Better Performance

[tgxiii]

1.6 P4 400FSB
Intel 845GRG mobo
256MB PC2100 RAM
Barracuda 40GB 7200RPM 2MB Cache
Onboard video

I defrag every week, run Ad-Aware and Spybot once a week, and reduced the amount of programs on startup. How can I get better performance out of this system? For hardware upgrades, I can spend around $150.

[Rat]

MEMORY! Get some more and faster memory. For $150 you should be able to get some 400mghz memory...... 512mb or more. Memory is quite cheap these days and looking at your system, would be the best way to speed things up.


Rat

[tgxiii]

For $50, I have a choice between adding in 512MB PC2100 or trading in my current memory for a 256MB PC3200. That will leave me $100 free for probly a video card so that I could get better performance from games. Which is better?

-Add in 512MB PC2100, totalling 768MB PC2100.

OR

-Trade in the 256MB PC2100 for a 256MB PC3200.

I can't just simply add the PC3200 because the PC2100 that's already in my system would underclock the one I'm adding to PC2100 speeds.

[Rat]

Office Max has DDR2100 256mb for $9 after MIR, (1 per customer). Depending on what video card your'e looking at, the DDR2100 memory still would be a bottleneck. Personally, I'd go and get the better memory (512mb min) and start saving for your vid card.

Rat

[RIS]

Dependence of Job /on computer I mean :) / You have enough memory, but for a speed of system second part is video - graphic card. So, or Tell to as which is Your onborad card, which memory and how much is on it, and do u have latest driver?

These days u can buy cheap graphic card which was much beter then onboard.

But like I sey, everything dependence of Your Job

[doomforce]

If you are into gaming,i would say get a good video card and think of more memory in a while.
If you're into other stuff too,like video etc. get memory! 512 mb 2700 should be enough to take you real high,if u can make some money out of our current memeory and go 512 you'll be cool.

[Strawbs]

What OS do you have? more memory won't make much difference if you run 9x\Me ..however in 2K\XP it will make quite a bit of difference. For gaming a graphics card would definetly help (intels built-in graphics chips are at the bottom of the pile!) ...but you get what you pay for and you can't get much for $100.

:t

[dajogejr]

I've heard/seen the Geforce Ti4200 around for about 100 bucks..US$.
That's a pretty good card for the buck...
And to think, sniff...sniff...I paid twice that for mine a year ago.

[tgxiii]

I run Windows XP. I guess the only reason why this computer isn't being used for much right now is because of the performance issue.

Also, the $100 for a video card, I was going to save it for a Radeon 9600 Pro. I can get one at Newegg for approx. $170.

[dajogejr]

Good little card, as well.

I know it's not as good as the 9500 Pro, but I think those are drying up.

Also, I don't know if an extra 60 or 70 bucks is worth the performance increase over a Ti4200...

Maybe that's a new thread for the video card forum??

[tgxiii]

Hmmm... you make a good point... the Ti4200 might serve me better, for less money, too. I'll make a new post.

[dajogejr]

116 or 119 for Chaintech 128MB version, newegg or zipzoomfly (formerly googlegear.com)

[Ammok]

Ti4200 should improve things enormously, and so would another 256mb of ram. What ram speeds does your motherboard support?

[tgxiii]

It only supports DDR200 and DDR266 RAM.

[Ammok]

I'd go with the officemax at $9 as previously mentioned by Rat.:)

[tgxiii]

So I take it that unless I upgrade the mobo the only things I can do to this system are add another 256 megs of memory and add a video card?

[Ammok]

pretty close, but a nice geforce ti4200 would look good in your case and they are pretty cheap now too.

[Magua]

Ti4200 is a decent card, but if you can scrounge up the money for a 9600pro that would be a MUCH better choice.

[Greg Harper]

I vote for the Rat....... :D