|
|
Rank: Pooter Scooter
Groups: Registered User, Server Admin
Joined: 11/8/2006
Posts: 2,465
Points: 2,094
Location: San Antonio, Texas
|
This is still all up in the air, but I'm hoping if I can save up enough money to set aside 500 dollars to upgrade my processor and ram. Currently I have an athlon 64 X2 dual core 2.1 ghz and 2GB of DDR2 6400 800mhz ram (what the sticker says) I want to upgrade to a quad core processor, preferably something I dont have to overclock, dont want to touch that stuff. and up grade to 2-2GB sticks of ram. Processor has to be am2 socket. What would you guys suggest In an hour of Darkness a blind man is the best guide. In an age of Insanity look to the madman to lead the way. 
|
|
|
Rank: You're gonna stick that where?
Groups: {pDs} Member, Registered User
Joined: 1/8/2009
Posts: 119
Points: 258
Location: Seattle, WA
|
Is your socket am2 or am2+? Chipset? If you don't know, what's your mobo? If your mobo is older, best to upgrade it with a cheap am3 board with DDR3. You can find good boards for under 100 bucks.
To be on the safe side, best to stick with a 95W processor or less. I'd take a look at the AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz. It's quad core and runs at 95W, and the price is around $140.
As far as RAM goes, you're stuck with DDR2. I'd stick with DDR2 6400 800MHz ram with decent latencies, and buy what ever is on sale. If you live close to a Fry's, check their ads, they always have a set on sale. Any major brand will do (e.g. Patriot, Crucial, Corsair, GSkill, AData).
Another good upgrade to see a speed boost is to upgrade to a speedy hard drive. A 1TB 7200 RPM will do. And if you look for deals, you can grab one for about $60 bucks. Check slickdeals.net from time to time. There was a deal posted a few days back on a Samsung F3 Spinpoint drive that has great performance for 60 bucks. Otherwise WD Black edition is good. I'm not a huge fan of Seagate, but some peeps love them. I also use Hitachi drives with no problems (some people like to bash them though for issues that brand had a few years ago).
|
|
|
Rank: Pooter Scooter
Groups: Registered User, Server Admin
Joined: 11/8/2006
Posts: 2,465
Points: 2,094
Location: San Antonio, Texas
|
Here's my current mobo, processor socket is an AM2. Kindy iffy about buying a new hard drive seeing as how I just recently reformatted and rather not do that again :P CleekyIn an hour of Darkness a blind man is the best guide. In an age of Insanity look to the madman to lead the way.
|
|
|
Rank: Pooter Scooter
Groups: Registered User, Server Admin
Joined: 11/8/2006
Posts: 2,465
Points: 2,094
Location: San Antonio, Texas
|
Wanting to throw in for a new, mobo as well if possible In an hour of Darkness a blind man is the best guide. In an age of Insanity look to the madman to lead the way.
|
|
|
Rank: Administration
Groups: {pDs} Member, Registered User, Server Admin, Administration
Joined: 3/27/2008
Posts: 1,699
Points: 3,092
Location: Arizona
|
If you can afford to go all in, go for a new MB, a nice Phenom, and top-of-the-line 2x2GB memory. But if you want to cut corners and currently have 2x1GB memory sticks, buying 2 more of those will save you some. That's what I've done. Phenom 4x and a mobo I bought together, 4x1GB sticks... some of them must be 7 or 8 years old. IMO memory capacity is more important than performance. That isn't to say brand new sticks wouldn't be awesome--I'd love to have all new ones, too--but they're not that vital of a purchase. The boost from 2GB to 4GB will be noticeable even if some of the sticks have a few wrinkles.
|
|
|
Rank: Fuckstick
Groups: {pDs} Member, Registered User
Joined: 12/14/2007
Posts: 1,169
Points: 2,697
Location: Near Seattle
|
DredNaught wrote:To be on the safe side, best to stick with a 95W processor or less. I'd take a look at the AMD Phenom II X4 945 Deneb 3.0GHz. It's quad core and runs at 95W, and the price is around $140. I have the Phenom II, but only a dual core :P  Quote:Razor: As hard as one might try no one will ever be able to pull one over on Super Penguin. Backpack of Win
|
|
|
Rank: You're gonna stick that where?
Groups: {pDs} Member, Registered User
Joined: 1/8/2009
Posts: 119
Points: 258
Location: Seattle, WA
|
Gunslinger wrote:Here's my current mobo, processor socket is an AM2. Kindy iffy about buying a new hard drive seeing as how I just recently reformatted and rather not do that again :P Cleeky Instead of reinstalling everything, why not just clone the partition to a new drive? Check out Norton Ghost (I'd stick with the corporate edition), or true image. Most imaging software will also automatically increase the partition size. Otherwise, If I were you, I'd just throw down for a whole new mobo and go with DDR3 ram. New processor, ram, and a new hard drive will set you back around 400 bucks total. Plus if you want quad core, you'll have to get a new mobo. Check the CPU support page on the link you posted.
|
|
|
Rank: Member
Groups: Registered User
Joined: 8/6/2010
Posts: 23
Points: 69
Location: Canada
|
If you didn't want to go with AMD, I have a Q6600 and 8gigs of DDR2 for sale.
|
|
|
Rank: Pooter Scooter
Groups: Registered User, Server Admin
Joined: 11/8/2006
Posts: 2,465
Points: 2,094
Location: San Antonio, Texas
|
So after extensive research on whether you can hook up a ps3 to an hdcp lcd monitor (you can) I'm kinda wanting to get a ps3 now. It'll be a cheaper investment but there's really only a handful of games I want atm. In an hour of Darkness a blind man is the best guide. In an age of Insanity look to the madman to lead the way.
|
|
|
Rank: Administration
Groups: {pDs} Member, Registered User, Server Admin, Administration
Joined: 3/27/2008
Posts: 1,699
Points: 3,092
Location: Arizona
|
Gunslinger wrote:So after extensive research on whether you can hook up a ps3 to an hdcp lcd monitor (you can) I'm kinda wanting to get a ps3 now. It'll be a cheaper investment but there's really only a handful of games I want atm. I love my PS3, and I think it's funny people consider it a game console when I use it primarily as a media player. It's not a PC, though. I know you can install Linux on it to expand its capabilities and make it more PC'ish, but it will always have its limits there. Still, though... if you have a network drive with media, or have your PC acting as a media server, it's a great thing to have. My Dell monitor also has multiple inputs and I'm in the process of rigging my PS3 into a secondary slot to use the PiP. Game on the screen, movie in the corner.
|
|
|
| Users browsing this topic |
|
Guest
|