X-mas shopping

[Metal]

Time to upgrade my computer and I'm making a list.

I'm looking for a new graphic and sound card.

I have a GeForce 7300 GT, and want to know if i should

upgrade to BFG GeForce 9800GT.

 

Also i was thinking of getting a sound card, would Rocketfish 5.1 Sound Card work?

[Hello Kitty :D!]

I heard the Ati HD4850 do better on perfomance and it's cheaper (i particularly prefer nvidia though )

[Metal]

I just found out my computer doesn't have Core 2 Duo...

 

well this is what i got.

Intel® Pentium® Dual CPU E2180 @ 2.00GHz (2 CPUs)

 

 

 

 

I just want a better computer than what i have.

And i wont buy it online.

Just give the name.

Thanks

 

edit-

 

Here is my list..worth it?

 

X-mas list

 

Graphic Cards

BFG GeForce 9800GT

$169

or

GeForce GTX 260

$229

 

Sound Cards

Rocketfish 7.1 Sound Card

$49

 

Keyboard

Logitech Gaming Keyboard (G11)

$94

[Akaru]

Screw the upgrade, build a new computer. And if you want to save money, buying offline is not an option.

[Metal]

Guys, stop posting shit that isn't helping.

I just made this computer 1 year ago.

 

Is the graphic card i picked a good one and which one should i pick.

[Lordcrazy]

YES YES IT IS GTX 260 is your best bet for a card that will ast you 2-3 years i will most likely need to upgrade next year because the minimum is reaching my card (8800 GT)

[jazzy]

Guys, stop posting shit that isn't helping.

I just made this computer 1 year ago.

 

Is the graphic card i picked a good one and which one should i pick.

Okay look heres a rundown.

Akaru is saying you need to build a new PC, I don't want to badmouth him but that is stupid as shit.

If I remember, the pentium dual core STILL uses the LGA775 socket, meaning it can support core 2's.

So if you want to upgrade your CPU, tell me and I can help you, but I'm not going to bother wasting my time looking this shit up for you if you don't need it.

 

As for your graphics card no, your choice is a pretty bad choice, you're buying a card that is pretty much the 8800gt rebranded and barely touched upon, if you read the above post then yes, the 8800gt is near it's limit so you want to hit up something way bigger. Now people say Radeon HD is the best choice (it is.) I don't know a lot about radeon cards because im lazy as fuck and i don't feel like looking up the newest radeon card. However, regionals does so im going to post the nvidia pick from me and he can gladly retort with its radeon counterpart which will probably be cheaper.

 

Now I'd recommend a 9800GTX+ or a GTS 250 or a GTX260.

Now, if your resolution is below the 1680 mark I recommend a gts250 or if you're trying to stay cheap, go for a 9800gtx+, a 9800gtx+ is probably gonna only save you $20 and will probably survive about a few months less than a gts250, so the choice is on you.

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/gaming-graphics-cards-charts-2009-high-quality/compare,1533.html?prod[2803]=on&prod[2811]=on&prod[2807]=on&prod[2816]=on

Yeah, for some reason the 9800GTX+ lost to the 9800GT. I don't know.

 

But yeah, go for the gtx260.

 

 

as for the soundcard, if you listen to a lot of flac music/watch a lot of hidef movies/edit a lot of music/etc then go for it, if you just play cs:s and listen to music and watch shitty dvdrips, then fuck it, use your onboard.

[Shadowex3]

Actually akaru's right, just because it's the same socket doesn't ensure compatibility. If you're lucky a bios upgrade might but sometimes it just doesn't work like that. I had an s775 mobo that just couldn't support a c2d or newer.

 

The reason akaru's saying start over is because likely your power supply is off-brand which definitely means a replacement if you want a gaming graphics card (which is the 260, all the way, I have one and it's great) and your cpu is extremely low end. The E2180 is an allendale, my laptop could probably outdo it and source is HEAVILY multithreaded.

 

Also soundcards are only worth it if you're getting a great deal on a $60 xtrememusic or somesuch from Creative Labs' x-fi line (be careful that it's a REAL x-fi with the hardware chip and not a rebranded audigy running software emulation, some of them are fakes like that). The reason being that creative has a pretty harsh monopoly on EAX and everything.

 

That being said for $300 I think you can split between a $150 processor upgrade and a $150 graphics card upgrade and be better off overall than getting JUST a high-end one or the other. for $120 you can get a wolfdale E7500 and for another $100-$150 you can get a 9800gt on up to the still respectable 9800gtx.

 

Imho, go for a lesser graphics card and a higher processor IF your motherboard is compatible with it (look it up, maybe a bios update will work). If not save up and start over with a new comp OR get just a graphics card because you'll mostly be throwing money into a fire otherwise.

[ReGIONALS]

Okay look heres a rundown.

Now people say Radeon HD is the best choice (it is.) I don't know a lot about radeon cards because im lazy as fuck and i don't feel like looking up the newest radeon card. However, regionals does so im going to post the nvidia pick from me and he can gladly retort with its radeon counterpart which will probably be cheaper.

 

gladly,

http://www.newegg.com/Product/NewProduct.aspx?Item=N82E16814161299

or choose from

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048%20106792627%201067947106&name=Radeon%20HD%204890

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=2010380048%20106792627%201067940678&name=Radeon%20HD%204870

 

the first link is a great card best for the money.

 

 

also im selling my (4870x2) for $330 if your interested.

its 2 gpu's on a single card and newegg does not sell them anymore as i think mac bought the rest of them, the only place your going to find one is ebay or buying a mac.

ill post pics if you want

iv only had ti since august

its 10 inches long

you need at least a 650wat psu

[Metal]

i might just get 9800 and a new sound card.

Thanks for the help guys.