Processor Upgrade

Coopa · 05-09-2005, 08:15 PM

Hi,

I have a Micromaxx computer, with a AMD Athlon XP 1800+ (1.53ghz)

I am interested in upgrading to a new processor, I've upgraded gfx card and memory so processor is now lagging behind.

I think I'm right in saying that I would need a 754pin or Socket A processor, but I really don't want to spend and then find out it doesnt work.

I think I would want an AMD Athlon 64 3200, 3400 etc, but can you explain why the clock speed is much lower than say a equivalent priced Intel processor. Ones 2.2ghz, the other is 3.0ghz. Is that relevant as I always thought it was all the clock speed but do I think wrong. Thanks

Any help extra to the subject is very welcome.

Cheers!

Girtho961 · 05-09-2005, 07:30 PM

AMD CPUs do more per clock cycle so an AMD CPU at 2.2ghz is as fast as an Intel at 3 or 3.2 ghz. The diffence is due to different CPU architecture and that AMD's have an onboard memory controller right on the CPU. So CPU speed isnt all about ghz, which is what i thought untill i did some research. what price range are you looking at for your CPU.

Addis · 05-09-2005, 07:32 PM

Clock speed is not a reliable indicator of performance anymore. AMD CPUs perform much better than Intel CPUs at the same clock speed, thus only the 3GHz Intel ones can compete.

If you're looking for a upgrade, I'd stray away from S754 or Socket A. They're both outdated, especially SocketA. You're better off getting a Socket 939 motherboard with an Athlon 64 3000 or higher. That'll give you more upgrade options if needed.

Girtho961 · 05-09-2005, 07:33 PM

I agree with addis if that option is in your price range.

Big B · 05-09-2005, 11:53 PM

If you're looking for a straight CPU upgrade with what you have, then you may see if you can find an Athlon XP 2600+ with a 266MHz FSB. However, if you have a few hundred to spend, then I'd go to a Socket 939 platform.

Coopa · 06-09-2005, 06:56 PM

Cheers guys, really appreciate your help!!

I'm going to have a look at motherboard bundles, how easy are they to install?

I'd be interested in getting one that can have my RAM that I use at the moment so I could add it all together and of the motherboard bundles I have seen, they are without gfx card, as I have a 9600xt which I am very pleased with.

My RAM, I cant find out what type it is quickly, although I did order a 512mb extra which worked perfectly. I think its SDRAM, as I had to not get a Dimm model as it wouldn't work

A few ideas
http://www.savastore.com/productinfo...0275596&pid=40
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?MBB-643451

I'm in the UK, willing to spend approx £200 if it were on a motherboard bundle

EDIT - Just been looking around a bit more.

http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/...n-64-3400.html This sounds very good for me, and its socket 754, just another idea to throw into the pile. Thats if my Computer has socket 754 not A

Big B · 06-09-2005, 07:08 PM

Motherboards aren't terribly difficult. Of course, this is assuming you read the directions. These days most things are auto-detected, and if you have to set any jumpers, there's usually just a few. Just make sure to power the motherboard on outside of the case first.

Things you may want to factor in on the upgrade;
-Power supply. What you have in your current machine is probably not going to be enough to run an A64 setup.
-RAM: you need to have PC3200 DDR for the A64 route. If you go to Intel you'll need at least PC3200 DDR2, possibly faster.

Coopa · 07-09-2005, 05:53 PM

Sorry I dont really understand what you mean by power supply, and I take it you mean my current RAM would not be compatible with a new motherboard I were to get

Big B · 08-09-2005, 01:37 AM

The power supply you have is probably less than 350W, and thats short of what you need to run an A64 system. For what you'd need, you're looking at anywhere from $60-100, depending on the particular unit you get.

For the RAM, even if it is DDR, it's likely to be PC2100, and you'd need PC3200 (unless you want to throttle down your performance). If it's plain SDR SDRAM, then you have no choice but to get new RAM.

