Does my 6600 GT justify a CPU ugrade?

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preacherzson

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I upgraded my Geforce MMX 4 64 mb graphics card to a XFX 6600 GT graphics card. I mainly play Americas Army online and my average framerate with the 6600 GT is around 40 FPS at 1024x768(?), no AA, no trilinear, other settings at "normal". My average framerate with the MMX 4 was around 30. Frankly, I was expecting better performance from the 6600GT.
A. Were my expectations out of line?
B. Do the new framerates sound indicative of what the card can do?


Anyway...I am wondering if it would be worth the expense to upgrade from my 2.6 P4 to a 3.2 or 3.4 (powerleaps.com tool indicated that 3.2 was the highest possible compatible CPU?).
My system has 1.5 G Ram, and 800 MhZ frontside bus.

Open to all suggestions.
Thanks.
 
That CPU is plenty powerful. I have a 2.4 and use the eVGA version of that card. I dont know why your FPS is so low, what are the rest of your specs? Wat kinda mobo? What size is your PSU? What type of RAM? ETc...
 
yeah that FPS does seem low...personally I HATE americas army, but I won't get into that....I played it on an XP-Mobile clocked at 2.5GHz and with 1gb of RAM with a 6600GT and it played it more than fine...I know I had it at 1024x768 with ATLEAT 2x AA and 4x AF, if not higher, because I specifically remember that game not being very taxing at all

Stupid question, and no I'm not insulting your intelligence, but you did plug in the molex connector in the back of your 6600GT right? Assuming yours has one...I believe theres only like, maybe a couple manufacturers whos doesn't require that extra plug.

Also make sure that that plug isn't sharing a line with a hard drive or anything like that....you need to have a molex connector SOLELY for the 6600GT
 
Nubius & Him, et al.:
1. Already updated the drivers. The ones on the install disk were ancient, and the ones from PNY sucked, so I went right to the source. That definitely helped, because when I first slapped the card in my box, I was only averaging 35 fps. I knew that wasn't right.
2. Faster RAM wouldn't kill me; I have 1 g of PC3200 on the mobo, but the original 512 is PC2700, so I'm shooting myself in the foot there, huh.
2. PSU issue- Yes: molex connector is plugged into the card, but is a shared lead to the rest of the drives in the case. Friggin' Sony and their proprietary parts and case sizes. I was tryin it out with the stock PSU to see how it performed- tryin to get away with a little somethin'. Nice try, Jimbo-san, but no...
so, follow up questions:
A. So would you recommend a PSU 400-500w with 2 separate molex connectors? (Is molex connector the same as a 12V line?)
any particular models in the $75-125 range? Enermax and Antec get good pub in the forums I've read. Y'all know anything about Ultra? New Egg has some killer deals on Ultra X-Connect PSUs this month.

Thanks.
(box specs should be in signature)
 
forgot one thing about PSU- any reason why an inch or 2 of the PSU couldn't or more importantly SHOULDN'T stick out of the back of the case? ...just schemin, ya know...
 
If it's a sony, the PSU sticking out of the back if just the way they built it for one reason or another.

Ultra=no. Do not get an ultra, they are all bling and no performance. Get a nice Antec, they are killer. Enermax, same as Ultra, no. OCZ are also good, I got my Modstream 520W for $100.

The Molex connector in question, that is just the name of the actual connector itself. The white thing that you plug into the drive or card is the molex connector. When referring to the 12v line, they are talking about the lines that handle that voltage. It is the yellow on. There are three voltage lines on a PSU, 3.3v 5v and 12v, but those are not somethign that you will have to worry about. They are for the modders who need to know where the voltage is on their computer.

Make sure, like the Nube said, have the molex that is going to the card on a single seperate line than everything else.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817103924

Those are some very good Antec PSU's on Newegg. In regards to computer stuff, you DO get what you pay for. It is true that, more often than not anyway, if you spend more money you get a better part. You should also check out the OCZ PSU's, they are good. After that, it is entirely up to you whihc one to get. If you are deciding between one from either of thsoe companies, get the one you want. They are both very comprable, and achieve mainly the same result. Meaning, they both rock.

EDIT: took out two of the Antec's because they didnt have Active PFC. Active PFC is Power Factor Correction, and that will stabilize any voltage differences. Always get Active PFC whenevr possible.
 
thx on PSU advice; probably will go with Antec.

Just to be sure I was clear:
my question about the PSU sticking out of the back of the case does not reflect the way the computer comes stock. Instead, I am wondering if it would be okay to leave the upgraded PSU coming out of the back of the case. Sony uses a proprietary PSU that is standard height and depth, but the width (from power cord receptical to PSU wall facing CD/DVD drives) is about half of normal size. I did the measurements, and a normal PSU will barely fit- but the clearance for wires is sketchy at best. THus, I wonder if my PSU will suffer ill effects if leave an inch or two protruding from the rear of the case.
I'll try to post pics to go with this.
Any thoughts?
 
I would wait till you can afford a new mb, pci express with a sockt-T would be much better use of your $$$, all the new video cards are going pci express anyway.
 
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