My HL2 PC

[sonofagun]

How Best To Upgrade my PC

Hi there, Im just after some help and advice in what my priorites should be in upgrading this PC. It will be used almost 90% for gaming:

Intel Celeron 2.6ghz
Asus P4GE-vm mATX mobo
266mb PC2700
40gb Hard Drive
aTI Radeon 9800 Pro (128 mb)

Personally at the moment, using CoD as an example, I am find that the more players on the server the more it lags. Even if I drop the graphics settings FPS doesn't budge - I assumed that this shows a shite CPU as all the texturing is done but the actual working out of bullets etc. is slowing down process as CPU is slooooooow. Secondly I think I need to boost my RAM count. With my graphics card HL2 should tick over quite nicely. Here are my questions:

a) am i right in believing that the CPU is the cause of disappointing FPS's?

b) should a P4 (as above) allow my graphics card to work to it's full potential?

c) Could the bottleneck be the crappy mATX mobo or slow RAM and so a case/mobo upgrade is required?

d) With reference to C I am assuming that as I am using an AGP slot the internal intel chipset won't be wasting CPU resources?

Thanks for your help and I appreciate your comments!

 

[thehunter1320]

you need to up the RAM.... but i think the more people on the server the more lag because of your internet .... obviously ur modem can only move the data so fast.... i really need to say this... and i apologize... U ARE RETARDED!!!! THE MORE PEOPLE ON THE SERVER THE MORE BANDWITH IT USES!!! U FRIGGEN N00B!!!!!! ... ok srry, i had to get that out srry

 

[sonofagun]

no dude, I am no newb.

Its the same in singleplayer mode when scirpted thigns occur - i don't 'think' lag results in lower FPS just slower recieving of info. Even if it does i guarantee that with a ping below 100 on all servers i play on ; it is not lag - and I'd appreciate it if you didn't make unfounded, not substancial nor justifiable insulting comments when you don't know the facts ! even if you did apologize.

To sum up it happens on single player. If i put bots on in UT2003 or BF1942 then there are MASSIVE fps drops 100+ - 5 fps- absolutely NO releation to server latency! When i said 'lag' above it as a poor choice of words, i meant the frame rate slows!!

 

[thehunter1320]

why didn't u say so?? anyway i still conclude that the problem is the RAM needs to be boosted up in the number!

 

[x84D80Yx]

too bad hl2 isnt coming out this year
holliday season my ass.

you should be fine tho, except for the ram. get a stick of 512mb geil pc3200 for like 88 bucks at newegg

 

[sonofagun]

So you two reckon it's RAM that causes FPS loss at times??

I am a lil' sceptical cos it happens when bullets areflying everywhere, or vechiles are near - ie. times I would expect high CPU usgae to occur!

 

[addy]

Yes get sum RAM first and try it

 

[=)PoLo(=]

Well, 512MB of ram (preferred 2 sticks of 256MB) is becoming a minium for the games these days. So an extra of 256mb might help. Though you're concern about your cpu might be right. A celeron is a crappy cpu for games.

Here some examples.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpu/showdoc.html?i=1927&p=16

http://www.anandtech.com/cpu/showdoc.html?i=1927&p=9

Full Article

If you're on a tight budget, go for an Athlon XP. There are fine budget Asus boards out there and the Athlon XP's aren't that costly anymore. It's up to you...

 

[|SwE|FishStick]

isnt anyone seing a big bottleneck here except me?
i would say that hes 2.6ghz celeron CPU is pretty much crap and that hes size of RAM could be a bit more.

 

[vgard]

didnt =)PoLo(= just write that |SwE|FishStick? hehe

 

[_-_-SELAS-_-_]

Arg u twits ofcourse its his 9800 pro wich causes the probem!!! FFS...

No seriously I agree, its the RAM and the CPU arent anything special.. should be able to take the pressure though.

Quoe: "b) should a P4 (as above) allow my graphics card to work to it's full potential?" .... U wtote u had a celeron why are you talking about a p4 now?

Woohooo quick reply is back!!!

 

[sonofagun]

so my best bet would be to boost the RAM to 512mbs and get the p4 as above?

The AGP slot is max 4x and my card is 8x - does this effectivly halve the performance or tdoes the card rearely reach such high data trasfer rates?

 

[GPRT]

more ram make it faster as well, and get rid of that nasty celeron and change it for a P4 with H-T.

:cheers:

 

[Shuzer]

Originally posted by sonofagun
The AGP slot is max 4x and my card is 8x - does this effectivly halve the performance or tdoes the card rearely reach such high data trasfer rates?

The difference between 4x and 8x is negligable last I heard, you're fine

 

[sonofagun]

Thanks a lot all!!!

VERY much appreciaed !

 

[RandomPING]

Yea definately the ram. And get faster ram, 400Mhz stuff if your system can handle it. Faster ram is better ram.

Also i've noticed HUGE differences in gameing between a celeron and a pentium. I have one system running a 2.6 celeron, and one running a 2.4 pentium, and the difference on the pentium is noticeable. (the systems were running almost identical hardware)

And like another poster said, get rid of that outdated 9800 pro, it's just slowing you down, you might be better off to go with your onboard video (joking)

 

[Ti133700N]

There is like a 3% performance increase between agp 4x and 8x... no need to upgrage your mobo. You should change your CPU to something like a P4 2.8Ghz (s478) 512K FSB800 and 512MB RAM.

 

[sonofagun]

OK guys here's what Im probably going to get:

Epox 8KMM3I SKT A KM400 DDR400 MATX 8x AGP Sound/Video/lAN/USB2.0

AMD Athlon XP3000 333FSB 512 L2 Cache Barton Retail Boxed

Crucial 512 DDR400 PC3200

With that setup i get a 2.8ghz processor (overclockable), I get my 8x AGP (minimal increase I know but hey it's there) and I get my 512 RAM but it will run at 3200 as the mobo supports it!

That would cost the same as getting the P4 3.06ghz 533FSP and a 2700 512mb RAM!

I think the first option is a better buy!

 

[Sideshow]

Looks bretty good, just make sure that the barton has 333fsb instead of 400fsb, the km400 (kt400 on matx) can only handle 333fsb.

I would buy a nforce2 mobo, there is some cheap matx boards around.

 

[Sgt.Igneri]

Here is a much better buy:

Either an Asus A7N8X Delux or an Abit NF7-S mobo.

A barton 2500+ (anything over 2800+ does not justify the money to performance ratio that AMD is known for)

Corsair XMS PC3200. It will run with the FSB at 333mhz, but if you decide to overclock some point in time the 3200 will suit you much better. Not to mention it has better timings.

 

[hyenolie]

lol igneri, ied recommend a intell system with 1gig pc3200 2225, 3.0, asus 875mobo,

 

[sonofagun]

I found somthing out, If i buy a new mobo my XP disk won't install unless cos it's locked to siemens bios codes! Therefore I might be best sticking with the current mobo and using a p4 3.06ghz processor - but the ram would only be 2700.

How important is ram speed to ingame performance?

 

[Pitt-Bull]

I found somthing out, If i buy a new mobo my XP disk won't install unless cos it's locked to siemens bios codes! Therefore I might be best sticking with the current mobo and using a p4 3.06ghz processor - but the ram would only be 2700.

How important is ram speed to ingame performance?

If It's 266 to 400, than your gonna see a diffrence. If it's 333 to 400, you'll still see a diffrence. But your mobo has to support it, the 3.06 is 533 mhs FSB. That supports 333 mhz ram... :smoking: