Newbie questions on CPUs and DDR

[OKidA]

Hello,
I'm sure this info is already on here somewhere, but I've had no luck finding it.
I'm thinking of buying a barebones system (ASUS Vintage w/ Intel Socket 478, FSB 533/800MHz). Does anyone know if I could use a 1.8 gHz Celeron CPU (400mhz FSB), which was pulled from a Gateway 300s? Are there compatibility issues with the FSB speeds? As long as the Celeron is a 478 socket will it work?
Also, would DDR266 memory work with a mobo that supports DDR333/400, as long as the pins are the same (184)?
Thanks for any help you can give.

 

[zeroyb]

I don't know about the CPU's. But as for memory, your ddr266 wouldn't work with ddr333/400 only mobo. My guess is that even if you got it to work, it may not be stable. But, DDR memory definitely does work if it's mobo is lower than its speed (using ddr400 on ddr266/333 for example). Hope that helps.

 

[OKidA]

That does help. Thanks.

 

[linux_0]

Hmm... may I ask what your budget is?

You may be able to get something a lot better for the price of the components you might need to make an old Intel work.

What kind of parts do you already have?

Thanks!

 

[OKidA]

I'm looking to keep it cheap ($100 - $150 for the case & mobo combo) and use as much as I can from the old system (120GB HD, DVD-RW, CPU/heatsink).
Any suggestions in this range?
This is my first attempt at building, so I want to try keep it simple and cheap.
Thanks.

 

[linux_0]

http://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Wishlist/WishShareShow.asp?ID=1878267

For $318 delivered you can get a socket 939 nForce4 motherboard with an Athlon 64 3200+ 939, 512MB RAM and cheap PCI-E VGA

I'm assuming you have the rest of the parts already. If you do not please list what you do have.

If you already have a decent AGP VGA you can get an AGP socket 939 board and save some more $.

You could get a board for about 50-60
CPU for about 170
RAM for about 40

About $270 total

Another option may be the older socket 754.

 

[OKidA]

Thanks for all your help on this.
Does it not make sense to try to use the old CPU (1.8gHz Celeron, socket 478), just in terms of saving some money? Is there a mobo that would support this CPU, something I could then upgrade with a new CPU in the future?
Thanks again. You've been a great help.

 

[nobly]

You should definitely read the motherboard manual. This will tell you what RAM will work with the motherboard and what processors are compatible.
With every BIOS release, more processors are supported (usually), so you should look that motherboard up at ASUS's website and see what the latest BIOS release can handle.

That will tell you what processor you can upgrade to and what RAM it can handle. Pretty much you'll be safe by buying a board that will support your current CPU (1.8 celeron), and it will probably support P4's up to 2.8Ghz or something. The thing is that if you're thinking about upgrading in a year, you might not find many 478pin CPU's lying around.

It sounds like you want to upgrade, but you don't want to spend lots of $$.
So basically you're looking at either
1) upgrade everything now and spend lots of $$ or
2) upgrade some parts now (some $$) and possibly get stuck later because you can't upgrade anymore - unless you buy 2nd hand parts. In this case you might have to opt for a new case, mboard, and CPU - which is more $$ on top of what you already spent.

If you're going to be content in what power that 1.8 celeron gives you now, i'd say just go with what your plan is right now. Upgrade the motherboard, get some new RAM. Probably like 150 bucks there or so.
If you're not content w/ that processor now, you need to think about upgrading the CPU as well, which, as someone already pointed out, will probably double your cost and then some.

 

[linux_0]

The problem with socket 478 is that is obsolete and the Celeron 1.8 GHz is VERY slow.

You would be MUCH better off EVEN with a Socket A (462) Athlon XP.

A new AMD64 CPU socket 754 or 939 would be even better than that.

Let me see what I can configure a 754 for

 

[linux_0]

The difference between a P4 2GHz or Celeron 2.4GHz (they didn't test the Celeron 1.8) and an Athlon 64 3200+ is HUGE!!!

Check it out!

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu_2004.html

 

[nobly]

I thought socket 754 is going out too?
I could only find maybe like 10-15 mboards for 754, and they were all single channel RAM!
Edit: I haven't looked for 754 mboards for months, so maybe its changed. Sorry, forgot to put that in too

 

[linux_0]

Yes, you're right 754 is also being phased out and it is single channel.

That is why I suggested 939+nForce4

However it is worth pointing out that even an obsolete AMD64 754 would destroy the Celeron 1.8 as would an ancient Athlon XP Socket A (462).

The only reason to consider a 754 would be price.

 

[linux_0]

http://secure.newegg.com/NewVersion/Wishlist/WishShareShow.asp?ID=1878342

$220 Delivered for a 754 motherboard + 754 CPU + 512MB PC3200

This assumes you already have an AGP VGA you can use, if not you need a VGA as well for $30 - $50.


Keep in mind the 939 + nForce4 is way better.

 

[nobly]

Yes, you're right 754 is also being phased out and it is single channel.

That is why I suggested 939+nForce4

However it is worth pointing out that even an obsolete AMD64 754 would destroy the Celeron 1.8 as would an ancient Athlon XP Socket A (462).

The only reason to consider a 754 would be price.

Too true, too true. Cool, I just wanted to make sure I have my facts straight.

Celerons are severely outperformed by P4's and AMD's chips (cept the Sempron i think..).

One of my friends went from a 1.6Celeron to a AMD64 X2 3800+. He can't stop raving about it! nForce4 boards are sweet too!

 

[FlyGuy]

I don't know about the CPU's. But as for memory, your ddr266 wouldn't work with ddr333/400 only mobo. My guess is that even if you got it to work, it may not be stable. But, DDR memory definitely does work if it's mobo is lower than its speed (using ddr400 on ddr266/333 for example). Hope that helps.

That's not true. DDR266 memory will work in a 333/400 mobo but it will just run at 266.

 

[OKidA]

Thanks for all the help. I'm now rethinking this whole thing.