Old custom build needs upgrade or start new

[khunter0211]

Here is my current system set up built about 3 years ago

Operating system:
Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
Processor:
AMD Athlon XP 3000+
Hard drives:
WD2000JB ATA & WDC800JB
Memory:
1GB total (2 512 MB) maxed out on motherboard
Graphics card:
ATI Radeon 9600/X1050
Audio:
on board
Motherboard:
Abit nf7-s v2

I was just wondering if I could get some suggestions as to upgrade something (video card), or start from stock and rebuild. I mostly use the computer for gaming not online and internet. Any suggestions would be appriciated. I wanted to play games like COD4 and the like but when I run the program Can You Run It? it says that my graphics card needs to be upgraded. So I just wanted some opinions. thanks

 

[megamanx00]

Wow, you held out with that card this long? I put a 1950GT in my 3000+ system a while back and that held me over till I could really upgrade. It's hard to suggest a new card for you now though. Even though a Radeon 3850 AGP is the most powerfull AGP card, it will be limited by your system. I just don't think it's worth it for you to buy that Radeon 3850 at $130 or more when it offeres the same preformance as an $80 Radeon 4670 and then add to that a cheap AMD board, CPU, and RAM will give you a better upgrade for not much more money.

Go with a 2600XT or a Radeon 3650 AGP. While not the fastest cards they are a great improvement over what you currently have. It would be great if you can find an X1900 or 7900 series AGP card on eBay, just don't pay over $80 for one.

 

[Onus]

What is your budget?
If it is $400 or more, a new system is in order. If not, then get by on a GPU upgrade as Megamanx00 suggests until you can afford to rebuild.

 

[khunter0211]

My budget is under $100 for the GPU. I can hold out if necessary for the end of the year and my budget would be around a grand or so.

What is the main difference in the 2600XT or a Radeon 3650 AGP compared with the X1900 or 7900 series GPU?

I saw a couple 3650 radeon on ebay for under 100, Im assuming to go with the 512 rather then the 256mb. The x1900 is hard to find as AGP, should be a hard find.

 

[jedi940]

i would recommend waiting. i had a similar system for a long time. I had an xp2800 with 1gb ram and a raedon 7500. I finally upgraded the graphics card to an x800gto which was well worth the money. That card however was bottlenecked by my processor. On games like neverwinter nights 2, i would constantly be at 100% cpu usage. I finally upgraded a year and a half ago and boy was it nice. Huge performance jump. I wouldn't recommend getting the best agp card right now because your system won't be able to take full advantage of it. a high end agp card would be wasted especially since you can't use it in your new system. I would get a mediocre card for now if you can't wait. Although if you have held out this long, i would wait till the end of the year and just save that money for a whole new system.

 

[IH8U]

Don't bother with E-BAY for Video cards, as newegg has 2 of them for $80 NEW

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161237
$80 (HIS 3650 512MB AGP)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102762
$80 (Sapphire 3650 512MB AGP)

or spend $50 more on this:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814131090
$130 (Powercolor 3850 512MB AGP)(Has a $10 MIR)

All are retail.

 

[khunter0211]

with my current setup and a new 3650 card would I be wasting my time with games like COD4 or half-life 2, etc?

So you think the 3650 is better then this card.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161208

 

[jedi940]

Call of Duty 4

Required (minimum) Specs
CPU: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 2.4 GHz or AMD(R) Athlon(TM) 64 2800+ processor or any 1.8Ghz Dual Core Processor or better supported
RAM: 512MB RAM (768MB for Windows Vista)
Hard Drive: 8GB of free space
Video card: NVIDIA(R) Geforce(TM) 6600 or better or ATI(R) Radeon(R) 9800 Pro or better

Recommended Specs
CPU: 2.4 GHz dual core or better
RAM: 1G for XP; 2G for Vista
Hard Drive: 8GB of free space
Video card: 3.0 Shader Support recommended. Nvidia Geforce 7800 or better or ATI Radeon X1800 or better

I think it would be a waste. Your processor doesn't even meet the minimum requirements. you will be severely limited by RAM especially since you have vista on the machine. the only way you might be able to play it is at 640x480 with everything set to the lowest settings. and that is sketchy at best. i really think a full upgrade would be best. You don't even need to spend the full $1000 to get a great system. Just search the forums. you will find all sorts of budget gaming computers for between $500 - $700.

 

[zenmaster]

I would not spend any money on that system.

#1 - The Low level of RAM is going to limit you in many games so a new GPU may not help.

#2 - Your CPU is relatively slow, and new CPUs for that socket at expensive now since they are no longer produced. The result is a faster GPU could be easily bottlenecked.