video card compatibility

I currently have an NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 model 64 ( 32 Meg.) card. I am not a gamer but I do some basic photo editing / tweaking / type of stuff and want to upgrade to a 256 Meg. card....if I can...Since my M/B is only an ASUS A7A 133...my memory being PC133 SDRAM...is there a conflict if I want to upgrade to a 256Meg card that has DDR memory? I have been considering upgrading my M/B & chip and am wondering if that may be necessary in order to handle a better card. Question: on some of the cards the specs say "PCI Express x 16". What does that mean? How does that relate to the AGP 4x/8x stuff?

You're not going to be able to upgrade a lot with that board, if my google was correct, it only supports AGP 2x/4x.....so a new board would have to be the option here, if you want a better card than you have now, the only problem is compatibility with RAM, as all new boards support DDR RAM at a minimum, some DDR2, SD RAM is no longer used in mainstream boards.

PCI Express is a new interface/card bus, for new generation cards, it hasn't really caught on yet, as AGP cards are still being made and people are still 50/50 between the two, upto now there is not much difference in speeds, as the cards used are the same, i think a card has to make use of the slot, unless it is expanded further, as of yet they are even.


Liam

Liam...yea, I thought so...I'll need to get a newer board/chip/ram. Since I will have to go to new components I might want to consider getting a new case/PSU combo.Looks like Newegg will be getting some business. I was needing to get another sound card to handle my 5.1 system so it looks like that I am heading towards a near complete upgrade...minus my Hdd., CD-RW, DVD-RW. Oh well...Tax Time is here...will set aside a few bucks for the 'puter!!

you could always opt for a motherboard that has onboard surround sound a lot of boards have fair performing onboard graphics cards. and if your not planning to do any gaming it should be plenty. im running a MS-7184 (AmethystM) board for example, that came with 256mb ati express 200 onboard graphics.

123Mags465...I hadn't really considered a m/b with integrated sound...was not familiar with the quality/performance of such a combo so I have been putting together a list of new components and had selected the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SBO 232 for the card. I had already picked out a m/b, cpu, video card as well....still looking for a case...will either get a Thermaltake or Entec psu...leaning towards Thermaltake though...but I will go back and look some more at m/b's with integrated sound....thanks for the info...Steve

For a power supply depending on your budget i highly reccomend the hiper modular type-r series. incredibly quiet, customisable plugs and good protection for your pc

If your now board uses this card

Quote:

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NVIDIA RIVA TNT2 model 64

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it would be safe to say this is a 3.3v card, newer graphics cards are 1.5v and will only work in a motherboard that accepts that type of card. I just installed a tnt2 into a system here at work.

What is a hyper modular psu? Because of my budget I am considering one of these: Thermaltake #W0062RU 420W. ($60.00), or..Thermaltake #W0090RU 470W ($68.00). or this one which has some good features: Coolmax CP-500T EPS12v. 500W Active PFC ($55.00). What do ya'll think? I have also picked out these components: M/B: ABIT NV8 Socket 754 NVIDIA nForce4 4x ATX. CPU: AMD Sempron 3100+ Palermo 800Mhz FSB Socket 754. RAM: 1 Gig. DDR 400 (PC3200). SOUND CARD: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy SBO 232 5.1 channel. I haven't decided on a case but I think that I will get one with at least 1-120mm fan. I don't really need/can afford the socket 939 stuff so I think that this set-up is plenty for my needs...but I welcome your ideas on this set-up. BTW: The processor specs says that it has a heat sink/fan. Do ya'll have any knowledge about this fan...it it okay...should I replace it with a better cpu fan? I'm thinking that having a 120mm case fan, a psu fan and the cpu fan will be sufficient cooling...???

either PSU should be fine, your comp doesn’t exactly need that much power anyway. can't comment on AMD really as I’m a Pentium man myself and don't know much about that processor. as far as fans go again you should be more than covered. the 'stock fan' that comes with the CPU will be enough for your needs. you have as many fans as me! and i have some very hot stuff in mine so heat should not be a problem.

If you want to overclock that Sempron, then you could get a better heatsink and fan, if not, leave it as stock.

