Thinking of upgrade from 7300 LE (video card)

I am thinking that with a new 20" monitor and playing the game with a 1600X900 pixel resolution as opposed to my old 15" monitor and its 1280X720 resolution, that the higher resolution might impact game play in typical lag areas. It certainly seems to be impacting my skiing times. :P

Also, should I return this monitor for one with a higher resolution capability? The picture looks just like my old one, except I have a lot more room for the map and power attributes.

So, I think it might be time to upgrade. Maybe even past time.

480 Watt power supply, if that helps. ( I think it would)

As per Hyperstrike!'s suggestions, here's the DXDiag:


---System information gathered by CoH Helper version 0.2.0.2---

DxDiag gathered at December 27, 2010 08:55 (-06:00)
Operating System: Windows XP Professional (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.100427-1636)
System Manufacturer: BIOSTAR Group
System Model: P4M90-M4
BIOS: Ver:1.0
Central Processor: Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.60GHz (2 CPUs)
Memory: 3070MB
.Net Memory Report: 1686MB out of 3070MB available
Page File: 3927MB (2058MB currently in use)
C Drive: (ExcelStor Technology J8080S) 43944MB out of 76308MB (57%) free
D Drive: (TOSHIBA ODD-DVD SD-R5272) zero-size drive
Windows directory location: C:\WINDOWS
DirectX: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DirectX Diag version: 5.03.2600.5512 (32-bit version)

Display Notes: No problems found.
Sound Notes: No problems found.
Input Notes: No problems found.

Monitor: AOC 2036
Monitor's Max Resolution: 1600,900
Video Device Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7300 LE
Manufacturer / Chip: NVIDIA / GeForce 7300 LE
Video Memory: 512.0 MB
Driver Version: 6.14.0012.6099
Driver Date: 10/16/2010 12:55:00 PM
Driver Language: English

Sound Device Description: Creative Sound Blaster PCI
Driver File: ES1370MP.sys
Driver Version: 5.01.2501.0000
Driver Date: 8/17/2001 11:19:38 AM


WMI Information
Motherboard Manufacturer: BIOSTAR Group
Motherboard Model: (empty)
Motherboard Product: P4M90-M4
Motherboard Version: Ver:1.0
BIOS Manufacturer: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
BIOS Name: Ver:1.0
BIOS Version: P4M900 - 42302e31
BIOS Release: 20070615000000.000000+000


Registry Information for Current User
Resolution: 1600x840
3D Resolution: 1600x840 (Not using renderscale)
Full Screen: No
Maximized: Yes
Screen Position: 171, 71
Refresh Rate: 60Hz
Vertical Sync Enabled: Yes


Physics Quality: None
Maximum Particles: 50000
Max Particle Fill? 10.000
Physics Card Enabled: No


Anti-aliasing: 2x
Anisotropic Filtering: 4x
Texture LOD Bias: Smooth
Water Effects: None
Bloom: 1.000 (turned off)
Depth of Field Enabled: No
Desaturation Effects (Sepia) Enabled: Yes
Shader Detail: Unknown (5)


World Texture Level: Low
Character Texture Level: High
World Detail Level (Vis_Scale): 0.800
Entity Detail Level: 1.000
Shadows Enabled: No
Shadow Mode: Stencil shadows
Shadow Map Shader: Unknown (0)
Environmental Reflections: Disabled
Advanced Occlusion Settings: No
Ambient Occlusion: Off
Occlusion Strength: Off
Blur: Bilateral
Ambient Resolution: Performance


Gamma Correction: 0.442
Geometry Buffers (VBOs) Enabled: Yes
Suppression of FX When Camera Close Enabled: No
Close Suppression Range: 3.000
Show Advertisements: Yes

Audio Mode: Compatiblity
3D Audio: Yes
FX Sound Volume: 0.122
Music Sound Volume: 0.035

Show Advanced Graphics Options: No
Overall Graphics Quality: 0.250
Reverse Mouse Buttons: No
Save Login Username: Yes
Transfer Rate: 153125 bytes/second
Current Game Version: 1900.201011102104.27
Installation Directory: C:\Program Files\City of Heroes

