Do i need to upgrade my cpu? Or something else?

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O

omaha

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Hi, i am interested in upgrading my computer, and as a noob, need your help

My cpu maxes out often, (I play a lot of poker, which uses heaps of graphics, memory, databases, etc) at 100%.

I have recently upgraded to 3G ram

What upgrades do you suggest? Is it possible to run two or more cpus on my board, or am i best to just have one more powerful one?

Maybe i dont need a new cpu after all, and there are bottlenecks elsewhere that i am unaware of?

Following is an internal specs of my machine-please note that this was run prior to me upgrading my ram to 3G

Kindest regards,

Paul

*CPU-Z 1.42 report file*
>
> *Processor(s)*
> *Number of processors* 1
> *Number of cores* 1 per processor
> *Number of threads* 1 (max 1) per processor
> *Name* AMD Athlon 64 3500+
> *Code Name* Venice
> *Specification* AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3500+
> *Package* Socket 939
> *Family/Model/Stepping* F.F.2
> *Extended Family/Model* F.2F
> *Brand ID* 4
> *Core Stepping* DH-E6
> *Technology* 90 nm
> *Core Speed* 2211.5 MHz
> *Multiplier x Bus speed* 11.0 x 201.0 MHz
> *HT Link speed* 1005.2 MHz
> *Stock frequency* 2200 MHz
> *Instruction sets* MMX (+), 3DNow! (+), SSE, SSE2, SSE3, x86-64
> *L1 Data cache (per processor)* 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
> *L1 Instruction cache (per processor)* 64 KBytes, 2-way set associative, 64-byte line size
> *L2 cache (per processor)* 512 KBytes, 16-way set associative, 64-byte line size
>
> *Chipset & Memory*
> *Northbridge* NVIDIA nForce4 rev. A3
> *Southbridge* NVIDIA nForce4 MCP rev. A3
> *Memory Type* DDR
> *Memory Size* 1024 MBytes
> *Memory Frequency* 201.0 MHz (CPU/11)
> *CAS# Latency (tCL)* 2.5 clocks
> *RAS# to CAS# (tRCD)* 3 clocks
> *RAS# Precharge (tRP)* 3 clocks
> *Cycle Time (tRAS)* 8 clocks
> *Bank Cycle Time (tRC)* 11 clocks
> *DRAM Idle Timer* 16 clocks
> *Command Rate (CR)* 2T
>
> *System*
> *System Manufacturer* System manufacturer
> *System Name* System Product Name
> *System S/N* System Serial Number
> *Mainboard Vendor* ASUSTeK Computer INC.
> *Mainboard Model* A8N-SLI DELUXE
> *BIOS Vendor* Phoenix Technologies, LTD
> *BIOS Version* ASUS A8N-SLI DELUXE ACPI BIOS Revision 1013
> *BIOS Date* 07/26/2005
>
> *Memory SPD*
> *Module 1* DDR, PC3200 (200 MHz), 512 MBytes, Corsair
> *Module 2* DDR, PC3200 (200 MHz), 512 MBytes, Corsair
>
> *Software*
> *Windows Version* Microsoft Windows XP Professional Service Pack 2 (Build 2600)
> *DirectX Version* 9.0c
 
OlSkoolChopper

OlSkoolChopper

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I'm no rocket scientist like most of the guys on here, but I can tell you that you cant run a second CPU on your board or prety well any other AMD mobo but the knee-slapper QuadFX which was purchased by two addled little old ladies in Iowa who thought they were getting a cable channel. :) Your extra RAM should have helped some, but your system is a couple of genertions old, single core, outdated video, etc. You may have made a mistake by adding RAM as PC3200 is now no good in any modern board. You can get some fantstic dual and quad core cpu/mobo packages for under $300 (go Intel... AMD is S.O.L rite now) which with a modern vid card and 2GB RAM should make it zoom. You shuld also be aware if your playing poker online a lot of it is depindent on your broadband speed. No cpu can help that! Just make sure that you hang up the sign up over your PC when your playing: Liquor in the front, Poker in the rear! :)
 
Evilonigiri

Evilonigiri

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Your pc is a bit outdated so there is only 2 choices here:
1.) Build a new pc (or buy one).
2.) Assuming you built it, you can try overclocking.

It's pretty much not worth upgrading, although if you really must, newegg offers some 939 Socket dual-core cpu. Dual-core meaning 2 cpus on a single die :)

If you bought your pc from a company like Dell, Gateway, emachines, etc, then I suggest you not to upgrade and learn how to build a pc.
 
