[vipersnake52]

So, i checked my specs, and 4GB RAM seems enough for mid-high(ish?) gaming.
I have a AMD Athlon II X4 620 processor and is this good enough for my needs?
I also have a 1GB GeForce 6150SE nForce 430.

Should i upgrade the processor? RAM? graphics card or all?
I will also be doing video editing for school. not heavy stuff, around 720p, 10-ish minutes and no over the top effects or whatever.

If so, could you please state which brand/model is the best and cheapest? Im aiming for around $400 AUD for all of these upgrades.

Thanks

[Butane]

would not dump a penny into old hardware like that. (meh, what i have is overkill anyhow, so im bias)
ram is the best cost effective way to upgrade a computer,

[vipersnake52]

would not dump a penny into old hardware like that. (meh, what i have is overkill anyhow, so im bias)
ram is the best cost effective way to upgrade a computer,

so what your saying is to buy a new computer?
im not good with all of this tech savvy stuff, but im figuring an i5 would be fine for this type of use? i was gonna buy an OP computer from a friend for $400 but he sold it to someone else rofl

[OmegaZero_Alpha]

Let me tell you something about Nforce motherboards. Don't keep them.

As for upgrading the ram, that's going to be unnecessarily expensive with your DDR2, which has gone up in price dramatically as it's become quite obsolete.

Spend that 400$ on the new Sandy Bridge i5 processor/motherboard and some DDR3 ram and you'll be on top of the market for another 5 years.

PIC RELATED ITS WHAT YOUR SHOPPING CART SHOULD LOOK LIKE

[vipersnake52]

Thanks for all the help omega. ill email our local tech dude about how to put it all together. Also, do you think a new power supply would be needed too? Im not sure what the current ones wattage is but i could look it up.

[OmegaZero_Alpha]

If it's around 300 watts or higher it should work with that setup.

If you get a better GPU (or plan to) you will need a better power supply. Remember that [more +12v rails > higher wattage].

That GPU isn't that powerful by any means and should be your next priority for an upgrade, but it's certainly better than the one you listed.

[vipersnake52]

Sorry to sound like a bit clueless, but a GPU is the same as a Graphics Card/Video Card, right? Or am i completely wrong?
If they're the same, would it be worth spending an extra, say $50 for a better GPU now?

[OmegaZero_Alpha]

Depending on your power supply. You might have to put another 100$ into your power supply before you can handle another GPU, and even then it's better to spend at least 200$ on a GPU to get the most bang for your buck.

Remember that in gaming PC's the GPU usually accounts for up to half of the budget.

[vipersnake52]

Alrighty, im assuming with these new components it will be running most games at medium quality with decent FPS? And maxing out CS?
As long as these parts run decently for another 6 months whilst i get another $400 is all that matters. Thanks again.

[trashcat]

I would definitely just look into building a new computer with more recent hardware. It's a lot easier and better in the long run then trying to upgrade older hardware because you run into lots of problems