Hi all,
I am ready to upgrade my PIII 733MHz for video editing primarily and want your inputs on my proposed processor upgrade path. I am well aware that this is all guesswork somewhat, but many of you have much more experience and knowledge of how this stuff works. Thanks in advance.
So I have read great reviews of the Pentium 4 2.4GHz 800MHz FSB chip, which is currently available at places like newegg.com for about $170. I know that it apparently overclocks to 3.0GHz pretty easily (even with stock cooling as I will start off with). Intel's next round of desktop CPU price cuts is expected about 10/26 (per web sites such as theinquirer.net). My first question is how long do you think this particular chip will be available for purchase? And will it drop in price in October or be discontinued so that it may only be available at an increased price for a while? FYI, the 2.8GHz chip was still supposed to be about $218 after the October price cuts.
Secondly, I know that there has been much discussion on various forums about motherboard compatibility with the next Intel processor, Prescott. I would like to buy a motherboard that guarantees compatibility so that I have a ready made upgrade path to an increase of more than a GHz in processor speed and chip improvements (1MB cache over 512K for instance). Abit is supposedly coming out with a motherboard tomorrow (per xbitlabs.com) that will guarantee Prescott compatibility.
My question to those of you with more experience would be whether the first couple iterations of the Prescott chip that will be Socket 478 (hence compatible) are likely to ever be available (say in a year or so) at a good discount price (closer to the $170 I want to pay for the 2.4GHz)? Or since Intel will be changing over relatively quickly to a new socket type, PCI express on mainboards etc. mid next year or so, will these only ever be available at a relatively marked up price?
Looking forward to your replies.
Thanks,
Chris
I am ready to upgrade my PIII 733MHz for video editing primarily and want your inputs on my proposed processor upgrade path. I am well aware that this is all guesswork somewhat, but many of you have much more experience and knowledge of how this stuff works. Thanks in advance.
So I have read great reviews of the Pentium 4 2.4GHz 800MHz FSB chip, which is currently available at places like newegg.com for about $170. I know that it apparently overclocks to 3.0GHz pretty easily (even with stock cooling as I will start off with). Intel's next round of desktop CPU price cuts is expected about 10/26 (per web sites such as theinquirer.net). My first question is how long do you think this particular chip will be available for purchase? And will it drop in price in October or be discontinued so that it may only be available at an increased price for a while? FYI, the 2.8GHz chip was still supposed to be about $218 after the October price cuts.
Secondly, I know that there has been much discussion on various forums about motherboard compatibility with the next Intel processor, Prescott. I would like to buy a motherboard that guarantees compatibility so that I have a ready made upgrade path to an increase of more than a GHz in processor speed and chip improvements (1MB cache over 512K for instance). Abit is supposedly coming out with a motherboard tomorrow (per xbitlabs.com) that will guarantee Prescott compatibility.
My question to those of you with more experience would be whether the first couple iterations of the Prescott chip that will be Socket 478 (hence compatible) are likely to ever be available (say in a year or so) at a good discount price (closer to the $170 I want to pay for the 2.4GHz)? Or since Intel will be changing over relatively quickly to a new socket type, PCI express on mainboards etc. mid next year or so, will these only ever be available at a relatively marked up price?
Looking forward to your replies.
Thanks,
Chris