Looking to upgrade...

Krypto44Krypto44 westport
edited September 2006 in Hardware
I bought this computer like 2 years ago, and the only thing ive upgraded is the graphics card. I want to have just a really good gaming comp.
The basic things about my comp are....

intel celeron d 2.4GHz processor

120GB harddrive

DVD/CD-RW drive and a DVD-RW drive

X800GT 256mb graphics card

512mb of RAM

p4p800 SE motherboard

What should i buy to make it so i can play things like HL2 at full settings on 1600x1200

Comments

  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited September 2006
    It all depends on what your budget is. You can make a pretty good system for not too much money with your present mobo and vid card, by replacing that Celly with the Asus CT-479 adapter and a Dothan 730 or 740 Pentium M chip. And you would also need to upgrade your ram to either a 1 GB or 2 GB kit also. The CT-479 is around $50 from ZZF and you can get a Dothan 730 or 740 off ebay for less than $100. And the Dothan will run rings around your present setup, since they easily overclock to between 2400-2700 MHz on the P4P800SE.

    If you want to go with a new system, then you need to give us a budget.
  • Krypto44Krypto44 westport
    edited September 2006
    like $300... but if theres something reallly really great i can do for like 350 or 400 ill do that. However, 300 is what i would LIKE to spend.

    Thanks
    Stefan
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited September 2006
    If you are looking at a budget of a max of $400, then I would go the route that I've already mentioned on the processor. For way less than $200, you will have a processor that will run rings around any socket 478 P4 or Celly.The Asus CT-479 Pentium M adapter is $50 and if you look around on eBay, you can run into good deals like this "Buy it Now" for $63. That will leave you approximately $200-300 to look for a 2 GB kit of quality DDR ram. I think your video card would work much better with those upgrades in place and your computer should be able to handle your gaming needs then.

    The Dothan 730 is an easy overclock to at least 2400 MHz and at that speed it's gaming performance should be as good or better than a P4 3.4 EE, and you can cool it easily with the included hsf that comes with the CT-479. I have a Dothan 730 system on a P4C800E-Dlx and it overclocks to over 2800 MHz max, but every Dothan I've messed with will overclock to at least 2400 MHz.

    EDIT: If you do decide to go this route, be sure to flash to the latest bios revision for your P4P800SE before installing the Dothan chip. You need to have a fairly current bios revision that supports Dothan and with the latest bios revision, you have full downward multiplier control in bios too. You will want to set a 10 or 11 multiplier in bios and then set the fsb to 200 or higher for max memory performance. You can also set up to 1.6v vcore in bios with this board too on the Dothan. Stay away from the older 400 fsb (100 fsb actual, quad pumped) Dothan procs that end with a "5", such as the 725 or 735, because they don't overclock the fsb very well. The newer 533 fsb (133 fsb actual, quad pumped) models will be able to run at least 260-280 fsb with no problems.
  • Krypto44Krypto44 westport
    edited September 2006
    what do you think about this for RAM
  • muddocktormuddocktor
    edited September 2006
    That looks to be decent ram. Newegg also has the same kit for $209.98 shipped to your house. Be sure to check how much Tigerdirect is going to charge for shipping, as the Newegg price might end up better with shipping included. I read in the first review of that ram on Newegg's site that it does work with the P4P800SE mobo, so you should be good to go. Even if it doesn't like running faster than 200 fsb, you can get 2400 MHz out of a Dothan 730 by using the stock 12 multi.
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