Looking to upgrade my graphics card would like some advice :)

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Sydney88

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Hey for the past year i have been playin a MMORPG called World of warcraft. But recently as i have been wanting to do more and more in the game i have been finding that my current Graphics card Geforce4mx 440 just isnt up to it.
So i am looking for a new graphics card to boost the performance idealy I'd like to start again with a new pc but currently only really have enough money for new graphics card.

Im a complete noob when it comes to computer specs so bare with me lol.
Computer is an emachines 570.
2Ghz Intel Celeron processor
768mb ddr ram

:( thats all i can find out by myself lol any help would be greatly appraciated
 
Can anyone please help??

Have alos just found some more specs

motherboard manufacturer: Trigem computers, inc

CPU Properties
CPU Type Intel Celeron 4A, 2000 MHz (5 x 400)
CPU Alias Northwood-128
CPU Stepping C1
Original Clock 2000 MHz
L1 Trace Cache 12K Instructions
L1 Data Cache 8 KB
L2 Cache 128 KB (On-Die, ATC, Full-Speed)

CPU Physical Info
Package Type 478 Pin uPGA
Package Size 3.50 cm x 3.50 cm
Transistors 55 million
Process Technology 6M, 0.13 um, CMOS, Cu, Low-K
Die Size 131 mm2
Core Voltage 1.475 - 1.55 V
I/O Voltage 1.475 - 1.55 V
Typical Power 38.7 - 81.9 W (depending on clock speed)
Maximum Power 49 - 100 W (depending on clock speed)

CPU Manufacturer
Company Name Intel Corporation
Product Information http://www.intel.com/products/browse/processor.htm

CPU Utilization
CPU #1 6 %


Motherboard Properties
Motherboard ID 31861.EM.0000.D.0209121254
Motherboard Name Unknown

Front Side Bus Properties
Bus Type Intel NetBurst
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 100 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock 400 MHz
Bandwidth 3200 MB/s

Memory Bus Properties
Bus Type DDR SDRAM
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 133 MHz (DDR)
Effective Clock 267 MHz
Bandwidth 2133 MB/s

Chipset Bus Properties
Bus Type Intel Hub Interface
Bus Width 8-bit
Real Clock 67 MHz (QDR)
Effective Clock 267 MHz
Bandwidth 267 MB/s


Chipset Properties
Motherboard Chipset Intel Brookdale-G i845G
In-Order Queue Depth 12
CAS Latency 2T
RAS To CAS Delay 3T
RAS Precharge 3T
RAS Active Time 6T

Integrated Graphics Controller
Graphics Controller Type Intel Extreme Graphics
Graphics Controller Status Disabled

AC'97 Audio Controller
Audio Controller Type Intel 82801DB(M) ICH4
Codec Name Avance Logic ALC202(A)
Codec ID 414C4740h

Memory Slots
DRAM Slot #1 256 MB (DDR SDRAM)
DRAM Slot #2 512 MB (DDR SDRAM)

AGP Properties
AGP Version 2.00
AGP Status Enabled
AGP Aperture Size 64 MB
Supported AGP Speeds 1x, 2x, 4x
Current AGP Speed 4x
Fast-Write Supported, Enabled
Side Band Addressing Supported, Disabled

Chipset Manufacturer
Company Name Intel Corporation
Product Information http://www.intel.com/products/browse/chipsets.htm
Driver Download http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/index.htm


Sorry if most of this is usless :p
 
Well, great news actually. Your system has an AGP slot, which is a great upgrade path. I think with a few bucks spent, you'd notice a big difference. As I am sure you already know, you are still limited by an older CPU and Ram, but still, a graphics card update would help your gaming.

The limiting factor will probably be your power supply. Can you open up your case, and take a look at the sticker attached to it? How many watts does it say, and also look at the chart. How many amps does it say for the +12v rail?

If your power supply is in the 350w range and you have about $100 to spend, then you could get a 6600GT. If your power supply is too small, you could spend about $40 on a new PSU, and then depending on your budget also get a nice graphics card.
 
Hello! Welcome to TechSpot!

These are the 2 most important.
CPU Properties
CPU Type Intel Celeron 4A, 2000 MHz (5 x 400)
L2 Cache 128 KB (On-Die, ATC, Full-Speed)

AGP Properties
AGP Aperture Size 64 MB
Supported AGP Speeds 1x, 2x, 4x
Current AGP Speed 4x
Fast-Write Supported, Enabled
You are 4x agp & 2.0Ghz celeron 400fsb.
There will be alot of differing opinions on which upgrade will net
the biggest performance boost for your $$$'s.
The 5 to consider are:

1.CPU- a p4 upgrade would make minimal increase with agp 4x

2.Video card-Curent max 4x agp

3.MotherBoard-this upgrade could bump you to 8x agp

4.consider full technology upgrade

5.Better psu- min. 350w true power

Just some thing to consider.
G'Luck
 
Hey thank you for your replys.

DonNagual i checked the watts and discovered that the output is 250W.
I couldnt find any graph or anything about the amps on the +12v rail however.
 
I'm sure i can spare the extra cash :). I am in England however so i will look around for an english site so dont have to import it over from America. Thank you for your help im sure i will be back shortly after iv broken my computer lol :p asking for your help. :)
 
That PSU has a 24pin power cable. Your current board is probably 20pin. Some 24 pin cables have the 4 pins on a separate piece so you can connect it to a 20 pin mobo. The seasonic doesn't look like that would work.
 
cool thank you for your help. One other question Don earlier you mentioned a good card would be the 6600 GT? does this not require an AGPx8 port though? Where as mine only has AGPx4?? Or will it be ok?
 
It will work perfectly fine on an AGP 4x port, no worries there at all.

The performance difference between an 8x and a 4x is minimal. The 6600gt will be using up pretty much ALL of the bandwidth of a 4x port and not use anywhere near the full bandwidth available in an 8x port, so they perform about the same.
 
OK thank you very much Don. You have been a GREAT help. I may be back in a few days asking about installation lol.
 
The only thing I am worried about is whether or not eMachines has done anything funky with their power supply connections. I did some searching and it LOOKS like you can use any standard ATX power supply in there (the one you link to above for example).

Can anyone confirm whether or not eMachines mobo use standard 20 pin connectors?
 
hmm interesting lol. Anyway i came back when i realised i dont actually have a clue what im doing lol :p. Typed in 6600 GT into some website got 22 results thrown at me lol:( Heres a link if u could point me in geneeral direction lol. Graphics cards 6600 GT
 
You said you live in England, so the best thing to do is search under computers or PCs in England. Once you find a distributor (a website), then they usually list them under video cards directly, or components, then video cards.

Like these:
http://www.scan.co.uk/ EDIT: I drilled into this website:
http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Prod...lterMinPrice=&FilterMaxPrice=&FilterKeywords=
http://www.misco.co.uk/promos/consumer/homepage.aspx
This is from searching computers in advanced mode in google using domain .uk only. Cheers.

PS. 6600GT's come in 128Mb and 256Mb DDR or DDR2 RAM, so there will be a price range. For your case a 6600GT 128Mb DDR will be just fine (AGP of course).
 
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