O

omaha

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Thanks for the replies guys.

I had someone build it for me a few years ago, who warned me to steer clear of the dells, etc as they wernt upgradable, but his were.

I posted this original on the poker website, and someone pointed me towards

http://www.pricewatch.com/cpu/socket_939.htm

They seem to have cpus that go from 40 dollars to 450. Are all suitable?

I dont really play any games on it (apart from a shiitload of poker), so i am pretty happy with it.

Although i can stay with it, what would be the max cpu i could upgrade to?

Will i really see much difference?

The newegg link was for a AMD Athlon 64 X2 3600+ Manchester 2.0GHz 2 x 256KB L2 Cache Socket 939 89W Dual-Core Processor - OEM

Mine seems to be a 3500+ 2.2Ghz, isnt this about the same as the newegg one? Or is the newegg one twice as fast, as it is a dual core cpu

Sorry if my questions are kinda retarded, i am WAAAAY out of my league in the forums here, so all advice much appreciated
 
caamsa

caamsa

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If all you are running is single threaded programs keep what you have. Getting a dual core cpu will only speed up programs that can take advantage of them. In regards to gaming don't believe all the hype you hear a lot of single core cpus can easily hold their own in older games that don't take advantage of the multiple cores. Most games are more dependent on the GPU and not the CPU. Only recently have games started to come out that support multiple cores.
 
Falken699

Falken699

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Toss a Dual Core Opteron in it, and OC it.

I have a S939, OC'd to 2.25Ghz and I can play Crysis on Max settings (with the DX10 hack) at 1440x900, and it is VERY playable, about 30FPS.

I figure my "dated" S939 should be good till the 45nm Octals are out :)
 
E

endyen

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Online poker does not use dual cores, so your chip is probably not the problem. It doesn't need more than a gig of ram, nor does it use what we would call intensive graphics.
You may have poor internet service. Are you using DSL/ADSL in the U.S.? If so, that is probably not your problem either.
My guess is that you are running so much crap in the background, that your system has bogged.
A clean install is your best bet, but you can "click run, type in msconfig, hit OK, click the startup tab, and uncheck everything you think you dont need, while playing poker"
Good luck.
 
O

omaha

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I dont have any stuff in the background, and have done the adaware/spyware/virus check, etc

My main problem is that, while playying poker, i get constant cpu spikes, and occasional trouble. I play party poker, have pokertracker 2, and pokerace heads up display, and spadeye running, all of which really suck up the cpu

I have broadband, and am here in australia. My problem is not the net, just the cpu spikes.

Is there anything else (other bottlenecks, perhaps? -eg i upgraded my ram, and it is heaps better than before) that it may be, apart from my cpu.

Would also like peoples opinions on cpus, they range from ah heck all, to $450us

Many thanks
 
S

someguy7

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online poker shouldnt be any trouble for your current system. But none the less I would uprade to socket 939 x2. Shouldnt run you to much money if you can track them down in your country. What web browser are you using by the way? Your cpu should eat up online poker like its nothing.
 
J

jitpublisher

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May 16, 2006
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Good grief people, come on. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the system he has for online poker. Any upgrade other than your internet service is a complete waste of money for what you are doing and will not help one tiny bit.

Omaha, what kind of internet service are you using currently?
 
B

bliq

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It's hard to say what the right course of action is here. Most people think poker shouldn't tax a A64 3500+ (though that is one of the slower A64s I think- 256MB L2?). Try a A64 4000+. The S939 dual cores are getting pretty expensive. personally, I'd try the A64 4000+ before I tried the X2 3600+. I believe that one might be cache crippled also. You'd have to check but I don't remember it to be much of a performer.
 
O

ohiou_grad_06

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I think socket 939 3600 x2 are only 256 kb of cache. I think tigerdirect still has the 3800 x2 with larger cache for 60 dollars US currency. Would also look at ebay. Should be able to get an x2 4200 or 3800 x2 for a reasonable price, then he could overclock it for more speed. But I would not dump too much into the socket 939.

Also he said he's getting cpu spikes and has a lot of programs running in the background. I think the dual core would take some load off. Because we who have dual cores and have had single cores, you can do a lot more multitasking on a dual core. That said I would NOT put more than 60-80 dollars US currency into a socket 939 chip. The reason is that it's an end of life upgrade, and any socket 939 upgrades are going to worth less than moving to a newer platform.
 
TechnologyCoordinator

TechnologyCoordinator

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Personally, I wouldn't put any more money in commiting to S939.

S939 uses DDR, nothing modern does.

