Need Dual Core advice...

[mikey1969]

Hello alll, I'm getting ready to build a new system, and I have a few questions, I've seen a few answers here, but I'm not sure if anyone has asked this EXACT question...

I'm thinking about doing a Dual Core system, since I do graphic design, and sometimes like to have Photoshop, Illustrator, my internet browser, and some kind of music app open all at the same time.

Since I am on a budget, I will be buying parts on a monthly basis, and what I want to know is if there are regular chips that will work in the dual core socket.

In other words, can I buy a single core(Is that even the right term?) chip and use it in a board made for dual core until I save a little more money and buy the dual core, or is that just wishful thinking?

Any help on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike Wells

 

[xslimmiejimmiex]

Definately dude,
you could buy a dual-core motherboard and use a single-core processor for the time being (rather than spending $300+ on a dual-core processor + another $100 or more on a motherboard). You just need to match the single-core processor with the dual-core motherboard (socket 939 dual-core motherboard with socket 939 single-core CPU)

i.e.= ASUS A8N-SLI Premium motherboard (dual-core motherboard) and AMD Athlon 64 3800+ processor (single-core processor)

you need to determine what chipset you want, AMD or Intel based motherboard.

AMD: socket 939 motherboard(dual-core compatible)
Intel: socket 775 motherboard(dual-core compatible)

AMD has the upper-hand in gaming/video/overall... It generates less heat is more reliable... Do your research and determine which motherboard is right for your usage[that also is dual-core compatible] then determine what single core processor you want to purchase now.

These sites may help you with CPU:
http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20050603/stresstest-09.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20051121/index.html

Motherboard helpful sites:
http://www.anandtech.com/mb/[url] [url]http://www.hardwarezone.com/home/
http://newegg.com/ good prices, you can read reviews,too
http://www.tomshardware.com/index.html

The main thing you must keep in mind is:
1.) what will you be using your computer for
2.) what motherboard you want/features
3.) what CPU you want/how much you want to spend [make sure the single-core CPU is either socket 939 or socket 775, whatever the motherboard is].

--Research,research,reserach. I didn't know anything until i found everything out on my own through websites,reviews,articles,forums, etc.

Hope this helps. Good luck. -peace[/url]

 

[mikey1969]

Right on! Thanks for the reply. Yes, I was looking to find out if I could get a single core processor for the time being on a dual core compatible board!

You DID bring up something else I have been wondering about. Since I don't have a bunch of money to spend, sometimes I don't follow the new trends at first, otherwise I'll just get excited about stuff I can't afford...

Anyway, what IS SLI, anyway? I have noticed it brought up a LOT in the last 3 weeks or so.

 

[xslimmiejimmiex]

SLI= Scalable Link Interface. It's basically just connecting 2 video cards together (2 GeForce 7800GTX's). It's popular, but the market isn't ready for em' yet... Games don't support em', but eventually the market will have a great demand for em'. I'm not in the mood to spend $400 on a new video card plus another $400 ($800) plus another $150-$300 on a new Power Supply that can handle SLI (450 and higher watts). Unless you're a hardcore gamer or a image/video enthusiast, you can spend the money... However, you can get an SLI-compatible motherboard and not spend the money on 2 video cards, and only have 1, but be prepared for SLI in the near future ...

more on SLI:
http://graphics.tomshardware.com/graphic/20040628/


I, too am getting dual-core motherboard (AMD socket 939) along with the AMD X2 4400+ CPU (dual-core). I don't have the money to spend it all at once either, that's why i'm asking these geniuses in the forums for what they think i should do first for upgrading [i'm upgrading everything of mine]. But anyways, SLI is just if you want to hook up 2 of the same current video cards together for extra performance... Hope this helps. Good luck with everything! Let me know if you got more questions -peace 8)[/url]

 

[RamaX]

read my thread here Dell VS build my own (should be right next to yours) ...i got a TON of great reponses/advice, alot about dual core, which ive been convinced to use one 1 if not all 3 systems im building.

 

[mikey1969]

Cool, thanks for the info on SLI... I think this is something I can wait for, too... Right now I have all the video I need. Dual head Radeon 9600, good enough for gaming, and gives me dual monitors for Photoshop and such...

Appreciate the help!

 

[pickxx]

In other words, can I buy a single core(Is that even the right term?) chip and use it in a board made for dual core until I save a little more money and buy the dual core, or is that just wishful thinking?

Actually its the other way around....you would be putting a Dually into a single core board. Almost all boards were designed for single core and then dual core just happens to work in them.




My advice....get a Chaintech VNF4Ultra board...it is $65-$70 and its a good board. Get a 3800+ X2....$330....get a UBER cheap 6600 256MB for $99, get 2GB of value ram for $160 (click here for link) and a cheap ass case, a nice 400W FSP power supply for like $60, a 250GB HDD for $99, a optical for like $35 total cost is.....$850-$900 after tax and shipping.

That gives you a HELLA good Photoshop machine.

 

[xslimmiejimmiex]

Appreciate the help!

No problem man, hope we'll both end up with sweet setups.

Actually its the other way around....you would be putting a Dually into a single core board. Almost all boards were designed for single core and then dual core just happens to work in them.

Yah, what he said...my bad.