Coopa · 08-09-2005, 07:07 PM

So would a power supply comes with the new motherboard, and it is theoretical to use Ddr Sdram with the new processor even if it wouldn't increase performance greatly (I wouldn't buy any new of that. I just want to waste the old memory)

EDIT
Finally found some decent AMD Athlon XP's, the most recent I could find on other sites was 1800 (my one) but I found a 3200+ which sounds good. If the 3200 means it is as good as a 3.2ghz processor of equivalent quality (intel)

And I wouldn't need anything extra for that eh?

Here it is
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=62051

Can you also help me out with what these are?
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=51760

Cheers

Addis · 08-09-2005, 07:30 PM

The Athlon XP 3200 isn't quite as fast as a P4 3.3GHz, an A64 is however.
It will be good for most things though, and gaming won't be too bad with it.

I would actually recommend this Abit NF7-S ver2. Its very good and has great reviews and overclocking potential.
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=63401

Big B · 09-09-2005, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Coopa

So would a power supply comes with the new motherboard, and it is theoretical to use Ddr Sdram with the new processor even if it wouldn't increase performance greatly (I wouldn't buy any new of that. I just want to waste the old memory)

EDIT
Finally found some decent AMD Athlon XP's, the most recent I could find on other sites was 1800 (my one) but I found a 3200+ which sounds good. If the 3200 means it is as good as a 3.2ghz processor of equivalent quality (intel)

And I wouldn't need anything extra for that eh?

Here it is
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=62051

Can you also help me out with what these are?
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=51760

Cheers

Unless a store is offering a power supply with the motherboard, no, motherboards don't come with a power supply.

AMD's PR ratings for the Athlon XP are based off what the clock speed of the original Socket A core, Thunderbird, would need to run to offer the same performance. It is NOT related to the performance of an Intel processor. It was part of a marketing strategy to gain a larger customer base. People were basing the entire speed of the computer on how fast the CPU clock speed was, and Intel had that game in the bag.

Coopa · 11-09-2005, 05:59 PM

Well guys, thanks for your help. I think this will be my last query. Would it be fine to just buy the Xp 3200 that I showed you, and a fan. I would love to get a new motherboard but I would want to use my old Ram and I doubt I could do that.

Any little extras on top of my suggested buy and any last comments would be great

Big B · 11-09-2005, 06:05 PM

Well, without knowing what motherboard you have, it's a little hard to say yes. Probably the easiest thing to do is download something like Everest Home Edition or SiSoft Sandra and see what it says you have as the chipset. The other alternative is to contact your PC's manufacturer and find out how fast of a CPU you can put in there. It's silly to buy a CPU and not know if it's supported first.

Whiz · 11-09-2005, 06:11 PM

Maybe it would be a better idea to buy a Mobile Athlon XP if you really want to stay with Socket A.
However I had the same problem 2 months ago. My Athlon 1700+ died and I had to choose, stay with Socket A or change. I chose the first solution and after 2 weeks sold that crap and bought AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Socket 939) and overclocked it from 1800 to 2533MHz and bought a decent ASUS A8V Deluxe mobo. I don't regret. I will be enough for some time... And I spent only 280USD.

05-09-2005, 08:15 PM	#1 (permalink) Top
Coopa Geek Trainee Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 15 Status: Offline	Processor Upgrade Hi, I have a Micromaxx computer, with a AMD Athlon XP 1800+ (1.53ghz) I am interested in upgrading to a new processor, I've upgraded gfx card and memory so processor is now lagging behind. I think I'm right in saying that I would need a 754pin or Socket A processor, but I really don't want to spend and then find out it doesnt work. I think I would want an AMD Athlon 64 3200, 3400 etc, but can you explain why the clock speed is much lower than say a equivalent priced Intel processor. Ones 2.2ghz, the other is 3.0ghz. Is that relevant as I always thought it was all the clock speed but do I think wrong. Thanks Any help extra to the subject is very welcome. Cheers!

