Upgrading

N

Nostigex

n00b
Joined
Mar 13, 2009
Messages
7
I'm thinking about upgrading my video card so I can run the folding@home GPU client and be able to play Doom 3 on ultra settings. This is my current build:

Motherboard: Asus A8N32-SLi Deluxe
Processor: AMD X2 4400+ 2.2 Ghz (Dual Core)
RAM: 2 GB Corsair XMS
Video Card: eVGA 7800 GTX
Sound Card: X-Fi XtremeMusic
PSU: PC P&C 470w

I was looking at a 9800 GT (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130435) but was told that the CPU would create a large bottleneck... would a 9600 GT (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130424) be a better choice, if only for the price difference?

Then again, there's the GTS 250 (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130468)... I'm not a computer guru and don't really know the differences between these three cards - except that the prices are similar :rolleyes:

I would be willing to overclock the CPU to 2.4 Ghz if considered (relatively) safe.
 
I would have to conclude that a 4800 series ATI, or a GTX 260 would be a much more worthy upgrade.

And your CPU can do 2.4 sleep walking. If you run stock CPU voltage (that is being ultra safe), then you push the clocks higher and higher until your system becomes unstable. Then just back the clocks off until things become stable again. Use Prime95 small FFT to test for full stability. Any errors means you either need to up the voltage or decrease the clocks. Use coretemp to monitor temperatures, and lookup the thermal max for your CPU.
 
I don't have the money to go for a $200 card and extra cooling... (I wouldn't even know how to install a different cooler on my CPU - I've run with the stock fan since I got it 4 years ago. Besides, wouldn't the thermal paste pose a problem? Or is that stuff non-adhesive? Bleh, I think I'll leave that stuff alone.)

I'm starting to hone in on the GTS 250. It looks like the most recent release for my price range; I read that it's basically a 9800 GTX retuned. If so, that would mean best bang for the buck, right?
 
Are all of the aforementioned cards compatible with my motherboard? (Asus A8N32-SLi Deluxe)

Just double-checking
 
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