Help Upgrading Video Card And Ram

[Neph]

Hello I need to improve my video card and my ram so that I can A) play some of the games that are out B) Render my 3D models and Animations with little lag.

I have the typical Noob computer

Dell Dimension 8200
512 Ram
nVidia GeForce MX 420
Pentium 4 2.26 GHz processor
and 40 gb hard drive.

I have about a $500 price limit split between Video card and Ram

I don't Really know what the best stuff for my computer would be. I know that the Geforce 7800 is the top of the line but I want something that won't fry my mobo or does some other evil thing to my computer or my wallet.

And Definitly something that will last.

Thanks

 

[Ridlyn]

Ram $65.55
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145526

Video Card $279
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130203

 

[Neph]

I read some of the reviews for the video card you suggested and they say it gets Really hot. Is that something that will effect my computer's performance.

 

[Ridlyn]

No it wont degrade system performance, and probably the people who complain about overheating they probably have oced the video card.

You could probably afford this ram instead of just 1gb
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820145579

 

[PZEROFGH]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814130247

defintely get this for the same price, it whoops the 6800GT to the ground, same price also what a steal



EDIT------------------

looks like you have an AGP slot and you can only get AGP, i would get the eVGA 6800GS IN AGP when it comes out this coming week for around 200 then buy 1GB of ram