Some upgrade questions for y'all

[freakitchen]

Ok, well I've got various different ways of approaching this one in my head, and would appreciate all your thoughts on the best course of action.

What with AMDs price reductions, and the fact that I've stepped up the amount of video processing I'm doing on my main system (specs in sig), I feel like its time for an upgrade. My second aim in doing the upgrade is to create a second system from the parts I replace.

With this in mind, my first thought was to switch my 3200+ for a 4200+ X2, switch the 1GB of RAM for 2GB, and swith the 6600GT for a 7900GT.

My old parts, coupled with the purchase of an A8N5X motherboard, 380w Tagen Power supply, and Lite-on DVD-RW (in addition to a 120GB Seagate drive I have already), would make up the secondary system.

The total price for this upgrade is £561

Now, I've had this idea in my head for a while, but I'm fully aware that it wouldn't cost much more to build an entirely new system along the same lines as the upgrade, and thus have the added bonus of a newer socket (either AM2 or Core Duo) to achieve future upgradability. (Though I'm fully aware that my main system, built 18 months ago with socket 939, was also built with upgradibility in mind!!)

So I hope I've made sense. Which route would you guys take?

FK

[minsonngo]

With how buggy AM2 is now, I would hold off on a build based on that socket.

I would go with the upgrade route at this point in time.

[freakitchen]

Thanks for the reply. I think my decision will be dictated by when I decide to do this upgrade. If its now, it will be the upgrade on 939. If I decide to leave it a couple of months, It might be the new build option.

Now for some thinking time

FK

[minsonngo]

Yeah, I'm playing the waiting game too.

[freakitchen]

Ok, so I decided to make the most of the socket 939 price reductions. I bought an AMD 4400+, recently reduced on overclockers.co.uk to £135. I also bought 2GB of Corsair XMS DDR400 (cheaper than Value Select equivalent), and a new 250GB Western Digital SATA drive.

To make my backup system, I'm going to be taking the 3200+, 1GB of Memory, and a 120GB Hard Drive from my current PC, and coupling it with a new ASUS A8N-VM CSM motherboard, NEC DVD-RW and an Antec NSK4400-EC case that comes with an ATX2 380w power supply (couldn't quite stretch the budget to a Sonata II).

So that should provide a bit of closure to this thread. For a nice upgrade, plus a second system, I didn't think £400 was that bad

FK

[minsonngo]

Thanks for the update, hope all goes well.

[joshrogoff]

Originally Posted by minsonngo With how buggy AM2 is now, I would hold off on a build based on that socket. I would go with the upgrade route at this point in time.

I havn't been hearing about any bugs lately. I don't know why people are saying this stuff. All you gotta do is pick the right ram and you're set.

[freakitchen]

The AM2 memory controller *is* buggy when compared with the much more stable 939 platform - the fact that you have to buy memory from the motherboard manufacturer's Qualified Vendor List to ensure compatibility shows this. There are no such restrictions with socket 939, which indicates a more stable controller.

I'm sure that AMD will iron these issues out, but in the meantime, we're advising forum members not to be the guinea pigs!

FK