Need Computer Help -- Trying to Decide if I Want to Upgrade CPU

[NYC GOP Chick]

OK, I have a computer that's about 3 years old and I'm very attached to it. I've done lots of upgrades and improvements over the past year or so and instead of getting a new one, I'd like to do one more upgrade.

Having put in a Network Interface Card, doubled the RAM to 256K, installed a CD-RW drive and replaced the hard drive in my IBM Aptiva, I'm giving serious thought to updating the processor from a Pentium III 600 MHz to something like a P4 2G or something, and I have a few questions:

1) Do I need a new motherboard to do this?

2) How difficult is this to do? Will it become one of those "more trouble than its worth" things?

3) What issues and potential problems should I consider?

Here are some of the specs:

Pentium III 600
system board: V66M
system board chipset: Intel 82443ZX
system board form factor: micro-ATX
front-side bus speed: 100 MHz

[NYC GOP Chick]

Any help, suggestions, ideas would be very much appreciated! Thanks!

[Ford Fairlane]

You will need a new motherboard for the new processors (and a new fatherboard too HAHA)

Seriously, I would go with AMD over Intel I have had much less problems with them & they are cheaper

I just priced a new 2GHZ AMD with all the goodies for CAD (& games, video, etc) it was $1,200 wholesale

[Old Professer]

When I was about 16 or 17 years old, my buddies and I would buy "Dago Red" wine from this old Italian guy at the old race park for a $1.00 a gallon; he put it in rinsed out Clorox bottles, always tasted kinda like clean clothes smell.

[bcoffey]

New Pentium 4 (2.0 GHz)/512MB RAM/80 GB drive/64 MB graphics for $700 + monitor (from Dell). (Mine arrives tomorrow - fingers crossed)

[cowtowney]

Go here: www.newegg.com

figure on getting an Athlon mb (Asus is good). you may need new memory. get ddr. get a good fan (thermaltake) for the cpu and box. use your old box if it will fit, otherwise a new one (try Enlight). You should expect to spend $300. Other people might mention different brands. there are a lot to pick from. check out the user ratings at that website.

It's pretty easy to put together. you just gotta know your goesindas.... this goes inda this... and this goes inda that.

[Charlotte Corday]

If you're not into gaming, video editing or really massive database proecessing, what you've got will still do the job just fine.

If you are into any of those things, and don't want to mess around with installing motherboards, power supplies and RAM, your best bet is probably to buy a "barebones" box which has mobo, RAM, power already installed in a new case. Swapping over HDD, CD, sound and video boards from your old machine should be a slam dunk for you (although if you are getting into gaming you'll want a new video board, at least a GeForce 3).

I can recommend a couple of barebones box vendors that have done well by us in the past, but I don't like to do anything that might be construed as advertising in the forum - freepmail me if you are interested.

[damnlimey]

Check out Tiger direct
Some really good deals,also the hot deals page at Anandtech can point you towards the latest rebates etc.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

I've got an AMD Athlon XP processor (1700 MHz) with 512 MB of RAM and I really like it. I've had it for about 10 months and it's worked great for me.

[Sen Jack S. Fogbound]

I might mention that you have to get a new case for the motherboard. The earlier motherboards are AT form factor whereas the new motherboards are ATX form factor. Diffently dimensionally.

You also need new memories.

Rest of the stuff should be transferable.

Might be cheaper to buy a new machine outright. Check www.output.com for good pricing from Fry's Electronics.

[dsc]

Also think about video and audio. A lot of the new MBs have video and sound chips built in. Are you attached to your video and sound cards? Your video card might not be compatible with your new motherboard, depending on its type. Some of the new MBs have ethernet built in.

Will the new MB physically match up with your old case? Check the configuration of the openings for plug-ins--USB, etc.

A lot of (all?) new motherboards have an additional power plug-in. Does your power supply support that, or will you have to replace it?

Do you have any "legacy" cards that require the older type of slot?

The last 5 machines I've assembled for myself have been Intel, Intel, Celeron, AMD, and AMD. The next one is also going to be an AMD. The price-performance equation just makes it a no-brainer for me.

Lastly, if this is your first time, take it slow and easy. Getting in a hurry or getting frustrated is the best way I know to goon something up. (<--voice of experience)

[NYC GOP Chick]

Why AMD over Intel?

Also, I do a lot of work with stuff like Flash and Photoshop, and have heard that Pentium is better for working with them, for some reason.

Was that $1200 for a whole computer, or just for the processor?!

[John Lenin]

Yes you will need a new motherboard to go to P4 or AMD Thunderbird. For the money an AMD 2000 XP is the way to go. You can get a new motherboard and the CPU for under $200 if you know where to buy it.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Thanks, but I don't want to get a whole new computer if I can help it. Among the many reasons, I have a very good CD burner and I prefer Nero over the Roxio crap that comes with Dells.

Good luck with your new one -- I just ordered one today for my dad. :)

[Brett66]

From what I could tell from a google search, the 82443ZX motherboard can't handle more than a 800Mhz CPU, it also has support only for the old SDRAM at 100MHz FSB. You'll have to get a new motherboard and new memory to go any faster.

[NYC GOP Chick]

Thanks for the help!

[NYC GOP Chick]

I'm not into gaming or video editing, but I do a lot of processor-intensive work in programs like Photoshop, Illustrator, Flash, etc.

Would it *not* be worth a faster processor for all that?

[NYC GOP Chick]

Thanks for the info. :)

[THX 1138]

newegg.com is good. I just got a new power supply from them.

May I suggest the Cooler Master HHC-001 fan? Great for overclocking.

[John Lenin]

Another thing, if you go to a P4 or AMD you will have to get new RAM to match.