PC 200$-300$ budget upgrade
 

I'm trying to make an Oblivion-Compatible Pc, preferably upgrading the system Memory and Video card.. Though, I need it so that it can play Oblivion without any problems. My computer fails me when tabbing from games like Warcraft III and waiting 5 minutes just to resume so I really need a Mem up as well. Is all this possible around 200$-300$?

This is my first time upgrading btw, any pointers would be nice.
Heres my specs in a jpeg.
http://img86.imageshack.us/img86/2849/nah8av.th.jpg
http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/5721/13pd.th.jpg

Based on the screenshots alone I would recommend upgrading your video card and/or RAM (to 1GB) for Oblivion. However, I can't give you a definite answer unless I knew what mobo or power supply you were using; which could also prove be key factors in determining how much needs to be upgraded.[/B]

Damn still using a MX 420 @_@

Anywho if your are buying this weekend get this one

XFX 6800XT 256MB

and RAM, get these:

OCZ Premier 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM DDR 400

just to make sure though could you please post what mother board you have?

For me it comes out to 253.84 including S&H and Tax. So the rest of the money you can get yourself som Air cans and clean up your computer!!

I basically have the HP Media Center PC 873n with windows Xp instead. Nero tools claims its a Hewlett-Packard HP System Board.

As for the power supply this is it http://www.power-on.com/miathppa1.html

My computer is really outdated :edgartpg:

btw would it help to just add to the existing memory?

If you have the room for it, yeah. As a rule of thumb, more memory > faster (aka lower latency) memory. Unless you're talking different clock speeds (PC3200 vs. say, PC2600), in which case if you CAN, throw out the old shit and plop in the new one.

With a 200w PSU, you should probably upgrade that as well. A 6800XT or a x800 card will draw more power, probably more than you've got there. So I would add a 300w-400w PSU and round out that upgrade path to $300. Forsaken Zoul has a good recommendation, and adding a PSU should get you covered!

Well it seems like I'm gonna have to add a case to this(its so compact in there). A lot of cases come with psu's anway.

Btw will the psu or any cables assplode, if I don't have enough power or more then enough?

Double Post:
Well I came out with this:
60$ Computer Case /w PSU(420w)
150$ Video Card (Geforce 6800XT) (256MB) (256-bit) (GDDR3) (AGP 4X/8X) (Max res 2560x1600)/w heatsink + fan
40$ System Memory (512mb) (184-pin DDR SDRAM) (Cas Latency 2.5) (DDR 400 pc3200) /w heatspreader
Optional:
46$ Extra Hard Drive (7200 RPM) (8mb Cache) (IDE Ultra ATA100)

I still dont know if
-the video card's 2560 x 1600 resolution work with my 17" monitor?
-everything will work with my Hewlett-Packard HP System Board mobo
-I'll be able to reconnect everything into the new computer case.
-the computer will explode because of too much power or is on for 3-2 weeks straight.

1) Yes it will. The video card can run at lesser resolutions, 2560x1600 is its maximum.

2) Generally speaking there shouldn't be any problems doing the upgrades you have listed. I do wonder how much hardware experience you have. It is important that you know what you are doing. Not that what you have to do is that complicated, but some prior experience would help. If you have a friend that does computer work, I would advise you to ask him to help you when you get all the parts in.

3) Again shouldn't be a problem if you can follow the manuals well and correctly connect everything.

4) Not a possibility. How long the computer is on is not an issue as long as Windows XP keeps up, and you have the computer not in a sauna.

Still trying to figure out what atx and micro atx is. My current psu looks half the size of the ones I see on newegg(my current psu is also a micro atx according to that link I posted earlier). Are these just my eyes?

I also tried disassembling my computer. I couldn't get the mother board out because there was a metal panel covering the other side of the mobo; which I couldn't find any method of removing. Also the old Media Center Buttons appear to be attached to the hard drive(wtf?).
For future reference HP Media Center PC 873n

If you have a MicroATX PSU, it is smaller in size than an ATX, and that means you need to purchase a MicroATX PSU. Newegg has an option for this in the PSU section... Use it. I have an Ahanix(sp?) PSU MicroATX @ 300w. That much power should do you fine.

i would recommend getting more than one gig of ram - i had a gig when i first played oblivion, and it ran decently, but whenever it loaded new stuff, it would stutter a good amount, and when i closed the game to return to windows, it would take 5 minutes.

now with 2gigs, no stuttering, and when i close it, it takes 3-5 seconds.

Totally not necessary to have 2 GB RAM. I play oblivion smoothly with 896MB RAM. 1GB of RAM, a decent video card like mentioned above, a better PSU if you need it, and you'll be good.

not necessary but it's still nice!