Upgrade need?? Please help

[raiyanb]

hey everyone,

i use my PC alot for gaming and was wonderin wheter i should upgrade my graphics card because sometime during games like NFS underground and Vice City the game slows down a bit. It only slows down every so often and only for a second or so but it makes playin less enjoyable

my pc statisitics are not so bad:

Operating System Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

AMD Athlon XP-A, 2079 MHz 2800+
Gigabyte GA-7N400 Pro2
FSB
Bus Width 64-bit
Real Clock 166 MHz (DDR)
Effective Clock 333 MHz
Bandwidth 2661 MB/s
nVIDIA nForce2 Ultra 400 Chipset
1024 MB (DDR SDRAM) PC2700
NVIDIA GeForce FX 5200 (128 MB) Using AGP 8x
HDD 110GB (Partitioned into C: at 90GB and D: at 20GB)

I would like to upgrade the graphics card to something like a tRadeon 9600 or a Nvidia GeForce FX 5700 (around £150 is max i wanna spend)

Is it worth changing the motherboard as well or is this 1 enough.

My PC also slows down when i am printing a document ; it takes a while for my computer to open and the mouse to moveand the system dramatically slows down. When i first got the pc it neva had this problem but ever since i reformatted it this problem came up.

Also i am using not the latest chipset drivers so could thi have an impact.


SORYY FOR THE LONG POST...PC IS REALLY BUGGIN ME NOW

Ne reply greatly appreciated!!!!
thanks

Your motherboard is fine. Upgrade your graphics card just like you are planning.

[raiyanb]

Thanx for the reply....
do u think a new graphic card will help fix the speed problem on my games and when im printinga document...cos i shud have enough ram and processor speed.

[MaxVal]

What audio solution are you using? It may be contributing to the slowdown.

[raiyanb]

i am currently using Creative SOundblaster audigy 2
Audio Adapter Creative EMU10K2 Audigy Audio Processor

how would audio contribute to the slowdown???

[MaxVal]

Had you been using an integrated software driven design, it could "steal" considerable resources at times.
The Audigy uses very little in comparison, so it's doubtful that it's to blame.

[raiyanb]

hey
ive been using this soundcard since ive had this pc so im not sure...

i was thinkin it cud be either the cpu temp or usage when i am runnin the game...does ne1 kno neway 2 chek thsoe 2 out. Or it cud be that i do not have up-to-date drivers for my motherboard chipset and sound drivers????

[raiyanb]

Which graphics card shud i choose???


www.dabs.com
Hercules Radeon 9600 256MB DDR AGP DVI VO £112.99 inc VAT
Abit GF FX5700 Ultra 128MB DDR AGP D/VO £110.00 inc VAT
Connect3D ATI Radeon 9600XT 128MB DDR AGP £121.00 inc VAT

[Omardeth]

if budget is a concern i would go with the 5700 ultra it is about neck and neck with the 9600xt . but you can't go wrong with either .

forget anycard with 256 on it . it is more a marketing ploy than help .