[spenito777]

Hello guys im looking to upgrade my current computer hopefully avoiding having to spend money on a new one.

My current desktop is a:

Compaq Presario
Processor: 3500 AMD Athlon 64 processor

Mem RAM: 1.0GB

Hardrive: 250GB

Video Card: ATI Radeon Xpress 200

I'm looking to upgrade my specs to something really good that could handle alot of the new games coming out without any issues.

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Most $40US video cards will run rings around the Radeon Xpress 200. You'll have to find out if you have an AGP or PCI Express slot on your motherboard. If you had the exact Compaq model number then perhaps we could look it up.

[DaffyKantReed]

Most $40US video cards will run rings around the Radeon Xpress 200. You'll have to find out if you have an AGP or PCI Express slot on your motherboard. If you had the exact Compaq model number then perhaps we could look it up.

[spenito777]

Here is compaq Presario sr1650nx

[DaffyKantReed]

http://h10025.www1.h...product=1127352
One PCI Express (No AGP slot)

So now you need to shop for a PCI Express video card.

Here are a few hundred to choose from:
http://www.newegg.co...mp;Pagesize=100

[spenito777]

thats alot of video cards......which one would you recommend so that I dont have to worry about upgrading again....I mean I want my computer to handle the new games that are coming out now...without having to spend thousands of dollars on a gaming computer..

[Troy]

Realistically you aren't going to get too far with this machine. I can see a GPU, PSU, RAM upgrade in order and even then probably the CPU will be holding you back. How much are you looking to spend? What resolution are you wanting to play the new games at? What monitor do you have? What specific new games are you eyeing?

Hah... now there's some questions for you.

[spenito777]

i have a 17inch moniter and I could play games perfect with a 1078X768 resolution. I figured id have to do alot of upgrades with this machine but im trying to stay on this path that way I wont have to buy an expensive gaming machine. I want to upgrade the video card RAM CPU and put in a bigger hard drive. Is it worth it? should i really consider another computer? another thing I play games like dawn of war and i would like to run DAWn of war 2 perfect on my computer as what not.

[mkau]

A reasonably cheap PC that willrun circles around what you have now looks like this:
Processor, AMD Athlon II X4: http://www.newegg.co...3-706-_-Product
Motherboard: http://www.newegg.co...0-247-_-Product
RAM: http://www.newegg.co...N82E16820145278
Case: http://www.newegg.co...9-202-_-Product
Hard Drive, 250GB SataII: http://www.newegg.co...6-161-_-Product
Power 500w: http://www.newegg.co...1-080-_-Product
Video Card, ATi Radeon HD5770: http://www.newegg.co...7-490-_-Product
Add $100 for windows 7... comes out to: $698 subtotal after rebates. Not ridiculous for a computer, not for the performance.

Edited by mkau, 08 April 2010 - 01:36 PM.