Mod files in the Data directory
.\texture_library\MAPS\city has 1 file
.\texture_library\MAPS\Midnight_Squad has 1 file
.\texture_library\MAPS\Safeguard has 9 files
.\texture_library\MAPS\sewers has 44 files
.\texture_library\MAPS\static has 38 files
.\texture_library\V_MAPS\City has 1 file
.\texture_library\V_MAPS\Outdoor_Missions has 9 files
.\texture_library\V_MAPS\Static has 16 files

Here's the HiJackThis report:

Logfile of Trend Micro HijackThis v2.0.4
Scan saved at 8:58:58 AM, on 12/27/2010
Platform: Windows XP SP3 (WinNT 5.01.2600)
MSIE: Internet Explorer v8.00 (8.00.6001.18702)
Boot mode: Normal

Running processes:
C:\WINDOWS\System32\smss.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\winlogon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\services.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\svchost.exe
c:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Essentials\MsMpEng.exe
C:\WINDOWS\System32\svchost.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\spoolsv.exe
C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.EXE
C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\SeaPort\SeaPort.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Essentials\msseces.exe
C:\Program Files\MSN Toolbar\Platform\4.0.0379.0\mswinext.exe
C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\1.bin\mwsoemon.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\RUNDLL32.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WLIDSVC.EXE
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe
C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WLIDSvcM.exe
C:\Program Files\City of Heroes\CityOfHeroes.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\SCServer\SCServer.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe
C:\WINDOWS\system32\notepad.exe
C:\Documents and Settings\Ukase Rex\Desktop\CoHHelper\HijackThis.exe

