Choosing a new CPU

[UnknownInsanity]

I am curently using a AMD xp 3000+, 2.1 ghz. i run xp home, 1 gig 3200 ram, 120 hdd, and a nvidia gainward 6800 gt w/256 mb. i do a fair amount of gaming and multitasking. i am finding now that while i game, i like to listen to music and wiew webpages on an aditional monitar and this is really boging down my system. i did a little bit of overclocking but its still not what im looking for. im am thinking about upgradding my mb, cpu, and gpu. I aqm going to stick with amd, but wasnt sure what mb and cpu combonation to use. any suggestions?

 

[Nelviticus]

Definitely dual-core. Modern games generally grab all the CPU power that they can, so other apps that are running while the game is running are going to be sluggish with even the most blazingly-fast single-core CPU.

Apparently AMD are going to slash the prices of most of their CPUs shortly - 23rd July is the date I've heard.

I can't offer any mobo/CPU recommendations but there are plenty here who can. Just make sure you go dual-core, which will be an Athlon 64 X2 if you want to stay with AMD.

Regards

Nelviticus

 

[paparazi]

Were you intending to re-use your PC3200? DDR400.
If so then you can take advantage of the "now" slightly older and cheaper socket 939 platform (I say older because AMD have just rolled out there AM2 socket 940 which users DDR2 memory)
The new platform is virtually the same, the main difference being "DDR2" memory, but unless you are buying ultra fast DDR800 with low Cas ratings? the old and new platforms perform virtually the same.
Your further problem is your graphics card! as all the newer platforms use PCI-e interface and a card to "better" your 6800GT is going to cost you £200/$290 (7800/7900GT)

The Nforce4ultra or SLi is generally considered the best chipset for AMD64 939 so as long as you choose this chipset on one of the "main manufacturers boards" ie: MSI, Gigabyte, Asus, Abit, DFI or maybe Aopen, Albatron, or Foxconn.
Any should suit, look for features that you want at the price you want to pay.

Definately agree with AMD64 X2 (dual core) no better for gaming but known to be superior at multi-tasking.

Martin

Martin


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