Making an average PC into a gaming PC... HELP!

Well, I got my new desktop, I was on a budget so I got a medium spec PC which I thought I could upgrade for gaming. Probably the best way as it works out cheaper in the long run.

I plan to be getting some memory, a half decent graphics card, and one of those USB memory things Vista can use for the time being. This I hope to achieve within the next month or so, but I would like to get it all sorted out in my head. And hopefully get some good advice of people who know there hardware. (enter the Geeks!)

Then once all that is sorted, over the next few months afterwards, I plan to be getting a new PSU in and buying me a killer gaphics card.

Heres some of my current specs, If you would like any more please ask and I will try to find them for you...

• Vista Home Premium 32bit
• 1280x1024 75mhz 17" Display
• 1GB DDR2 RAM PC2-4300 (266 MHz)
• Intel Core 2 Duo E4300 1.8GHz (FSB 800MHz) (2MB L2 cache)
• 250GB HDD
• MSI MS-7267 Motherboard (Intel i945G/GZ)
• Intel 82945G Express Integrated Graphics
• PSU 355W

So this MoBo only has 2 slots for RAM. And I think its only supposed to take 2gb tops. I have tried the crucial scanner, it was inconclusive. I have tried going through the other thing at crucial where it asks which MoBo you have also. I went through it with the above MSI MoBo code, and also with the Intel chipset code, the exact one wasnt there for neither but there were like 3-4 very similar ones for each. Basically I was looking at the Ballistix performance RAM. Im after 2GB of the fastest RAM this will take. Id very much appreciate it if someone could help me with this. Im looking at spending no more than say £80-£90 for 2 sticks, and It really does need to be compatible.

Next thing I am after is a graphics card. I have allready had a thread on this one. I originally wanted a 7950GT, but came to decision as not too because of the advice I received here. My PSU is way too low for it unfortunately. So I have decided to get a 7600GT for the time being. I have a PCI-E slot for it. I know this is pushing it a little with the PSU also but I dont mind as it should be fairly short term. What I want to know is which 7600GT should I pick, theres so many out there? Im looking again at spending £80-£90 tops. Im after one which is from a reliable source, and as fast as it can be. It also needs to not overheat too much etc. An overclocked one would be great.

Last of all I wanted to know if someone could recommend me as to what to do with this USB Flash memory? I read before its best to go 1:1 with your RAM. So am I correct to think I need a 2GB one for the 2GB I will have installed? I want this also to be fairly fast etc, but am not looking at spending big bucks on this.

Phew! I know this is some long thing. And thanks to anyone who can help me out. Please only answer if you know what your talking about! (not meaning to sound cheeky!) I just want to get this all right first time, as I havnt got wads of cash to be wasting if I get it wrong.

Thanks

 

For your video card you want to get an ATI Radeon X700 Pro 256 PCI-E 16X, Because that's what i put into my hp pavillion pc (I bought my hp pc about 3 months ago),
I paid about $68.00 US for my video card, I don't know what it would cost where your at but it should run fine on your system.

 

a 7600GT will eat an x700 alive then crap it out all nasty looking lol

as far as good cards go, BFG and XFX OC their cards, personally id go with XFX, they have several models of each card, the XXX or KO editions being the fastest (just check the clock speeds to double check)

id get the vid card first, then the RAM. you can live off 1 gig for now no problem. Crucial ram is IMO the best RAM out there. benchmarks have repeatedly shown Crucial to be some of the fastest (if not THE fastest) and best OCing memory out there. for example, my ddr400 2-2-2-6 kit runs fine @ 500mhz 2-2-2-5 @ 1.85v (1.8 stock) which is pretty damn good!

 

Straight to the point!

Nice one thats what I wanted to know matey. So XFX it probably will be, and I will keep BFG in mind too. I will have a look around later at that.

So can anyone please help me to find out which RAM will be the fastest my PC can take? As I said I will be buying performance RAM. What should I be looking for in it? Im a bit of a noob to this hardware stuff so please bare with me!

Also can anyone advise me on the third question about this USB FlashDrives being used as RAM. How does it work? What advantages does it bring? And what should I be looking for?

Thanks again!

 

Sorry to bump myself. Ive been reading up on a few things to try and understand more myself about this.

I am sorted with ReadyBoost now as I understand it fairly well. Its simple really, I will just buy a 2gb ReadyBoost capable USB flash drive. And whatever amount of memory I have installed at the time I will use the same amount of space for ReadyBoost. This is what I have seen reccomended a few times over today on a few different tech sites.

I am almost totally sorted on which graphics card I want now, its between 3 different ones. What I want to know is passive coooling any good? Or is it best to get a card with a fan?

As for my memory questions above, they still stand. I am still clueless. confused

 

go with one with a fan, the passively cooled cards are mainly for use in media center PCs where you want as little noise as possible.

links to the cards you're looking at?

 

Its down to these two really, they are the two fastest ones in any of the local stores:-

XFX 7600GT Fatal1ty
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=519985
This is has the best specs of the lot but no fan.

