I just acquired a P4 Northwood 2.8GHz in an "old" Gateway Profile 4 or 5 pc. I am currently running an Athlon XP 2600+ from 2003. I planned on building a new comp this year but the price tag for the one I want is like 2200 and as a college student I just don't have that. My question follows:

Where the eff can I get a socket 478 mPGA motherboard nowadays? I don't see them anywhere, other than a crappy biostar that newegg sells and some absurdly expensive Tyans. What is a good socket 478 MB for a Northwood that can get me by for another 2 years until I have the money together to build a real comp?

The P4 2.8 isn't *that* much better than the Athlon XP - certainly not worth changing the motherboard and all that fuss.

http://tomshardware.co.uk/2002/08/ [...] e_in_power

I'd advise you to sell the 2.8 on eBay and save your cash for a better computer later on...

I would also suport the idea of not using the p4 2.8 chip to build a new system around if you already have the Athlon XP.

Save up the cash and find a new CPU/MB combination that you like for the future. As newer CPU speeds are released, those midrange processors will fall in price quickly, and they will be available on the cheap. Only then, when you find something that will definitely outrun the Athlon XP chip, should you switch.

Ebay is also a great option. It just takes a little risk. Personally, I have purchased a few CPUs and video cards off Ebay without any problems, but I do realize, each time, that I am accepting that risk.

That depends on if it's a B or C chip. If it is a C then it will smoke a socket A. My 2.4c at stock benched the same as my 2800 Barton and it kills the Barton when overclocked to 3.2.