Upgrading CPU and GPU

[Kicki7]

hello,

i have a Mobo: ASUS A8V-XE (Socket 939) and i currently have a AMD Athlon 64 3500+ @2.2GHZ. i want to upgrade and replace my CPU with the Dual Core x2 3800+ @2.0GHZ. would there be any notice in Performance? far as playing Fallout 3 and what not. also, i currently have a EVGA Geforce 8600GT @706/2000 with 32 Stream Processors. i plan on getting a ATI 4850, 4870 or Geforce 9800GT Series.

my PSU is 450W with v12@31

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

Welcome to Neowin! :)

I'm not sure about the CPU upgrade, as I do not play with AMD.

The graphics card, however, I do know. Get the 4870. you should be fine as far as power.

[Nagisan]

Years ago I upgraded from an FX-57 (socket 939) to an X2 4200+ (was also 939), I kept about the same performance in games as the FX-57 with overclocking the X2, but I also gained a second core which could be used for multi-threaded apps. So general game performance was about the same, but anything multi-threaded got better. I must say though, going with (in todays standards) such a low end CPU, its almost useless to get even a 4850, the X2 3800+ would likely be a large bottleneck for any semi-modern graphics card.

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

in that respect, he could be happy with a 3850

[Kicki7]

what would the 8600GT be in terms of a ATI Card? the X1*** series?

[Geranium_Z__NL]

well that hurts :$

[Ci7]

what would the 8600GT be in terms of a ATI Card? the X1*** series?

no

ATI HD2xxx

well that hurts shy.gif

:huh:

Edited November 23, 2008 by skynetXrules

[Kicki7]

well that hurts :$

hehe sorry :)

here's a 3870 i've been looking at link comes with a better cooler and would suit me for mid-high gaming for now at least.

[Kicki7]

anything on the card i linked guys? i decided just to OC my current CPU to 2.6gHZ with this Heatsink Link. i also looked into more cards...

ZOTAC 9600GT Link

EVGA Dual-Slot 9600GT Link

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

a jump from an 8600 to a 9600 is small.

That 3870 looks good

[Kicki7]

yeah, i figured i would look for a Graphics Card with a good cooler mounted on it. the temps these days with Cards is awful. the 3870 Powercolor is the way to go!

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

well, any 3rd party company that does not use the stock h/s is good.

[theAnimal]

http://www.ncixus.com/products/33527/EN880...DP%2F384M/ASUS/

[Argote]

I'd say go for the 4850, keep the CPU for now and later upgrade the CPU+MoBo

How much RAM do you have? It has DDR1 right?

[Kicki7]

PC3200 would be correct. i have these A-DATA sticks 1GB each i can put in as replacement. i currently have 1GB of RAM 2x512MB Sticks in Dual. the 3870 i linked should be alright for me. the Powercolor 4850 isn't all different besides the amount of Stream Processors which is 800.

Edited November 24, 2008 by Kicki7

[Kicki7]

hello again guys :)

i have made some final decisions on what i'll be getting...

Graphics Card: Powercolor ATI 3870 Link (Note: Newegg has changed the images for the Card "For w/e reason" so here's the actual Model Link) would my Rosewill 450W be able to power this Card? i would think so.

CPU Cooler: XIGMATEK HDT-S1283 Link (for my Mobo which way would this thing be facing? Up/down or left/right. also, would it fit in my case? Link) also, is it easy to install?

Thermal Compound: Arctic Silver 5 Link

will order on Tuesday

[Argote]

Very good, the card should work flawlessly with that PSU, the cooler is OK, however I believe there are better alternatives to AS5 now (though I don't know taht much about the subject, just ask for the best thermal paste)

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

The 3870 should be fine on 450, i would think.

Damn... i have that same case (nice case!!!), yes it does fit in it. you want it perpendicular (long side up to down), have the fan directly bowing on the heat fins, and then hot air will blow out the back fan. (that's how i have it at least)

Thermal compound is fine, though i use MX-2, but they are both fine. The MX-2 just costs a bit more.

[Kicki7]

alright, thanks. umm... i do plan on using that heatsink so... how do i go about cleaning the old Thermal Paste off my CPU? last time if i remember i just used a tad bit of water and a Q-tip. didn't seem to do any harm.

Edit: so the heatsink would be pointing downward towards my GPU?

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

i just use a q-tip and a few drops of alcohol, does nicely.

edit:

this how i have it

[Kicki7]

well, water works it's just you can't soak the q-tip :laugh:

Edit: ^so you have your fan blowing the other way? towards the heatsink and then air blows out. good idea.

Edit2: i have some cleaning to do...

Edited November 27, 2008 by Kicki7

[Skulltrail-old]

Hell yes. There is a massive difference between a solo CPU and a dual core CPU, especially when the clock speeds are very similar.

The AMD Athlon 64 3500 is pretty good for 2001 computers... AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ (the CPU I have right now) is much faster. Two cores means two threads of work being processed at the simultaneously; faster processing.

Just make sure your motherboard can handle it since it isn't all about the socket type. Most AMD processors are AM2 and 939, where as Intel processors are 775.

[Kicki7]

well, i'm fine with my CPU for now. i am able to run Left4Dead all the way up with no AA enabled and at high Res. 1440x900. this is just with a EVGA nVidia 8600GT 512MB 128-bit PCI-E @706/2000