05-09-2005, 07:32 PM	#3 (permalink) Top
Addis The King Join Date: Jan 2004 Age: 18 Male Posts: 5,255 Times Helpful: 403 My Mood: Drunk Status: Online My Computer	Clock speed is not a reliable indicator of performance anymore. AMD CPUs perform much better than Intel CPUs at the same clock speed, thus only the 3GHz Intel ones can compete. If you're looking for a upgrade, I'd stray away from S754 or Socket A. They're both outdated, especially SocketA. You're better off getting a Socket 939 motherboard with an Athlon 64 3000 or higher. That'll give you more upgrade options if needed. __________________ Never trust a program you don't have the source code for. My website \| Powerful Desktop Linux \| Linux for human beings \| Linux for power users \| Linux for ricers

05-09-2005, 11:53 PM	#5 (permalink) Top
Big B HWF Godfather Join Date: Dec 2001 Age: 28 Male Posts: 9,640 Times Helpful: 585 My Mood: Devilish Status: Offline My Computer	If you're looking for a straight CPU upgrade with what you have, then you may see if you can find an Athlon XP 2600+ with a 266MHz FSB. However, if you have a few hundred to spend, then I'd go to a Socket 939 platform. __________________ Hardware Forums\|HWF Rules\|My DVD's\|PSU FAQ\|HWF Folding Team\|2CPU

06-09-2005, 06:56 PM	#6 (permalink) Top
Coopa Geek Trainee Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 15 Status: Offline	Cheers guys, really appreciate your help!! I'm going to have a look at motherboard bundles, how easy are they to install? I'd be interested in getting one that can have my RAM that I use at the moment so I could add it all together and of the motherboard bundles I have seen, they are without gfx card, as I have a 9600xt which I am very pleased with. My RAM, I cant find out what type it is quickly, although I did order a 512mb extra which worked perfectly. I think its SDRAM, as I had to not get a Dimm model as it wouldn't work A few ideas http://www.savastore.com/productinfo...0275596&pid=40 http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/s...tml?MBB-643451 I'm in the UK, willing to spend approx £200 if it were on a motherboard bundle EDIT - Just been looking around a bit more. http://www.digit-life.com/articles2/...n-64-3400.html This sounds very good for me, and its socket 754, just another idea to throw into the pile. Thats if my Computer has socket 754 not A Last edited by Coopa; 06-09-2005 at 07:04 PM.

06-09-2005, 07:08 PM	#7 (permalink) Top
Big B HWF Godfather Join Date: Dec 2001 Age: 28 Male Posts: 9,640 Times Helpful: 585 My Mood: Devilish Status: Offline My Computer	Motherboards aren't terribly difficult. Of course, this is assuming you read the directions. These days most things are auto-detected, and if you have to set any jumpers, there's usually just a few. Just make sure to power the motherboard on outside of the case first. Things you may want to factor in on the upgrade; -Power supply. What you have in your current machine is probably not going to be enough to run an A64 setup. -RAM: you need to have PC3200 DDR for the A64 route. If you go to Intel you'll need at least PC3200 DDR2, possibly faster. __________________ Hardware Forums\|HWF Rules\|My DVD's\|PSU FAQ\|HWF Folding Team\|2CPU

05-09-2005, 07:30 PM	#2 (permalink) Top
Girtho961 Big Geek Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 17 Male Posts: 281 Times Helpful: 24 Status: Offline My Computer	AMD CPUs do more per clock cycle so an AMD CPU at 2.2ghz is as fast as an Intel at 3 or 3.2 ghz. The diffence is due to different CPU architecture and that AMD's have an onboard memory controller right on the CPU. So CPU speed isnt all about ghz, which is what i thought untill i did some research. what price range are you looking at for your CPU.

05-09-2005, 07:33 PM	#4 (permalink) Top
Girtho961 Big Geek Join Date: Jul 2005 Age: 17 Male Posts: 281 Times Helpful: 24 Status: Offline My Computer	I agree with addis if that option is in your price range.

