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dboysmustang

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Aug 18, 2011
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i have a pc that im trying to play Rift on, ive been playing final fantasy 11 on it for a couple years and now it seems rift requires a bit more for it to run smoothly, as of right now im gettin some lag in game and out of game when it loads or when i try to open a browser. Was just wandering if you guys could give me some help or advice on what to get. I dont really want to spend a bunch of money but willing to spend a $100 - $300 or so atm, but advice on future upgrades would be great also since it would give me time to save up. Here are my specs and ill also list the specs for the game im tryin to run.

My PC

CPU: Pentium(R) Dual-Core CPU E5200 @ 2.50GHz
RAM: 2047.2 Mb
V/Card: ATI Radeon HD 4300/4500 Series
DX Ver: 9.0c
Mainboard: G31MV/G31MV-K Foxconn
O/S: Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition SP3.0
HDD: 71.1 GB / 233 GB (69.5% Free)

Rift recommended specs

Operating system: Windows XP, Vista or 7
Processor: Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz or better
Memory: 4 GB
Hard disk space: 15.0 GB available
Desktop Video: Nvidia GTS 250 or better
Sound: DirectX 8.1 compliant card
DirectX®: 9.0c, June 2010 update
 
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GPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131374

CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116371

RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148235

This will cost around a bit under $300. However, make sure you have at least a 400 to 450W PSU to be on the safe side. If you don't want to spend money on a new PSU, just tell me your current PSU so I can choose a card for you that is in your budget and can be powered by your PSU. Saving up would also be a great idea. You can do more than just upgrade your GPU and CPU, and add more RAM. If youwant the best great performance, I would save up a few more hundred dollars ($500+ can give you a great new PC makeover).

 
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Sorry for having to ask, but i know very little about computers, but is that RAM your proposing an addition to what i have or will that ram alone be enough to run it very well? The main problem im having right now is the computer acts so over loaded when running it, when i open a web browser when the game is running, it takes it a good 15 seconds to load up. And if i am replacing it, could i run the 4gig DDR3 instead since its just a few dollars more?

Also, would it be feasible to purchase a Nvidia GTS 250 for the setup i have now and add/or replace the RAM i have now since the price of it seems to be about half of the other, so i have time to save up and just get the good stuff without spending a whole lot of money. My biggest problem right now is gettin the woman to understand i need to upgrade lol. She tends to get a bit pissy when it comes to video games lol
 
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(1) Video card.
Caution: The 6850 would be an excellent choice; However it is a 2.1 card (As all ati 6xxx are) Some pci-e 2.1 cards have a problem if the slot is ver 1.0.
Also ver 2.1, not as good as the 6850, but lower cost
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102873
I'll see if I can look up MB for pci-e slot. Also there may be a nvidia card that is 2.0 (I'm a AMD guy for Video)

Memory: is your ram 2 sticks of 1 Gig, or one stick.
Need two sticks for daul channel. (A) if yours is one stick, then you could buy 1 identical stick - Would increase ram to 4 gigs (= Improvement) and change you from single channel mode to daul channel mode. (B) If you have 2 sticks, recommend you replace with 2 x 2. again = 4 gigs of ram in daul channel mode. Reason for not getting an additional 2 x 1 for a total of 4 gigs is that some MBs have trouble running 4 sticks, espeacilly lower end MB.

CPU. Upgrade Video card and ram, try then if needed upgrade CPU.

Slow down in loading and in general could indicate that you may have problems with Operating system and/or HDD.

Run a defrag on computer.
Run a registry cleaner. CCleaner is free: http://www.piriform.com/CCLEANER

Last resort: reload windows XP, At some point you will want to switch over to Win 7
 
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Your mobo uses DDR2, so DDR3 is not an option. Any money you spend on CPU or RAM is probably better saved toward a new system, as they won't be re-usable. I agree with AbdullahG that your best course of action is to save for a more substantial rebuild.
Two things you can do now though, that won't be money wasted, are to upgrade your PSU and your GPU, because you could move them into a new system. A 4300/4500 series GPU is very weak by modern standards. You don't list your resolution, but it must not be too high, or what you have now wouldn't even be playable. A HD6770 or GTX460 would likely offer all the graphics performance you need. Then you'll want a good (which doesn't mean big) PSU to run it. A quality modern PSU has full range active PFC (no little voltage switch) and some level of 80+ certification for efficiency. Seasonic, Antec, Corsair, XFX, and Enermax/LEPA are among the better brands. Five hundred watts is sufficient; you could actually use a 380W Antec Earthwatts for a system built around a HD6770.

Edit: Considering the PCIE v2.0 issue mentioned by RetiredChief, a HD5770 might be a safer choice than a HD6770; the latter is essentially the same card but just adds BluRay decode support.

 
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well there is a way for me to reuse and thats what my plan is if i can get it to work. upgrading now for alot less can in a few months allow me to spend $500 or so on my computer and take the minor upgrades i just made and put them in my womans computer. Makin her think im upgrading her's but really im doing mine and giving her my old lol. I know it sounds bad, but she handles the money, so i have to do this convincing lol but if i was to purchase the Nvidia GTS 250 and another 2gig stick, would my pc be able to run that and alot better than what its doing now?
 
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Concur with only upgrading what you can carry over to a new system.

