I have a Dell 8300 (P4 3GHz, 1Gb Ram, ATI 9800 PRO) and am considering a graphics card upgrade. I decided on the Ati X800XT.However, I saw one for 'pci express' but didn't know what that was so I browsed the net for info. Ok, I now know what 'pci express is':-lol, but my motherboard is AGP so....I am now considering an ASUS pci express motherboard, 1Gb DDR2 ram to go with it and the pci express version of the X800XT.Overkill for this PC? Stick with the agp version of the x800xt?Ray Keattch

Seriously.DDR2 = PointlessPCI E = PointlessI assume you are going to keep your CPU?Otherwise if you want to upgrade get an A64 based system. Check if it works with your RAM first though.Otherwise you will get the same performance with an AGP video card. Upgrade mainboard only to support new CPU:s really. Just for PCI E it

Hi Ray, you know it's funny, your question is yet another query about the display adapter, without a mention of the display!? Will a X880XT help? Sure! At least it will help to keep Ati's shareholders happy! Hehe. Seriously now, could you please indicate some specifics on your display and the resolutions you use or intend to use. IMHO, if you're not opting for a 1600x res, the upgrade wouldn't make much sense for FS. At 1280x, the 9800pro is excellent. Hope you don't mind my question; how did you make it to 1GB RAM? Did you add some yourself? I'm also afraid, upgrading your board will not help much either. As P

Today or tomorrow :drool:But now I have got some serious trouble with my 6800 ULTRA :(

Thanks for the comments.I use the PC for FS2004 and strategy games, but my sons play lots of first person shooters and footy games!I will stick with the X800XT AGP card - is it worth putting a faster P4 in there?Ray Keattch

Thanks for that.I use 1600*1200 but find it a little jerky with the 9800 PRO. Also I want the WX turned up as much as possible so want the faster card for that too.I added 512mb myself.Could you explain why a PCI express mobo/graphics/ddr2 would not make for a smoother FS experience?Ray Keattch.

WX you mean weather? That is mostly CPU that will help with that performance. Also don

>WX you mean weather? That is mostly CPU that will help with>that performance.OK, I think you have convinced me not to get the mobo! Is it worth replacing the 3GHz P4 with a 3.6GHz, to go with the AGP version of the X800XT?Ray Keattch

Me personally I wouldn

>I use 1600*1200 but find it a little jerky with the 9800 PRO. Also I want the WX turned up as much as possible so want the faster card for that too.I added 512mb myself.Could you explain why a PCI express mobo/graphics/ddr2 would not make for a smoother FS experience?I use the PC for FS2004 and strategy games, but my sons play lots of first person shooters and footy games!I will stick with the X800XT AGP card - is it worth putting a faster P4 in there?

>RAM; what did you get exactly when you upgraded your RAM?>Because usually, you should have ditched Dell's modules in>favour of 2 entirely new sticks. Intel recommends use of 2>'double-sided' (DS) or 4 'single-sided' (SS) modules max on>i875/865 chipsets. Therefore, your computer is likely running>at a fraction of its FSB's potential. Just guessing: You>couldn't constate much of an improvement after upgrading? >I didn't really see much improvement after upgrading to 1Gb. I read the posts about stuttering becoming less of a problem with memory upgrades, but I was surprised to still see a lot of stuttering.>Dell will have (properly) equipped 2x256MB systems with 2 DS>modules, so whatever happened afterwards, be it 2x256MB (which>I guess) or 1x512MB, it will have crippled the chipset's>potential.I'll check out whats in there tomorrow as I will take the PC to work (my mate in the IT support dept does my upgrades - I write software, he does my upgrades!)>Homebuilder RAM is usually DS (almost all PC2700 @>256MB and larger or PC3200 @ 512MB and bigger), however,>treacherously, most homebuilder PC3200 256MB modules are>single-sided!! Now you mention that I am pretty sure I got PC3200 when I got the extra 512Mb!>If you got such modules, you have various>options: Get another 2 pcs 256MB SS modules (making the max>4xSS modules) or do a re-upgrade again. Right, I will forget the processor and get this memory sorted out. From what you say below, I need to go for 2Gb so thats 4 512Mb SS modules.Should I go for pc2700 or pc3200?>my suggestion>would be: Indeed, get that beautiful X800, re-shuffle your RAM>and check it out? If your son likes it, you know his games>aren't CPU-limited. If you like it too, great! Otherwise, the>ocean of nice possibilites is increasing by the day. Hope this>adds a bit to thoughts, good luck and kind regards Really excellent advice - thanks!So I am going to ditch the idea of new mobo, PCI express card and DDR2 in favour of 4 SS 512mb modules and the AGP version of the X800XT.I should be able to get this lot by the weekend and I'll be sure to let you know how it turns out!Ray Keattch.

Most important is that you have the same type of RAM. Don

>And>really just go for 2x512. You will see nada improvement with 2>gig of RAM. >Phew, this is complicated stuff!I need to go for two 512mb modules and they should be double sided?Ray Keattch

Don

>I didn't really see much improvement after upgrading to 1Gb. I read the posts about stuttering becoming less of a problem with memory upgrades, but I was surprised to still see a lot of stuttering.Right, I will forget the processor and get this memory sorted out. From what you say below, I need to go for 2Gb so thats 4 512Mb SS modules.Now you mention that I am pretty sure I got PC3200 when I got the extra 512Mb!Should I go for pc2700 or pc3200?P