upgrading question

[keisukeMamoru86]

hey guys this is my current system setup:
AMD Athlon 677 MHz
15gb of 30 gb free hard disk space
384 MB RAM
ATI Radeon 9200 128MB

I know my system specs are something to laugh at, i mean someone else already has but who cares. Anyway, as low and crappy as these settings seem, i get an alright framerate of about 14 fps in battle and maybe 25 just walking around. It may not seem like much, but for a system way under the requirements, at least i don't have single digit framerates.

the thing is, i took that to mind and am now upgrading to this system:
AMD Athlon XP 1700
hard drive is the same
RAM is the same
SAPPHIRE Radeon 9200 256MB

considering my slightly below average framerates from before, how much of a performance gain should i see here? seriously, i just wanna know what to expect, thanks!

[AirRaid]

Hmmm... Is that RAM SDR or DDR? The new system looks OK for a low-end system to run the game, but if it's not DDr then you might not see much of an improvement.

[KLittle123]

I'd get a better processor than the 1700+ its only like a 1.4ghz processor. I'd be shooting for something higher but Im thinking that the graphics card you chose would boost the frames. but there really isn't any purpose of getting that if there really isn't much of a difference. you have like the same hard drive and the same RAM and what not...I'd go for better with that graphics card I'd go for a AMD Athlon XP 2500+. You'd probably get a good frame rate.

[Bloodshedder]

Don't bother getting another Radeon 9200, even if it has 256MB instead of 128. You'd be better off with a 9600XT or better.

[keisukeMamoru86]

I seriously wish i could afford the higher end graphic cards. However, the Radeon 9200 128MB i got from best buy costs 107 total. When i get the other card tomorrow (Sapphire Radeon 9200 256MB), i'm gonna return the original 9200. The Sapphire costed aabout 80 bucks total with shipping already included. So even if i won't see much of a performance gain here, i'll still get like 20 bucks back =].

Oh yeah, my AGP slot is a 1x/2x. The new motherboard i'm getting is a 4x. Will that make a noticeable difference in framerate?

[KLittle123]

Oh he's right I didn't know it said 9200. Yeah those suck reeeeally bad. Like i've said in another post those are wal-mart cars. we don't want that.

[SyntherAugustus]

Ati 9800 for only $131
http://www.pricewatch.com/h/prc.aspx?i=37&a=5660&f=1

Athlon XP Motherboard with AMD Athlon XP 3200+ for only $121
http://www.pricewatch.com/h/prc.aspx?i=306&a=5164&f=1

A 512mb ddr ram stick for $71
http://www.pricewatch.com/h/prc.aspx?i=33&a=4841&f=1

You really gotta love pricewatch. ^_^

[Bloodshedder]

keisukeMamoru86 said:

So even if i won't see much of a performance gain here, i'll still get like 20 bucks back =].

OK, but I'd still check into getting a 9600, or maybe even an old 9500 if they have any.

Oh yeah, my AGP slot is a 1x/2x. The new motherboard i'm getting is a 4x. Will that make a noticeable difference in framerate?

Won't noticeably affect your framerate, though you MIGHT see loading times go down a bit.

Blackfish said:

Ati 9800 for only $131
http://www.pricewatch.com/h/prc.aspx?i=37&a=5660&f=1

That's a 9800SE. Don't buy that. Rule of thumb is stay away from SE cards.

Athlon XP Motherboard with AMD Athlon XP 3200+ for only $121
http://www.pricewatch.com/h/prc.aspx?i=306&a=5164&f=1

That board has integrated video, which isn't needed, plus it only has TWO PCI slots. Stay away.

A 512mb ddr ram stick for $71
http://www.pricewatch.com/h/prc.aspx?i=33&a=4841&f=1

That's GENERIC RAM. You have to step up a bit in price ($92) to get a brand that's even remotely recognizable (Infineon).

You really gotta love pricewatch. ^_^

You REALLY gotta know how to USE Pricewatch PROPERLY.

[SyntherAugustus]

Bloodshedder said:

USE Pricewatch PROPERLY.

Heh I didn't notice all the random craps on it :-/. At least I tried.

[keisukeMamoru86]

Hey all, I just wanted to update on my computer's status with Doom 3.

Well you saw my previous computer specs...horrible:

AMD Athlon @698 MHz
384MB SDRAM (PC???)
Compaq Motherboard (AGP 1x/2x)
ATI Radeon 9200 128MB
Windows XP SP1

Doom 3 FPS: average of 17 fps @ low quality, 640x800 or whatever resolution the lowest one was. Shadows OFF

Now these are my new specs...not exactly top of the line, but much better!!!

AMD Athlon XP @ 1.45 MHz
512MB DRAM (PC3100)
PCChips Motherboard (AGP 1x/2x/4x, VIA Northbridge/Southbridge chipsets. Going to update to latest Hyperion drivers tomorrow.)
Sapphire Radeon 9200 256MB (Powered by ATI)
Windows XP SP1 (don't wanna risk going to SP2 for now)

Doom 3 FPS: average of 40 FPS @ low quality, 640x800, shadows ON!!!

man...that upgrade gave me a fat boost. that fat boost is what i needed to experience doom 3!! So what if i'm 20 frames under the max, it still runs very smoothly! now i can see the imps jumping at me, i can shoot down revenant rockets, and now i'm gonna try to replay the game at the veteran and nightmare modes!! yeeeh!!

[Azreal_X]

1800+ runs at 1.4 ghz, so 1700+ is probably around 1.2 ghz.
NOT SUITABLE. Shoot for a 2500+ if your motherboard supports it. They aren't really that expensive. Oh, and DDR is a must for ram. If you're running at 133, you'll lag for about 3 seconds every time you enter an uncached area (like opening a door).

[Bloodshedder]

CLOCK SPEED IS NOT EVERYTHING. This is why id recommends either a 1.5GHz Pentium 4, or a 1500+ Athlon XP. It is because they are equivalent in performance, even though the Athlon runs at a lower clock speed.

Also, the 1700+ runs at 1.47GHz.

[keisukeMamoru86]

Yeah, the 1700+ is set at 1.4 something GHz. But i overclocked it from 133 to 158, so now i have it running at 1.7 GHz about. I had it running at 1.8GHz, and the CPU temp hovered around 41 degress Celsius, which is fine i guess. But the motherboard's temperature was like in the 60s, sometimes it shot up to 70. so i got worried and lowered it just enough so i wouldn't get the motherboard problem and still have a decent cpu speed.

but yeah, the lag isn't so bad when entering uncached areas. It's more like a half second lag if anything at all.

lol at least now i can have multiple shader sounds. i hated the fact that before, i had to set it to one sound per shader because my comp sucked so bad.

[Sephiroth]

the game says pentium 4 1.5Ghz OR a athlonXP 1500+. yes we know that is like 1.2 Ghz

as for upgrading the the CPU get at least a 2400+, for $121 a mainboard and a 3200+ is a great deal. however you will be unable to use an AthlonXP in your current system board.

i have seen 2400+ CPU for around $55-$75. when i added my second one i got it for around $70. compared to the $108 i paid for it a while back.

also Nvidia cards work better for doom and if you are a linux user. ATI cards are also great, but a fair warning to you if you even have thoughts of unix/linux use.

get atleast a FX5500(nvidia) or a 9600(ATI)