Need advice

[Grey71]

Here is my system now:

Processor: AMD 1900+ XP
Motherboard: ECS K7S5A
Ram: 512mg DDR
V-Card: Readon 9700 Pro

I was thinking of upgrading my Mobo and Ram but not sure to what and would I even notice a performance difference? Any advice would really be helpful.

Thanks,

Grey

[bigjackusa]

You could get a performance boost with an Nforce2 mobo and Corsiar TwinX ram ($275-300us) but as to how much benefit you would receive probably depends on what you want to do with your rig. The real speed kick would come with the above and 333mz processor (another $175 or more). How are you going to use the rig?

[Grey71]

It is used for a gaming system.


Grey

[smokin_pc]

what type of ram ar u useing?? if it is around the pc 2700-3200..then no need for the ram upgrade,, but if it is like pc 2100,,then i would consider upgradeing..

for the mobo,, i would recomend the epox 8rda+, or the ABIT nfs4 v.1.2.. both ar nforce 2 mobos,,with good OCIng.

[bigjackusa]

[Grey71]

Would replacing 512 mg old DDR with 1 gig Corsair PC2700 DDR be a noticeable diffrence if the Mobo and processor stay the same? Or doing the Mobo is a must?

Grey

[bigjackusa]

I haven't seen a game yet that needed 1gb ram to run its best. The Nforce2 mobo will give you 333mz fsb, duel channel ram, 8X agp; the Corsair TwinX will let you use the duel channel memory and allow for more aggressive memory timings; the 333mz cpu is a Barton w/512mb cache. The combination of these components would make the best use of each of them.

[Hawks]

Grey,

I've had great success with my mobo and ram!:D If you take a look at my sig you'll see that my Albatron board and OCZ PC3500 ram work extremely well with each other. The board PX845PE Pro II is you should get around $128 http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproduc...r=pricegrabber and the Ram is a little more expensive, $145, because its the second fastest on the market but worth every penny, I promise you that! http://tweaktown.pricegrabber.com/se...694cbfe770c12b
Check that out, if you have the money, I would go that way, and that board and ram will utilize the ability of your 9700 Pro!

-Hawks

[Wiggo]

Quite frankly the KT266A chipset has much better memory control than that POS mobo that ya have now (I use to own one and the KT266A chipset is 3 chipsets old now). I've only been usin' nForce2 mobo's of late and they are a step ahead of the VIA ones which leave ALi and SiS chipsets (which you have the latter) in the dust.

[Grey71]

Is there a difference between the different Mobo with the nForce2 chip set. I was told to stay with Asus if I was going this route. Example A7V8X Deluxe. Is there a better option then this. Also on the memory. Is twin memory that much faster then non twin?

Thanks,

Grey

[Morgan_Lander]

The nForce 2 chipset comes with more standard integrated features. This is in the chipset itself. The A7V8X has a comparable amount of integration, but it's just equipped with more logic chips to control different aspects of the PC...like it has a sound chip, a LAN chip---stuff that's a part of the nForce 2 chipset. Other companies nForce 2 boards are comparable.

Asus isn't bad, but they tend to be one of the more expensive brands to buy. You don't have to buy the priciest board, but at the same time, but something that's quality and not a piece of ****, which basically is ECS and FIC motherboards.

[FLaCo]

I have used three of what i consider good brands w/ NForce2 Chipsets. Asus, ABit, and Epox. All of them are great...my suggestion tho is to go with the EPoX 8rda+. Its right there with performance and affordable. And BTW the asus you mentioned Grey is a VIA based mobo...Asus' Nforce 2 mobo is the A7N8X.

My new setup i recently made for myself is a Epox 8rda+ with a Barton 2500+. I used my old 4600 and scored a 13177 or something close to that in 3dMarkse2001 and that was all stock speeds. I was using PC2700 on Dual Channel. If you do upgrade from the crappy board you have now...you won't regret it. A 2500+ with a 9700Pro will get you to almost 15000's. Good Luck.

[Grey71]

That makes sence. Is there a list of nForce2 boards to look at. Or does anyone have any sugestions. The things that are staying the same in my sytem are.

Processor: AMD 1900+XP
V-Card: Radeon 9700 pro

I am changing the Mobo and Ram. I however still am unclear on what to change it out to. This system is just going to be used for gaming really.

Thanks,

Grey

[FLaCo]

If you must Change it go with NForce2 and Cosair XMS Series PC3200 CAS 2.

Upgrade to that if you must. nForce2 Chipsets support Dual Channel memory and with 2 256 sticks will make a nice upgrade and you will have the ability to make really aggrsive timings on that memory. Later on you can upgrade to a 2500+ or 2800 Barton Core.

Asus, Abit or EpoX....but like i said 8 rda+ would be my choice of the two. :thumb:

[Grey71]

Thanks.

Here is what has been done. I have puchased the A7N8X and 1 512XMS Corsair DDR333 512mb CAS2 ram chip. So my system will now be the following.

Processor: AMD 1900+ XP
Mobo: A7N8X
Memory: 512XMS Corsair DDR333 512mb CAS2
Vcard: Radeon 9700 pro


How does that sound??

Grey