Upgrading my PC

[Combine Hybrid]

It's about serious time my PC need some upgrades. I haven't upgraded this computer since I bought it and that was about 2-3 years ago. My computer now starting to lag badly.

I need more RAM, a new video card (AGP), and probably a new monitor depending on my budget.

Since I'm a PC gamer, I would probably need a 2gig RAM and the best AGP card there is (less than $200 bucks).

But the thing is, I don't know a jack about upgrading my computer. I once bought 1gig RAM and somehow I really ****ed it up and it didn't work.

Someone recommend me a good reasonable price for 2GIG ram and AGP card.

 

[Qonfused]

Here's where upgrading your PC gets to be a drag.

AGP, in all honestly, is already phased out. PCI-E is the new (not really new) thing. By staying with AGP, you have severely limited your choice on top video cards. What can you do to solve this? Buy a new motherboard that supports PCI-E. Simple? No. In turn (since you said you haven't ungraded since 2-3 years ago), you probably will have to upgrade your CPU. In turn then, you would probably have to upgrade your PSU (for the video card and general upgrades).

I'm not really suggesting anything but a total system re-do. Otherwise, you'll screw yourself over.

 

[TCfromBN]

Ill go ahead and reinforce the thought of getting rid of AGP. Skip the second gig of ram instead of staying with AGP. Get a new motherboard for 50 to 100 bucks instead.

 

[Combine Hybrid]

Buying a new mobo means I have to get one that fits into my case. Someone recommend me one then.

 

[giant384]

you will have to tell us what size your case is or what case it is. is it matx or atx?

 

[Combine Hybrid]

I have no idea what matx or atx mean. My case is an Alienware Aurora case.

 

[3ssence]

Standard atx then most likely. What is the power rating of the power supply and the amps on the 12v rails ? You can take off the side of the case and these details should be on a sticker on the side of the power supply somewhere.

 

[Combine Hybrid]

Yup, it's ATX. It says ATX 12V

AV Input:
115v 10a
230v 5a

Frequency: 50-60Hz

Max Load: 420W

 

[giant384]

that doesnt tell us anything at all.
do you see anything thing on the sticker on the side of your power supply that looks like this?

12+v == #amps
12-V == #amps
5+v == #amps

something like that

 

[Combine Hybrid]

I don't see anything like that. I only see the one I posted and something else like this in spreadsheet-like.

DC
+5V +3.3V +12V

40A 30A 18A

220W 215W

400W Max


Output
-5V -12V +5VSB

0.3A 0.8A 2A

1.5W 9.6W 10W

 

[DEATHMASTER]

Thats means you have 18 amps on the 12V rail which should be good enough for a decent video card. But like the others said, its better to get a new mobo with pci-express and then get a pci-e card instead of agp.

 

[Combine Hybrid]

Ok, then someone recommend me a new mobo.

 

[giant384]

what procesor do you currentlly have?

 

[Combine Hybrid]

Pentium 4

 

[giant384]

Pentium 4

be more specific ex:ghz,fsb

 

[Combine Hybrid]

3.20GHz

 

[3ssence]

LGA775 or socket 478 ?

 

[Combine Hybrid]

How do I check which one it is?

 

[3ssence]

erm, i think cpu-z would provide the socket type of the processor

 

[giant384]

LGA775 or socket 478 ?

i would think lga775 just because he bought an alienware but i could be wrong.

 

[Combine Hybrid]

I have socket 478 mPGA

 

[Combine Hybrid]

bump