07-09-2005, 05:53 PM	#8 (permalink) Top
Coopa Geek Trainee Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 15 Status: Offline	Sorry I dont really understand what you mean by power supply, and I take it you mean my current RAM would not be compatible with a new motherboard I were to get

08-09-2005, 01:37 AM	#9 (permalink) Top
Big B HWF Godfather Join Date: Dec 2001 Age: 28 Male Posts: 9,640 Times Helpful: 585 My Mood: Devilish Status: Offline My Computer	The power supply you have is probably less than 350W, and thats short of what you need to run an A64 system. For what you'd need, you're looking at anywhere from $60-100, depending on the particular unit you get. For the RAM, even if it is DDR, it's likely to be PC2100, and you'd need PC3200 (unless you want to throttle down your performance). If it's plain SDR SDRAM, then you have no choice but to get new RAM. __________________ Hardware Forums\|HWF Rules\|My DVD's\|PSU FAQ\|HWF Folding Team\|2CPU

08-09-2005, 07:07 PM	#10 (permalink) Top
Coopa Geek Trainee Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 15 Status: Offline	So would a power supply comes with the new motherboard, and it is theoretical to use Ddr Sdram with the new processor even if it wouldn't increase performance greatly (I wouldn't buy any new of that. I just want to waste the old memory) EDIT Finally found some decent AMD Athlon XP's, the most recent I could find on other sites was 1800 (my one) but I found a 3200+ which sounds good. If the 3200 means it is as good as a 3.2ghz processor of equivalent quality (intel) And I wouldn't need anything extra for that eh? Here it is http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=62051 Can you also help me out with what these are? http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=51760 Cheers Last edited by Coopa; 08-09-2005 at 07:18 PM.

08-09-2005, 07:30 PM	#11 (permalink) Top
Addis The King Join Date: Jan 2004 Age: 18 Male Posts: 5,255 Times Helpful: 403 My Mood: Drunk Status: Online My Computer	The Athlon XP 3200 isn't quite as fast as a P4 3.3GHz, an A64 is however. It will be good for most things though, and gaming won't be too bad with it. I would actually recommend this Abit NF7-S ver2. Its very good and has great reviews and overclocking potential. http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=63401 __________________ Never trust a program you don't have the source code for. My website \| Powerful Desktop Linux \| Linux for human beings \| Linux for power users \| Linux for ricers

11-09-2005, 05:59 PM	#13 (permalink) Top
Coopa Geek Trainee Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 15 Status: Offline	Well guys, thanks for your help. I think this will be my last query. Would it be fine to just buy the Xp 3200 that I showed you, and a fan. I would love to get a new motherboard but I would want to use my old Ram and I doubt I could do that. Any little extras on top of my suggested buy and any last comments would be great

11-09-2005, 06:05 PM	#14 (permalink) Top
Big B HWF Godfather Join Date: Dec 2001 Age: 28 Male Posts: 9,640 Times Helpful: 585 My Mood: Devilish Status: Offline My Computer	Well, without knowing what motherboard you have, it's a little hard to say yes. Probably the easiest thing to do is download something like Everest Home Edition or SiSoft Sandra and see what it says you have as the chipset. The other alternative is to contact your PC's manufacturer and find out how fast of a CPU you can put in there. It's silly to buy a CPU and not know if it's supported first. __________________ Hardware Forums\|HWF Rules\|My DVD's\|PSU FAQ\|HWF Folding Team\|2CPU

11-09-2005, 06:11 PM	#15 (permalink) Top
Whiz Geek Trainee Join Date: Sep 2005 Age: 29 Male Posts: 4 Times Helpful: 1 Status: Offline	Maybe it would be a better idea to buy a Mobile Athlon XP if you really want to stay with Socket A. However I had the same problem 2 months ago. My Athlon 1700+ died and I had to choose, stay with Socket A or change. I chose the first solution and after 2 weeks sold that crap and bought AMD Athlon 64 3000+ (Socket 939) and overclocked it from 1800 to 2533MHz and bought a decent ASUS A8V Deluxe mobo. I don't regret. I will be enough for some time... And I spent only 280USD.

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