R0 - HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://www.coh.com
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Page_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Default_Search_URL = http://go.microsoft.com/
R1 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Search Page = http://go.microsoft.com/
R0 - HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main,Start Page = http://go.microsoft.com/
R3 - URLSearchHook: (no name) - {00A6FAF6-072E-44cf-8957-5838F569A31D} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\*.DLL
O2 - BHO: MyWebSearch Search Assistant BHO - {00A6FAF1-072E-44cf-8957-5838F569A31D} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\*.DLL
O2 - BHO: (no name) - {02478D38-C3F9-4efb-9B51-7695ECA05670} - (no file)
O2 - BHO: mwsBar BHO - {07B18EA1-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\bar\1.bin\MWSBAR.DLL
O2 - BHO: AcroIEHelperStub - {18DF081C-E8AD-4283-A596-FA578C2EBDC3} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Acrobat\ActiveX\AcroIEHelperShim.dll
O2 - BHO: Search Helper - {6EBF7485-159F-4bff-A14F-B9E3AAC4465B} - C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Search Helper\SEPsearchhelperie.dll
O2 - BHO: Windows Live ID Sign-in Helper - {9030D464-4C02-4ABF-8ECC-5164760863C6} - C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\Windows Live\WindowsLiveLogin.dll
O2 - BHO: MSN Toolbar BHO - {d2ce3e00-f94a-4740-988e-03dc2f38c34f} - C:\Program Files\MSN Toolbar\Platform\4.0.0379.0\npwinext.dll
O2 - BHO: Ask Toolbar BHO - {D4027C7F-154A-4066-A1AD-4243D8127440} - C:\Program Files\Ask.com\GenericAskToolbar.dll
O2 - BHO: Java(tm) Plug-In 2 SSV Helper - {DBC80044-A445-435b-BC74-9C25C1C588A9} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jp2ssv.dll
O2 - BHO: JQSIEStartDetectorImpl - {E7E6F031-17CE-4C07-BC86-EABFE594F69C} - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\lib\deploy\jqs\ie\jqs_plugin.dll
O3 - Toolbar: Ask Toolbar - {D4027C7F-154A-4066-A1AD-4243D8127440} - C:\Program Files\Ask.com\GenericAskToolbar.dll
O3 - Toolbar: MSN Toolbar - {8dcb7100-df86-4384-8842-8fa844297b3f} - C:\Program Files\MSN Toolbar\Platform\4.0.0379.0\npwinext.dll
O3 - Toolbar: My Web Search - {07B18EA9-A523-4961-B6BB-170DE4475CCA} - C:\Program Files\MyWebSearch\bar\1.bin\MWSBAR.DLL
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Microsoft Default Manager] "C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Search Enhancement Pack\Default Manager\DefMgr.exe" -resume
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [KernelFaultCheck] %systemroot%\system32\dumprep 0 -k
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSSE] "c:\Program Files\Microsoft Security Essentials\msseces.exe" -hide -runkey
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MSN Toolbar] "C:\Program Files\MSN Toolbar\Platform\4.0.0379.0\mswinext.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [My Web Search Bar Search Scope Monitor] "C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\1.bin\m3SrchMn.exe" /m=2 /w /h
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [MyWebSearch Email Plugin] C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\1.bin\mwsoemon.exe
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe Reader Speed Launcher] "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Reader 9.0\Reader\Reader_sl.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [Adobe ARM] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\ARM\1.0\AdobeARM.exe"
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvMediaCenter] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvMcTray.dll,NvTaskbarInit
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [NvCplDaemon] RUNDLL32.EXE C:\WINDOWS\system32\NvCpl.dll,NvStartup
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [nwiz] C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\nView\nwiz.exe /installquiet
O4 - HKLM\..\Run: [SunJavaUpdateSched] "C:\Program Files\Common Files\Java\Java Update\jusched.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MSMSGS] "C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe" /background
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [DW6] "C:\Program Files\The Weather Channel FW\Desktop\DesktopWeather.exe"
O4 - HKCU\..\Run: [MyWebSearch Email Plugin] C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\1.bin\mwsoemon.exe
O8 - Extra context menu item: &Search - http://edits.mywebsearch.com/toolbar...A&n=2010092922
O8 - Extra context menu item: E&xport to Microsoft Excel - res://C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\EXCEL.EXE/3000
O9 - Extra button: Research - {92780B25-18CC-41C8-B9BE-3C9C571A8263} - C:\PROGRA~1\MICROS~2\OFFICE11\REFIEBAR.DLL
O9 - Extra button: (no name) - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: @xpsp3res.dll,-20001 - {e2e2dd38-d088-4134-82b7-f2ba38496583} - C:\WINDOWS\Network Diagnostic\xpnetdiag.exe
O9 - Extra button: Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O9 - Extra 'Tools' menuitem: Windows Messenger - {FB5F1910-F110-11d2-BB9E-00C04F795683} - C:\Program Files\Messenger\msmsgs.exe
O16 - DPF: {17492023-C23A-453E-A040-C7C580BBF700} (Windows Genuine Advantage Validation Tool) - http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=39204
O16 - DPF: {1D4DB7D2-6EC9-47A3-BD87-1E41684E07BB} - http://ak.exe.imgfarm.com/images/noc...tup1.0.1.3.cab
O16 - DPF: {1E54D648-B804-468d-BC78-4AFFED8E262F} (System Requirements Lab) - http://www.nvidia.com/content/Driver...reqlab_nvd.cab
O16 - DPF: {6414512B-B978-451D-A0D8-FCFDF33E833C} (WUWebControl Class) - http://update.microsoft.com/windowsu...?1275627076482
O16 - DPF: {6C269571-C6D7-4818-BCA4-32A035E8C884} (Creative Software AutoUpdate) - http://ccfiles.creative.com/Web/soft...01/CTSUEng.cab
O16 - DPF: {6E32070A-766D-4EE6-879C-DC1FA91D2FC3} (MUWebControl Class) - http://www.update.microsoft.com/micr...?1275658260342
O16 - DPF: {A90A5822-F108-45AD-8482-9BC8B12DD539} (Crucial cpcScan) - http://www.crucial.com/controls/cpcScanner.cab
O16 - DPF: {E2883E8F-472F-4FB0-9522-AC9BF37916A7} - http://platformdl.adobe.com/NOS/getPlusPlus/1.6/gp.cab
O16 - DPF: {F6ACF75C-C32C-447B-9BEF-46B766368D29} (Creative Software AutoUpdate Support Package) - http://ccfiles.creative.com/Web/soft...5112/CTPID.cab
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Browseui preloader - {438755C2-A8BA-11D1-B96B-00A0C90312E1} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\browseui.dll
O22 - SharedTaskScheduler: Component Categories cache daemon - {8C7461EF-2B13-11d2-BE35-3078302C2030} - C:\WINDOWS\System32\browseui.dll
O23 - Service: Java Quick Starter (JavaQuickStarterService) - Sun Microsystems, Inc. - C:\Program Files\Java\jre6\bin\jqs.exe
O23 - Service: My Web Search Service (MyWebSearchService) - MyWebSearch.com - C:\PROGRA~1\MYWEBS~1\bar\1.bin\mwssvc.exe
O23 - Service: NVIDIA Display Driver Service (nvsvc) - NVIDIA Corporation - C:\WINDOWS\System32\nvsvc32.exe

--
End of file - 8333 bytes

16x9 is a standard resolution for 19/20/21 monitors. 21 and 22 can be 16x9 or 16x10. 22 and higher can be 19x12 or more.

