recommended hardware updates?

**LoZz** · May 02, 2007, 06:21 PM

ok this is my pc at the moument

windows xp pro sp2
amd 64+ 4000
1 gb ram ddr400/pc3200
xfx 7900gs-xt (480 mhz)
abit an8 sli motherboard (sli ready and socket 939)

i have a bit of a spare cash and i am looking at a small upgrade (budgets is 100-200 pounds)

the problem is, the amd 4000+ is the only socket 939 processor i can find outtheir and to go the next socket up would require a new motherboard and the new cpu's are very overpriced so i cant afford that

direct x 10 cards cost the bomb and as i dont have vista whats the point, and i certanly cant afford both.

so any recomendations on what to upgrade and what too?

uk sites only please

**Aristocrat** · May 02, 2007, 06:29 PM

There are some dual cores socket939's still out there.
I got me a dual core Opteron 175 (and have overclocked it from 2.2ghx to 2.7ghz....and then I got lazy, but I will make it go to 3).
Grab one of those, heck even grab a Dual Core Opteron 165. Those things are cheap and can still hit over 3 ghz on stock cooling, easily.

On the video card, my personal opinion would be don't bother upgrading unless you can afford a 8800GTS at the least. If you wait till ATI/AMD (DAAMIT) releases their new range of video cards prices may drop into your range.

Personally I would say upgrade the video card over the cpu first, because that would have the greatest effect in games, but because you are on socket 939, you are nearly out of time to upgrade your cpu without having to buy a new motherboard (Socket 939 chips are no longer manufactured), so because of this, if you see yourself getting a little more money in a month or two, grab hold of a dual core chip while you still can.

Edit: A quick search reveals:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Socket 939, Manchester Core, 2x 2.2GHz, 1MB Cache, OEM £82.24

320MB XFX 8800GTS, PCI-E (x16), Mem 1600MHz, GPU 500MHz, 96 Streams, 2x Dual Link/DVI HDTV £189.03

Total: £271.27 (inc VAT...whatever that is).

Outside of your budget, but IMHO getting a video card less than this isn't worth it atm.

**Citizen** · May 03, 2007, 01:15 AM

Well personally I wouldn't bother upgrading the gfx card. I would wait a few months.

In the mean time, might as well switch to Core 2 and DDR2 Ram.

I know it's basic, and if you can stretch to £210 mate, I'd go with this: Upgrade Kit Intel Core 2 Duo E6320, Mainboard, 2048MB, PCI-Express

The only thing with that is that with the mobo, you won't be able to overclock anything but the ram (I have that mobo) but if you wanted, you could just get the separate parts w/ a Asus P5B or something.

**LoZz** · May 03, 2007, 03:30 AM

Originally Posted by Citizen

Well personally I wouldn't bother upgrading the gfx card. I would wait a few months.

In the mean time, might as well switch to Core 2 and DDR2 Ram.

I know it's basic, and if you can stretch to £210 mate, I'd go with this: Upgrade Kit Intel Core 2 Duo E6320, Mainboard, 2048MB, PCI-Express

The only thing with that is that with the mobo, you won't be able to overclock anything but the ram (I have that mobo) but if you wanted, you could just get the separate parts w/ a Asus P5B or something.

hmm nice.

but that processor is only 1.73mhz,, mine is 2.4

**Citizen** · May 03, 2007, 04:18 AM

Originally Posted by LoZz

but that processor is only 1.73mhz,, mine is 2.4

There's a HUGE difference between a c2d with 1.8ghz and lets say a P4 with 3.4ghz..

The c2d will outperform it anytime!

Intel Core Duo 2 processors destroy even the highest Athlon FX-62 by a significant margin in all areas: gaming, applications, and simulated benchmarking.

Don't underestimate lower clock speeds with dual core processors, cause they’ll always outperform single cores.

**LoZz** · May 03, 2007, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Citizen

There's a HUGE difference between a c2d with 1.8ghz and lets say a P4 with 3.4ghz..

The c2d will outperform it anytime!

Intel Core Duo 2 processors destroy even the highest Athlon FX-62 by a significant margin in all areas: gaming, applications, and simulated benchmarking.

Don't underestimate lower clock speeds with dual core processors, cause they’ll always outperform single cores.

any benchmarks?

**Citizen** · May 03, 2007, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by LoZz

any benchmarks?

Yeah, check out the benchmarks from Tom's Hardware, HardOCP, and Anandtech.

**LoZz** · May 06, 2007, 05:08 AM

ok, as i have no intention to go invest in vista for a good year or so ive desided to buy this

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...odid=GX-025-EA

evga 7950gt superclock 512mb

it performs better then the whole 8600 series out at the moument

and i am going to add an extra gb of ram to give me 2 gb total

**Aristocrat** · May 06, 2007, 07:32 AM

...I would go this instead.

(Though I have no idea what the brand is like). Or if you could spare a little more... this

Only because, while you think you may not be using Vista and this DirectX10 in the next year or two...I think your mind will change, meaning you spent 130 pounds on a doorstop.

**LoZz** · May 06, 2007, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by Aristocrat

...I would go this instead.

(Though I have no idea what the brand is like). Or if you could spare a little more... this

Only because, while you think you may not be using Vista and this DirectX10 in the next year or two...I think your mind will change, meaning you spent 130 pounds on a doorstop.

the problem is - no one knows a timescale for dx10, new games comming out today are still only dx9

and i imagen even when dx10 games do come they will still be compatable both way

i would be quite happy paying 130 for a doorstop as long as i got a good years use out of it

**Aristocrat** · May 06, 2007, 06:58 PM

Crysis. Coming out this year, based on DirectX10. Bioshock, coming out this year, based on directX10.
I can go and pull up a whole list if you want.

(It's your choice, but just be sure you are completely sure before you buy, otherwise you will get 3 months down the track, see these really awsome games, and then go "Damn".)