Which PC should become my main system

[rmbelson]

Hi:

I've been using PC #1 for a few years and just bought #2 to network in as a music client. But I'm wondering if I should shift #2 to be my main system and put #1 into service as the client. If I do, I'll have to spend time moving files and loading tons of software into the new system. Want to see if it's worth the effort and aggravation. Assume that the dvd drives will be the same. System 1 has add on sound and video cards; system 2 will use the onboard.

I sometimes run Photoshop. do a lot of music listening, burning, ripping, etc., but no gaming. Not sure if I have all the info needed -- one system has Sisoft Sandra, other Auslogic System info.

Thanks for leading me to the right choice.

PC #1

Processor
Model : Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.20GHz
Speed : 3.20GHz
Performance Rating : PR7034 (estimated)
Cores per Processor : 2 Unit(s)
Threads per Core : 1 Unit(s)
Type : Dual-Core
Internal Data Cache : 2x 16kB Synchronous, Write-Thru, 8-way set, 64 byte line size
L2 On-board Cache : 2x 2MB ECC Synchronous, ATC, 8-way set, 64 byte line size, 2 lines per sector

Mainboard
Bus(es) : ISA X-Bus PCI PCIe USB FireWire/1394
MP Support : 1 Processor(s)
MP APIC : No
System BIOS : AT/AT COMPATIBLE INTEL - 697
Mainboard : Intel Corporation DG965RY
Total Memory : 2GB

Chipset 1
Model : Intel Corporation ??? (29A0)
Front Side Bus Speed : 4x 200MHz (800MHz data rate)

Video System
Monitor/Panel : Plug and Play Monitor
Adapter : Radeon X1300/X1550 Series
Sound Card Creative SB Audigy 4 (WDM)

PC #2

Processor Name: AMD Athlon(tm) X2 Dual Core Processor BE-2400
Videocard Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a
Installed Memory: 1,790.48 MB


Physical Processors: 1
Logical Processors: 2
Processor Vendor: AMD
Processor Name: AMD Athlon(tm) X2 Dual Core Processor BE-2400
Additional Name: x86 Family 15 Model 11 Stepping 2
Popular Name: Athlon X2 Dual Core Processor BE-2400
Frequency: 2520 MHz

Cache Level I: 128 KB
Motherboard Vendor: Abit
Motherboard Model: AN-M2HD(MCP68)
Installed Memory Modules: 4
Supported Speeds: 70ns,60ns
Supported Types: Standard,EDO
Supported Voltage: 5V
Maximum Slot Size: 32MB
Memory Socket #1: A0
Memory Size #1: 0MB
Memory Speed #1: 5ns
Memory Type #1: Other,Unknown,EDO
Memory Socket #2: A1
Memory Size #2: 0MB
Memory Speed #2: 5ns
Memory Type #2: Other,Unknown,EDO
Memory Socket #3: A2
Memory Size #3: 1024MB
Memory Speed #3: 5ns
Memory Type #3: Other,Unknown,EDO
Memory Socket #4: A3
Memory Size #4: 1024MB
Memory Speed #4: 5ns
Memory Type #4: Other,Unknown,EDO
Video Adapter Name: NVIDIA GeForce 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a
Video Memory: 512.00 MB
Chipset Name: GeForce 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a
BIOS Name: Version 5.67.32.24.03
BIOS Date: 08/06/07

 

[Nik_I]

definitely switch. the athlon x2 is far better than the pentium D.

 

[4745454b]

Yea, PC2 is a better system. For starters, it has two REAL cores, none of this hyperthreading stuff. Second, although the speed is actually slower, the K8 arch is clock for clock faster then netburst. 2.5GHz on the K8 should be faster then 3.2GHz on the Netburst arch. It won't be blow your hair back faster, but it should be a bit quicker.

As long as you can put a real video card into PC2, go for it. If the video card from PC1 won't move over, or PC1 lacks onboard, you should probably keep things the way they are. (or buy a cheap $20 video card, servers don't need GPU power.)