XFX 7600GT XXX
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=458375
This has the second best specs but does have a fan.

Its going to be probably 2 weeks before I buy however but I am just getting it sorted in my mind what I want in advance. So when the time comes its clear in my mind.

Has anyone please got some knowledge about memory they would care to share with me also? Will any speed DDR2 memory go in as long as its the same? Or does it depend on the mobo/fsb/cpu??? Come on I know someone must know there stuff here!

Thanks

 

yes, any ddr2 will work but its speed depends on your mobo.

is it this mobo? http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=945GZM3-L&class=mb
or this one: http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=945GZM6-F&class=mb
or this one: http://www.msicomputer.com/product/p_spec.asp?model=945GM3-F&class=mb
or a totally different one? lol If u can find the specs it will tell u the memory speed standard it uses

this is a tough decision on the cards...the extra 60mhz on the core will be a noticeable performance difference so id look for reviews on that card

here, i found one: http://peripherals.about.com/od/videographicscards/fr/7600gtfatal1ty.htm

looks like it doesnt have any cooling problems but id still look around and double check

 

I am going to go with the Fata1ty methinks. I have read a few reveiws and they all say it does a good job at keeping itself cool.Its the ost powerful 7600gt in the shop I will be getting it from also. So thanks for that.

I am not 100% sure which MOBO I have. I didnt get a manual with the PC. It dosent say it on the box neither. Heres what SIW and PCWizard says:-

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/19Wayne82/SIWscreen.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/19Wayne82/PCWscreen.jpg

http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s170/19Wayne82/PCW2screen.jpg

I cant see where it says any of them exactly. Are there no other fee programs or scanners that I can use to help me find out. As I say crucial scanner was inconclusive.

Thanks

 

Maybe Belarc or sandra lite?
Bug

 

Take the side panel off the computer, the model number should be printed on the mobo or on a sticker on the mobo.

E

 

It says right there in your screenshot, Wayne.

MSI MS-7267.

 

In that first screenshot it also looks like it will accept 4 gig of ram too.

 

But if you look ate these Adry` they all are that but slightly different in some ways.

I have sussed it cant be the second of those three as my PC has 6 audio ports not 3. So its between the first and the second! Almost there!

Am I correct to think my memory speed cannot be faster than my Front Side Bus? Ive been reading about it but dont know if Ive understood right!

My FSB is 800mhz. Also in that screenshot for PC Wizard it says RAM Max Support. Is that my answer? 667mhz? And if it is boy do I feel a dummy for missing it! Also on both of those chipsets specs on that site it says DDR2 667. hmmmm?!

I will download the programs you reccomended to see what they say too bug.

I thought that also Tater, but it says on all of the above MOBO sites 2GB maximum. I reckon 2GB, the above Graphics Card, and a 2GB ReadyBoost Card, will have the computer flying. I should be able to get this bit by bit over the next 4-6 weeks.

As I say above I will be upgrading the PSU and getting an 8 series card in a few months also. And I may throw a little 40 or 80 gig HDD and put the paging file on it. But Im not so worried about this yet untill I have done the above and see how it goes from there.

 

On MSI's website, there are only a few features that you will let you tell the difference between the motherboards. If you scroll down to the "Onboard Peripherals" section, you can find this info:
(my guess is that you have the third one)

945GM3-F (MS-7267):
2 serial ports, Gigabit LAN and 8 channel audio

945GZM3-L (MS-7267):
2 serial ports, 10/100 LAN and 8 channel audio

945GZM6-F (MS-7267):
1 serial port, Gigabit LAN and 6 channel audio

 

Thats great, nice one.

I have Gigabit LAN, so the middle one is out. But it was allready! rolleyes

But how can I find how many serial ports it has? If you look on the diagrams they all look the same? I thought if there were 2 you would see 2 on the back of the pc?

If its easier how do I find out whether my audio is 8 or 6 channels? Either of these questions should give me my my motherboards correct number when Ive answered them.

And once I have the correct motherboard I am sorted.

Thanks

 

Please confused rolleyes

 

Just curious, do you have a mother board manual, either paper or software copy? It should be in the specs.

 

The PC came prebuilt. It had no manual hard copy or on the PC, for the PC itself, the motherboard or anything else. I rang the manufacturer and they just said its a MSI 7267. It says the same on the box.

Can someone please tell me whats the fastest memory this will take? Is it 667Mhz

Also what does all the other stuff mean, Buffered and Unbuffered and when it has numbers like # - # - # - # - # ?

Thanks

 

If you go by the pictures, the 6 channel audio has 3 audio jacks and the 8 channel audio has 6 jacks.

http://www.msicomputer.com/product/mb_image/features/945GZM6-F.jpg

http://www.msicomputer.com/product/mb_image/features/945GZM3-L.jpg

 

Also, it looks like both of the boards with Gigabit LAN support 667Mhz DDR2 memory.