I'm not sure what you are trying to achieve with your resolution. In City of Heroes, higher rez just means more room on the screen, not necessarily better graphics. Even tho this is the case, your card is pushing a huge chunk more data to your monitor at 16x9 than at 12x7. A 7300LE is not serving you well.

At this point, you need to let folks know your price range, and what you expect from the system. In all honesty, your machine is dated, and there is a limit to how well just a new card will help you. Maybe someone else here with a better idea what an older machine can do can chime in and give you more hints as to a correct upgrade path.

The nVidia 7300LE is a somewhat old, low end video card. The next questions are how much are you willing to spend, does your case take full size cards (is it thin) and do you want to buy locally or online and are you looking to upgrade your core system (motherboard/CPU/Ram) sometime soon?

You should get a nice kick in performance from, well any videocard made in the last two years. However your limiting factor will still be a relatively slow Pentium 4 with HT CPU with little chance of upgrading without a complete guts transplant (your motherboard is Socket 478 using DDR memory, both long since obsolete). Then there's your power supply. While 480 watts seems a lot, I believe it may be from an older generation of power supplies that do not have a lot of amperage available at 12 volts, maybe only 18a (I'm guessing here based on the age of the core system).

I would say a GT 430 or HD 5570 would be sufficient, affordable while still providing a very nice boost in performance. The HD 5570 is a tad faster and uses a tad less power as the GT 430 but close enough that either are good choices.

I hesitate to suggest faster more power hungry cards without a better handle on the power supply, like make and model number or the power distribution across the various rails.

Yeah, it's definitely a dated machine, and I'm sometimes painfully aware of it. It's just difficult to justify spending any money on a machine that is working just fine. Still, I'd like to see the game in most of its glory, and only because seeing it in all of its glory might be cost prohibitive.

I have plenty of time, and I have the financial resources to do what's needed to get it done. I also have an ability to read directions. I've actually built a few computers before, but that was back when Gateway and Packard Bell were the big boys and Dell was just a fledgeling start up.

Eventually, I'd like to get a new motherboard, CPU - but I want to be smart about these choices. I've got a 2 gig stick of RAM, and 1 gig stick of RAM and it would be nice if I could at a minimum continue to use the 2 gig stick in whatever motherboard I happen to get. I can't possibly imagine using more than 4 gigs of RAM at any one time, but who knows what nifty technological marvels are in the future. I'd go with 8 gigs if it wasnt' too pricy. The MB I get, I hope will have 4 slots for memory, so that 8 gigs is an option.

The tower currently has 4 open slots for it. Pretty much a standard size tower. However, the motherboard came out of a small form factor case - and the power supply went kaput. The only power supply I could find to still fit the SFF wouldn't have enough power to do what I would eventually want. However, at the time, this power supply was the only one my local parts guy had in stock. (I wanted to fix it right then, and not wait)
The power supply:

Logisys 480W 20+4pin Switching power supply (manufactured in 2008)

4 Pin +12V Power Connector for P4
Serial ATA adaptor
Complies with FCC part 15J class B 115 Vac operation and CISPR22 230Vac Operation
Meet UL 1950. CSA22.2 Level 3 Requirement
Over Voltage Protection
Over Power Protection
Short Circuit Protection
100% Hi-pot & Function (Chroma) tested
100&Burn-in under high Ambient Temperature (50 degree Celsius)
MTBF above 100.000 Hrsat 25 degree Celsius
Load Min Max Max Combine Wattage
+3.3V 0.3A 28A +3.3V & +5V=200W
+5V 1.0A 36A
+12V 1.0A 16A +3.3V &+5V&+12V=330W
-5V 0A .5A
-12V 0A .8A Total Power =330W
+5VSB 0A 2A Max Output=480 Watt


/***********************

No doubt you may have noticed the old sound card. The MB has a built in sound card, but once I upgraded to SP3, my system can't seem to find it, and the drivers I've downloaded can't seem to relocate it either. So, I put in this cheap card, which seems to be doing well enough.

