AMD_SEMPRON

Hi all,

I would like to upgrade my current computer in siggy (Please dont laugh its a family computer )

Is it realy worth it?

I would like to maybe remove one of my 256mb Pc3200 sticks and add a 1Gb stick alongside my other 256Mb stick? (Mobo maximum is 2Gb)

Also im unsure if my processor would be a bottleneck for gaming?
Im using an old Socket A Sempron.

Also i have no idea which is a good AGP Graphics card

I would like to make my system so that it would run Battlefield & CounterStrike.

Is this possible or a definate no no do you think?

I dont have a set price limit but first i wanted to know if its possible to upgrade and play the listed games above?

Thanks

gamerman0203

you can upgrade that to get you by for now, but soon you'll be needing to get a whole new system. The CPU will do for now, but will not give good performance in most of today's top games.

A new graphics card is a MUST. Go to newegg.com, mwave.com, tigerdirect.com, monarchcomputer.com and look for AGP video cards. Generally, the more expensive the better, but look for a Geforce 6800 or up/ATI 1300 or up in order to be able to run todays games decent.

But then that leads into a new power supply because I'm positive the one in that box won't power a new video card. You'll need to look for a 400W or better, but I also see that it's an HP which means the power connector to your mobo might be proprietary. (look at it on the mobo. It will have to be 2 rows of 10 or two rows of 12 in order to support a new power supply) Then an industry standard power supply won't work. It is probably also a miniATX power supply form factor and you reallly can't find good ones in the small form factor.

On the memory issue, you'll lose dual channel ability if you put a 1gb with the other 256mb and you will probably run into timing issues. Get pc2700 (the fastest your board can handle) and get matched pairs. Do not swap out one in the system for a new one. You'll have to buy 2 brand new sticks.

Ok...I think I got it all out.

AMD_SEMPRON

Hi,

Thanks or replying,

So yeah i think youve told me everything but do you honestly think its worth it? Moneywise?

Because a graphics cards probably gonna set me back £150 - 200
Then memory,Then Psu

Isnt Pc3200 faster than pc2700?

Should i just wait until christmas and get a compleate new one custom built?
I know christmas isnt anywhere near yet but it soon comes around.

Also how did you know my comp was a Hp? lol

TheMatt

PC3200 is faster than PC2700, but your mobo only supports up to PC2700. Anything faster will just default back to PC2700 speed. That mobo has 3 RAM slots, so I would just put in another stick of 512 MB to make it go up to 1 GB. That should be fine.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145026

Now, graphics. How much is that in $$ ? AGP cards seem more expensive. I would go with an X800 GTO, it will give you good performance.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814131010
If you are willing to spend a little more money on graphics, you could get an X850 PRO.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814161172

And finally the CPU. AMD Athlon XP's are hard to find, but I managed to come up with these. They are AMD Athlon XP 3000+'s and will work with your motherboard.
http://microsource-store.stores.yaho...atnxp3000.html
http://www.nulime.com/p7425/cat2313/...ton333FSB.html

With those upgrades your machine should be able to run battlefield or CS on medium settings.

linderman

Hello:


I would have to say given the impending price war thats about to get under way with the release of the new Intel Conroe CPU's that it would not be a wise decision to spend over $300.00 dollars on a 333mhz FSB system.

Intel's new processor line has completely caught AMD with their pants down; AMD is fresh out of the engineering room playing catch up with AM2 which really offered no significant perfromance boosts over its socket 939 rivals; however the Intel PR Machine did a very nice job of hyping the benefits of DDR2 memory which left Intel as the only CPU maker with a DDR2 platform.

AMD had made the smart choice in not chasing DDR2 from the git go; but they should have stuck to their guns and looked for the next generation big boost. Instead they panicked and went to engineering a platform for DDR2 memory use.

Now Intels Conroe comes out with a fresh release that smokes the AMD competion even in gaming; in such a way that even the most die hard AMD lover cant bring himself to ignore the Intel offering. And to really plunge the dagger deeper into AMD; Intel is sellign the new chips very cheap compared to Intels usual style.

The only answer AMD has left is to slash the prices of socket 939 processors and AM2 processors in an attempt to slow the avalanche of sales to the intel camp.

so in retrospect you will be able to afford a very good high end AMD socket 939 or AM2 processor for far less money then your current options with the Athalons. These deep price reductions are set to begin any day now.

