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PC Hardware Compatibility
Im a noob to PC hardware, so bare with me and my lack of knowledge on this subject.
Well I know each PC has its own maximum compatibility, but what I want to know is if this depends on the motherboard. And if your PC has a maximum compatibility to motherboards.
Im running a crappy Dell Dimension 4500 and am looking to upgrade it.
Comments
To be honest if it is the more popular 4500 series that went out there to the public then you are going to be very limited in upgrades. No CPU upgrade and AGP for GPU with a 250Watt PSU. You would be better off in saving for a new PC.
I think if I remember right you can only have up to 1GB of memory too.
Maybe if you could list some specs from the manual?
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.090206-1234)
Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Dell Computer Corporation
System Model: DIM4500
BIOS: BIOS Date: 07/18/02 13:31:28 Ver: 08.00.00
Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz
Memory: 510MB RAM
Page File: 699MB used, 1315MB available
Card name: 32MB ATI Rage 128 Ultra
Manufacturer: ATI Technologies Inc.
Chip type: RAGE128 PRO II, (AGP 4X/PCI)
DAC type: Internal DAC (350Mhz)
Display Memory: 32.0 MB
Current Mode: 1024 x 768 (32 bit) (75Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Best Just buying a whole new PC. Not worth trying to up grade that, Unless you want to rip everything out an save the case lol. But yea try newegg.com or tigerdirect.com, decent Computers for your buck.
start saving for a new computer, but i would take your ram up to 1g, and get a new video card you could get a cheap one (at least 256)and you will see great improvements
but yeah need to start saving
*cause if your still using this, your on a budget. all these rich people just scream replace it. your call
Or better yet take that buck an invest in some silver, Or you may never be able to buy a new pc in the future lol.
The only area's I think you will get benefit from are getting your RAM to the max of 1GB at the fastest the motherboard supports and the graphics card. Your GPU will be limited as I guess you have a 250W PSU. Best AGP card would be a new ATI one, however, those require a minimum of 400W. Then you would be looking at something like a GeForce 6200 which may require a 300W PSU (Which I know the Max amps of that Dell PSU can handle)
Try looking on the dell forums by searching your model number with phrases like upgrade options.
I think it would not be worth it to upgrade the PSU/GPU and RAM. Better to save for a new PC. Although you can pick up a cheap 1GB stick of RAM and GeForce 6200 for like $40.
The problem you will find upgrading the PSU is that it is Dell made and the case only fits them. So to change the PSU is to buy a new case too and then more money spent.
So the 1gb ram and the cheap GPU not rated above 300W and you will get a bit of a boost for under $50.
Wow, I had one of those Rage cards 11 years ago or so...
Sorry man, but there is not much of an upgrade you can do for it. You could possibly try to find an old AGP Nvidia 7900 card, it is the best card made for AGP slot. I guess the memory is of a kind that isn't made anymore and will cost plenty to upgrade unless one of your friends have some old junk lying around.If you can find a 7900 (or possibly 7800) card and the right kind of memorys cheap you could try to uppgrade but I don't reccomend it unless you are really poor.
My reccomendation: Get a new one, preferably not a dell (orr Compaq, HP).
But there are some parts you might keep:
The case (possbly but a new one is cheap and dell have weird dimensions)
Harddrive (not reccomended as a system drive however since it wont be a SATA harddrive, but it works as a extra storage drive)
CD-Rom
Screen (but the new flat screens are a lot nicer)
Keyboard and mouse
You need new Motherboard, processor, memorys(2 slots 1 or 2GB each so you can dual channel), PSU and GFX card. It is also reccomended that you buy a new harddrive even if you keep the old one.
Good luck.
The best AGP card is the HD4670. However, you will probably meet the maximum performance of an AGP slot with an HD2600.
You might also look at Newegg and Tiger direct for a barebones deal. Sometimes you can get a decent starter system and then use some of your old PC's hardware like the dvd/cd or the hardrive(s) to complete it. I ran across 2 good barebone systems on TD a few months back and now my wife and son have a decent system to play much of what they want to.
Good Luck
Nuich
buy the max agp card its cheap and agp port will support it ,512 mg of gcard ram is max i recommend for 32 bit
pci-e isnt a lot faster then agp ,if you bot new comp that would be diff