Please reccomend a CPU upgrade for me:

[Chriztapuppy]

What would be the best CPU upgrade given my hardware, and is it worth it, should I get a new MB. I have a Gigabyte GA7DXR, with 512Mb PC2100 ram.. the CPU I have is an AMD Thunderbird 1.2

My MB aparently will take the following:

- AthlonXP 1500+ up to 2600+
- Athlon 650 up to 1.4
- Duron 600 up to 1.3

Thunderbirds not listed at all.. where does my 1.2 fit in?

another confusing thing.. I looked up a price for a 2600+ and it says 333fsb.. yet my cpu is suposedly 200/266fsb.. why does it say it supports they 2600+ then on GA's website? makes no sence to me.

http://www.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Support/CPUSupportList/CPUSupportList_GA-7DXR.htm

Unless there is a 266 version of the XP2600+ as well..

 

[makaka]

i think that it dont worth the update.
if you are looking for real one just get the abit nf 7 rev2 borad
mobile 2500+ two stick of 512 pc 3200 or higher and hello performance and overclock it will be also nice to go for a64 but it will be better to wait a bit for new socket to came
here is my opninon

 

[OC Detective]

To upgrade just the cpu will restrict you because of your RAM to higher speed Durons or as you realised the Tbred XP2600 at 266FSB (yes there are two versions). But even then you will not be able to overclock much due to the limitations of your RAM. It would be better to go with a complete overhaul of your system when you have enough cash. BTW your Tbird is in the Athlon range

 

[Chriztapuppy]

hmm well I did some more research, and I can use up to a AthlonXP 2600+ processor at 266fsb... this is a better class than my Tbird, and faster, over 2 gigahertz.. so that would be doubling my CPU power for around 70$ US.. sounds worth doing to me.

I have PC2100 ram already so it'll be a not bad system once I put a radeon 9500 or 9700.

 

[OC Detective]

At that price is the cpu a refurb or new?

 

[makaka]

update for video card is the best way but if wana get a new cpu just get a mobile u will overclock it when u update your mobo and your ram
so getting a new video card is good idea but cpu 2600+ desktop is bad (it will be locked and dont go as high as mobil)
so what about mobile 2500+ and new vid

 

[OC Detective]

Yeah good call mobile Bartons run at 133 FSB at default - that is a better option.

 

[Chriztapuppy]

Ok, but my MB supposedly supports 200 & 266 fsb cpu's only...

Also, can my MB overclock the mobil cpu? that's what you are suggesting if I follow.. buy a mobil cpu because it can be overclocked? maybe I'm not following..

 

[OC Detective]

No buy the mobile Barton because it has twice the L2 cache as Tbreds! Also its a 133FSB cpu so thats 266 mobos (DDR) - i.e. your mobo supports them (just not listed on the website because mobile Bartons are fairly new). As to overclocking as I said it is limited because of your RAM whatever cpu you get.

 

[murdoch]

You'll need multiplier support or be able to adjust it for any mobile to run right. If so and you want to save more or your board can't support a barton chip your could always use a tb-mobile they sell em too. 100 and 133 fsb ones

 

[Captain Newbie]

I'd hold 'em for now and see what happens in the near or immediate future.

 

[Daewood]

yah i say just get a new mobo

 

[Chriztapuppy]

I'm upgrading from a Geoforce MX440 on a Tbird 1.2 system... I do not need a new MB! If I get a new video card AND a cpu upgrade to say a 2400+, I'm sure i"ll be very happy with the difference it all makes.

 

[hrhrhrFOOT]

Then stop asking us. If you think it will be good, DO IT! You can always return it...

 

[Chriztapuppy]

hehe "why do you keep touching me??!"

sorry for the tone, it wasn't intended. Ahh the 'ol visual cue canundrum.

 

[liquidtrance123]

they do make 2600+ @ 266fsb but most of the ones i've seen are 333. If you can find a 266 part i would get that. If not get the 2400+ as all of them are 266 parts.

 

[Biggles 266]

It isn't really cost-effective in my opinion doing a whole new Athlon based build at the moment, so either wait a bit and buy into the 64 bit generation or do as you were suggesting and buy a new CPU and better graphics card.

If you can find a DDR 266/ 133 MHz FSB 2600XP chip then great, you'd see a big speed boost and could bung in a 9600 XT or even for £140 a 9800 Pro now.

What was also suggested was a Mobile Athlon. They also seemingly run at 133 MHz FSB, but being based on the Barton core rather than the T-Bred, have more cache memory. That makes around a 5% performance difference.

But to get the best from the Mobile Athlon you would also need to be able to change the multipliers on your board, if not then you'll not be able to get much out of the chip.

Even a 2400XP would still make quite a difference for you though.

 

[MRD]

If the bios can't support a barton, it may not be able to access that cache, I'm not really sure if it will be able to.

cpu 2600+ desktop is bad (it will be locked and dont go as high as mobil)[/quote

None of the 2600+ 266 are locked as they are all tbred b's. You can unlock any of them if you feel like overclocking.

 

[Moto7451]

I always thought on chip L2 Caches were controlled by the CPU & required no help from the bios. At least thats what I'm familiar with from my experiences with PPCs that have onchip L2s. I know they're different architectures but I suppose they would use the same methods. No?