Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

**fido123** · 10-24-2011, 09:58 AM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

Not a good idea. I don't even suggest upgrading at all. I'll explain more when I'm not posting from a phone but what do you do on your computer? What applications do you need that something better than a 2.4GHz processor and more than 4GB of RAM?

**Reincarnate** · 10-24-2011, 10:20 AM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

Even my uber-rig from two years ago, which has 12 GB RAM and a stock 2.8 ghz or so (overclockable to like 4.0 ghz), still tears apart just about anything you throw at it. Processing speed is rarely the bottleneck nowadays, and I rarely use more than 4 GB RAM unless I'm being lazy.
6 or 8 GB is really all you could ever ask for, really.

**Crashfan3** · 10-24-2011, 03:15 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

Perhaps I'm just feeling like I need moar power, I dunno. At first it was just that I needed a bigger hard drive, mine's slow and old, and it's about 80% full. I'm going to get that HDD no matter what.

As for the RAM, my board maxes out at 16 and I thought either 8 or 12 would be good, the 12GB sticks were only a few dollars more, but then I realized that they're DDR3 (the 8GB sticks were DDR3 too) and my board takes DDR2. So then came the new processor and the new motherboard and I figured I might as well throw in a new graphics card while I'm at it, because I like to record games but I lag if Fraps is set above 40 FPS; I want to be able to record at 60 so it doesn't look choppy when I use slow-motion effects.

Thought I haven't bought anything yet and probably won't until after New Year's...

**fido123** · 10-24-2011, 04:40 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

I think you don't really understand what makes a computer faster or how they really work. If you upgrade your computer you probably won't see any performance improvements in the areas you might feel like you're lacking such as boot time. I'm not trying to be a dick, just educate you so you don't waste a shit ton of money:

1) More RAM =/= More Speed: RAM is used so the processor can call instructions and information quickly. A intensive program like a game might take up 1GB of RAM (on top of your video card's RAM). The processor calls data from the RAM to make the game run. If your OS is taking up 500MB of RAM, and your game is taking 1GB of RAM, but you have 16GB of RAM, 14.5GB of RAM are sitting unused, doing absolutely nothing for you. I only have 2GB of RAM, and although I've come close playing games like MW2 with a browser open and some music playing, I've never actually exceeded it. When you run out of RAM your system has to call data form special files/partitions of your HDD which grinds things to an unbearable pace. You won't need any more than 4GB of RAM, and 6GB of RAM will cushion you for a long time to come. The clock rate (MHz) of the RAM matters, but the RAM you currently have is fine. I can honestly guarantee you though that 12GB of RAM is hilariously useless and it's something IT people laugh about when people unknowledgeable about the subject brag about their rig with 12GB of RAM but don't know if their processor is even Intel or AMD.

2) HDDs are a GIANT bottleneck: Most HDD's are about 7200RPM, and they've been that fast for a while. When you boot your computer or load a game, the reason the wait time doesn't really seem all that different is because it has to read the data off that HDD that's moving at 7200RPM just like everyone's out there. If you want a GIGANTIC speed increase get a SDD, and you want to look for something with ~500MB/s r/w. They come at different speeds, and if you want good bang for your buck for performance increase get one of these. Put Windows, and any programs you use regularly on it. If you go though a lot of games, put the game you're currently playing on your SDD while keeping everything else on a HDD.

3) Windows is a bitch: If you put that HDD with your OS on it in a totally new computer and it boots enough times, there's a good chance it will just BSOD to prevent you from violating the terms and agreement, being that you can only use that copy of Windows on ONE computer. If you put it in the SSD though with your current hardware it wouldn't do this. IMO if you run into a lot of problems, just obtain Windows for free in ways I am not allowed to mention in this forum although would happily help you via PM.

4) Shitty video card for modern gaming: Your card is about equal to a 9800GTX. If you want improved FPS, get a something like a 460GTX if you're on a budget, or a 480GTX or 500 series.

In short, buy a SSD and a new video card and your problems are solved. Also if you want further help please tell me what the most intensive applications you plan to run for the next while are.

