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Hardware and Software

QUESTION

Here's my system:

• Intel Pentium 120
• 1.6GB and 5.1GB Hard Drives
• SoundBlaster 16
• 56K modem
• 48MB RAM
• 17 inch CRT
• 4MB cheap 3D card
• Windows 98

My online game performance has become really bad. I can play Starcraft fairly well with a low amount of disturbance but when I try Quake2 online, my ping is averaging 360 and my video is horrible. I am thinking of upgrading my system soon but I am not sure when, and to what. I have heard about the new AMD K-7 processors that are coming soon and I am not sure if I should get the current AMD chips or if I should wait. At this moment I have about US$500 to spare. If I wait until the new AMD chip is released I will probably have $800 to spare. I am happy with my soundcard but not my video. I have heard about Riva TNT's and Voodoo 3's but I am not sure which road to take. I would like to at least have 350 MHz and about 128 ram (PC-100), and at least a Voodoo2. Please help!

--Adis

ANSWER

Ah, the inevitable questions of budget and time. If you wait, you can get better, faster stuff for cheaper, but then you have to wait. If you buy now, you get it now, but then your system gets devalued faster.

Personally, I'd say go for it now. If you have $500 burning a hole in your pocket, get the following: Super 7 motherboard with 400MHz AMD K6-2 (about $200 or less), 1 128MB PC-100 DIMM (about $150), and a Voodoo3 3000 AGP card or Riva TNT2 AGP card (about $160). Well, that's all your money, but why wait to upgrade? The system you're using is a stagnant as, well, you get the idea. The processor you'd be getting is almost 4x faster in MHz as the one you have now. You will notice an incredible difference in gaming.

If the K7 is as fast as claimed, it will not be very affordable for a while. It's not out for another two months anyway. In 6 months, I'd say you could ditch the 400MHz K6-2 and motherboard and go to K7 if it really made that much difference.

Remember, though, upgrading may not help your ping time. If you upgrade and your ping is still 360 at best, I'd say you need to switch to a better ISP. Even with a standard modem, you should be able to ping less than 200 no problem.

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