Thinking about adding RAM and HDMI Graphics card, help plz?

[GodOfObelisk]

Hi there. I haven't added anything new to my computer and it's been around since 04, so I figured instead of getting a new one that I could maybe throw in some more RAM and add a graphics card to be able to hook up my "tower" to my brother's big screen TV.

I understand that when you add something like a graphics card or some kind of card that you have to have enough RAM and a compatible motherboard, right? So I am going to use CPU-Z to tell you guys what kind of RAM I am using and how much of it I am using and you can ask me anything else that you think you need to know to help me pic out the best RAM and graphics card out there that will be compatible with my system, here we go:

RAM:
> Module Size: 256 MBytes Correction: None
> Max Bandwidth: PC3200 (200 Mhz) Registered: no
> Manufacturer: Infineon Buffered: no
> Part Number: 64D32300GU5B
> Serial Number: 01046722
> Manufacturing Date: Week 01, Year 04


Please offer some help if you can spare it and know what you are doing.

Thanks in advance.

[jlreich]

We need to know what make/model system you have. Or if custom built what make/model motherboard.

Also what is your budget for this project? And what do you intend to use the system for?

[123456]

I imagine you must have a Pentium 4 HT around 2.8-3.2GHz... it wouldn't be worth upgrading to play games and such... you most likely have an AGP slot instead of PCIe.

[jlreich]

That's pretty much what I am thinking as well, but I would also like to see the info before making judgement. Also GodOfObelisk may not be able to buy/build a new system, so we can at least make some suggestions on what can, if anything, be done. :)

[cmeyvin]

The only solution is to sell that motherboard+cpu+ram together, he should get atleast some 100-150$ if he's gud at selling. If he adds additional 100$ to make 200-250$

Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072
$69.99

GIGABYTE GA-G31M-ES2L LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128357
$52.99

GeIL 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory - Retai
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820144259
$22.99

Very cheap only 146$

Now for the video Card, it depends on ur budget, i'll suggest some card from best to worse choose the one which suits ur budget

1.SAPPHIRE 100277L Radeon HD 4770 512MB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102835&Tpk=SAPPHIRE%20100277L%20Radeon%20HD%204770%20512M B
$99.99

2.HIS Hightech H467QT512P Radeon HD 4670 IceQ Turbo 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161252
$74.99

3.BIOSTAR V9503GT51 GeForce 9500 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814141089
$67.99

4.EVGA 256-P2-N753-TR GeForce 8600 GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130297
$49.99

5.GIGABYTE GV-R435OC-512I Radeon HD 4350 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125251
$39.99

[cmeyvin]

The only solution is to sell that motherboard+cpu+ram together, he should get atleast some 100-150$ if he's gud at selling. If he adds additional 100$ to make 200-250$

Intel Pentium E5200 Wolfdale 2.5GHz 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072
$69.99

GIGABYTE GA-G31M-ES2L LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128357
$52.99

GeIL 2GB 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800 (PC2 6400) Desktop Memory - Retai
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820144259
$22.99

Very cheap only 146$

Now for the video Card, it depends on ur budget, i'll suggest some card from best to worse choose the one which suits ur budget

1.SAPPHIRE 100277L Radeon HD 4770 512MB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102835&Tpk=SAPPHIRE%20100277L%20Radeon%20HD%204770%20512M B
$99.99

2.HIS Hightech H467QT512P Radeon HD 4670 IceQ Turbo 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFire Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161252
$74.99

3.BIOSTAR V9503GT51 GeForce 9500 GT 512MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814141089
$67.99

4.EVGA 256-P2-N753-TR GeForce 8600 GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814130297
$49.99

5.GIGABYTE GV-R435OC-512I Radeon HD 4350 512MB 64-bit GDDR2 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready Low Profile Ready Video Card - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814125251
$39.99

Quick modification:
The Motherboard above doesn't support the cpu, get this one instead:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128388
$64.99

[GodOfObelisk]

Wow, what an out pour of help!

