More RAM Or Video Card For Game Performance?

[duc900sp]

Hi,

I've got a 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo, 1GB Dual Channel DDR2, PNY 7900GT (256MB RAM) and I want to upgrade for better gaming performance. Nothing's overclocked.

My question is, should I go up to 2GB RAM or add another 7900GT and go SLI?

I can get the RAM for about $175 or the video card for about $225. My power supply is already good to go for SLI.

I was fairly happy with my machine's performance running FEAR and Ghost Recon - just occasional stutters with most settings pretty high. However, Flight Simulator X on high is causing a lot of stutters and slow frame rates. When it stutters, the hard drive light is on solid or flashing.

Any suggestions, recommendations or opinions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Jake

 

[sailer]

You need 2 gig of ram, using two 1 gig sticks. What's happening is that you're using the hard drive virtual ram a lot and the machine stutters as it accesses the hard drive.

 

[elbert]

Hi,

I've got a 2.13GHz Core 2 Duo, 1GB Dual Channel DDR2, PNY 7900GT (256MB RAM) and I want to upgrade for better gaming performance. Nothing's overclocked.

My question is, should I go up to 2GB RAM or add another 7900GT and go SLI?

I can get the RAM for about $175 or the video card for about $225. My power supply is already good to go for SLI.

I was fairly happy with my machine's performance running FEAR and Ghost Recon - just occasional stutters with most settings pretty high. However, Flight Simulator X on high is causing a lot of stutters and slow frame rates. When it stutters, the hard drive light is on solid or flashing.

Any suggestions, recommendations or opinions are greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Jake

Sailer has hit the nail on the head but I would suggest a full 2GB RAM upgrade making 3GB's total. 2GB's can be as cheap as $200 and in most cases motherboards maxing out at 4GB's the 2GB's upgrade will fill 2 RAM slots. I would say theres little wisdom in buying a extra none DX10 card unless the GPU is under $100.

 

[MAK-Daddy32]

I had the same decision to make last week. Ended up going with a combo deal at newegg for 2 GB of RAM and an 8800 GTS

Should be here tomorrow, can't wait to fire it up.

 

[duc900sp]

Thanks, everyone, for all the feedback!

I think you're exactly right about waiting on the video card - thanks for pointing that out.

I'll look at adding RAM soon!

Jake

 

[duc900sp]

Yeah, thanks.

I'm gonna eBay my current RAM and replace with 2 1GB sticks.

Jake

 

[NotSoSober]

Keep in mind that if you add two 1GB sticks, you won't be running in dual-channel mode. There will be a slight (probably not noticeable) performance difference from dual-channel.

I dont get it... why would he lose dual-channel mode?

 

[k0rn_h0li0]

well if you see in his post its not 2 x1gig its just 1 so he doesn't even receive it yet and your ram from your graphics doesn't equal with your ram so it wouldn't make sense and he needs to get 1 gig of the same ram unless he wants to get 2 of the same from ebay and have 1 dual and 1 regular making it 3 gigs. enjoy

 

[Mondoman]

...if you add two 1GB sticks, you won't be running in dual-channel mode. ...

Ignore this -- dual channel mode should work fine with 2x512MB + 2x1GB.

 

[Mondoman]

well if ...

Punctuation and Capitalization would allow us to understand what you wrote...

 

[k0rn_h0li0]

i mean well at that stand point how you look at it so on and so on

 

[Mondoman]

Sorry, I still can't make sense of it. Like I said, using punctuation, capitalization, and splitting your text into sentences would help a lot.

 

[duc900sp]

Actually, my mobo manual (Asus P5NSLI) says that the total size of each pair has to be the same if you want dual channel operation.

Jake

 

[Guest]

jesus dude youare quite possilbly the biggest F@ GGOT IN THE ENTITRE WERLD

 

[CO_OL]

jesus dude youare quite possilbly the biggest F@ GGOT IN THE ENTITRE WERLD

CO_OL STORY

 

[PANZER4]

I'd just do a rebuild

 

[PANZER4]

Sorry, completely missed the date >_<