PC-upgrading plans...

[Jariroth]

I'm planning on upgrading my old computer by adding a bit DDR memory in it. As i currently only have one 512MB memory block. So i was planning on buying Something like this.

However, because im not an extreme expert on upgrading Ram, so i decided to play it safe by asking here if it is the best option to buy(and should i ditch the old Samsung 512mb?). And as a side note i was wondering if you guys could recommend a decent PCI-E graphics card preferably with HDMI output or S-Video, so i could link it to my TV screen. Well, i still dont have a HD-ready TV with me yet but i plan on buying one somewhere during next weekend.

Last time i asked here for upgrading tips, I was supposed to buy a new processor(Athlon 64 x2 3200, if i remember correctly) but because of sudden money problems i was unable to spend money on such luxuries. But now i have a bit over 1000 euros to spare(well, the TV im planning to buy is gonna cost 899 euros or so O_O ).

So in short, tell me what to do with the Ram and recommend me a decent GPU and CPU. Which i plan on buying a bit later, when i get my next pay and im able to decide how much i have to spare.

 

[DiebytheSword]

Is your machine an Apple computer?

If not, you want to buy something built for the PC, not the Mac.

Otherwise, what you should really be doing is upgrading to 2GB ram. 1GB is nice, but 2GB actually makes a difference in certain games and in applications like Photoshop or Premiere.

For a good PCI-E card, look no further than an 8xxx series Nvidia card, or a x2xxx series Ati card. It'll have exactly what you want. At the moment, the nVidia 8800 cards are better by quite a bit, though I've heard that the x2900 is no slouch. Take your pick, and buy a card in that price range.

 

[Jariroth]

Hmmm, seems like my eyes are becoming worse by the minute to not notice such a important thing...

Would this be a better choice then? Or should i just buy 1x1048mb?

 

[Enix]

This is the best card I could find for the price with hdmi outputs:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127302

I was browsing all night last night for a new card and came across a few with hdmi, which does me no good, but it was notable for such an inexpensive card. I decided on an xfx geforce 8600gt which has s-video out.

 

[Almighty_Gir]

i'm running 4gb ddr2 ram, and an nVidia 7900GTS 256mb

when i originally upgraded from 1gb to 4, i did it in stages, and there was a huge difference in 1-2gb, the difference between 2-4 was only noticeable in Zbrush, 3dsmax, photoshop, and weirdly enough, the loading times for Overlord

 

[Jariroth]

Well, im not going to buy these things newegg, im buying these from finnish online retailer(because i live in finland), so they might be slightly more expensive/cheaper. But miraclously i found the same Card Enix suggested (expect its factory overclocked and is bit more expensive).

And im eventually planning to toss that samsung memory away and buy another set of 2x512mb to get total of 2gb ram which should be enough for a while. But is it better to have 4x512mb or 2x1024mb in terms of performance or does it even matter?

And if the latter what different memory brands do you recommend? I heard Kingston is alright, but i can't seem to find a decent Kingston 1GB DDR from my online retailer. So what other brands should i take a look at?

And whats the difference in Kingston HyperX and Valueram? (expect the price)

I think of too many questions... -.-

 

[Enix]

For memory I usually get Kingston, Crucial, or Samsung. If money is an issue go with PNY, they are probably the cheapest and their products aren't half bad.

I would go with 2 sticks of 1024 so that you will have more open slots to upgrade later if you need to, plus I think its better to decrease the amount of seperate sticks for performance sake, not sure though.

 

[Jariroth]

I just found that online retailers self-build 1GB DDR memory. They seem pretty cheap(45 euros per 1GB) and you can return them without fees if they dont work. But i doubt i can make them work in Dual channel, seems pretty fishy.
Anyways, seems like ill be buying 1 or 2 of these then. They are slightly more expensive, but atleast they seem reliable. And these have the same 'return without fees if not compatible' insurance.