Socket A and PCI-Express?

[LazerMane]

My current setup is thus: 2ghz Athlon XP processor, Radeon 9200 128mb video card, and a 1GB dual-channel kit of ram on a motherboard that doesn't support SATA, or dual-channel memory, and it only runs my video card at 4x maximum.

What I want to do is take my perfectly good processor and buy a new motherboard for it as well as a video card of the PCI-Express variety.

According to both Zipzoomfly.com and Newegg.com, motherboards that have a PCI-E slot and processor Socket A/462 don't exist.

Why is this?

Is my only opinion at this point to buy a new AMD 64bit processor that runs at the same speed that my Athlon XP does for a wasted 160 dollars?

 

[Crashman]

Socket 462 is no longer being developed. There aren't any new chipsets supporting it, hence there aren't any PCI-Express chipsets supporting it.

 

[BlueMoonKid]

The socket A CPU would not benefit from a PCI Express interface as it does not have the computing horsepower to run programs/hardware that would use PCI-e. Socket A / PCI-e are incompatible so there are no motherboards for it. There are still socket A motherboards available for AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) x8 and many AGP x8 video cards. This is the maximum that can be acheived with a socket A processor. It is also the cheapest way to go. If you have more funds than this then it may be time for a newer CPU / motherboard - AMDs 754 0r 939 CPUs. Your socket A cannot be expanded to match 754 / 939 CPU performance. Many newer games require at least a 754 CPU to run well. Socket A systems run well so I would keep it. Perhaps it is time for a 2nd system ?

 

[Admiral_Cecil]

Hello,

The new socket 939 CPU 2ghz-2.8ghz can outperform any AMD XP CPU's. More efficient manf process. Excellent memory controller for up to 4 gb dual channel DDR. Support for the new PCI-E/ SLI and crossfire cards. Sata I and II. And more.


AMD proves that Intel's higher speeds doesn't mean it performs that much better. Check the CPU guide.

 

[Crashman]

BlueMoonKid, it's not about CPU power it's about relevance. XP's are fine CPU's and pleanty powerful enough compared to mainstream CPU's that the interface is only being neglected because sales are dying off.

An A64 4400 can't benefit from PCI-Express any more than the XP would. AGP8x is faster than any of today's graphics cards need.

 

[BlueMoonKid]

You do have a point . . perhaps why they dont sell Apple //e's anymore. That was one of my first computers and it had a 1 mhz CPU . . .yet it could outrun (5 times faster) any serious database program that runs on Windows XP / 98 / 2003 with its Appleworks database. Shame an 8 bit program at 1 mhz can do so much better.

 

[Crashman]

Companies simply don't develope new hardware to support EOL products. Easy, complete answer.