Looking for a video card upgrade recommendation.

[Iccy]

I wanna play vanguard possibly, depends if the trial is good. But that means i gotta upgrade.

Check me out.

CPU-Z version 1.39
-------------------------

Processors Map
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Number of processors 1
Number of threads 1

Processor 0
-- Core 0
-- Thread 0


Processors Information
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Processor 1 (ID = 0)
Number of cores 1
Number of threads 1 (max 1)
Name AMD Athlon 64 3000+
Codename Venice
Specification AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+
Package Socket 939
CPUID F.F.2
Extended CPUID F.2F
Brand ID 4
Core Stepping DH-E6
Technology 90 nm
Core Speed 1808.4 MHz (9.0 x 200.9 MHz)
HT Link speed 1004.6 MHz
Stock frequency 1800 MHz
Instructions sets MMX (+), 3DNow! (+), SSE, SSE2, SSE3, x86-64
L1 Data cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L1 Instruction cache 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
L2 cache 512 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64-byte line size
FID/VID Control yes
max FID 9.0x
VID range 1.100V - 1.450V
K8 Thermal sensor yes
K8 Revision ID 4.2
Attached device PCI device at bus 0, device 24, function 0
Attached device PCI device at bus 0, device 24, function 1
Attached device PCI device at bus 0, device 24, function 2
Attached device PCI device at bus 0, device 24, function 3




Chipset
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Northbridge NVIDIA GeForce 6150 rev. A2
Southbridge NVIDIA nForce 410/430 MCP rev. A2
Graphic Interface PCI-Express
PCI-E Link Width x16
PCI-E Max Link Width x16
Memory Type DDR
Memory Size 2048 MBytes
Memory Frequency 200.9 MHz (CPU/9)
CAS# 3.0
RAS# to CAS# 3
RAS# Precharge 3
Cycle Time (tRAS) 8
Bank Cycle Time (tRC) 11
DRAM Idle Timer 16
Command Rate 2T


Memory SPD
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

DIMM #1

General
Memory type DDR
Manufacturer (ID) Nanya Technology (7F7F7F0B00000000)
Size 1024 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC3200 (200 MHz)
Part number M2U1G64DS8HC1G-5T
Serial number C10B2101
Manufacturing date Week 06/Year 06

Attributes
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Registered no
Buffered no
EPP no

Timings table
Frequency (MHz) 166 200
CAS# 2.5 3.0
RAS# to CAS# delay 3 3
RAS# Precharge 3 3
TRAS 7 8



DIMM #2

General
Memory type DDR
Manufacturer (ID) Corsair (7F7F9E0000000000)
Size 1024 MBytes
Max bandwidth PC3200 (200 MHz)
Part number VS1GB400C3
Serial number 3A0013F0

Attributes
Number of banks 2
Data width 64 bits
Correction None
Registered no
Buffered no
EPP no

Timings table
Frequency (MHz) 166 200
CAS# 2.5 3.0
RAS# to CAS# delay 3 3
RAS# Precharge 3 3
TRAS 7 8



Thnx !

[Iccy]

Oh and anyone know why i have 2gb ram and xp is saying i have 1 ? other programs in windows are seeing the 2gb

[bitWISE]

I've been shopping around and IMO the best bang for your buck is a 7900GT. The 7950GT is also nice but the price margin is greater than the performance margin.

[Iccy]

thnx, now i know where to start. im alittle out of the loop.

[mjrpes]

ATi's R600 is coming at the end of March. This brings in a new generation of DX10 compatible video cards and drops the price of current high/mid end cards.

If you can wait until then that's what I would do.

[Iccy]

i hear ati is behind right now, that nvidia is king again ... for now atleast.

besides, i dont want top of the line, 300 is max im gonna spend.

[KYD]

My brother has been playing Vanguard for awhile now (since the beta). Well the retail version is out as I'm sure you know and it's one buggy and unoptimized game! If you've read any of the forums in the Vanguard community you will see it pretty much runs like crap on anything.

Without having to change or spend too much:

I would sell your CPU (you should get about $40.00) and then buy a 4000+ for $75.00.

You are looking pretty good on the RAM side of things with 2GB.

Then Depending on how much you want to spend the fastest PCI-E GPU you can afford.

[Iccy]

what you think of this
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... C-d3alt1me

[AmIdYfReAk]

the 7900GS is a Respectable card.

i am running a simular setup,
amd 64 3200+
Paired with a 7600GS ( AGP THOUGH )

[mjrpes]

i hear ati is behind right now, that nvidia is king again ... for now atleast.

besides, i dont want top of the line, 300 is max im gonna spend.

ATi's next model release is going to be a huge release. What that means is today's top of the line is going to be the new mid-line. A $400-$500 card today will be a $300 card in April, both for ATi and nVidia.

But none of this matters if you need this card now.

[Iccy]

well, i might be able to wait. I dont know. I got more important things to spend money on and its not like a new hot MMO isnt going to be there in 3 months... or 3 years for that matter.

We shall see.



But on a side note, anyone have a idea about my ram probem? Programs seem to see the ram as 2gb but windows is reporting 960mb in the system tool.

Check it out, in the system info it shows...

OS Name Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Version 5.1.2600 Service Pack 2 Build 2600
OS Manufacturer Microsoft Corporation
System Name MOTHERSHIP
System Manufacturer System manufacturer
System Model System Product Name
System Type X86-based PC
Processor x86 Family 15 Model 47 Stepping 2 AuthenticAMD ~1807 Mhz
BIOS Version/Date American Megatrends Inc. 0403, 10/5/2005
SMBIOS Version 2.3
Windows Directory C:\WINDOWS
System Directory C:\WINDOWS\system32
Boot Device \Device\HarddiskVolume1
Locale United States
Hardware Abstraction Layer Version = "5.1.2600.2562 (xpsp.040919-1030)"
User Name MOTHERSHIP\iccanui
Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Total Physical Memory 2,048.00 MB
Available Physical Memory 368.51 MB
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
Page File Space 2.35 GB
Page File C:\pagefile.sys


but in the general tab it says....