done THAT ;E | | Use PCWizard by CPUID to determine your system/motherboard model, we really don't need much more to recommend a graphics card. However, if you haven't upgraded your power supply earlier on, you'll most probably need to do that now (~50$ operation, a premium quality 400W PSU costs that) if you want a decent graphics card suitable for gaming. Post other system specs that PC Wizard tells, too, we can advice on other things too.
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Infected Mushroom - Deeply Disturbed |  | Senior Member with 110 posts. | | Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Experience: Intermediate | | SLI and Crossfire are NVIDIA and ATI's method of linking multiple graphics cards together. They're almost the same thing, but one's NVIDIA and one's ATI. Unless you're going for multiple graphics cards, you don't need to worry about it. And if you are going for multiple cards, that's all there is to it, really. To my knowledge, most modern cards from both companies will be multi-gpu compatible. AGP and PCIe are two different types of standard expansion ports. PCIe is technically superior to AGP, which is why AGP is increasingly rare in new models. If you have a PCIe slot, use that. (My links should have images of what these slots look like.)
As for what particular video card you should choose, we should like to know how much you're willing to spend. Also, "higher quality" is a bit relative and subjective - if you could be more specific as to how intensive your gaming is and what specs you're hoping for, that would be a great help.
Both ATI's Radeon series and NVIDIA's GeForce series are generally the most popular, and one or the other will work just fine. I prefer NVIDIA and always have, but that's mostly just personal taste - I'd be hard-pressed to firmly even justify it.
Use the program previously linked, too, knowing your motherboard model and such will help us help you. |  | Distinguished Member with 4,759 posts. | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dallas Experience: Advanced | | Depending on your computer, it maynot be worth upgrading or may not be upgradable.
The info we need, most of it you can get from PC Wizard.
- Brand and model of your PC
- Mother board Brand and model (This will help tell us if you have AGP or PCIe or none)
- Power Supply Brand and model
- CPU Brand and model
With your computer being 512mb, it sounds more like an AGP type of computer - but thats speculation until you update us.
To increase PS and such, you're looking at multi-core CPUs and improved graphics.
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PC Wizard System Info on Hardware & temperatures. AVG AntiVirus & ZoneAlarm Firewall. Try the Opera 10 Web Browser today! Easier, Safer & Cleaner interface; unlike IE 8! | | | Junior Member with 9 posts. | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Experience: Intermediate | | Computer Specs Update Okay, is this information that I'm gonna need?
<<< Mainboard >>>
> Manufacturer : eveshamvale
> Mainboard : eveshamvale RS480M2-IL
> Bios : Phoenix Technologies, LTD
> Chipset : ATI RS482
> Physical Memory : 512 MB DDR-SDRAM
> LPC bus : Yes
> PCI Bus : Yes
> Bus PCI-Express : Yes
> USB Bus : Yes
> SMBus/i2c Bus : Yes
> Bus HyperTransport : Yes
> Bus QPI : No
> Bus CardBus : No
> Bus FireWire : Yes
<<< Processor >>>
> Processor : AMD Athlon 64 3000+
> Frequency : 1800 MHz
> Support : Socket 939
> Cache L1 : 128 KB
> Cache L2 : 512 KB
> Voltage VID : 1.500 V
> FPU Coprocessor : Present
> Processor activity : : 6%
Also, my power supply is 250w. Looking at some of the requirements for graphics cards out there, I'm guessing that I'll have to look into upgrading that too. And thanks for the help, it's all really useful and it's great that you've taken the time to reply and help solve my problem.
Jonathan Sandman (a.k.a. UmbraProphet) | | | Senior Member with 110 posts. | | Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Atlanta, GA Experience: Intermediate | | You will almost certainly have to get a better power supply. Fortunately, as long as you know or can figure out which wire plugs into where without electrocuting yourself, it's fairly straightforward. There should be some guide or manual or something that comes with a new power supply.
Your motherboard has one PCI-e x16 slot, which is where your new graphics card will go. As long as you have enough power to support it and it'll fit inside your case, it should be compatible, unless I'm missing something. | | | Distinguished Member with 4,759 posts. | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dallas Experience: Advanced | | This should be your board, an MSI: http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p...del=rs480m2-il
Your board, at least has PCIe - so you can at least upgrade the video card easily and cheaply.
But overall - most of the computer is out-dated and finding a cheap used CPU is your best bet for getting more performance. You're CPU is the bottom end AMD64-3000 (A fine chip in its day). You are limited to the long-time discontinued AMD socket 939 CPUs... To help us help you... a few more questions:
1 - What is your budget? Have Goal and absolute. (ie: My budget is $300, but may go $325)
2 - What games are you wanting to play? Old games won't be a problem, new games are a problem.
Here is a photoshop Performance chart that is new. So your Specific CPU isn't on the chart. But the AMD Sempron LE-1150 (1core 2.0Ghz) is the closest thing to your CPU. So for reference, yours is a little bit slower. Its at the very bottom. http://www.anandtech.com/bench/default.aspx?b=25
1150 = 112 seconds (Like your 3000 CPU)
4450 = 62 seconds (like an AMD64 x2 4800 2.4Ghz 939 CPU)
7850 = 40 seconds (2.8Ghz 2-core CPU) $65
x3 720 = 29 seconds (2.8Ghz 3-core CPU) $120
But those are new chips for new motherboards.
Pricewatch has 939 CPUs: http://www.pricewatch.com/browse/cpu/socket_939/18
The X2 2.2Ghz 939 CPU is $240 and the 2.4Ghz X2 (4600) $350 Not worth it.
