I've got $300-$400 to spend on my computer to upgrade it but I don't know what to get so I need some advice. I'd like to be able to play crysis at much higher fps when running fraps on low, or just to be able to get like 60+fps usually on low or medium and maybe able to play on high or very high with like 30+ fps.

These are my computer's specifications:

Processor: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU Q6600 @ 2.40GHz (4 CPU's)
RAM: 2MB RAM
Operating System: Windows Vista Home Premium
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 3450

A couple of things you can do to ya current setup to get better frames are OC the CPU and RAM and bump up the GPU clock also. The biggest effect on FPS will be your Q6600 speed. I run mine at 3.8 fine and this makes Crysis run a lot better. There are many youtube tutorials for the Q6600 OC. The higher speed you run at the hotter it will get, you can get a good cpu cooler for $100. I use a thermalright 120.
Do the things that cost you nothin first to get better performance then maybe buy a better GPU. A GTX is ya best bet.
Cos.

quad core isnt quite the same as 4cpus, its 4 cores in 1.
but that doesnt matter because nothing uses 4 cores interlaced as 4 cores, more as 4 seperate cpus. which in turn process different things, but not necessarily the same thing coherently like some programs do with dual cpu (they thread shit through because it recognises the two cores and optimises the way it processes to be more efficient)

imo drop the vista it hogs your graphics =P


perhaps more ram, and gpu. my q6600 isnt OC and its fine for me

and once again playing with Res affects frames alot. graphics allow you better res and a monitor that can support it as well. but gpu first before monitor

2gb should be ok though if its just crysis running, though crysis has been notorious for memory leaks and chews a shitload

I cant agree with what cosmic is saying. My current rig can run singleplayer at full graphics and resolution with 4x aa. When i took the graphics card in to be checked, they gave me a 7800 as a spare. Using this, i got less than 20FPS on lowest settings (1024*68 resolution). If the graphics card cant keep up with the cpu it will dramatically reduce your performance.

Ive found overclocking to be only useful if you find out where your computer's bottleneck is and work on that. In your case that would most likely be the graphics card. Wit $400, i recommend learning to speak asian, going to MSY and buying a Gigabyte or Inno3D GTX260 ($300) and G.Skill-PI 4GB Kit (2x2G) DDR2 1066mhz ram ($100), and scrapping your current ram, which would probably be much slower. Theres no point keeping it cos 32bit OS's can only support around 3-3.5GB of ram anyway.

Just a quick question what would the bottle neck be on my computer be if i have the following clock speeds

Cpu- 4.5 core 2 duo
Gpu- 800 mhz
Mother board ram- 1120 mhz ddr2
Gpu- ram 2300 mhz ddr3


I still have more room to overclock my cpu and FSB but not my ram, i was thinking about getting some kinston ddr2 1200Mhz but they only come in 2x1 gb kits. And i have vista 64 bit. Just one other question is will my mother board able to support ddr2 ram over 1200 mhz and if so where can i find it.

MUTINY wrote:

Just a quick question what would the bottle neck be on my computer be if i have the following clock speeds

Cpu- 4.5 core 2 duo
Gpu- 800 mhz
Mother board ram- 1120 mhz ddr2
Gpu- ram 2300 mhz ddr3


I still have more room to overclock my cpu and FSB but not my ram, i was thinking about getting some kinston ddr2 1200Mhz but they only come in 2x1 gb kits. And i have vista 64 bit. Just one other question is will my mother board able to support ddr2 ram over 1200 mhz and if so where can i find it.

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but ahhhh ziah mate... ur cpu is good... just have to OC it... as for gfx... if u like ati over nvidia i would recommend getting a 4870 or even 4890... if u oc ur cpu enuf there wont be a bottleneck on the gfx... then look into getting a aftermarket cpu cooler.. i got a xigmatek 1283 and runs a treat... also some ram...

so;

1. oc cpu a bit so it doesnt get too hot for stock cooler
2. new gfx card in the 4800 series
3. RAM and aftermarket cooler


look at prices at like MSY... these things are easy to install u can do urself... if u go to a local store or watevs expect to be adding like an extra 100 bucks at LEAST for like the gfx...