I would move to dual or quad core.

If you go dual, AMD and Intel both have great offerings.

If you go quad, Intel is the only company I can recommend.
 
rockyjohn

rockyjohn

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I agree with others that is sounds most likely that background apps or internet service is biggest problem. I can't imagine that online poker - which I don't play - is that CPU or graphics intensive.
Still, what graphics card do you have? Or is it onboard - if so which one? I did not see you list the card. Onboard graphics are pretty good today for routine applications, but I don't know about when you purchased yours.
Also, you said that you recently increased memory to 3 GB, but the cpu-z listing you provided seemed to only report 1 GB. Did you upgrade after the report?
Have you defragged your HD any time in the recent past? This probably has less impact on online activities, but who knows if you can't find another source.
 
O

omaha

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HD is defragged all the time, as is ad aware, spy bot, and no viruses.
Have a broadband connection here, but that is NOT the problem
Yes, rockyjohn is right, i upgradedto 3gig ram, but i posted the cpuz report from before the upgrade

Thoughts on this-

Checked out ebay, and this was pulled from a gateway server



MINT - AMD Opteron 875 2.2GHz Socket 940 - OST875FAA6CC for $135

New, on pricewatch, they are $435

I am thinking, price wise, i could afford this easily, but what are everybodys thoughts on buying from OS on ebay, on items i know are second hand?

I know everybody seems to think that poker couldnt tax it so much, but it does, unfortunatly the sites dont have streamlined software, and the imports of hands is pretty cpu intensive. There are a few million hands in a database, which gets constantly upgraded and played with

My current thoughts are to get a second hand really good cpu from ebay, from a seller who has many favourable comments.

All help and thoughts on this much appreciated

Also, what is a bios update? Is this hardware/software/ easy to upgrade/difficult to upgrade?
 
O

omaha

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AMD Opteron 170 (939 pin) 2.0GHz Dual-Core, retail

Price: $ 215.00 / Each
Qty
Product Code: CP-AD-OP170
-----------------------------------------------------------
Product Description:
AMD Opteron 170 2.0GHz 64-Bit Processor CPU, 2MB cache, 939pin
Part# OSA170CDBOX

Would this opteron 170 improve things by much?

My amd athlon 64 3500 is a 2.21Gh, is this much better? If so, by what factor?
 
O

ohiou_grad_06

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I still think you'd be better pricewise with a 3800 x2 or 4200 x2. You may actually see a decrease on single threaded apps at stock, b/c the opty has a real speed of 2 ghz. But where it will help is with all the extra stuff. So myself, I'd be looking at the 3800 x2 or 4200 x2, which are still available in socket 939. That way, you'd get by cheaper, and still get benefits of dual core. That should hold you until you go to another platform.
 
rockyjohn

rockyjohn

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When you say you have no "stuff" running in the background, do you mean of any kind? That would be extremely unusual since systems usually have a fair number of supporting applications - as opposed to software you use for particular applications - running all the time. Whe you open Task Manager, how many processes does it show running?

I still think no one really understands what your problem is and therefore I am leary of recommending what for you might be an expensive harware upgrade.

That being said, if it is some problem with your CPU or background apps, then a dual core processor would help - I agree with what Ohiou said above. If so, this might be your lucky day. Newegg currently has an X2 3800 listed for $60

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103561

They don't have non-Opteron dual cores listed very often so you should decide quickly. Opteron would be a good choice but the cheapest one - Opteron 180 is $170. Keep in mind that your current 3500 operates at 2.2 Ghz, the x2 3800 at 2.0 Ghz (so the speed is slower than your current system but you will gain IF the dual cores help), and the Opteron 180 is 2.4 Ghz. And keep in mind that without really knowing what the problem is, this might not fix it.
 
G

Grumnut

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omaha,
I'm in Australia also. Are you on a 1.5 Meg connection or ADSL 2+?
The fist thing I would do is run "ccleaner"(Crap Cleaner www.ccleaner.com). It's free and the new version is very good.I wouldn't install the Google toolbar on the way through.First run the cleaner. If that takes a while, then you know it's got something.I've seen it get rid of 4.5 gig of stuff after a sweep.
Then do a registry clean (and choose the backup option at the end of its sweep).
I recently cleaned a 3 Gig Pentium 4 with 1.5 gig ram that took more than 6 minutes to fully start up. After a clean it took about 45 seconds (it was the one with 4.5 Gigs of "stuff")
 
TechnologyCoordinator

TechnologyCoordinator

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That's a bad price.


 
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