FatmanDaz Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 I currently can't play due to running a 5 series card, so need to look at some kind of upgrade. As I'm running AGP and a Sempron I figure the best route is to move up to latest tech. Assuming the imminent patch fixes problems with GRAW and there are more multiplayer options then I think I'm upgrading as follows based on the plentiful spec vs performance posts in here. Mobo: Gigabyte K8N SLI @ £64.57 CPU: AMD 64 3000+ @75.14 RAM: 2GB Geil DDR 400 @ £123.32 GFX: XFX 7600GT 256mb @ £135.07 CPU Cooler: Zalman Aero @ £32.84 HD: Maxtor 160gb SATA2 @ £46.94 PSU: Hiper 580W @ £62.22 Case: Thermaltake Soprano @ £50.47 All the above are Overclockers UK prices & including cables will set me back around £600, this is literally my max outlay. I'm not looking to get the above specific parts cheaper as I reckon that OC is about as cheap as it gets but would appreciate ideas if alternatives components are significantly cheaper or if you think I'm spec'ing anything wrong. I know it's not the best gfx card but it's the most I can afford to keep within 600 notes, hence the reason for going for 2gig RAM to help with GRAW performance. I had looked to go with a crossfire mobo and the x1600pro 512 (512mb needed for high gfx settings) but I can't find a crossfire mobo anywhere close to the SLI's price. There's still lots of if's & but's to this but I guess I've got to do it if I want to play GRAW. Suggestions & comments appreciated....... Oh, apologies if this is in the wrong place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prodigy Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Is that a Hiper Type-R PSu? If it is, I wouldn't recommend it, and here's why: http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/Hi...pict181912.html Granted that can happen to nearly any PSU, but those modular PSU's are something that people really need to stay away from, they haven't been too great besides the OCZ Modstream series. Ultra's modular PSU's have many issues, and Hiper's seem to as well. I would recommend purchasing an ANtec, OCZ, or PC Power & Cooling PSU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daztrek Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 (edited) Iv found ebuyer to be the cheapest most of the time for pc parts. just go and compare prices. OCZ have good customer service and seem quite fair on prices. Edited May 10, 2006 by daztrek Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JASGripen Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Skip the 2gb RAM and use 1 GB RAM. This goes against what I have done myself (see other thread), but see it as this. Upgrading your gfx card in the near (!) future goes from scratch, you can't save your old 7600GT card when you buy a 7900GTX or something even better. On the other hand, upgrading your RAM is not done from scratch, you just add another 1GB RAM to your current setup of sticks. So you get the drift. Skip the additional 1GB RAM, put the money on a better gfx card and save money when you are about to do your next upgrade(which will be "cheap" RAM and not expensive gfx). And with your mothercard your nextnext upgrade in the far future will be SLI, which will be cheap as the 7900GT card will be cheap second hand stuff in some years from now. The downside is that if you go for a 7900GT card then you should - at least - go for a +3500 AMD CPU too. A +3800 would be even better matchmaker for a 7900GT, but with OC you are safe with a +3500. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatmanDaz Posted May 10, 2006 Author Share Posted May 10, 2006 Thanks for the feedback so far. The PSU is the Type R but was picked because of some good reviews this side of the pond..... back to the drawing board I think. The mobo I've picked is SLI and that was part of my logic for the 7600 & 2gig ram. My thinking being a second 7600GT in the very near future to take advantage of the SLI and get that 512mb GPU ram needed for high level gfx. Again, I'll go back to the drawing board and look at the 1 gig + better gfx card route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JASGripen Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 I have bought about the same motherboard this week, it is really great so far (GA-K8N-SLI nForce4). I also have an Antec Sonata II chassi. It only got a 450W power supply, so the SLI performance could be in danger but it is not for sure. The Sonata II should in any case be cheaper than your PSU/Chassi config, and it is really a high quality chassi. Do also consider Dual Core CPU or not. GRAW does not support DC, but other games might do it in the future. Just an example (a bit above your spec.) An AMD 2.4 Ghz SC is as expensive as an AMD 2.0 GhZ DC. I went for the SC 2.4, as I don't do much multitask anyway. YMMV. I would not aim at a 512mb gfx card, they are to expensive, if you don't go done to 6800GT 512mb, but then the gfx card uitself might be the bottleneck (I don't know it would be nice to hear from a GRAW-player with SLI 6800 512GB gfx card. Who knows it might be a good and rather cheap one). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatmanDaz Posted May 10, 2006 Author Share Posted May 10, 2006 The case combo option was primarily aimed at getting in excess of 500 watts. I looked at the 450 Sonata but was unsure how it would perform. Will be interesting to hear how you get on with it over the next few weeks, whether you see any power issues, if not I might go the same route. As for CPU, I'm sticking with single SC from a price point. The mobo gives me the opportunity to make some fairly hefty upgrades but at the moment the differential between the 3000+ and say a 3500+ is huge and blows my budget. That's a similar story with the 7900 gfx range, they are so pricey at the moment it would add 60 - 70 to my topline, so I think I'll stick with the 7600GT for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JASGripen Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Do so, I had your very priorities some weeks ago, so I think I know your position. I will not go SLI a.t.m. with my 7900 GT so I will not have any power issues at all (the Sonata is not weak at all, but a border case when it comes to SLI). I think you are right at staying with 7600GT if you can't buy a 3500. 3000 and 7600GT is a fair match, as is 3800 and 7900GT. Do a sweep at some overclocking sites and make sure that you buy a 7600GT which are OC-friendly - you never know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chiles4 Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 (edited) And if you (or anyone) decide to OC your video card, consider getting one of these two VGA coolers - absolutely critical if you want a decent VGA overclock: Here and Here I have the Zalman. It was very easy to install and dropped my VGA temps dramatically. Both are very reasonable in price as you can see. Edited May 10, 2006 by chiles4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FatmanDaz Posted May 10, 2006 Author Share Posted May 10, 2006 And if you (or anyone) decide to OC your video card, consider getting one of these two VGA coolers - absolutely critical if you want a decent VGA overclock: Here and Here I have the Zalman. It was very easy to install and dropped my VGA temps dramatically. Both are very reasonable in price as you can see. Saw the Zalman when I picked the Aero Flower for my CPU cooler. Always liked Zalman cuz they look nice! I've never OC'd before but figure it's something I need to get into for GRAW. I take it stock VGA coolers don't cut it once you start to OC? Appreciate the advise, that looks like a well spent £25. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JASGripen Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Indeed, Zalman is more than ok, but not the 700. It is older than the 900. Go for VF900-Cu, there is no excuse to buy the 700 anymore. Clock til ya drop! http://www.zalman.co.kr/eng/product/view.a...dx=192&code=013 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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