JackHammer

OK I'm thinking about upgrading so I'm gonna need some advice on what to get. Currently I have an Asus P4E motherboard that's running a 1.4ghz cpu and have 512 RDRAM. I have a nice 128 mb AGP video card. I want to updagrad so I can play the new games like BF2 and the likes. What mobo/cpu combo should I look into. Thanks. I want to minimize cost.

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JackHammer

How is the
intel Pentium 4 3.0E Prescott 800MHz FSB 1MB L2 Cache Socket 478 Processor

DarkFury

Good.. but I'd say for the $$$ go for the Prescott 3.2 instead.

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JackHammer

But newegg is having a sale for the retail version of the 3.0 for $180.

DarkFury

Well if that is what your budget allows... but the 3.2 is only like $30 - $40 more, is a slightly better overclocker and is faster by default.

Either will work... and would be better than what you already have.

JackHammer

But overall those two chips are good right? They are not going to be outdated anytime soon, right?

This is my breakdown thus far:
Category Model Price+shipping
Mobo ASUS P4P800SE Socket 478 Intel 865PE ATX Intel Motherboard 97.00
CPU intel Pentium 4 3.0E Prescott 800MHz FSB 1MB L2 Cache 182.00
RAM Crucial 2x512mb 94.00
Total 373.00

DarkFury

Let's put it this way....

Socket 478 is dead... the end of the road (i.e. the highest speed chip you can use with socket 478) is a Pentium 4 Prescott 3.4GHz which would be still a bit more expensive (around $280 retail boxed). So more or less I'd say get as much power as you can afford since your next upgrade will require you to replace the motherboard.

Like I said before, there's nothing wrong with the 3.0.... however of you are a "tweaker" you can push the 3.2 a little bit further than you can a 3.0... Personally, mine was able to hit 3.6 Ghz with standard air cooling. But after awhile, I backed mine down to 3.2... since I don't wanna take any chances burning it up (since it wouldn't be economically prudent to replace it.)

BTW.. I thought that you were keeping your old motherboard. I would highly recommend that you NOT buy a Socket 478 mobo just to get a 3.0 CPU. Your future path with this combo is too short.

Personally, if you want to stick with Intel (to the chagrin of all those AMD folks out there... ) then I'd go with their more current Socket 775 layout. Then you can ramp up the speed a bit and still have some room to grow into the future as this is where the newer/faster Intel CPUs are going.

JackHammer

OK thanks for the info. Here's my latest combo:

CPU intel Pentium 4 630 Prescott 2MB L2 Cache LGA 775 EM64T 3.0 ghz - $187
Mobo - ASUS P5P800 Socket T (LGA 775) Intel 865PE ATX - $$97
RAM - $95

Total $379

This CPU supports 64 bit but I don't have windows in 64...just the regular. Would that work?

SnowSurfer

i think you can probably get cheaper with with an athlon 64/socket 939 motherboard it will be cooler and faster to boot

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JackHammer

I've always used the intel and asus combo is the last 3 computers that I've built. I don't like AMD. I don't have a real reason for that. I just don't like them.

DarkFury

Heh.. knew someone from the AMD camp would show up to say otherwise.

SnowSurfer

i used to be a die hard intel fan but after going to amd, i just dont want to go back and pay more sorry thats just my opinion

ontopic: im sure you can find some stuff on ebay cheaper than ordering it from a store

DarkFury

You sound like a candidate for one of those "switch" commercials.

kimchicowboy

at least he'd get a real warranty from a store, right? rather than buy from ebay.

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