Should I Upgrade Video Card Without Changing Processor Or Motherboard

Greetings from a new user, 
 
I am pondering some changes inside my current computer and came here to seek wise communication and council. 
 
Lets commencement with what I already accept, and then come across if anyone thinks I should improve myself... 
 
 
My system is ii years old 
 
Motherboard: Abit BE6S1 Due west/ Intel 440BX Chipset Supporting Ultra ATA 66mhz Drives. 
 
Processor: Pentium three Katmai 450 Mhz 
 
SDRAM: (ii) ea 168 pivot 128MB 16x64 PC100 DIMMS, with i socket available for more. 
 
Hard Drive one: IBM 18 Gig ATA 66Mhz 7200 rpm 
 
Hard Drive two: Western Digital 80 Gig ATA 100Mhz Caviar 7200 rpm 
 
Video: Matrox Millennium west/32mb onboard ram 
 
Sound: Creative SoundBlaster Alive 
 
CD/RW: Acer 4432-A 4x4x32 
 
DVD: Toshiba 6x 
 
Operating Sys: Windows 98 SE 
 
 
I accept ordered a Promise Ultra ATA/100 controller bill of fare to help increase the transfer speed from the new Western Digital Drive and will be installing information technology inside a calendar week. 
 
The question is… Should I look at upgrading the P3 to 550Mhz (the highest the Abit Motherboard volition handle) or look at replacing the motherboard entirely? Too, Would boosted SDRAM exist helpful at all? 
 
I am not a big gamer, merely would like to run some games such as NASCAR 2002 etc. Nigh of my computing fourth dimension is spent on the Internet, recording and downloading Mp3s and in give-and-take processing, and then the need is not drastic, I just want to get more upwards to date if I can, without breaking the depository financial institution simply all the same. I know I will demand a new computer within a year or two to upgrade to XP. 
 
Thank you in advance for all sage advice and quango. 
 
<A HREF="mailto:navmaster@email.com">navmaster@email.com</A>
Well with your electric current system, and depending on how much money yous wanna spend I call up that the upgrade path you have planned is OK. If you're not a heavy gamer than you really have no need for a crazy fast processor. I'yard not certain what the requirements for that Nascar game is just nigh games don't ask for also much more than than a 500Mhz processor these days. I'chiliad non likewise sure if you're graphics bill of fare is upto the challenge though but hey give it a try. I have no idea how picky you lot are almost how you run you games, but information technology volition run. But anyway for the uses you lot listed I think that upgrade is fine, I wouldn't worry to much about the RAM with 98 256 megs is all you really need for it, but if you got the money go for it as well.
Thanks for the quick reply, 
 
Originally this organization had an ATI Fury 32mb video card. But it was very unstable and was rplaced by the computer manufacturer with the Matrox Millenium. They led me to believe that the Matrox was a much better menu. I am certain that could have changed in the last 2 years or have been BS to start with. What video card would y'all suggest? Go on in mind that I had a very bad experience with that ATI card and actually dont want to go back in that location... <IMG SRC="smileys/evil.gif">
i'm gonna have the nvidia mx card. Its not to expensive it think, my geforce two mx 200 32mb only price us$50 its never exist a problem to play some loftier detail game, such a maxpayne. So ... i think its fit for yous
Yeah GeForce MX based cards are cheap, and volition be able to play most all games, maybe not at the highest quality, such as high resolutions and other goodies such as FSAA, merely for your arrangement, I think that bill of fare would be salubrious. Its a proficient performer for the coin. If y'all take a little more to be flexible with then I would reccommend a college grade GeForce menu but like it seems you don't need a smokin graphics carte for what you lot want to practise.
<IMG SRC="smileys/bounce.gif"> Hey NAVMASTER, if y'all're getting rid of yous're MOBO, HOW MUCH practise you want for it?!!! I'm looking for a 440BX board myself. Was looking at the Asus CUBX merely I'll consider others. Is your'south slot 1 or Socket 370. Looking for Socket 370 
 
Let me know!! <IMG SRC="smileys/wink.gif">
Looks Like I should stick with what I have from the feedback I am getting... I was thinking that a processor upgrade would exist helpfull and this MoBo only supports 550 Mhz, I already have 450mhz p3 installed and then I don't call back it would be worth the hassle to instal a p3 with only 100 more than mhz. Therefore, if I do upgrade processors I need a new MoBo, merely anybody is proverb that I am ok where I am sitting correct now with what I do on the machine. 
 
Perhaps I will experiment with a new graphics bill of fare after I install The ATA 100 Controller menu... 
 
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