[Locla]

Hi everyone, and Happy Easter!

 

This forum has been very helpful to me in the past, so here I am again

 

For the purpose of improved gaming, I'd like to upgrade my GPU, RAM and maybe even the processor but; I am limited by a rather old motherboard, and I can't/do not wish to build a new system.

 

This is what I currently have:

 

Intel Pentium 4 CPU 3.73

4GB Infineon PC2-4200 DDR2-533MHz

NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT

Intel chipset 925XE

NPS 460BB PSU (460W)

 

It's a Dell XPS, Gen 4 (3?) about 10 years old! The amount of RAM (4GB) can't be increased but hopefully I can get faster RAM in there?

This is what is written on top of the processor: 'Intel 2004, pentium 4, SL7Z4 COSTA RICA, 3.73GHz/2M/1066/04B, 3503A930' 

I know the current card is drawing a little too much power from the PSU as it is, but hopefully modern cards give more performance for less consumption.

So far I have upgraded the HDD up to 1T and upgraded the former ATI Radeon X850 XT Platinum Edition GPU to the current nvidia one, though a further upgrade is desired  

 

Any suggestions much appreciated!

[Advertisements]

Hello again Locla

 

Please post the brand and model name or number of the MB.

 

The FSB of the present CPU allows for the fastest ddr2 1066MHz Ram that you can get and which you already have.

[phillpower2]

Hello again Locla

 

Please post the brand and model name or number of the MB.

 

The FSB of the present CPU allows for the fastest ddr2 1066MHz Ram that you can get and which you already have.

[Locla]

Hmm, I checked in dxdiag but the info seemed limited: dxdiag.

 

For more detailed info I used CPU-Z: MB

 

 

Attached Files

•  dxdiag.bmp   1.48MB   286 downloads
•  MB.bmp   1.48MB   281 downloads

[phillpower2]

Not getting anything showing with either of your attached files 

 

Download then run Speccy and post the resultant url for us, details here

[Locla]

What a terrific piece of software! 

 

http://speccy.pirifo...zdSKOb5unn5oucQ

[phillpower2]

A GPU upgrade is about all that you can do and you will be limited with your options on that due to the 460W PSU (primarily the amps on the +12V rail) a similar question was asked on the Dell forums here

 

Quick test for us if you will, run the Crucial system scanner tool and see what Ram it suggests http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/?click=true

[Locla]

A GPU upgrade it is then; I was half expecting not to be able to do much about the processor. 

 

These are the test results, looks like I'm at max RAM too: http://www.crucial.c...93C870931D926C3

 

Unfortunately the PSU is a specific Dell piece; I was hoping not to have to buy another but here's a 650 watt version:

http://www.ebay.co.u...&ff14=95&ff19=0

 

Should be compatible... right?

[phillpower2]

Hold off on the PSU for now while we look at GPUs 

 

What is your maximum budget for the card on it`s own.

[Locla]

Haha ok

 

Considering how old the whole build is, and that the current GPU cost me 20 pounds/ 30 dollars off of eBay, anything above 50 pounds would be a reluctant buy. Whatever happens, I will probably try to find a cheap deal on eBay, hehe. Lets say 100 pounds maximum budget for the sake of ease though

[phillpower2]

HD 6670

Some alternative reviews here

[Locla]

I'm getting mixed messages here. Mostly the suggested card appears to be better, overall, but the 8800 is much better in some areas: http://www.hwcompare...on-hd-6670-oem/

[phillpower2]

That review is hardly reliable based on that they quote the use of an OEM HD 6670 and then go on to say;

Please note that the above 'benchmarks' are all just theoretical - the results were calculated based on the card's specifications, and real-world performance may (and probably will) vary at least a bit.

 

 

The one advantage that the 8800 GT has is the fact that it is 256-bit and so has very good in depth video quality, your budget will not allow for a new 256-bit video card or one would have been suggested.

 

A more reliable report on how the two cards match up is available here

[Locla]

True, the review I found is rather.. ambiguous.

 

As the 6670 is about 50 pounds I think it will be best to get that one, but out of interest how much above 100 would I have to go to get a 256-bit newer card that would be compatible with the system?

 

Thanks a lot for the info

[phillpower2]

The problem that you would have with newer cards is the fact that they are now PCI-E X16 3.0 and not all of them are backwards compatible with the earliest PCI-E X16 1.0 slots, if your MB has this spec of slot you would be better to look for a revision 2.0 or 2.1.

 

Example of the cost of a reasonable spec 256-bit 3.0 card here

[Locla]

The PCI-E X16 slot is indeed version 1.0a, as the PC was shipped in 2005 just as v1.1 was coming out.

 

Would that 3.0 card you suggested function in a 1.0a slot? The price isn't bad; I found one in-budget: http://www.ebay.co.u...=item258caa5b19

 

EDIT: On second thoughts that merchant looks really dodgy, but I think I can find one for circa 100.

Edited by Locla, 20 April 2014 - 04:01 PM.