Component questions from someone who hasn't researched computers in over 8 years.

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figarojones

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Aug 29, 2013
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In the late 90's through the mid-00's, I was really into researching and building my own machines. I had a lot of knowledge about hardware, and PC builds. Then, I became a grownup and had a kid, and my focus shifted considerably. I decreasingly followed hardware advancements over the next couple years, until I pretty much lost all awareness of newer tech.

So, the rig I was running (Built specifically to run Half-Life 2 and Doom 3):
Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe
AMD 64 3500+
(2) ATI Radeon 7600 on SLI
4GB DDR RAM


Well, the time has come to get a new PC (Mobo is dying, if not dead), and I'm finding myself completely overwhelmed with the choices I have. From what I've gathered, AMD has really fallen behind (Though it always had it's detractors, so maybe it's just more of the same), Pentium & Athlon are no longer even a thing, there's a competitor to SLI called Crossfire, and we're on the verge of ddr4.

I'm no longer into heavy gaming (I may wind up playing HL3, should it ever come out, but I'll just upgrade my video cards at that point). So here's my question(s);
Is there a MOBO made within the last few years that is compatible with socket-939, PCI-express, and ddr1?
If not, is there cpu/MOBO combo that would be compatible with my video cards and ram?
If not, is anything transferable from my current system to a newer one?
Supposing none of these is possible, and I have to purchase all new components, what would be a MOBO/CPU combo that was top of the line about 2-3 years ago, and would now be reasonably priced and do what I need?

Thank you all for any time you spend helping this experienced newb.
 
Solution
lp231
It's not wise to go with old stuffs just to save because they're also obsolete and there is no room for upgrade. Here is a config for a brand new system.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($174.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($31.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H87-D3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($68.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Storage:...
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OldSchool84

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Oct 30, 2013
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You want all "New-to-you" parts, hit up eBay. If you want something new but a generation or 2 old, hit up eBay, Amazon, and newegg. Personally, even if I was building a computer just for Linux and surfing the web, I wouldn't try to buy any replacements for such a rig. Technology has come a LOOOOOONG way since 939 and DDR1, but with that aside, you will just be wasting money on old gear if you plan to own a computer for many years to come. With all that said, 939 and DDR1 aren't dead yet but the ol' girl is on crutches. I have 2 939 boards that I was using for BitCoin mining so I can say they do still have some life, just not enough to warrant spending more money on, unless you can get a board at a computer shop for 10 bucks like I did. Lastly, if you plan on playing a new game, UPGRADE! I purchased my whole setup for $600 and I got 2 GTX 480's, Core i5-2500K, 8GB's Ram, MSI Z87 MoBo, Corsair 750W PSU, and a 256GB SSD....... Wait for it......... From eBay..... If you take some time you can find good deals on used, refurbished, and even new parts, and I just run over to newegg and I google reviews on the parts before bidding. Hope I helped a little.
 
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RaDiKaL_

RaDiKaL_

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Apr 17, 2006
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No, there's no new mobos compatible with socket 939 and/or ddr1.

if your video cards are PCI-E then they will work on any mobo around. (just curious, are those Ati HD 7600 or Nvidia 7600?).


You could go with Intel, which for the last years has been ahead of AMD clock per clock performance:

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157370
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116946

or with AMD for a cheaper solution (performance difference it's only noted on latest games or edition/rendering but there the extra cores one gets at a cheaper price makes AMD a best bang for the buck option):

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128656
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113328

A third option from AMD as well, this one with more cores though based on AM3+ socket (dunno if it's roadmap will last for a while since FM2 it's the newest one, some1 might clarify this issue):

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157420
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286

Granted you could save more choosing cheaper mobos for either option, but if you're gonna make an investment I suggest to put some more on the mobo specially if you plan it to use it for several years.
 
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lp231

lp231

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Mar 24, 2006
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It's not wise to go with old stuffs just to save because they're also obsolete and there is no room for upgrade. Here is a config for a brand new system.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: Intel Core i5-4430 3.0GHz Quad-Core Processor ($174.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($31.00 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H87-D3H ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($68.00 @ Newegg)
Storage: Samsung 840 EVO 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk ($99.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Western Digital Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($64.95 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Gigabyte Radeon R9 270X 2GB Video Card ($205.91 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 300R ATX Mid Tower Case ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: Corsair Enthusiast 650W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply ($59.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-04 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $869.80
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-11-07 01:18 EST-0500)
 
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Solution
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figarojones

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Aug 29, 2013
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10,510
Thanks for the feedback, guys!

You guys have listed PSU's going up to 750w. I have a 560w PSU. Would that be enough for some of the components you guys are recommending?

RaDiKaL_: You're totally right. I'm running two Nvidia 7600GTs. Does that change things?


Also, could you perchance point me toward a little more general info about which CPU's to look for (Used to be Pentium vs Athlon, but now I see i4, i5, Sandybridge, Haswell, Trinity, Vasheera, etc.), and which MOBO companies are more reliable (I seem to remember Asus and Gigabyte being the high end, but I could be wrong).

Thanks again!
 
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lp231

lp231

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Mar 24, 2006
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It's still Asus and Gigabyte, but there are also others thats good too like Msi andAsrock.
For Cpus on Intel side, they name it so its easier to tell which one you need.
Celeron=value, a dual core for light use
Pentium Dual core= still a dual core with a bit more power than the Celeron
Core i3= Dual core+Hyperthread 2c/4t. For basic use, but good enough that it won't lag when watching HD content and when playing some light games.
Core i5=Quad core, a gaming Cpu that has the best bang for the buck.
Core i7=quad core+hyperthread 4c/8t, top of the line. For gaming, and those who does Hd video encoding and image editing.
Both corei5 and i7 has one cpu with a K moniker. This is unlock, so its easier to overclock, just like how Intel does with its Extreme Editions Cpus.
The most current is Haswell, using socket 1150.
 
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RaDiKaL_

RaDiKaL_

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Apr 17, 2006
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figarojones, as long as your 7600 GT are PCI-E (they should be, the GS version was agp) they should run on the new mobo.

If that 560w PSU your planning to use is the old one you have, I'd recommend you to buy a new one, it's very likely that your PSU days are counted, it would be a shame if the PSU dies taking the new PC with it.

The corsair enthusiast PSU lp231 suggested is a nice PSU for a nice price.

He also covered the Intel cpus, for AMD you want either AM3+ Vishera cpus, or the new FM2 socket ones where you'd have to look whether its an APU (CPU+GPU on cpu chipset) or the "clean" versions like the Athlon X4 750K Trinity I listed.

One thing that I wasn't sure because of your GPU, but an AMD APU integrated GPU(say A10-5800k) will be much powerful than both your 7600GT in SLI, so may wanna consider that CPU instead.

Mobo: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157370
CPU: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113280
 
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