**Evnoir** · 10-24-2011, 06:34 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

I have something similar, except my rig doesn't even have a video card lololol (I don't game)

GA-880, 1100T, 8gb RAM, 120gb RevoDrive, 1tb WD Blue ...

This is pretty much my photoshop/SAI rig - the only time I actually need 4+gb of RAM
The only other time you'll need more RAM is video-editing

**Crashfan3** · 10-25-2011, 02:06 AM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

Well, someone told me that the recommended spec for Borderlands 2 will be 6GB ram, and that freaked me out.

I would love to have an SSD but I'm not willing to have an illegimiate copy of Windows. That's the one thing that I won't pirate. My 500GB HDD is a 7200rpm drive and I'm mostly getting the 1TB drive for moar space to store my useless crap. Plopping $120 on an SSD and then another $200 on W7 is just not feasible to me.

As for the video card, I found out that my board has crossfire support so I'm wondering if it would be better to get that 6870 or crossfire a couple of 6670s.

**fido123** · 10-25-2011, 06:39 AM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

Like I said though you only need to rebuy Windows 7 is you change the majority of your hardware like stated in your OP. A SSD and video card won't do this.

Also the specs for Borderlands 2 haven't been released yet and if you needed 6GB id be pretty surprised. Also I'd say getting 2 cards in crossfire is a good idea. I think you can Only crossfire the same series of cards so watch out for that. I'd google it but I'm on my phone.

**Crashfan3** · 10-25-2011, 06:34 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

So if I do buy that 80GB SSD, I can select it to be my boot drive, and it will automatically transfer the system files from my old drive? That just sounds too easy.

Edit: I'm looking at SSDs right now and it seems like every single one within my price range ($200 max) has a high failure rate. It looks as though about 1/3 of the drives become bricks within 6 months, regardless of brand, with the exception of one Sandisk SSD I'm looking at, but I won't buy a Sandisk after the trouble I had with my 32GB flash drive (died in a week, bought another and that one died in 3 weeks).

**fido123** · 10-25-2011, 06:40 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

I never said that at all. You can reinstall Windows, or move the file system over entirely which I could help you with using a Live Linux CD. If you have your product key (might be on a sticker) you can install Windows easily on your new SDD.

**Crashfan3** · 10-25-2011, 07:13 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

Oh, well shit. Yeah I've still got the box with the CD key somewhere, just gotta find it, then find an SSD that won't go dead on me in 6 months.

**fido123** · 10-25-2011, 07:20 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

And again, look at the read/write rate of the SDD. 500MB/s would be pretty good IMO.

**Crashfan3** · 10-25-2011, 08:39 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

My board doesn't support the SATA III 6.0gbps standard so that's probably not going to happen. I've seen a couple cheaper ones around 280mb/s which is pretty solid for a SATA II drive.

SATA II with RAID Support
The second generation SATA interface delivers up to 300MB/sec transfer speed

**ninjaKIWI** · 10-25-2011, 08:50 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

Originally posted by Crashfan3

I'm not willing to have an illegimiate copy of Windows. That's the one thing that I won't pirate.

lmfao. Looks like you have your priorities completely backwards. Microsoft makes all of their money off of large companies and schools licensing windows. Windows is extremely over priced. I think the Mac OS is something like twenty bucks, the only non-overpriced think Apple has. What you have to pay for windows is just ridiculous.

**Crashfan3** · 10-26-2011, 12:34 PM

Re: Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

Originally posted by ninjaKIWI

lmfao. Looks like you have your priorities completely backwards. Microsoft makes all of their money off of large companies and schools licensing windows. Windows is extremely over priced. I think the Mac OS is something like twenty bucks, the only non-overpriced think Apple has. What you have to pay for windows is just ridiculous.

You and I are thinking on two different levels. I agree that Windows is batshit insanely expensive, but I like having a legitimate version because that makes support a lot easier when I screw something up.

Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

Well, since everyone else is upgrading their computers...

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