Haunz

iTrader: (3)

My computer is slow... definatly time for an upgrade but I can't decide what to do...

current system has a P4 256mb cache processor and a lousy 128mb of DDR ram... looks like I can upgrade to 2gb ram and a 3.2ghz 512cache processor for around $300 or say a 2.4ghz processor and 1gb ram for 1/2 that (ebay)

the other option is to buy a barebonez tower with pentium D or core2duo equivalent 2mb cache and 1gb of DDR2 ram for around $400-500.. (slap in my old HD and cdrw, sell old tower for $50, and Iam good to go)

Max budget is around $500-600.... if I go the cheaper route that leaves me with more $$$$ to spend on audio gear.....

what do you guys think I should do ?

Drew

iTrader: (1)

I would say go with a new barbones computer, because with a new CPU odds are you will need a new mobo. What size is your old hd?

Hardcore Rock Superstar

iTrader: (2)

agree on the barebones....

chances are you can re-use your hdd's and optical drives (assuming you buy the right mobo). You will likely have to buy:

case
power supply
motherboard
cpu
memory
(Video card is debatable - could probably live with onboard till you can afford whatever you need)

$100ish for the case and power depending on what you grab
$130ish for the mobo
$150ish for the cpu
$100 or less for 1gb of memory


Splurge on one part, or get a video card?

RedZone

for 500 id first

harddrive, cd / dvd drives

then buy

case with 450 watt + power supply ( or just power supply)

E4300 ( then overclock it) http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=012524&cid=CPU .84

mobo ( i just picked a random one)
http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=011182&cid=MB. 157

1 gig of ram http://canadacomputers.com/index.php?do=ShowProduct&cmd=pd&pid=007474&cid=RAM .475

40
220
130
120

Getting a Pentium D is a waste of mony though. there crap chips compared to whats out there

580 after taxes. ( if your in ontario that is haha)

Haunz

iTrader: (3)

I have 40gig and 20gig HDs... not sure Ive had more then 30 gig stored between the two so they are probably large enough for what I need....

As for the motherboard its an asus p4b266-c designed for socket 278 northwood chips that were made up to 2.2ghz... the clock multiplier allows for 200Mhz stepping 16x and I am under the impression that other p4 socket 478 chips will work with the right bios flash.... (from google searches 2.6ghz is the fastest that would work, guess I could overclock from there and put some money into cooling)

Anyway I was looking at www.lucomputers.com tonight and I know of at least one independent in sarnia and possibly one in peterborough that should be competative with online sites like canadacomputer and tigerdirect; I wont have to pay shipping since I can pick it up myself, and I will also have the satisfaction of buying from a real store.......

anyway, Iam not sure what the big advantages are of a core2duo over a dual core.. I can pay like $20 extra and get the Presler dual core with 2mb of cache x 2 by comapirson to a core2duo with only 2mb of cache total that will run more then $90 more by the time I pay tax... (the 4mb high end version is more like $260 more and is probably out of budget)

Iam leaning towards the dual core because its cheaper and since Ill probably get the same mobo either way, I can always upgrade later......

Newb

iTrader: (4)

Unless you want to game or something I see no point in upgrading to a core2duo or whatever.

Personally I'd just buy a gig of RAM and see if you like that... Memory is a massive upgrade especially coming from 128mb. Windows 2k/xp barely runs on 128.

ZachCHartwell

How are things going in Petey these days man?

My old roommate in Ptbo runs a computer business, if i can remember his phone number, ill pass it along, he does good work and has ok prices.

matt_p

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/email/ca/em746.asp?CMP=ILC-FPM02

check them guyz out... ive had good luck with them so far

RedZone

Check out these charts. http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=433&model2=449&chart=193

Comparing the old P4 Dual cores ( pentium d ) to the Core 2 duos is apples and oranges.
a Core 2 duo 6300 ( or 4300 ) can overclock easily( and i mean SUPER easy useing the stocker cooler) to 3.0 GHz ( Core 2 x6800 levels ) which puts even the best Pentium D to shame.

I wouldnt waste my money on a another P4.

lonewolf

this is not the best advice ive ever seen, the core2duo is a great cpu in all bench marks even in single threaded aplications this cpu outpreforms every thing on the market, i would say dont get a quadcore cpu, because inorder for the to cpu's on the die to communicate they use the fsb, thus causing a very large problem due to the fact right now the fastest fsb is ddr2800 at 1066mhz. the main point is ddr3 is comming out this year to bump it up but the software wont be their for at least 3 years. so the core2duo = good quadcore = bad.

for the amd lovers they have annouced that they are releasing their quad cores but infact its more like a server, they are using 2 duo core fx's to create what they call a quad core.

what newb says though about ram is 100% correct windows xp should have at least 512mb of ram, especilly if you are running norton :|


to clear up some issues if you purcase a mobo that says sopports dual core cpus, it wont work with core2duo because of the extra risistor they had to put on the mobo, so make sure it says core2duo ready.

dont worry you can get a core2duo and a mobo with ddr2 mem for about 500