I'm also considering just saving my money and buying a complete gaming system, but I'd rather build one myself, I think I'd get far more bang for the buck that way.

Thanks for your comments, suggestions and patience dealing with this old fool who has let technology pass him by.

So even less amps at 12 volts than I expected. I'm focused on 12 volts because that's where the CPU and video card draw all/most of their power from. So it's really a 330 watt PSU that can take a surge to 480 watts for a few moments but nothing sustained.

Honestly PSU companies like Logsys who advertise that PSU as 480 watts should be put out of our misery. This PSU from Antec for instance can handle twice the 12V load as your current PSU, easily enough for an HD 5770 which can handle Ultramode at low to medium settings in this game.

-----

Also, my bad. I had believed your motherboard takes DDR but it actually takes DDR2 which isn't as bad as I first thought. That said both AMD and Intel has gone to DDR3 a year or two ago. There are still motherboards available that support DDR2 but they are for the older Intel Socket 775 (well older relative to today's CPU sockets) and AMD Socket AM2+. While the AM2+ socket is compatible to today's AMD Socket AM3 CPUs, Intel's Socket 775 is now their primary "value" platform and uses the older Core 2 CPUs. However even a "value" CPU like the Pentium Dual Core E6500 would still totally crush your Pentium 4.

But still, letting one stick of memory determine what you can upgrade to is silly, especially when you want to be "smart about these choices". Right now 4GB of DDR3 memory, 2 sticks of 2GB, is under $60 and that's the good stuff.

The problem is over the next few months there is going to be a big shift in Intel's mid range products, new socket, new CPUs and a relatively quick phase out of their current mid range line. I expect that within 3 months I will have to completely alter the "guts" of my $1375 rig due to lack of availability for the CPU and motherboard.

Both AMD and Intel are switching sockets within the next year. AM3 is being moved aside for whatever socket the Bulldozer based chips run on. Altho there is some debate as to whether there will be AM3 compatible Bulldozers at first.

At this point, looking at future socket releases just isn't the way to deal with it. Buy what you can afford right now. If you start waiting for the next generation, you will wait forever...

The way things have panned out in the CPU area: Intel holds the speed crown, AMD holds the bang for buck crown.

Points all well taken.

I now have a plan based on things you've stated - and thanks very much for your time to make those comments!

I'll just use the older parts and refab another system and give it away.

Thanks again.

From what I've seen (page 3 of the comments) the Bulldozer will work only in their new AM3+ socket.

Well, after much reading, re-reading, forgetting small details, reading again, etc., I finally went with the EVGA GeForce GTX 460 SE and an Ultra LSP 650 Pro power supply. (38A at the 12 Volt Rail)

After installation, I had no problems. Upon logging into CoH, immediately the system tells me I can do Ultra Mode. So, I did. There were some things that were cool to look at - Light purple/blue fire, blue electricity and a few other things, but I really wasn't that impressed with ultra mode. /end digress

The new video card is a 1 gig ddr5 - as opposed to a 128 meg (ddr2?)
My page loads are still longer than I would like - about 12 to 15 seconds from when I click on a mission door until I get inside the door to the mission map. I know this is a pretty long time, as teammates are typically already down the hall clobbering stuff.

So, it's time to get a new MB, CPU and Memory. I'm willing to go as high as 400 for all three - and would love to find a bundle deal, but have noticed that several bundles are rip offs - the mb and cpu priced seperately and added together are cheaper than the bundle.

I have looked at the ones recommended by Father Christmas, but one is out of stock, and it occurs to me that perhaps the recommendations are outdated - coming from 2008.

Because of the video card, I need to have at least one pci express 2.0 slot (with enough room for a double wide card)

Anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks.

I keep my rig lists up to date. Problem right now is the migration from Socket 1156 to 1155 has left many of my preferred 1156 motherboards out of stock. I am researching a suitable replacement.

I haven't altered my $1375 rig to a Socket 1155 due to the "newness" of all the motherboards. I would prefer to give them a couple more months to work out their various quirks before upgrading my high end parts list, but I have a feeling that Intel would prefer to move everyone over to the i3/5/7-2xxx cpus as soon as possible.

But if you want to give it a try the i5-2500K is a more than reasonable i5-760 alternative. As for MB I am still undecided between the Asus P8P67 Pro, Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD4, MSI P67A-GD65 and the ASRock P67 Extreme4.