Help needed with Upgrade.

Discussion in 'New Build / Upgrade Advice' started by matttibb, Apr 1, 2007.

  1. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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    Current System

    Mainboard : Foxconn RC4107MA-S2
    Chipset : ATI Radeon Xpress 200
    Processor : Intel Pentium D 945 @ 3400 MHz
    Physical Memory : 1024 MB (1 x 1024 DDR2-SDRAM )
    Video Card : Nvidia Corp GeForce 7300 GS
    Hard Disk : WDC (250 GB)
    PSU: 350W

    I'm looking to buy another GB of RAM and a new graphics card (which also would mean a new PSU) and my budget is about £300.

    For a graphics card I was looking at this but I am such a novice so I wouldn't know if that was best value for money.

    So... a few questions.

    1. Where is the best place to buy RAM and what RAM is compatible with my system?
    2. What kind of PSU would I need and how powerful must it be?
    3. Where and what is the best graphics card I can buy for my budget?

    Thankyou very much in advance, any advice is much appreciated.

    :)
     
  2. donkey42

    donkey42 plank

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    i only buy Corsair RAM now, you can use PCWizard to identify you current RAM
    an antec TP2 and i would have thought a 450W or a 500W antec would probably be ok
    i'm not comfortable recommending grfx card, as i don't know enough about the grafx market
     
  3. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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    The Corsair site really confuses me... If I just want to buy a single GB of RAM to work with my current GB of RAM, does it have to be exactly the same?

    Current memory
    Type : DDR2-SDRAM PC2-4300 (266 MHz)
    Format : Regular UDIMM (133.35 x 3)
     
  4. donkey42

    donkey42 plank

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    yes, but what is the CAS rating

    Edit:
    it is easier if you know the type, speed & brand, it is possible to use different RAM speeds together but all the RAM in that system will only run at the speed of the slowest RAM installed (e.g. i have 2 DIMMs of DDR 1 stick of 512Mb PC2100 (333Mhz) and 1 stick of 256Mb PC2100 (266Mhz) i can use any PC2100 that has the same CAS rating, irrelevant of the speed, but a system always runs the RAM at the slowest speed of installed RAM[ot]my system runs my RAM at 266Mhz, because my DIMMs have the same CAS rating[/ot]
    have a read through the DDR Sticky
     
  5. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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    I don't know what this means but:

    CAS Latency (tCL) : 3 clocks @200 MHz, 4 clocks @266 MHz, 5 clocks @266 MHz

    Also, I'm planning on using the same speed RAM but I doubt I'll be able to find the same brand etc because it came with the PC from Novatech.
     
  6. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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  7. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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  8. Big B

    Big B HWF Godfather

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    That's extremely cheap for a 600W, especially considering that's the normal price and not after discounts and rebates. I wouldn't touch it. A Hiper 350W, which isn't top-tier, like PC Power & Cooling is only a couple Pounds cheaper...Your money, but I wouldn't recommend it. If your buying on that site, this Hiper 530W does cost more, but a good power supply is never a bad investment. That Novatech house unit may work fine, but why risk it?
     
  9. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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    True, I was expecting to pay around £50 anyway so I'll go for that one then.


    Now just a matter of finding a decent graphics card for £200ish.
     
  10. Big B

    Big B HWF Godfather

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    Oh, hell yeah. That'll net you a pretty nice card. You should be able to get into a 7900 series card easily...possibly one of the low-end 8800's.
     
  11. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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  12. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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    Meh, ordered it all. Cheers for all the help! x
     
  13. Big B

    Big B HWF Godfather

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    You'll be returning that RAM. DDR and DDR2 are incompatible...or you linked the wrong item.
     
  14. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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  15. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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    Ok well I've installed another GB of RAM and everything seems fine. Now just waiting for my spanking new graphics card and psu to be delivered tomorrow :)
     
  16. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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    The waiting is annoying. It's being delivered today but it's already 2:25pm and still not here. I bet it'll get here and the 8800GTS won't fit in my tower.
     
  17. Ferg

    Ferg Manbearpig

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    Lol, if that happened i'd build the pc free standing on a carboard box untill I could get a better case... and have done ^_^
     
  18. matttibb

    matttibb Geek Trainee

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    All done!! The card is bloody enormous!! Going to take it for a test-run on Oblivion now.
     

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