Graphics Card or RAM increase...Hmmmm

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I've been saving up to boost my computer up a bit...But I am stuck with a decision...

My goal is let City of Heroes, The Sims 2, etc run at an extremely high setting without strong lag...I was planning on getting a new gfx card for this, but then, I asked if RAM would do the same benefit? If I got more RAM, not only would it better gameplay (in my theory), but let me run more programs/run programs faster..

The Graphics Card I was planning on getting was some around this: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7212679&type=product&productCategoryId=cat01151&id=1113954027220

Right now, I have 512 mb of RAM with a GeForce MX 4000 card. So which would benefit me more overall? 1 GB addition of RAM or the Graphics Card?
 
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That's quite the question. My bet is that you would probably need both to extend the life of your computer. The RAM won't help with graphics though. There's only so much those little MX cards can do these days.

Let me put it this way. You're going backpacking but your backpack is too small and your legs are out of shape. You can either have a bigger backpack, allowing you to carry more, but you're still too out of shape to carry much. Or, you can work out and get strong, but you still can't carry enough to go hiking where you want.

I guess that metaphor ran away on me there... the point I was trying to express was that with one or the other you can only accomplish so much. The graphics card would provide the better graphics, while RAM will allow things to run better. Give and take, mon ami.
 
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Id go for the graphics card all the way. And if you are gonna get a better card, go for a 6800 or something like that at Newegg. Bestbuy overcharges and a 6800 would be more benificial... that is if your budget would allow it.
 
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Go with the graphics card, I have a Geforce MX440 (i'm assuming they are basically the same thing), and they suck pretty hardcore. Long story short, I think that the new card would give way more performance then another 512 megs of ram. I mean, the MX series of geforce 4 only supports DX7, not exactly top of the line anymore.
 
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I have a MX420 in my other computer. It runs Halo with high settings, I dont hate it.

Dude, now that I think of it... buy both! You can get a 1/2 gig of ram for pretty cheap.
 
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Hash said:
Go with the graphics card, I have a Geforce MX440 (i'm assuming they are basically the same thing), and they suck pretty hardcore. Long story short, I think that the new card would give way more performance then another 512 megs of ram. I mean, the MX series of geforce 4 only supports DX7, not exactly top of the line anymore.
Was never top of the line. It was released when dx 8 was becoming standard, and even then, was a crappy card.

I'm going to assume you have ~$150 to spend.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814121195

Thar you go. Will play Sims 2 fine. This is assuming you have AGP capabilities, which I'm quite sure of. Next in line is RAM, and you can ask for suggestions when the money arrives.
 
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If you extend your budget buy $50 or so dollars, go get a Geforce 6800GS. The agp models can also have there pipes unlocked too. Also Upgrading your system to have 1gb of memory will also help boost your performance in games, I certainly noticed the difference when I shoved in another 512mb of memory in my pc and certainly noticed the difference in games.
 
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lol, dude, you pretty much solicite that card. I knew that you were gonna recommend that card if you replied to this topic.
 
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General Overlord said:
If you extend your budget buy $50 or so dollars, go get a Geforce 6800GS.
If you can't afford the 6800GS, then the 6600GT is still a fine component.

You won't notice a difference in gaming performance until you get a new VPU, so put the RAM upgrade on the back burner.
 
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The only time I noticed a big difference is when I was playing halo on my eMachines. It had 256mb of ram and integrated intel extreme graphics... I added another stick of 256 and I could actually play without lag. Before, with only 1 stick, i had terrible lag.
 
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Walmart Security said:
The only time I noticed a big difference is when I was playing halo on my eMachines. It had 256mb of ram and integrated intel extreme graphics... I added another stick of 256 and I could actually play without lag. Before, with only 1 stick, i had terrible lag.
And he already has 512MB of RAM, which means he's at where you were with 2x 256s. So my post holds merit:

You won't notice a difference in gaming performance until you get a new VPU, so put the RAM upgrade on the back burner.
 
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The only reason I said Best Buy because it seems to be the most convient and they have people that would install the card for me. As of now, I have around $150. I may wait until school is out it make the purchase, but if I have enough money by then to buy both a better card and more RAM, then I'll just get both.

However, for past month, my monitor sometimes has been going black for a couple of seconds and then goes to the desktop. It repeats this for 2-4 times and sometimes it jsut flat out restarts. This happens when I start the computer or return from stand by mode. The error report always says a thread is stuck in a the driver, I am assuming a new card would fix this?
 
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Walmart Security said:
Well, see... I was just giving an example. And im pretty sure that he doesnt have integrated graphics, so he is all set.
All set for what? A new VPU would be a great investment for him.
flat out restarts. This happens when I start the computer or return from stand by mode. The error report always says a thread is stuck in a the driver, I am assuming a new card would fix this?
Not exactly. Just uninstall and reinstall the drivers.
 
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frsrblch said:
That's quite the question. My bet is that you would probably need both to extend the life of your computer. The RAM won't help with graphics though. There's only so much those little MX cards can do these days.

Let me put it this way. You're going backpacking but your backpack is too small and your legs are out of shape. You can either have a bigger backpack, allowing you to carry more, but you're still too out of shape to carry much. Or, you can work out and get strong, but you still can't carry enough to go hiking where you want.

I guess that metaphor ran away on me there... the point I was trying to express was that with one or the other you can only accomplish so much. The graphics card would provide the better graphics, while RAM will allow things to run better. Give and take, mon ami.
that was a crap analogy.

coh isnt insanely demanding, i'd say go for the ram, unless you have a horrid gfx card, but yours is half descent so eh.
 
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ZeroNightmare said:
that was a crap analogy.

coh isnt insanely demanding, i'd say go for the ram, unless you have a horrid gfx card, but yours is half descent so eh.
I thought it was a decent analogy. I don't know where you're getting COH from, but his computer as it is can play COH1 fine as it is. He wants to play the Sims 2. An MX4000 isn't a 'decent' card, especially for today's technology.

EDIT: I have the acronym of COH reserved for ... Call of Duty for some reason. Nevermind. As an MMORPG, more RAM would definitely be more suitable if you're low, but, his current VPU is just sucktacular and needs priority.

I may wait until school is out it make the purchase, but if I have enough money by then to buy both a better card and more RAM, then I'll just get both.
That's good. Make sure to get RAM that is as close to your current as possible. A program called CPU-Z gives information about your RAM's SPD (serial presence detect), or its default settings. If you're having performance problems until then, lower texture resolution and actual screen resolution if you can. Disable any anti-aliasing and/or anistropic filtering.
 
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Well actually, I can play both City of Heroes and the Sims 2, I was just using the games I usually play as an example. What I want to do is play the games at their highest settings, or for City of Heroes' case, play without lag when a lot of people are around.

Haha, but, I didn't know my card was that dated....It actually is decent on mid settings, so a up-to-date graphics card should defiantly show a difference.
 
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Chakra-X said:
Well actually, I can play both City of Heroes and the Sims 2, I was just using the games I usually play as an example. What I want to do is play the games at their highest settings, or for City of Heroes' case, play without lag when a lot of people are around.

Haha, but, I didn't know my card was that dated....It actually is decent on mid settings, so a up-to-date graphics card should defiantly show a difference.
I don't know about highest, but it'd definitely be a large increase in quality if you went to a 6600GT/6800GS.
 
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May I ask the same question when you can get decent graphics, but it's murder to actually walk around while seeing them?
 
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Wolf Devil said:
May I ask the same question when you can get decent graphics, but it's murder to actually walk around while seeing them?
Not necessarily.
 

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