 

[GhislainG]

PC #1 has an Intel G965 chipset. It's a very stable motherboard, but it can't be overclocked. If more processing power is required, you could install a Core2 Duo CPU. My kid's PC is based on that Intel motherboard, a Core2 Duo 6300 and a better video card to play Internet games. Are you sure about your BIOS revision number?

 

[Nik_I]

PC #1 has an Intel G965 chipset. It's a very stable motherboard, but it can't be overclocked. If more processing power is required, you could install a Core2 Duo CPU. My kid's PC is based on that Intel motherboard, a Core2 Duo 6300 and a better video card to play Internet games. Are you sure about your BIOS revision number?

that's not a bad option, but i dont think the OP is planning on spending any money.

 

[rmbelson]

Thanks to everyone. I could switch the Radeon from PC 1 to PC 2. Will that really make a noticeable difference if I'm not gaming? Intel site says board has Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3000.

Nik_1 is right, no bucks. The only downside to switching from old to new is the hassle of installing gazillion programs and getting settings to migrate, etc. Always a pain for me.

 

[Nik_I]

Thanks to everyone. I could switch the Radeon from PC 1 to PC 2. Will that really make a noticeable difference if I'm not gaming? Intel site says board has Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator X3000.

Nik_1 is right, no bucks. The only downside to switching from old to new is the hassle of installing gazillion programs and getting settings to migrate, etc. Always a pain for me.

for working with audio files, having a real dual core cpu will help. more processing power. and it should provide a smoother overall experience.

 

[4745454b]

In which case is PC1 fast enough for you? As long as it does what you want, in a time frame that works for you, don't bother trying to switch over. As mentioned, the X2 is faster, its up to you if you want to spend the day(s?) moving things over.

I probably would as knowing there is a faster machine near me that I could be using but I'm not would drive me nuts.

 

[Nik_I]

In which case is PC1 fast enough for you? As long as it does what you want, in a time frame that works for you, don't bother trying to switch over. As mentioned, the X2 is faster, its up to you if you want to spend the day(s?) moving things over.

I probably would as knowing there is a faster machine near me that I could be using but I'm not would drive me nuts.

i wouldn't be able to bear knowing that theres a faster system than my current one within reach that isn't doing anything that an old pentium 3 machine could do just as well.

 

[rmbelson]

Every now and then I feel some sluggishness with PC 1 -- but that could be because I have a buggy registry after 3 years of installing/uninstalling and generally fiddling around. Mostly I live with it just fine -- and after using CC Cleaner recently, I've sped things up, or imagine I have, which is just as good.

Another question. PC #2 came with a small ide drive 60G. I am planning to get a 1Tb SATA drive no matter which system I end up using for my main drive. How much will I notice not having my C drive SATA vs. ide? If I can keep that small ide drive for windows and program files, I won't have to go through a windows install, which I hate doing. (Then again, I could install Ubuntu -- but then I'd miss using foobar 2K.)

 

[4745454b]

Sata vs IDE doesn't matter for the most part. Drives are only just now able to fill ATA100, they might be fast enough to fill ATA133. Your 60GB drive however is rather old, with a low density per platter. This means the drive heads need to spend more time waiting for the spot on the platter to come around then if it was a newer drive. A newer drive will beat your older 60GB drive, but not because its SATA.

 

[rmbelson]

I have a WD Caviar SE 1600JB I could put in instead. Would this make a difference? Not sure how old.

 

[spencercpu1983]

I would look at the Western Digital Caviar Black 1TB. It's fast and reliable but a little louder than some 1TB drives.
http://techreport.com/articles.x/15363/1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

 

[rmbelson]

Thanks for the advice. However I want 2 drives in the system. One big one for media and the other for OS, system files and Program Files. I don't want to spend extra, so my question is whether my waiting WD 1600JB drive would be a better choice than the existing main drive, 60G WD 600DB-00CAA-1. If not much diff, then why bother installing 1600jb and reinstalling windows, etc.?