# Computer Upgrade Question
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [October 6, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500 "2014-10-06T01:21:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/1 "2014-10-06T01:21:47Z")
A couple months ago, I bought a new computer, with an eye to upgrading it over time. I have an ASUS Z97-A motherboard, with a Pentium G3258 overclocked at 3.7GHz, and 4 megs of RAM.
I am wondering if I should go for installing 16 megs of good RAM, or get a good graphics card, probably a Radeon R9 270x or R9 280. I’ve had to shut down programs a few times due to lack of memory, but I’m thinking that would be helped a lot by putting in a graphics card and not using the onboard graphics.
Suggestions?
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### Author:  [@JKilez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKilez)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/2 "2014-10-06T02:08:03Z")
Are you running 64 bit Windows? Do you play a lot of games?
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### Author:  [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/3 "2014-10-06T03:02:24Z")
I know you mean gigabytes of RAM. I’m assuming that gaming is a concern based on the OP but maybe not. I’d go for the video card certainly. If you don’t have enough for the 16GB RAM you could get another 4GB for 8 total. Is there 2x2GB in there now?
Which programs go out of memory? I can’t see that being a huge/consistent problem with normal computing with 4GB.
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### Author:  [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/4 "2014-10-06T04:21:28Z")
Of course I forgot to say I was heading for a gaming rig, although the Radeon cards are a hint. 64 bit, Windows 7. 2x2 for the RAM, the MB has 4 RAM slots. I’m limiting myself to one upgrade every month or so. Too many other things that need my money. I could put 4 more gigs of RAM in, but I’m going to get 16 in, so that will be a waste. Just need to decide if I should do it now, or go with the video card first.
And it is mostly games or Excel that are hitting the memory limit. Especially when I am using Steam.
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### Author:  [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/5 "2014-10-06T04:29:56Z")
For gaming, surely the video card is the priority.
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### Author:  [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/6 "2014-10-06T04:36:02Z")
Agreed that the video card is the priority.
16 GB of RAM is largely going to go to waste. 8 GB should be plenty.
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### Author:  [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/7 "2014-10-06T05:11:14Z")
I’ll chime in because I was also looking to buy a similar video card - probably the 280 - but I have postponed my decision because nvidia is in the middle of launching a new series that performs better and is cheaper than the current cards on the market. They’ve just launched the 980 and 970, which are more expensive than the cards you’re looking at, but they’re also going to launch the 960 next month. If I were you, I’d put in another 4 gigs of RAM(as **Jophiel** says, 16 GB would probably be a waste anyway) this month, and wait and watch the graphics card market.
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### Author:  [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/8 "2014-10-06T12:20:03Z")
The problem with waiting until next month to see what great cards are coming out then is, there is **always** a next month with great new cards coming. 😃 Same thing cell phones, tablets, and every other consumer tech item.And since the next couple of months are the holidays, it is very likely I won’t have even a couple hundred extra to spend. ☹ Which adds weight to the video card first argument. I don’t really want to go until January with no card.
But it is a couple of weeks before I buy, so I will see what the news is at that time. Thanks for the suggestions.
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### Author:  [@bldysabba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bldysabba)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/9 "2014-10-06T13:00:05Z")
> [@Lok](#):
>
> The problem with waiting until next month to see what great cards are coming out then is, there is **always** a next month with great new cards coming. 😃 Same thing cell phones, tablets, and every other consumer tech item.And since the next couple of months are the holidays, it is very likely I won’t have even a couple hundred extra to spend. ☹ Which adds weight to the video card first argument. I don’t really want to go until January with no card.
>
> But it is a couple of weeks before I buy, so I will see what the news is at that time. Thanks for the suggestions.
I agree that this is usually true, but this particular refresh is a pretty significant jump that is coming after a really long time.
Quoted from the Tom’s hardware review of the new cards:
> **[Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 And 980 Review: Maximum Maxwell](https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/nvidia-geforce-gtx-980-970-maxwell,3941-16.html)**
>
> Nvidia shows us what second-gen Maxwell architecture can do with its new GM204 chip and the GeForce GTX 970 and 980 graphics cards that wield it.
> [@](#):
>
> If you’ve skipped to the last page to see our conclusion, I’m not going to waste your time: both the $330 GeForce GTX 970 and $550 GeForce GTX 980 represent tremendous, earth shattering value from a price/performance perspective.
> …
> As for the GeForce GTX 970, it may not bring performance to a new level, but its price definitely makes high-end performance more accessible. At $330 it delivers frame rates comparable to the Radeon R9 290X, a card that currently sells for an average price of about $170 more. We did not expect to see a product this potent at a price tier significantly below the $400 Radeon R9 290, which has suddenly become less appealing
I’m hoping the 960 will shake up the mid range cards similarly. Second half of October is when the 960 is slated to launch anyway, so it’s not a long wait.
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### Author:  [@Lok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lok)
#### Post date: [October 6, 2014, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-upgrade-question/700500/10 "2014-10-06T13:53:13Z")
Well, I’m not actually buying until the last half of the month anyway, so I might hit the sweet spot for that. Can’t remember the last time I had an Nvidia card in a system. They have always been just beat out by Radeon when I was doing my buying. But those are impressive numbers, and considering how much I have been wanting an R9 290X, that GTX 970 does look good.