Computer hardware megathread, or "why does my Pentium 3 get poor FPS"

[sano]

[list][list]It seems we get some computer hardware threads in off topic pretty often, so a megathread where we can post about them seems logical.

Basically the rules of this thread will be pretty straightforward.

[KooKas]

Ebuyer is my favourite UK purchase site :P
Also is an Asus M3A78-VM a good motherboard?

[Sweetman]

www.Ebuyer.com and www.aria.co.uk

[donoteat]

Someone probably ought to sticky this...

[skinner]

Someone probably ought to sticky this...

I agree.

[donoteat]

Right, so I'm attempting to convince my parents to get me a new system for christmas, somewhere in the ~$1000 price area...

Any suggestions? It'll be running Ubuntu, so no worries about the OS price. I'd prefer an nVIDIA card for it, just because I have no experience with ATI cards...

(obviously building it from parts, I don't do pre-built systems any more....)

[Condor33]

I have a hardware related query too: my framerate is generally low, even though I have a fairly state of the art computer. I don't want to sound like an idiot, but do I need more RAM, or a better video card?
I have: AMD 64 dual core processors
1024MB RAM (DDR2 type)
320GB hard drive
GeForce 6150 LE
Vista 32 bit

So, any suggestions?

[MadMike]

I'm pretty sure RoR is more heavy on the CPU than anything else. I have an AMD X2 Dual Core and I run RoR pretty well. But I would suggest looking into a new graphics card, as you only have a geforce 6 series card. As far as I know thats integrated video.

[monstertruck]

i have a two-three year comp with a preaty new grapic card

[donoteat]

I have a hardware related query too: my framerate is generally low, even though I have a fairly state of the art computer. I don't want to sound like an idiot, but do I need more RAM, or a better video card?

Actually, your setup sucks. Allow me to explain what is wrong with it so that you can fix it.

I have: AMD 64 dual core processors

GHz? For all I know, that could be two 500 MHz processors...

1024MB RAM (DDR2 type)

That's a miserable amount of RAM. You're gonna need at least two gigs.

GeForce 6150 LE

I have this card, and there are a bunch of problems with it. It has a horrible processor, and since it is integrated into the motherboard, it leeches off the main system RAM instead of having dedicated video RAM like a normal graphics card.

Vista 32 bit

You have a 64-bit processor.... why not get a 64-bit operating system?

[skinner]

I plan on getting this. http://www.alienware.com/products/ar...de=SKU-DEFAULT

[Condor33]

GHz? For all I know, that could be two 500 MHz processors...

They're 4200 MHz

That's a miserable amount of RAM. You're gonna need at least two gigs.

I thought this might be the root of the problem.

I have this card, and there are a bunch of problems with it. It has a horrible processor, and since it is integrated into the motherboard, it leeches off the main system RAM instead of having dedicated video RAM like a normal graphics card.

I'm going to assume that this can't be fixed, I don't want to take the thing to a shop.

You have a 64-bit processor.... why not get a 64-bit operating system?

This is what came with the system. Wouldn't 64-bit just lag more?

[Box5diesel]

Right, so I'm attempting to convince my parents to get me a new system for christmas, somewhere in the ~$1000 price area...

Any suggestions?

Asus P5Q motherboard (pick ur version, deluxe, SE/R etc)
E8500 intel 3.16ghz cpu
GTX 260 gpu
750w psu

and then add whatever u want around that, and u'll never really need to worry about fps.

[Sainapple]

Asus P5Q motherboard (pick ur version, deluxe, SE/R etc)
E8500 intel 3.16ghz cpu
GTX 260 gpu
750w psu

and then add whatever u want around that, and u'll never really need to worry about fps.

Wouldn't that be just a little bit overkill? Unless he's playing heavy games, 2.5GHz or so is usually more then enough. I'm running a system almost exactly the same, if not a little bit weaker, and I can usually get pretty decent frame rates in RoR, HL2, Portal, etc.. I don't think his parents would be thrilled on spending the 1k in the first place

[donoteat]

This is what came with the system. Wouldn't 64-bit just lag more?

Quite the contrary- it would be able to actually use the 64 bit processor and could theoretically run twice as fast.

[Sweetman]

They're 4200 MHzI thought this might be the root of the problem.I'm going to assume that this can't be fixed, I don't want to take the thing to a shop.This is what came with the system. Wouldn't 64-bit just lag more?

There's no 4.2 Ghz CPU in production, don't tell me you timed 2.1 by 2?

[Sainapple]

There's no 4.2 Ghz CPU in production, don't tell me you timed 2.1 by 2?

Who's to say he didn't just get a major overclock? I saw a 4.0GHz overclock about 4 months ago.. Then again, it was 3.0 stock, major water cooling, and major voltage, but yea.

[Sweetman]

Who's to say he didn't just get a major overclock? I saw a 4.0GHz overclock about 4 months ago.. Then again, it was 3.0 stock, major water cooling, and major voltage, but yea.

It's an AMD. You can't get an AMD to 4.2Ghz stable.

[Sainapple]

It's an AMD. You can't get an AMD to 4.2Ghz stable.

Ah, forgot about that, one I saw was an Intel. It is possible, read online (I'll see if I can find it) that AMD managed to get a processor to 5.0GHz stable.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/836/1/

With a little liquid nitrogen, anything is possible

[Sweetman]

[quote=Sainapple]
Ah, forgot about that, one I saw was an Intel. It is possible, read online (I'll see if I can find it) that AMD managed to get a processor to 5.0GHz stable.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/836/1/

With a little liquid nitrogen, anything is possible