[Solved] Motherboard and CPU upgrade

[njdj]

Want to upgrade my CPU with dual core for faster speed and processing. Want to know if CPU replacement alone will help without having to replace motherboard. I have Windows XP Home SP2--Intel Celeron 2.40 (Not Hyper Threaded)--Board is Foxconn 651M03 SiS651/962L-Serial # UL6P45008212

 

[bucknutty]

That board is a socket 478. That means the best CPU you can use is a p4. At this point in time there would be very little value in getting a new CPU. best bet is to save your money for a new board, CPU, ram, and PSU, or a new computer.

 

[njdj]

That board is a socket 478. That means the best CPU you can use is a p4. At this point in time there would be very little value in getting a new CPU. best bet is to save your money for a new board, CPU, ram, and PSU, or a new computer.

Thanks for your PROMPT reply--I kinda figured it was time to replace my computer (its over 10yrs old). I've recently started projects like video converting/downloading and have found it takes forever. Any suggestions on what type processor to look for when i buy a new desktop? Could you give me a Good Better Best selection. Thanks for all your help.

 

[bucknutty]

Right now there really is only one option that makes any sense. The intel i5 2500.

If you were to build your computer, It goes for about $200 bucks. Any good brand name Socket 1155 z68 based board. For around 125, and 8 or 16 gigs of 1600mhz ddr3 for $40-$80.

Thats about 400 for an upgrade. Keep in mind you would need a case and a new PSU, that old PSU most likely will not be able to run a modern board.

If your on a budget you want any of the i3 line, and if you have more cash to burn go i7.

 

[Evshrug]

Opinion based on two months of research into your same situation, but without having completed my first build yet:

I would say, look to build a system around the LGA 1155 socket/chipset motherboards. That supports the current line of Intel's processors (that outperform AMD almost uniformly as CPUs), and solid rumors say the next generation of processors will also use the 1155 socket.

From budget to powerhouse, the processors available for that socket are Celeron, Pentium, iCore i3, i5, and i7. ALL the built-in memory controllers support either 1033 or 1333hz RAM speeds, so you can save some money on RAM there or look into motherboards that have their own memory controllers
Since you want to do video editing, Celeron is out, and you'll want a dedicated graphics card.
The Pentiums are actually a surprising value; they only have 2 cores (like having dual-CPUs in years past) and weak integrated graphics (but you'll want to add dedicated graphics anyway), but most programs don't utilize 4 cores yet by themselves so this option could be adequate if you are used to just running one powerful program at a time.
i3 processors bring you over $100 ($120 to $145), but they offer two virtual cores in addition to their 2 physical ones, larger L3 cache, and between 0.2 Ghz – 0.5 Ghz processor speed over the Pentium. I personally think this is the sweet spot with current programs, because above this Intel mostly adds more physical cores and "turbo-boost" to overclock the processor speed over their base Ghz.
i5 processors have 4 physical cores and turbo-boost to automatically overclock the processor speeds when needed, but no hyper threading to create virtual processor cores. They have the same L3 cache and mostly the same clock speeds as the i3 processors, but there is a "k" model for enthusiasts who want to manually overclock the processor (seems ppl have stability at 4.6 Ghz, but this does generate heat and make the processors more likely to have errors and wear out faster). The cheapest is $185, but every other processor costs over $200.
i7 processors still have 4 physical cores, but add hyper-threading to add 8 virtual cores. They also can have higher base clock speeds, turbo-boost, and many are unlocked for manual overclocking. Most programs today cannot utilize more than 2 cores so many report that the system feels basically as fast as an i3, but more programs in the future will be able to spread the processor load between more processors. This processor is for people who do production video, run multiple power programs at once (who plays two games at once? How do you even do that?), and who are just enthusiastic about computers (and benchmarks). $300–$400.

Now, each processor DOES suit the needs of certain customers. You make your choice. Personally, I do graphic design for a living (well, I HOPE to, as I'm job hunting), and I think the i3 2120 that is currently on sale at newegg and other places will keep me set for 3-4 years, running multiple Adobe CS5 programs at once and occasionally playing new games. I think, in most cases, the i3 is plenty of muscle to handle my needs so long as I have a strong discrete graphics card. I've even been tempted to save money and just get a Pentium with a high clock speed, but I think the two extra virtual processor cores will make me future proof as more programs actually add the ability to get a boost from 4 cores. I already have an operating system and harddrives (thank goodness, cuz those are high price pieces of the puzzle ATM), so I think I've selected components for a pretty powerful system @ about $600.