- Feb 9, 2008
- 7
- 0
- 18,510
So my rig is seriously outdated, and it's time for an upgrade. Generally speaking it does all the things I need atm, but shader model 3.0 on my graphics means no new games 
I've been looking at upgrading, and so far I've been sticking with my trusty AMD for CPU and graphics. I really don't keep up with hardware any more though so would be good to get some input.
I read an interesting article looking at the performance increases of multiple cores, and it shows for most things past 3 doesn't see a great improvement. And for me trying to cheaply update my system, and using a single core at the moment it seems like a good price saver.
I should also point out I've still got all my watercooling gear, so something that's overclockable would be a plus. I don't know if they still make them like the old days with my Winchester core AMD 64 3000+ overclocked 50% ...
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Tomorrow or the next day, so ASAP! :lol:
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: I am folding, gaming, using photoshop, surfing the web and watching hd movies.
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Probably easier if I state the parts I do need: CPU, RAM, Motherboard, and Graphics card
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: I've always liked ebuyer.com but places in the UK please
PARTS PREFERENCES: None, I'm thinking 4GB of ram now - I'm used to 1GB so will be a nice upgrade. If I need to I can add more later. The cheaper the better as it means I can upgrade my monitor. Motherboard can be mATX I guess, but I would prefer the full ATX (onboard graphics not needed).
OVERCLOCKING: Yes
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe
MONITOR RESOLUTION: I've got a 17" monitor at 1280x1024 currently, but as mentioned looking to upgrade to a nice 24" one. High resolution is a must!
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
What I've found at the moment:
CPU: £62.55 - AMD Phenom X3 Triple Core 8650 2.3GHz Socket AM2+ 2MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor
Mem: £39.99 - Crucial 4GB (2X2GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Ballistix Memory Kit CL4 2.0V
Mobo: £65.37 - ASUS M3A78 PRO 780G Socket AM2+ onboard graphics 8 channel audio ATX Motherboard
Graphics: £109.98 - Sapphire HD 4850 512MB GDDR3 HDMI DVI VGA PCI-E Graphics Card
Total: £277.89
So:
• Are they any price savings to be had?
• Should I spend a bit more on something for a lot more performance?
• Dare I say it - "Intel" / "Nvidia"?
I would rather spend a bit less than I have now, as it would mean I could afford getting a new monitor, but obviously there's no point wasting money on a rig that just fails.
Many thanks
I've been looking at upgrading, and so far I've been sticking with my trusty AMD for CPU and graphics. I really don't keep up with hardware any more though so would be good to get some input.
I read an interesting article looking at the performance increases of multiple cores, and it shows for most things past 3 doesn't see a great improvement. And for me trying to cheaply update my system, and using a single core at the moment it seems like a good price saver.
I should also point out I've still got all my watercooling gear, so something that's overclockable would be a plus. I don't know if they still make them like the old days with my Winchester core AMD 64 3000+ overclocked 50% ...
APPROXIMATE PURCHASE DATE: Tomorrow or the next day, so ASAP! :lol:
SYSTEM USAGE FROM MOST TO LEAST IMPORTANT: I am folding, gaming, using photoshop, surfing the web and watching hd movies.
PARTS NOT REQUIRED: Probably easier if I state the parts I do need: CPU, RAM, Motherboard, and Graphics card
PREFERRED WEBSITE(S) FOR PARTS: I've always liked ebuyer.com but places in the UK please
PARTS PREFERENCES: None, I'm thinking 4GB of ram now - I'm used to 1GB so will be a nice upgrade. If I need to I can add more later. The cheaper the better as it means I can upgrade my monitor. Motherboard can be mATX I guess, but I would prefer the full ATX (onboard graphics not needed).
OVERCLOCKING: Yes
SLI OR CROSSFIRE: Maybe
MONITOR RESOLUTION: I've got a 17" monitor at 1280x1024 currently, but as mentioned looking to upgrade to a nice 24" one. High resolution is a must!
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:
What I've found at the moment:
CPU: £62.55 - AMD Phenom X3 Triple Core 8650 2.3GHz Socket AM2+ 2MB L3 Cache Retail Boxed Processor
Mem: £39.99 - Crucial 4GB (2X2GB) DDR2 800MHz/PC2-6400 Ballistix Memory Kit CL4 2.0V
Mobo: £65.37 - ASUS M3A78 PRO 780G Socket AM2+ onboard graphics 8 channel audio ATX Motherboard
Graphics: £109.98 - Sapphire HD 4850 512MB GDDR3 HDMI DVI VGA PCI-E Graphics Card
Total: £277.89
So:
• Are they any price savings to be had?
• Should I spend a bit more on something for a lot more performance?
• Dare I say it - "Intel" / "Nvidia"?
I would rather spend a bit less than I have now, as it would mean I could afford getting a new monitor, but obviously there's no point wasting money on a rig that just fails.
Many thanks
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