It will be very interesting to see what happens to AMD as they have no real answer until late 2007 and being forced to dump their bread and butter hot processors at record low prices has got to hurt.

There are a couple of Intel Concore CPU's which will seriously out perfrom the FX-60's for HALF the money.

n summary: I would say hold off a couple of months; live with what you have know and then you will be able to pick up a screaming system VERY reasonable. A processor thats priced for a richman now will be $200.00 shortly!!

good news for the consumer>>>> but a real kick in the Nads for AMD

TheMatt

Here would be a good budget system if you are looking to rebuild:

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Venice 2000MHz HT 512KB L2 Cache Socket 939 Processor
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103535

ASUS A8N5X Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 ATX AMD Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813131569

CORSAIR ValueSelect 1GB (2 x 512MB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200) Dual Channel Kit System Memory
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820145440

SAPPHIRE 100106L Radeon X850XT 256MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express x16 Video Card
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16814102688

Reuse your current hard drive and CD/DVD drives and by the mobo and video card as a combo deal at newegg to save money.

AMD_SEMPRON

Hi thanks for replying all,

I dont wonna upgrade my processor,Its just the vid card & memory basicly and a new Psu.

As TheMatt showed me some ones that would work in my computer im gonna take a look down Pc world (Computer store over here in the uk) and price them up their.

There probably cheaper on newegg but i personaly dont like to buy things off the internet because i just dont trust it.

Are you sure you have the right mobo there mate?
My Mobo has the 2 RAM slots but i think their is a similar model to my mobo that has 3 slots.

Also why if my motherboards max sopported is Pc 2700 then why did Hp stick pc3200 in there?

crazijoe

Kick in the Nads for AMD.
Love it!!!

ebackhus

Rahhhhh, won't stop me from being an AMD fan. AMD has been good to me since the 486.

Ralck

Just for a little clarity, are you looking to play Battlefield and CS1.6, or Battlefield2 and CS:Source? If your looking to play the first two games, just an upgraded video card should help significantly. You won't even need to spend as much money as an x800. A 9600, or even a 9550 should give you the performance boost you want. If it's the latter two games, however, then I agree with the recomendation above about waiting for the price war and getting a new rig for cheap (You could easily get a rig that plays those games on highest settings for $800-1000).

linderman

Well I love dedicated & loyal customers like you Ebackus; we will soon be finding out how many loyal AMD fans are really out there; I have learned long ago loyality goes out the window in a hurry when there is money to be saved!

We will see how many AMD fans will shell out the same amount of money for a processor that gets its a$$ kicked by as much as 30% ! rofl

AMD had a nice following mostly developed by fans looking to save money over significantly more expensive Intel offerings; it looks like Intel has taken a page from the AMD book this time.

I have been patiently waiting for my club(intel team) to get the better end of the stick; now we can see how the other side sucks it up heheheheheh

crazijoe

Just found this review.

http://www.extremetech.com/article2/...1989036,00.asp

linderman

definetly some good reading >>>> finally some hopes of cooling running systems

ebackhus

I read a review on the new Conroe chip at Hardware Secrets and I really am amazed that Intel was able to make such a comeback. The thing is, I refuse to shell out $1,000 for a CPU I likely won't fully utilize. No, I'll get myself a socket 939 4400+ and be happy for the next year.

linderman

$1000.00 dollars ???? who in there right mind would spend that ??

"Its amazing to me that E6600 at around $300 beats AMD's top of the line chip in almost every test, especially the gaming tests. I think Conroe is a huge comback for Intel and will keep them on top for a good while just as the 6800 series did for Nvidia. AMD will find a way to slightly meet or surpass Conroe before too long, but Intel will come right back. It feels like these two are reversing roles or something."

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/07/...e_2_duo_today/


here is the REAL fresh deal with the REAL prices as of July 14th 2006 they may dip lower

http://tomshardware.co.uk/2006/07/14..._athlon_64_uk/

the new prices are in this review

Ralck

The real prices are actually higher than anticipated (not by all that much: check Tankguys for actuall pricing).

Anywho... can we get back to the meaning of this thread and make sure AMD_SEMPRON has solved his problem?

linderman

Thanks Ralck: for the correction! my bad >>>>


AMD Sempron: did you have any further questions; you system would be worth spending alittle money on; but dont get too involved or you will not get a good value for cost outcome. New Sempron CPU's by the way are not going to drop in price.