I think a Athlon 64 754 would be better than the Sempron, as it's the same socket it shouldn't be a problem, if you can find something in the region of a 3200+/3400+ 754, it would increase performance.....as long as it was within budget limits.

Liam

I agree with liam, an athlon 64 would definitely fair you much better

Just getting home from work...that's 2 votes for bumping up to the Athlon 64 3200+/3400+ 754 socket. I'll take another look at those and see what the cost increase would be....will let you know what I find. Steve

You could get an OEM 3400+ 64 socket 754 for $150, and this would work out cheaper than the "Retail" even though you have to buy a third party heatsink and fan....if you go for an OEM CPU, we can recommend some nice heatsink and fans too. :)


Liam

when i can afford it ( i just spent 160 on a psu keyboard and mouse) im gonna go for the blue orb 2 personaly. also does the mobo and processor have to be socket 754 aren't most of the new ones these days socket 939? if this is the case and you needed to upgrade in future then you could be stuck

hmmmm stevejr. you have the same dvd rw drive as me. you ever had any problems burning stuff with it?

123mags456...I have dvd-rw model sohw-1633S...haven't had it very long ( I actually bought it back in early 2005, didn't get around to installing it until early Fall of last year), and have done very little burning except to do a complete back-up of my system...using Nero Express 6...and had a sucessful burn. I don't watch videos on the 'puter...have a home theatre system for that...and just haven't used the burner enough to give it the opportunity to act up on me...hope you just have a minor glitch somewhere!! Okay...my budget is rather tight...have other stuff that I really should be using my tax refund on...BUT...I sure do want to up-grade my system and so I have to make some compromises. I will be spending around $500.00 for all of the 'goodies' and that is a lot of money to me. But...I did go to Tom's Hardware and look at the cpu comparison chart and compared the Sempron 3100+ with the Athlon 64 3200+ and the 64 does out perform the 3100 ...but if you look at the Sempron 64 3400+ then the two are almost neck & neck...and the Sempron 64 3400+ is only about $35.00 more than the 3100+...so I decided to stretch on out and go with the Sempron 3400...and it has a h/s & fan. My current system is running just fine..very stable...only a hiccup once in a while and for my actual use is adequate. But when I realized that my system couldn't support a new video card and I also needed a sound card to run my 5.1 speaker system...well...I figured that I may as well just jump right on in with both feet!! But then reality conks me on the noggin and so I try to strike a sensible balance. Okay...another question about a psu: I like the specs on the Coolmax CP-500T 500W.with active PFC ( only $55.00 ), but I sure would like to hear from any of you if you have any personal knowledge or feedback about this psu. I know that the Thermaltake psu is a good one and if I hear any solid negatives about the Coolmax then I will go with a Thermaltake. Enough for now...didn't mean to write a book!! Steve

i dont know about that psu in particular. but 500 watts should be plenty to cover your budget. if your looking for a silent pc then i reccomend u specificaly buy a psu that claims to be silent

Sempron 64 3400+? Don't be surprised if this is the Sempron's last hurrah. Maybe I'm crazy, but I can't see AMD pushing the socket 754 envelope much further....It'll make a nice computer, but it will probably be an orphan in six months. The Athlon X2 and Opteron CPUs will be garden-variety soon enough. Almost scary how fast CPUs become dated--almost from their release date, now!

It is amazing how quickly today's 'latest & greatest' becomes the slow-poke of tomorrow.! My first 'puter was around 1998, a HP with a 500Mhz, and that was one of the faster ones...people were excited about o/c'ing their rigs and getting up to 800Mhz.!! I, for one, cannot afford to have the 'latest & greatest', so I will have to be content with something middle-of-the-road...and that's okay with me since I really don't need the top end stuff for what I use this 'puter for...but if I ever won the lottery ( which I never play), or if I had the proverbial 'rich uncle that died and left me a lot of money ' ( which I don't have, either...darn !!), then I most certainly would enjoy trying to have the 'latest & greatest' computer !!

i was wondering you know you said about the dual core and the opterons. aren't the new opterons supposed to be released late 2006-2007 and be quad core?