Dick Angus wrote: > On August 31, 2009 03:37:35 pm Gustin Johnson wrote: >> Dick Angus wrote: >> <snip> >> >> > My budget is in the $700 range and lower if possible. I want 500Gb+ >> > disk, a DVD/RW, and a multi-card reader on it. Also, a good graphics >> > card for the type of work I do. I can't decide if I should go for a >> > 3.0Ghz quad chip and 4-6Gb DDR2 memory or a 2.33Ghz quad chip and >> > 4-6Gb DDR3 memory? I'm leaning towards the faster chip and the DDR2, >> > but I'm confused about the DDR3 being faster memory and would that be >> > noticeable given what I do with it? >> >> I tend to go with as much RAM as I can afford. Having said that, I am >> pretty happy with a single core centrino (circa 2005 running 1.5 Ghz), 2 >> GiB RAM and integrated Intel video. I have another machine that has a >> newer Intel GPU and one of the newer Core2 Duos @ 2.66 Ghz. >> >> If all of this stuff is running locally (I keep all my data on the >> network, especially pictures and music) you may be better served by just >> upgrading to a newer and faster hard drive. The Western Digital "Black" >> edition drives are good price for the performance. To get faster you >> need to spend a lot more on a Velociraptor or even more on a decent SSD >> (most of them suck). The 500GB WD Black goes for less than $70 at >> Memory Express. >> >> Out of curiosity, what is the current CPU that you are using? Run the >> following to find out: >> cat /proc/cpuinfo > > > The output is: > > > processor : 0 > vendor_id : GenuineIntel > cpu family : 15 > model : 4 > model name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 2.80GHz > stepping : 7 > cpu MHz : 2799.860 > cache size : 1024 KB > physical id : 0 > siblings : 2 > core id : 0 > cpu cores : 2 > apicid : 0 > initial apicid : 0 > fpu : yes > fpu_exception : yes > cpuid level : 5 > wp : yes > > > There is more, but I thought that was enough. I think my biggest problem > is the motherboard. It's old, small (memory capacity), and slow. > > I'll take a look at the i5 and i7. Maybe just a new motherboard with new > memory and my old chip? I could also add a faster hard drive. >> No sadly the old chip will not work anymore, it likely would not work with the previous generation of motherboards either. The current crop of quad-core are clock for clock, core for core faster than your existing chip. So a current quad at 2.33Ghz will be faster than a Pentium 4, even one at > 3Ghz. Even the lowly Q8200 at 2.33Ghz will be a noticeable upgrade.
Having said that, the i5 and i7 are a big change and worth the wait (well the i7 is already available, but is aimed at the enthusiast and gamer market, so it is pricey, the i5 is not yet available but will be priced a little more affordably).
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