You're looking at spending $35~45 per GB of RAM (DDR-1 1GB each) that won't be usable on any modern computer.
You can spend $25~200 for a gaming card, but those won't help much in photoshop.
The PSU will need to be upgraded, $50~100, depending on your goals & budget.
That is the problem. If you can find someone selling a cheap used X2 CPU, a 3800/4600 should be about $10 or so. Spending about $300 for a CPU that is old for a dying standard is bad use of money.
If you want to keep what you have... the most I'd spend is about $50~60 in upgrades. A new PSU can be used in a new computer.
A new CPU, motherboard and RAM - such as the AMD x2 7850 with 2GB can be as low as $160~175. Todays AMD onboard video is quite fast too. Still need to add the PSU of course.
And you need to have an OS CD. And you may not have enough old IDE drive connectors to work with, if you want to use your old drives.
Do you have computer building experience?
You may simply want to buy a new computer for $350~375.
AMD X2 2.5ghz / 3GB RAM / 320GB HD / Vista + Win7 upgrade / DVD-RW drive http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1218093382970
While your current CPU is 2.0Ghz, today's CPUs are a faster, even if at 2.5.
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PC Wizard System Info on Hardware & temperatures. AVG AntiVirus & ZoneAlarm Firewall. Try the Opera 10 Web Browser today! Easier, Safer & Cleaner interface; unlike IE 8! | | | Junior Member with 9 posts. | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Experience: Intermediate | | Tah-Dah, Final Conclusion Okay, thanks very much for your help. Taking into account that upgrading my computer would be very expensive, and that computer hardware technology is advancing so fast...it makes little sense for me to upgrade something that isn't going to last me.
So I've decided that I'm gonna custom-build a new computer; I was surprised at how much money you could save from buying the parts separately and assembling it yourself. Although I originally only had a basic understanding of the inner-workings of my computer, thanks to you my knowledge has advanced (especially on the graphical-capability side of things), so I'll be able to create a computer that's upgradable and will support my needs.
I've also researched further into some of the areas that 'Compiler' suggested, and am looking into different motherboard specs so that I know what I need to look at when it comes down to finding compatible components.
And thanks to everyone who has helped, it's been a real eye-opener, and the information has been really useful! Keep up the good work =)
Jonathan Sandman (a.k.a. UmbraProphet) | | | Distinguished Member with 4,759 posts. | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dallas Experience: Advanced | | | | | | Distinguished Member with 6,084 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: Varkaus/Finland/Northern EU Experience: Been THERE, done THAT ;E |
10-Aug-2009, 04:04 PM
#10 | Quote:
Originally Posted by Compiler  | You're just copypasting that over, now aren't you? The 550 currently costs 99.99, the same as the 650TX: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16817139005 they have the same amount of rebate too, so go get the 650 if you want room for upgrade and a high end graphics card.
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Infected Mushroom - Deeply Disturbed | | | Distinguished Member with 4,759 posts. | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dallas Experience: Advanced |
10-Aug-2009, 04:34 PM
#11 | Because I tend to recommend the same parts - I have a list I keep handy. I did happen to update it today. I add small notes to the parts.
I don't put HDs, DVD, etc since that doesn't really matter. But I guess I should add the Antec300 as a low-budget quality case.
$100 for the 650w PSU is a good deal... the 550 should be cheaper!
I still don't recommend anything more than a $100~150 video card nowadays.
I bet in the coming weeks, we're going to see the prices drop on the top-end card and I'm sure they are no longer being made. Whose going to buy a $250 DX10 card when a $150 DX11 is faster? 
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PC Wizard System Info on Hardware & temperatures. AVG AntiVirus & ZoneAlarm Firewall. Try the Opera 10 Web Browser today! Easier, Safer & Cleaner interface; unlike IE 8! | | | Distinguished Member with 6,084 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: Varkaus/Finland/Northern EU Experience: Been THERE, done THAT ;E |
10-Aug-2009, 04:41 PM
#12 | Another one is the new Two Hundred
Also, for a bit "nicer" case, Lian Li Lancool PC-K58 and K62 are new arrivals worth looking into, I saw a nice review of it, I think those are the first ever tool-less cases that actually are good. Out of stock at newegg currently, of course, but yeah.
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Infected Mushroom - Deeply Disturbed | | | Junior Member with 9 posts. | | Join Date: Aug 2009 Experience: Intermediate |
10-Aug-2009, 04:53 PM
#13 | | | | | Distinguished Member with 6,084 posts. | | Join Date: Dec 1969 Location: Varkaus/Finland/Northern EU Experience: Been THERE, done THAT ;E |
10-Aug-2009, 05:01 PM
#14 | | | | | Distinguished Member with 4,759 posts. | | Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Dallas Experience: Advanced |
10-Aug-2009, 05:16 PM
#15 | The important issue here.... UmbraProphet, where do you live?
You said "£400 - £600"... if you're in the UK - you need to work within UK links... Some of us STILL use newegg for shopping parts - because they provide the best info.
I have an intel Q6600 running at 3ghz.. I'd be happy to trade it in for an AMD system if I had a buyer... but the re-sale value wouldn't allow me to get the AMD without spending more $$$ 
AMD is very good... prices are low... performance quite nice. If speed is desired, an intel i7... but thats about $200~300 more.
You can go with that build.... be BG-0 and myself (as well as others) are more quality oriented.
The 1TB Seagate is better to have... make sure its in the TINY box... the newer drives.
Ultra = cheap
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