This should clarify things:
CPU-Z Report

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CPU-Z version 1.32.1.


CPU(s)
Number of CPUs 2 (1 Physical)

CPU#1 APIC ID = 0
Name Intel Pentium 4
Code Name Prescott
Specification Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.00GHz
Family / Model / Stepping F 3 3
Extended Family / Model 0 0
Package mPGA-478
Core Stepping C0
Technology 90 nm
Supported Instructions Sets MMX, SSE, SSE2, SSE3
CPU Clock Speed 2992.7 MHz
Clock multiplier x 15.0
Front Side Bus Frequency 199.5 MHz
Bus Speed 798.1 MHz
L1 Data Cache 16 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L1 Trace Cache 12 Kuops, 8-way set associative
L2 Cache 1024 KBytes, 8-way set associative, 64 Bytes line size
L2 Speed 2992.7 MHz (Full)
L2 Location On Chip
L2 Data Prefetch Logic yes
L2 Bus Width 256 bits

CPU#2 APIC ID = 1
CPU Name Intel Pentium 4 (logical unit)


Mainboard and chipset
Motherboard manufacturer Intel Corporation
Motherboard model D865GLC, AAC27501-408
BIOS vendor Intel Corp.
BIOS revision BF86510A.15A.0057.P10.0401231902
BIOS release date 01/23/2004
Chipset Intel i865P/PE/G/i848P rev. A2
Southbridge Intel 82801EB (ICH5) rev. 02
Sensor chip ITE F0D1
FSB Select 800 MHz
Performance Mode disabled
Graphic Interface AGP
AGP Status enabled, rev. 3.0
AGP Data Transfer Rate 8x
AGP Max Rate 8x
AGP Side Band Addressing supported, enabled

Memory
DRAM Type DDR-SDRAM
DRAM Size 512 MBytes
DRAM Frequency 199.5 MHz
FSB:DRAM 1:1
CAS# Latency 3.0 clocks
RAS# to CAS# 3 clocks
RAS# Precharge 3 clocks
Cycle Time (TRAS) 8 clocks
# of memory modules 2
Module 0 Infineon DDR-SDRAM PC3200 - 256 MBytes
Module 1 Infineon DDR-SDRAM PC3200 - 256 MBytes

Software
Windows version Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
DirectX version 9.0c



I must warn everyone, I am not incredibly computer literate. I was a bit overwhelmed with worry when I heard that I needed a better motherboard, because I am not so sure I can install a new one or whatever...so do I really need a new one?

Budget...hmm, I don't know really; maybe my brother could buy a new computer (my first computer was a Gateway and this one is as well, so maybe he can get another one from them, but I wouldn't have any idea what I would need the system to have). The big screen is his and I was the one that told him it would be nice to watch anime fansubs/AMVS/Youtube content/etc on the big screen.

[saphalline]

Wait, so you don't need this to play games? Just to watch movies and stuff over HDMI? Well, heck, that's easy!

Here you go. (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121315)

AGP and all ready to go! Well, you'll have to club your way through the drivers and get the correct resolution and settings going for the HDTV... but after that it should work fine! :D

And seriously, get more RAM. It's just sad that my 2-year-old vid card has more RAM than your entire system. I give my VM's more RAM! Even if that is a Gateway with two RAM slots, the i865GL chipset should be able to handle 1GB per slot. That would bring you up to 2GB total (assuming only two RAM slots); or if you have four RAM slots, add a pair of 512MB sticks and call it good with 1.5GB of RAM.

[GodOfObelisk]

Is there some magical way of knowing what RAM will work with what system or can I just grab anything 1 GB and lower and stick it in there (I am (mostly) referring to what brand of RAM can I use like Infineon or Kingston or what?)?

What would you recommend (I know, I'm pushing all the work your way, :P)? Newegg is great, I've bought from them and never had any problems.

[jlreich]

Pretty much any DDR400 will work in your system.