Cheers....I tried Crucial already, and I'm struggling to find my model there (EVolution something, can't find the model number), and all the ones that should be similar have a different number of RAM slots. 

Apparently ATI are pulling a bizarre move and releasing AGP versions of the X1950 Pro, don't know how the price compares but it could be worth doing a look around for information on. :) 

If you current motherboard supports dual-channel, it would be wisest to use an additional 2 x 512mb set assuming you can find and buy the EXACT same sticks you already have. If you can, great, all 4 sticks will work in dual-channel, if you can't then go with whatever ends up cheaper.

Dualchannel requires all memory sticks to be installed in pairs and requires all installed sticks to be from the same manufacturer and same ram model. For example 2 x 512mb ram will actually work 2-4% faster than 1 x 1gb ram. 

You seriously need to benchmark, with AMD 4000+ and any 7900 card you should be getting at least 120fps on those settings, not 30-40. 

Aye, I read that on Tom's - can't find the card anywhere though *shrug*. 

Cheers sir. Will try to get the closest I can then. Might phone Evesham. 

yeah, my 7800 gets better results than that. 

so I ran 3 quick "timedemo demo1" in doom 3 just for comparison and the average fps is around 76.8 so I guess I underestimated the framerate. Thats 1280x1024 2xAA everything else on apart from vsync. Anyone care to post their results for comparison.

Might help shamb judge the performance boost by comparing our scores to his too. 

of 20+ cards in D3 ...

sham I suggest u dont buy ram online, buy at some place where u can return and exchange it quickly, just in case your mobo gives you shit

Im not even sure you can have 4 sticks working in dual-chan... still worth having identical modules 

I have 4 sticks (2x 2 matched pairs) and it works fine. 

got a link for those benchmarks btw? 

http://www.ixbt.com/video/itogi-video/0906/itogi-video-d3-wxp-aaa-1280-pcie.html 

Well a 7600 GT there gets 52 FPS @ 1280 x 1024, 4 x AA, 16 x Anis

With my 9800 Pro, I get 30-ish FPS typically @ 800 x 600, 2 x AA, dunno Anis (or similar with 1024 and no AA).

So an improvement.

Speeds, appreciate that suggestion about the RAM. Just spoke to Evesham and they say any manufacturer will be compatible, just buy the same specs obviously, and best in 2 x 512. 

XFX Geforce 7600 GT 256meg - �130 inc postage.

Hynix (same as my current ram) 2 x 512 meg Ram - � 80 inc postage.

�210 overall, and should keep me going for a bit. I think a good idea seeing as I haven't upgraded anything in 3 years.

Will moan about problems installing, shortly ;). 

I would have posted mine, except they are nowhere near as good as they should be with the second monitor running all the time. :) 

The thing that always amazes me about upgrading components, is just how much fucking brute force is needed to get them in the damn machine. It's more like DIY than computing...

Finally after numerous abortive attempts, I wedged the bastards in the slots hard enough to have 2 gig Ram. Yay for me ^_~ 

ram is especially hard to wedge in there... and i'm always worried i'll snap one or something if i push *too* hard :P 

e 

Scrote.

It's not a matter of weakness more a matter of being wary of hammering in delicate pieces of hardware.


Anyway, it appears to me, given that I am able to view stuff, that I managed to install the 7600 successfully.

BTW, XFX has the most complicated packaging I've ever seen. Is it supposed to modern art or just irony? 

http://www.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/312/xfx_7600gt_box.jpg

;) 

yeah my mate bought a 7800gtx from xfx and the case was a nightmare to open, used a serrated knife in the end to just rip it apart, luckily the gpu was ok =) 

How is the new hardware shamb?

Give us your timedemo score in doom3 (best of 3) I am interested in the peformance as my mates wants to upgrade "on the cheap".

Oh and err, just in-case you are unsure, bring down the console in doom3 and type "timedemo demo1" and then just let it run. 

Yup.

That's the one. You've got to unfold the outer X, then release the inner X, then open two flaps on that to get the box out, then seperate the card box from the manual etc box, then open those seperately, and finally get the card out of the plastic. Genius.

Daz, will do, can't promise it will be spectacular tho... 

1024x768, 4xAA, Ultra settings - 40.3 FPS.

Certainly better than with the Radeon where 1024x768, 2xAA, High settings wasn't playable at all (had to run 800x600).

If anyone thinks that is too low, don't bother whining about it "Omg Shamb u suxx", just tell me what I can do to improve it. 

If you have one.