Computer Upgrade!

So I want to try to upgrade my PC a bit, particularly with WotLK coming out. I get "ok" performance playing WoW currently, but with all the new shaders and stuff coming soon, I have a feeling that it's going to be less than enjoyable to continue with my current setup. So I'll post my computer's specs, and then someone needs to advise me what the best upgrade(s) would be! Oh and then someone has to put them in for me too

 

Computer: HP m8120n

Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce 7350 LE

Processor: 2.40 gigahertz Intel Core2 Quad (64 kilobyte primary memory cache, 4096 kilobyte secondary memory cache)

Memory: 3070 Megabytes Installed Memory (Slot 0&2 have 512 MB, 1&3 have 1024 MB) (max is 8192 MB across 4 slots, but only running Vista 32)

Motherboard: ASUSTek Computer INC. Basswood3G 1.05

BIOS: Phoenix Technologies, LTD 5.07

Harddrive: 2x Hitachi HDT725032VLA380 (320.07 GB)

Monitor: 20" widescreen

 

Whee, so there's all that. Now prz, someone tell me how to make WoW play better. kthx

 

No seriously.

You'll have to call Kimball to get a response out of him... or text him. Just send the others nakid pics, that usual get's them to respond quickly, mostly with screams though, but I'm sure it would be different for you.

definitely your video card needs to be upgraded.

 

the more memory on the video card the better it will handle higher res. with all those fancy things like anti aliasing and anti tropisicinghdrfdi filtering or whatever.

 

kimball will reccomend any EVGA nvidia video card 8 series and up.

in all honesty I'd only upgrade the video card. Your machine actually is quite nice. See what a EVGA Geforce 8800 costs.

Ya you need a video card everything else is fine. You might have to swap the power supply out also they put tiny ones in the hp. Bring it next time you come down and we can do it.

How much money we talkin about Kimball? I mean I has money, just want to know what I should set aside.

 

I want a card that'll last me a while. But I don't need it to launch the space shuttle. k?

try this one, good reviews,

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...=eVGA%208800GTS

sigh... i need to upgrade mine too.... QQ

honestly, if you has money, and want it to last, i'd go with one of these if you can:

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814102795

 

the computer i just built for myself has two of them running crossfire, but one would be fine too.

Edited September 26, 2008 by Sploit

As far as I know WoW does not have Crossfire or SLI support, hence the second card would be worthless. Maybe it will be added in WotLK, but I haven't heard anything about that.

SLI is a terrible idea for wow, after a few alt tabs your pc will freeze or wow will crash. just get a powerful single card.

 

i got a 8800 GTS 1GB card and its great, i play everything at 1680x1050 widescreen with max settings and its totally smooth.

 

you're gonna be looking at spending like 150-200 bucks.

Whatever card Kimball just put in my machine is quite nice. Eni two boxes on my machine and it renders both smoothly.

From several bad experiences with ATi cards I don't know that I could go back their drivers are just bad. nVidia stuff ftw. I know ATi is supposed to be doing great things now, but it's like the time I went to Ponderosa when I was 10 ate the nachos and puked all over the place, I just can't go back

The 8800's are already 2 generations old (well 1 considering the 9 series was the same as the 8 series). Spend a couple more bucks and get an Nvidia 260. You can pick one up for like $250 before rebates. I'm getting one soon when I pick out a new monitor to go with it. You'll be happy with it for a few years.

 

 

On a related note, can anyone recommend a good but affordable LCD that doesn't use a TN panel (24" S-PVA panel preferably). I've been eyeing the Dell 2408WFP for awhile, but the price keeps escalating ($689 right now) and I keep kicking myself for not buying it when it was $600 >.

Edited September 26, 2008 by Hykos

After Kimball built me a computer that could have survived the UFC, I jsut do what he tells me when it comes to computer parts.

 

ATI makes great... logos?

new gen ati cards are actually really nice, and with the nvidia bad parts debacle, they are worth considering.

 

the 260 does look pretty hawt for the price point, however.

the x200 series like mike has in his computer is overkill, imo.

 

unless you're playing crysis on 4 monitors in SLI, you'll be fine for awhile with any high end 8 series nvidia card and definitely any 9 series. plus they are way more "bang for your buck" in the $100-$200 range.

I will say my 8800GT 512mb runs WoW very nicely at 1920 x 1200, everything high. You can get them mid-100's now I believe.

i wish my monitor would go that high res =( 1680x1050 is the max i can get out of it, stupid dell package flat panels.

Hijack time!

 

With my Birthday in a couple of weeks i figure that a computer upgrade would be great. Assuming my current specs, where/what should i upgrade first with a $300-$500 spending limit?

Operating System

Windows Vista Home Premium Service Pack 1 (build 6001)

Processor a

2.80 gigahertz Intel Pentium 4

16 kilobyte primary memory cache

1024 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Drives

250.06 Gigabytes Usable Hard Drive Capacity

Main Circuit Board b

Board: Intel Corporation D915PLWD AAD16710-101

Serial Number: LAWD52507298

Bus Clock: 133 megahertz

BIOS: Intel Corp. VG91510A.86A.0042.2005.0530.2018 05/30/2005

Memory Modules c,d

2048 Megabytes Installed Memory

 

Slot 'J6G1' has 1024 MB

Slot 'J6H1' has 1024 MB

Display

VisionTek Radeon X300 SE Hypermemory [Display adapter] (2x)

ViewSonic VA903 SERIES [Monitor] (19.1"vis, s/n Q87063500257, August 2006)

 

More RAM and a new Video Card seem to be the most visible upgrade areas but i'm curious on which specific product to actually get. I am VERY computer illiterate when it comes to hardware :<

Edited September 26, 2008 by Atrus

more ram isn't going to help you that much assuming you are running 32-bit vista.

 

you're gonna have to upgrade that proc (and thus motherboard), otherwise if you buy a current-gen video card that proc is gonna bottleneck the shit out of it.

any core2duo is gonna crap all over that p4, so get to it.

 

what speed is the ram? ram is cheap, might as well pick up 2 gigs of something fast when you upgrade the mobo.

 

hopefully your psu doesnt suck or else you might have some problems running modern hardware.

 

intel E8400 Core 2 Duo - 170.00

pick a mobo in the 150.00 range, somebody else may suggest a certain chipset / brand, I have an evga nforce (3?)

nvidia 8800GTS - 170.00

= 490 plus shipping

 

later you can pick up 4 gigs of Corsair ram for 50 bux or so

I have pentium 4 CPU at 3,0 Ghz and 1 gig ram. ATI radeon X 1600 video card. Will it be ok to run WOTLK, should I put it in garbage?

 

Are the new CPUs much faster than what I have?

 

If it really makes a difference please can you tell me what type of hardware I should get and cost. Money is not a big issue here, but I don't want to spend for nothing.

Edited September 26, 2008 by Aigle

should I put it in garbage disposal?

Fixed

 

aigle, at the very least buy another gig of ram.

Really for the price its hard to beat the 260 gtx. Thats the same card i put in ghost and gynis mashine. Only problem is some of you might not have the power supply requirements for it. So might have to do a power supply too. Newegg has it on sale for $259.99 with a $40 rebate really hard to beat. They just came out with a new ver of the card so the old ones are cheaper. If you have a pci e slot in in your machine you could do the video card first then later look into a mb cpu and ram.

 

I'm still running a pair of 8800 gt in mine with no issues. If i alt tab a lot it will get some slow downs in wow but if i change the rez it goes away. Something with the textures i assume get messed up. I would recommend doing a single good card over going with 2 cheap cards for sli.

 

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx...N82E16814130370