rec.autos.simulators

Need some advice on what to get. I have:

Gforce2 MX 32mb
WD hard drive ATA/66 running on my mobo which is only ATA/33.

I don't run over 1024/768 since the MX takes a big hit over that res but am
happy there.

What should I get for around $300?
A GF2 Ultra or a new mobo/1.2 gig athlon? They are about the same price from
what I've found.
Or splurge a little and just get a GF3?
My goal is to run with everything maxed out and get around 35 FPS in N4.
Would a 1.2 gig t-bird with my MX do that?
Would a GF2 Ultra with my celeron do that?
Would a GF3 with my celeron do that?

Or do I just have to get both a mobo/cpu and a new video card?

I've heard one person mention a hard drive that improved his framerate but
not sure how it really could. Would getting an ATA/66 controller card help
any?

Vintook

  CPU  CPU  always that first...Especially with GPL and N4 they put
way more load on the cpu than the video.   Plus new versions of
Geeforce etc are due out shortly...this will either drive down the price
of current cards or force you to buy ANOTHER card soon after this
purchase...So.....GET as much cpu as you can afford.
dave henrie

Agreed.... I'm real close to upgrading my now obsolete P3 533eb. My cc820
mobo wont go go higher than 733, so a new one is in order also. My previous
computer, like Vintook's, used the Abit BH6 mobo. I liked that board, but
have seen some rather un-savory reviews of the BH7 mobo..
 I've always run Intel processors,so keep that in mind when i fatten up this
thread by asking what motherboards are you guys using lately for *** ??
And for those curious, i never had any problems with the CC820. Even running
the plain old sdram, this mobo was problem free.
 Thanks fer listening, GMpartsguy...

upgraded processor and my tnt2 does fine. go for the processor power

You want a new CPU.

If you're considering a new video card, compare 1024 to 800 or 640.
Are the lower resolutions much faster?  You'll get a boost from a
non-MX GF2.  However, for N4, you still want a new CPU.

CPU prices are good right now.  Video card prices, not so much.  Buy
the CPU now.  If you still want a video card in a month, it will only
have fallen in price.

Or, of course, wait.  Your system isn't exactly the minimum spec.
Save your money.  Buy whatever is state of the art when the N4 patch
comes out.

Storage Review has consistently maintained that the performance
improvements beyond ATA-33 are negligible:

  External (Interface) Transfer Rate [1]
  ATA-66 vs. ATA-33, the Real Story [2]

Today's best IDE drives peak at a little over 33 MB/s sustained
transfer rate.  Thus, ATA-66 will give you a small, but measurable
improvement in benchmarks that measure STR.
_____
1.
<http://www.storagereview.com/guide2000/ref/hdd/perf/perf/spec/transIn...>.
2. <http://www.storagereview.com/articles/9908/990823ata66vs33a.html>.

--
Jon Willeke <j dot willeke at verizon dot net>