CPU Upgrade or Not?

[batchers]

HELP please,
my question is
"Is it worth upgrading my CPU on a Gigabyte mobo GA-7n400v from XP2800 to XP3200"

I run a XP2800 thoroughbred core with 1GB pc2700 ddr and a FX5900 ultra on my GA-7n400v.

It chugs a bit on half life 2+ doom 3 so is it worth putting a slightly faster CPU in it {xp3200 Barton core only £100 now} or wont this make a noticeable difference and I would be better off starting from scratch again?

Also can I put a xp3200 Barton in my board? {I think I can but the board is 333fsb and the Barton cpu is 400 fsb}

 

[HardWareBoss]

What about OCing your Cpu?

 

[fishmahn]

My opinon? No.

Why? 2800+ to 3200+ isn't that much of an upgrade for the price. The 2800+ runs at about 2083mhz with a 166fsb. The 3200+ runs at 2200mhz with a 200fsb. But, you say your mobo doesn't support the 200fsb so you would need a mobo. Besides, even if you can run 200fsb, you'd need new RAM (PC3200). So best case, it's cpu + an add'l 150 (USD) or so for RAM.

My guess is your lugging is probably your video card. The 2800 is a decent performer (yeah, not the fastest, but nothing to sneeze at), but I'd think a video upgrade (to a 6800 or 6800gt, maybe an X800 if you want an ATI) would net you more than a cpu/mobo upgrade. You could even do a 6600GT and get better performance, I think.

Mike.

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Why? 2800+ to 3200+ isn't that much of an upgrade for the price.

Agreed. I doubt that such a small CPU upgrade will make a noticable difference, even if a new mobo wasn't required.

My guess is your lugging is probably your video card.

I don't know. I'm only running a GeForce 4 Ti 4200 and HL2 is running great for me with some pretty high settings. (Which I certainly hadn't expected.)

I'd actually wager that it's the memory in HL2's case. From what I've noticed so far, memory is very important to HL2. Mostly what I've noticed is how much you have reduces the number of pauses to load new regions a lot, but if it's that memory intensive, then memory bandwidth must surely matter as well. I'm even contemplating upgrading from 1GB to 2GB.

<pre><b><font color=red>"Build a man a fire and he's warm for the rest of the evening.
Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life." - Steve Taylor</font color=red></b></pre><p>

 

[Cybercraig]

Not.

Abit IS7 - 3.0C @ 3.6ghz - Mushkin PC4000 (2 X 512) - Sapphire 9800Pro - TT 420 watt Pure Power
Samsung 120gb ATA-100 - Maxtor 40gb ATA - 100
Sony DRU-510A - Yellowtail Merlot

 

[netgates]

not

 

[endyen]

New drivers are out for HL2, that should help some. Shame about the FX card.

 

[earthling]

your CPU doesn't need any upgrade, actually your VGA does !! even downgrading your VGA makes a better performance with HL2 !
http://www.firingsquad.com/hardware/hl2_performance_preview_part1/
I think you need to get a new VGA (none-FX series)

 

[sh1ft3d]

slvr_pheonix: what other PC components do you have in addition to GeForce 4200 ti to have HL2 run so well? That's the same card I use, but HL2 doesn't run as a happy camper unless most or all settings are set to low.

 

[slvr_phoenix]

slvr_pheonix: what other PC components do you have in addition to GeForce 4200 ti to have HL2 run so well? That's the same card I use, but HL2 doesn't run as a happy camper unless most or all settings are set to low.

I've got a P4 NWC 2.6GHz with 1GB dual channel Corsair XMS PC3200 C2 RAM on an i865PE mobo, onboard 5.1 sound, and two 40GB IDE Hitachi 7200RPMs in RAID1 (to protect my novels from a hard drive crash). It's nothing special by today's standards, but other than the aged video card it's still a good all-around system.

I had been planning to upgrade my video and overclock my CPU one day, but so far I haven't had any reason to.

<pre><b><font color=red>"Build a man a fire and he's warm for the rest of the evening.
Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life." - Steve Taylor</font color=red></b></pre><p>

 

[HardWareBoss]

What happened to the guy who started this post?

 

[slvr_phoenix]

Maybe he tried jamming an A64 3200 into his mobo and now his PC is dead? Or maybe he's just on vacation...

<pre><b><font color=red>"Build a man a fire and he's warm for the rest of the evening.
Set a man on fire and he's warm for the rest of his life." - Steve Taylor</font color=red></b></pre><p>