UPGRADE: Mobo, CPU, Memory - Need advice w/ picking the right one(s)
This is my current system:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Processor
Model : AMD Athlon(TM)Processor
Speed : 1.24GHz
Model Number : 1241 (estimated)
Performance Rating : PR1651 (estimated)
Type : Standard
L2 On-board Cache : 256kB ECC Synchronous Write-Back (16-way, 64 byte line size)
Mainboard
Bus(es) : AGP PCI USB
MP Support : No
MP APIC : No
System BIOS : Award Software, Inc. ASUS A7A266 ACPI BIOS Revision 1012
Mainboard : ASUSTeK Computer INC. A7A266
Total Memory : 511MB
Chipset 1
Model : Acer Labs Incorporated (ALi) ALI M1647 ALiMAGiK 1 AGP System Controller
Front Side Bus Speed : 2x 146MHz (292MHz data rate)
Video System
Monitor/Panel : SONY CPD-E540
Adapter : RADEON 9700 PRO
Adapter : RADEON 9700 PRO - Secondary
Physical Storage Devices
Removable Drive : Floppy disk drive
Hard Disk : Maxtor 5T040H4
Hard Disk : MAXTOR 6L040J2
CD-ROM/DVD : CREATIVE DVD1240E
CD-ROM/DVD : PLEXTOR CD-R PX-W1610A
Logical Storage Devices
Hard Disk C: 37.3GB (6.8GB, 18% Free) (FAT32)
Hard Disk D: 38.2GB (10.7GB, 28% Free) (NTFS)
Peripherals
Serial/Parallel Port(s) : 2 COM / 1 LPT
USB Controller/Hub : ALi PCI to USB Open Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : ALi PCI to USB Open Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : General Purpose USB Hub
MultiMedia Device(s)
Device : Creative SB Live! series
Device : Creative Game Port
Operating System(s)
Windows System : Microsoft Windows XP/2002 Home (Win32 x86) 5.01.2600 (Service Pack 1)
(retrived using SiSoftware Sandra software)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So I'm noticing my system doesn't run new games like it use to.
I think my graphic card(RADEON 9700PRO) is up to par(maybe slightly below now)and think it's my CPU that is bottle necking my system.
So I'm thinking of either upgrading the CPU alone, in which case I'm not to sure what the best cpu I can get for the current motherboard(asus A7A266). which would be the cheaper upgrade, but not sure it will make that big of an impact.
So I was thinking might be worth upgrading the motherboard aswell as the cpu.
I was looking at the ASUS A7N8X(regular or Delux, not sure what the differences are, and whether I really need the Delux(what do you guys think?), and with that I was looking at getting the:
AMD Athlon XP Barton +2600
Processor Core Speed:
2083 MHz
Front Side Bus Speed:
333MHz
Cache:
640K Total;
128K L1 cache
512K L2 cache
462-pin SocketA
Also, Can someone help me shop
These all seem to be the same to me, 1x512MB PC3200 DDR ram, the only difference I can see is with the CL value, unfortunately I don't know what that is, or how that effects anything. Is there a good brand to go by when dealing with memory? (it's going to be going on a ASus MOBO.
Here's the details I have:
Kingmax 512MB PC3200 DDR TinyBGA ~$160 CAN
512MB
- PC3200
- 400MHz
- CL 2.5
- Programmable Read latency 2, 2.5 (clock)
- Programmable Burst length (2, 4, 8)
- Programmable Burst type (Sequential & Interleave)
184-pin DIMM
***Corsair 512MB XMS PC3200 Low Latency DDR CL2 ~$220 CAN
512MB
- PC3200
- 400 MHz
- CL 2-3-2-6-T1
184 Pin DIMM
***OCZ 512MB PC3200 EL DDR Platinum Edition CL2 ~$185 CAN
512MB
- PC3200
- 200 (400) MHz*
- Built with hand picked OCZ brand EL DDR IC (4.5 ns)
- CL 2-2-3-5 1T Timings
184 Pin Dimm
Kingston 512MB PC3200 DDR CAS 3 ~$109 CAN
512MB
- PC3200
- 400Mhz
- CL 3
184-Pin DIMM
Micron Original 512MB PC3200 DDR400 ~$145 CAN
512MB
PC3200
184 Pins
***these two are the ones that seem the most smilar to me, but vary $35.
Seems to be quite the price variation between them, so I'm wondering why. if I can get away with paying $110 for memory, that would be great, but I don't want to buy crap. So I need some expert advice on this. I only want to get a single stick so I can upgrade later and get a second one(memory still only works in singles or doubled right? man I'm rusty, don't remeber anything about this stuff anymore)
the main game I play is morrowind which seems to require a lot a CPU power(great game, poorly built engine), but also play lots a FPS.
So I'm looking to upgrade the core hardware of my computer(eventually have two, one for games, one for work), but for now I'm looking to spend `$500 CAN, which is about what the three items will cost, give or take a hundred bucks, but I could really use some help, I've been researching but if some who already knows this stuff can just look at it all and say what's best to get, that would help me out a ton.
Thanks in advance for any advice/help you're able to provide me.