Only one component would not fall in this catagory - Your Ram
Looking at you MB you only have 2 slots. Side note: if Operating system is xp 32 bit you will only have about 3.5 Gig usable, but still worth it.
$50: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134582

Video card - This is where you put your money in, get the best you can afford.
Jtt283 - Was going to ref the 5770, But New egg only shows 3 and only one of them is 2.0, the other two are 2.1
Not a Nvidia, so someone weighin on:
For $130 - 20 MIR 550Ti: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134582
For $10->140 460SE: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007709%20600007855%20600030348%20600007323%204017%20600094046&IsNodeId=1&name=GeForce%20GTX%20460%20SE%20%28Fermi%29
NOTE: these would carry over for the initial "New System" and the later on upgrade.

Relooking:
(1) On HDD, this may be a low end, and for 50->60 you could upgrade to a sata 2 500-> 1TB. Should be a performance boost (small) and would carry over to the new system, My choice would be the Samsung F3 1 TB @ $60 Onsale. Probably does not need 1 TB, BUT 1 TB would provide better performance than say the 500 Gig drive and Not much cost difference. (ie 1 TB F3 more cost effective).

On PSU: OP didn't specify; But concure need to verify that it will handle GPU and that it falls in the "good" list and not the "OUCH" list. Here I would recommend the 450W Corsair which when moved over to the New system would handle a SB I5-750 and up to the 6870 GPU (approx 280 Watts) (My System).
 
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Added, based on your questions.
So you have a single 2 gig stick of ram.
If so yes, a 2 gig stick is only around $25. BUT you need to but the same module. (ie Same speed, CL ratings and same Voltage.
If unsure, the Download CPUID CPUz, install and run. There are two memory tabs that will show (A) what you are running your memory at and (b) the Specs for your Ram.

Upgrade old: Ram $25 (single 2 gig stick) - $50 (2 x 2 pair) + GPU $125->150 + PSU $50 + 50 for HDD = $250->$300. Move GPU, PSU and HDD -> new system.
On PSU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139027

New system (Then)
I5-2500k + a mid level Z68 MB + 8 gigs of ram, Approximatly $400
Add $100 for Windows 7
Add If needed/want case, Approx $50->$75

ADDED - DITCH PSU!!! Can reuse as a door stop (LOL)
 
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its showing i have a DDR2 2048 MBytes pc2-6400 (400MHz) Kingston
JEDEC #1 266 MHz 4. latency 4 RAS to CAS 4 RAS precharge tRAS 12 trc 16 voltage 1.80V
JEDEC #2 333 MHz 5. latency 5 RAS to CAS 5 RAS precharge tRAS 15 trc 20 voltage 1.80V
JEDEC #1 400 MHz 6. latency 6 RAS to CAS 6 RAS precharge tRAS 18 trc 24 voltage 1.80V


Which on newegg would match that so i only need to buy just one?
 
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So to sum all this up, giving thats the right memory stick i have selected, is this what you are saying would be a good upgrade? and later on upgrading the motherboard?

SAPPHIRE 100283-3L Radeon HD 5770 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card
Item #: N82E16814102873
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$20.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$119.99
1

AMD Gift - SHOGUN game coupon
Item #: N82E16800995105
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
-$39.99 Saving
$39.99
$0.00


CORSAIR Builder Series CX500 V2 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Item #: N82E16817139027
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$10.00 Instant
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$69.99
$59.99


Kingston 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model KVR800D2/2GR
Item #: N82E16820134797
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
$26.99
Subtotal: $206.97
 
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Memory either or should work
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134797
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820134636

GPU: The problem with the SAPPHIRE 100283-3L Radeon HD 5770 is that it is a Ver2.1.
IF your PCI-e slot is a version 1.0, it may NOT work. Version 2.0 GPUs are backwards compatablie with Ver 1.0 slots, BUT some GPUs that are ver 2.1 may or may NOT work with ver 1.0

SO before getting that card read thru the 300+ reviews and see if any body had a problem on a version 1.0 MB. NOTE if the shaphire 5770 will work then there is a good chance the shaphire 6770 wil work (5770 is a sone to be discontinued item from ATI, 5xxx series are being replaced with the 6xxx series).
 
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ok nevermind, i just found a forum where people are complaining that it isnt stated that 1.0 wont work. So any other ideas on a card that will work? i really dont have the money to fork out right now to upgrade the motherboard.
 
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Acer Aspire AS5733Z-4445 Intel Pentium P6100(2.00GHz) 15.6" 3GB Memory 320GB HDD Intel HD Graphics Notebook
Item #: N82E16834215114
Return Policy: Computer Replacement Only Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$70.00 Instant
$399.99
$329.99


EVGA SuperClocked 01G-P3-1367-TR GeForce GTX 460 SE (Fermi) 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ...
Item #: N82E16814130597
Return Policy: VGA Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$30.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$164.99


CORSAIR Builder Series CX500 V2 500W ATX12V v2.3 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply
Item #: N82E16817139027
Return Policy: Standard Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
-$10.00 Instant
$10.00 Mail-in Rebate Card
$69.99
$59.99


Kingston 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory Model KVR800D2/2GR
Item #: N82E16820134797
Return Policy: Memory Standard Return Policy
$26.99


Intel Pentium E6800 Wolfdale 3.33GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor BX80571E6800
Item #: N82E16819116371
Return Policy: CPU Replacement Only Return Policy
Protect Your Investment (expand for options)
$99.99
Subtotal: $681.95



So here is my list, everything look good? yes i threw in the laptop.... its kinda a "you can have this if i can have this" thing lol
 
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well for this to work i have to get my woman the laptop, so i need to milk this for as much as i can or later down the road its going to be hard to upgrade again. So what would you guys recommend? a rough price range of the current one posted would be nice. also while we are at it, what about a fan and hdd? hell even a case, as long as this isnt too crazy in price, i just may make her happy enough to be able to build a new pc.
 
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