Graphics card update

[Darrenbilly]

AsusTek Computer INC
M2V-MX
PCI and PCI Express
DDR2 2560mb. Frequency 333.3mhz
AMD Athlon 64 3200+
Core speed= 2000.0mhz
Power supply make and model= Ezcool 450watt atx-450 jsp
Below the +12VDCline is 25A
United Kingdom

I would also like to purchase a new CPU in the near/distant future. I only play games such as Sims 2 and the simulator games such as Bus driver, most of the 18 wheels of steel games and online ones such as pogo. I do not play games such as World of Warcraft or any such other game. Other than the fan on my CPU i do not have any other, would it be worth getting a generic fan just to keep it cooler in there, i recently upgraded to 2gigs of ram, giving me 2.5, i used crucials website to locate what ram to have. I was at a computer fair over the weekend and i told a man what motherboard i had and straight away he showed me a 512mb graphics card, i cannot remember the make but it was a well-known make and it would have gone into my PCI express slot, it was around £30, he said it would improve it a lot, i was also told it would take the strain off of my RAM? If possible, could i also have a price for a CPU, unless my current one is suitable? MY budget it only around £30 for each. Main uses for my computer (other than the games) are creating and editing various microsoft office documents, using photoshop and downloading/playing and transferring music, which can also be a drag. Before i formatted my computer and put in the new ram it would freeze with the simplest task, such as changing the save location for a document. I feel it does still freeze every now and then even with the new ram. Playing games is stressful when it judders along, it may, for about 2 seconds run more smoothly, but as i said, not for long.

The graphics card i was shown had a TV out

Please let me know it you need anymore information, thanks in advance for taking the time to help me!
Darren

 

[hellokitty[hk]]

would it be worth getting a generic fan

You already have a generic fan, and if you don't, all the better.

I feel it does still freeze every now and then even with the new ram.

That's bad.

Power supply make and model= Ezcool 450watt atx-450 jsp

That just won't do, EZcool's generally are not good.
Now with a budget of $50USD, I think that would cover a good power supply and have a few bucks to spare.

The graphics card i was shown had a TV out

Very interesting, most modern graphics cards do. BTW I'm not sure I would trust one of those salesmen.

 

[Darrenbilly]

So any idea on the graphics/ CPU I should get?

 

[hellokitty[hk]]

Well right now, I would say you are definably graphics choked, so I would get a new graphics card. The problem is your powersupply will likely not support a graphics card, and is generally a bad power supply. You will first have to get a new powersupply. Perhaps the Antec earthwatts EA380 380W Continuous Power ATX12V v2.0 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Power Supply - Retail would do well in your budget.

 

[Darrenbilly]

Slight problem, I am in the United Kingdom. So if I were to buy this power supply, what graphics card should I then get and eventually what CPU should I get?
Thanks

 

[hellokitty[hk]]

I don't know why newegg doesn't ship to the UK :/.
Well it all still depends on the budget. With a <$100 USD graphics card, that powersupply should do just fine, but anything over it and you would be pushing it and should go up to Antec Earthwatts EA430 430W power supply for a little more money.

Now for the $100 graphics card range, the HD 4770 costs about 100 USD and is the best value card. For the 150 range, a 4870 512 or 4870 1gb would be good.