This is my current system:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Processor
Model : AMD Athlon(TM)Processor
Speed : 1.24GHz
Model Number : 1241 (estimated)
Performance Rating : PR1651 (estimated)
Type : Standard
L2 On-board Cache : 256kB ECC Synchronous Write-Back (16-way, 64 byte line size)
Mainboard
Bus(es) : AGP PCI USB
MP Support : No
MP APIC : No
System BIOS : Award Software, Inc. ASUS A7A266 ACPI BIOS Revision 1012
Mainboard : ASUSTeK Computer INC. A7A266
Total Memory : 511MB
Chipset 1
Model : Acer Labs Incorporated (ALi) ALI M1647 ALiMAGiK 1 AGP System Controller
Front Side Bus Speed : 2x 146MHz (292MHz data rate)
Video System
Monitor/Panel : SONY CPD-E540
Adapter : RADEON 9700 PRO
Adapter : RADEON 9700 PRO - Secondary
Physical Storage Devices
Removable Drive : Floppy disk drive
Hard Disk : Maxtor 5T040H4
Hard Disk : MAXTOR 6L040J2
CD-ROM/DVD : CREATIVE DVD1240E
CD-ROM/DVD : PLEXTOR CD-R PX-W1610A
Logical Storage Devices
Hard Disk C: 37.3GB (6.8GB, 18% Free) (FAT32)
Hard Disk D: 38.2GB (10.7GB, 28% Free) (NTFS)
Peripherals
Serial/Parallel Port(s) : 2 COM / 1 LPT
USB Controller/Hub : ALi PCI to USB Open Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : ALi PCI to USB Open Host Controller
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : USB Root Hub
USB Controller/Hub : General Purpose USB Hub
MultiMedia Device(s)
Device : Creative SB Live! series
Device : Creative Game Port
Operating System(s)
Windows System : Microsoft Windows XP/2002 Home (Win32 x86) 5.01.2600 (Service Pack 1)
(retrived using SiSoftware Sandra software)
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
So I'm noticing my system doesn't run new games like it use to.
I think my graphic card(RADEON 9700PRO) is up to par(maybe slightly below now)and think it's my CPU that is bottle necking my system.
So I'm thinking of either upgrading the CPU alone, in which case I'm not to sure what the best cpu I can get for the current motherboard(asus A7A266). which would be the cheaper upgrade, but not sure it will make that big of an impact.
So I was thinking might be worth upgrading the motherboard aswell as the cpu.
I was looking at the ASUS A7N8X(regular or Delux, not sure what the differences are, and whether I really need the Delux(what do you guys think?), and with that I was looking at getting the:
AMD Athlon XP Barton +2600
Processor Core Speed:
2083 MHz
Front Side Bus Speed:
333MHz
Cache:
640K Total;
128K L1 cache
512K L2 cache
462-pin SocketA
Also, Can someone help me shop
These all seem to be the same to me, 1x512MB PC3200 DDR ram, the only difference I can see is with the CL value, unfortunately I don't know what that is, or how that effects anything. Is there a good brand to go by when dealing with memory? (it's going to be going on a ASus MOBO.
Here's the details I have:
Kingmax 512MB PC3200 DDR TinyBGA ~$160 CAN
512MB
- PC3200
- 400MHz
- CL 2.5
- Programmable Read latency 2, 2.5 (clock)
- Programmable Burst length (2, 4, 8)
- Programmable Burst type (Sequential & Interleave)
184-pin DIMM
***Corsair 512MB XMS PC3200 Low Latency DDR CL2 ~$220 CAN
512MB
- PC3200
- 400 MHz
- CL 2-3-2-6-T1
184 Pin DIMM
***OCZ 512MB PC3200 EL DDR Platinum Edition CL2 ~$185 CAN
512MB
- PC3200
- 200 (400) MHz*
- Built with hand picked OCZ brand EL DDR IC (4.5 ns)
- CL 2-2-3-5 1T Timings
184 Pin Dimm
Kingston 512MB PC3200 DDR CAS 3 ~$109 CAN
512MB
- PC3200
- 400Mhz
- CL 3
184-Pin DIMM
Micron Original 512MB PC3200 DDR400 ~$145 CAN
512MB
PC3200
184 Pins
***these two are the ones that seem the most smilar to me, but vary $35.
Seems to be quite the price variation between them, so I'm wondering why. if I can get away with paying $110 for memory, that would be great, but I don't want to buy crap. So I need some expert advice on this. I only want to get a single stick so I can upgrade later and get a second one(memory still only works in singles or doubled right? man I'm rusty, don't remeber anything about this stuff anymore)
the main game I play is morrowind which seems to require a lot a CPU power(great game, poorly built engine), but also play lots a FPS.
So I'm looking to upgrade the core hardware of my computer(eventually have two, one for games, one for work), but for now I'm looking to spend `$500 CAN, which is about what the three items will cost, give or take a hundred bucks, but I could really use some help, I've been researching but if some who already knows this stuff can just look at it all and say what's best to get, that would help me out a ton.
Thanks in advance for any advice/help you're able to provide me.