I need your guys' input here.

I have an (outdated) Athlon 1800+, with 512 MB of RAM and a 64 MB GeForce 3 (don't laugh). I want to update my system with a new processor, motherboard, memory and video card to run Doom 3 "capably."

What components would you guys recommend? Can it be done for under $600?

 

hmm,
Athlon64 3000+ $150
Nforce3 250Gb Socket754 based motherboard $120
512MB DDR400 RAM $120ish
Geforce 6800 128MB vid card $250ish

Total: $640, so YES If you already have 512MB DDR400 then that is even less.


suvh8r, just because a card has only 128MB does not mean it can't handle anything. A 128MB 9800pro it multiples faster than a GeforceFX5200 with 256MB for example. It is always best to have higher speed RAM with a wide 256bit bus vs more RAM on a 128bit bus.

The following cards have 256bit busses: ATI 9700, 9800, X800 and Nvidia 5900, 5950, 6800. Even 128MB versions of these cards are faster than 256MB versions of lower end cards. The cheaper cards have more slow ram to make up for higher latency and lower bandwidth.

Of course, games like Doom3 are using more textures, so it would make sense to get a 256MB card, but I would only get one of those listed above. The others are slower than the 128MB versions of the cards listed above.

 

If you're buying a new system, athlonXP is too slow a platform. The AMD64 platform is much faster.

 

Yea, I understand that. I was just saying (being kind of vague) Games today use larger textures than a 128 meg card can handle, causing continous memory swapping.

 

If money is no object I can go walking from my house to their facilities and pick one up for you .

http://alienware.com/ALX_pages/main_alx.aspx

 

A video card will be real noticable in 3D gaming.

Add some more ram also.