Help needed with Upgrade.

Computer Forum New Build / Upgrade Advice
1

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.

:slight_smile:

2

[QUOTE=matttibb]

  1. Where is the best place to buy RAM and what RAM is compatible with my system?
    [/quote]
    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

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

[QUOTE=matttibb]
DDR2 4300 (266 MHz) DIMM
[/QUOTE]
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

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

Corsair 1GB DDR2 533 MHz 128mx64 Non-ecc 240 Dimm Unbuffered Cl4

Would this RAM work ok?

ANTEC BP500U BASIQ 500W Psu Active PFC |Specialtech.co.uk -

And this PSU?

7

Anyone got any feedback?

Would I be able to just use a cheap novatech PSU??

600W ATX Power Supply for AMD, P3 and P4 mainboards 20Pin : nov-psu600

8

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

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

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

Ok here is what I’ve found with everyone’s help.

Graphics:
Novatech GeForce 8800GTS 640MB HDCP Enabled Dual DVI PCI Express (500MHz Core Clock) (1600MHz Memory Clock) (1200MHz Shader Clock) : nov-88gts
RAM:
266MHz 184Pin 1GB PC2100 DDR RAM DIMM 2.5V 2.1Gb : ram-21/1gb
PSU:
Hiper 530Watt BLACK ATX Power Supply : hyp-4m530

Comes to about £345

Are these good choices?

12

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

13

You’ll be returning that RAM. DDR and DDR2 are incompatible…or you linked the wrong item.

14

Oh dear…

1GB 240Pin 533 DDR2 RAM DIMM 1.8V : ram-53/1gb this one be ok?

15

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 :slight_smile:

16

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

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 :slight_smile:

18

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