Curse

RMThompson · Sep 07, 2005, 09:07 PM // 21:07

Ok guys I am thinking of upgrading.

I'm really broke.

Here is what I have now:

Celeron 1.8 ghz (dell dimension 2300)
382 MB RAM pc133
20 Gig HD
128 PCI - Geforce 5200 card

Here is what I thinking of updating to:

AMD Sempron 3100+
512 MB 3200 DDR
160 gig HD
(Same graphics card, I will take it out and put it in new one)

So my question is, what really is the difference between the processors... ALSO what is the difference between pc133 ram and the new ram...

Is that graphics card good for now? I know it runs GW pretty well!

Anything else I should be thinking of?

Howling Wind · Sep 07, 2005, 09:23 PM // 21:23

The processor and memory is tons faster than your old one, the Sempron 3100+ is said to run equivelant to a 3.1Ghz Celeron processor, (celeron and sempron are both th budget processors from each company). The memory is also tons faster compared to the old PC 133 RAM, more data is transfered and at quicker speeds, its a big improvement.

I'd recommend getting a new graphic card to suit the new system, a good 128MB graphics card can be bought quite cheap now.

Debug0x2a · Sep 07, 2005, 09:28 PM // 21:28

How much are you willing to spend on the computer? I'm not a big fan of semperons but yes they are cheap. If you are planning on actually getting a new computer, my friend put one together for $530 after tax and shipping from parts off of newegg. Was an Athalon 64 3000+, nforce4 motherboard, 512 dual channel ram, 80 gig hd, 128 meg radeon x300 pci-e 16x video card, 450 W psu. From the sound of it, you already have the case and psu, so you might want to consider something like that if you can afford it, since with the nforce4 motherboard you'll be able to upgrade it easily in the future. Since you are switching from a celeron to a semperon you will need to get a new motherboard no matter what so perhaps you might want to consider putting a little more money into this now so you wont have to put in as much in the future.

Millennium · Sep 07, 2005, 09:37 PM // 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by RMThompson

Ok guys I am thinking of upgrading.

I'm really broke.

Here is what I have now:

Celeron 1.8 ghz (dell dimension 2300)
382 MB RAM pc133
20 Gig HD
128 PCI - Geforce 5200 card

Here is what I thinking of updating to:

AMD Sempron 3100+
512 MB 3200 DDR
160 gig HD
(Same graphics card, I will take it out and put it in new one)

So my question is, what really is the difference between the processors... ALSO what is the difference between pc133 ram and the new ram...

Is that graphics card good for now? I know it runs GW pretty well!

Anything else I should be thinking of?

I've built man sooo many pc's ... Right now i'm usign a 64 ...

dont go with a outdated chip even if your going to go cheap ...

3200+ 64 or a 3400+ maybe 754 or 939 chipset ... 754 is cheap since it's still using the AGP works great , fast bus usally has everthing even the can openiner lol

i would go with the 64 area ... OS doesnt mater it benfits big time if your a gamer also does great on encoding stuff and video edting and image working.. also data access is super quick with the 64 series...

I went from a 2400+ to a 3400+ 64 and i can unzip a 6 gig file in less then 6 mins ... on 2400 that was around 15 mins

So maters on wat you want really ... Speed and performance ...

64 will blow a Standered AMD away easy on any game or benchmark

i built this for under 700$
AMD 64 3700+ 2.45 gighz with a Zalman cooler under 95F
K8nE DX
2x 512 Megs of ram Corsair / OCZ
Geforce 6600 128 edtion
Chiften Case
Aerocool Modular power supply 550 watt

Ram question... 133 is an older ram style slower isnt dubble data rate ... The new ram's use 2 channels and can push the data back and forth so faster data.

RMThompson · Sep 07, 2005, 10:26 PM // 22:26

Well the thing on the computer is,

I can get the WHOLE SYSTEM

(Sempron 3100+, the Harddrive, the ram, 17 inch monitor, CD RW, DVD PLAYER, keyboard/mouse, printer.. EVRYTHING)

for only...

319.97 !

So I am thinking of getting this system, it's a compaq, and then just upgrading piece by piece... I mean, it's tons faster than what I am using! It has to be!

My main question is about the PROCESSOR... why is my celeron called a 1.8 if it doesnt run at 1.8? I dont get it!

Old Dood · Sep 07, 2005, 10:52 PM // 22:52

The PC133 ram has a bandwidth of 1.0Ghz
The PC-3200 ram has a bandwidth of 3.2Ghz

So there is quite a difference in the two.
This should help: http://www.crucial.com/crucial/pvtco...memtype=CHOOSE

The Celeron does not have the level of cache that the P4 processor has.
Same for the Sempron. Seriously, listen to the guys here that are currently building their own boxes. Do not get a Celeron or a Sempron. You are handicapped right off the bat. I would rather have a lower end P4 or Athlon. It is the cache that makes it FAST. It has room to send the commands and stack them. Without that cache then you are bottlenecking the processor. Celerons and Samprons are fine processors for business machines. Business machines are not that demanding processor wise. Gamers need the Speed....

The last time I had a Celeron processor was back in the 1990's. It was the Celeron 300Ghz. You could overclock them to a 450Ghz chip. It was a affordable way to build a cheap box in those days. After those days, I got tired of building computers. No time actually, just want my box to turn on and work. So I have been buying a Dell ever since 2000.

Another way you can go is check out some Bare-bone systems and add to those. Get one with a big PSU. You can add your old hard drive. Make it a second Data drive and keep all your old data, delete/uninstall what you don't need anymore.

Howling Wind · Sep 07, 2005, 11:04 PM // 23:04

Yeah as I mentioned on my first post, sempron is a celeron equivelant which are both budget processors have have low cache memory but its the cheapest in the line and for those in a tight budget. If you can squeeze a bit more money out, then get a 939 board and a 64 processor (2800-3200+ if you wanna keep costs down to low). This gives you much better future upgrade options and longer lifetime.

I've built many PC's and sempron's just lack compared to 64's so take the advice from all those above guys that mentioned this as well and get yourself a 64, if you can squeeze the extra amount.

Old Dood · Sep 07, 2005, 11:11 PM // 23:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Howling Wind

Yeah as I mentioned on my first post, sempron is a celeron equivelant which are both budget processors have have low cache memory but its the cheapest in the line and for those in a tight budget. If you can squeeze a bit more money out, then get a 939 board and a 64 processor (2800-3200+ if you wanna keep costs down to low). This gives you much better future upgrade options and longer lifetime.

I've built many PC's and sempron's just lack compared to 64's so take the advice from all those above guys that mentioned this as well and get yourself a 64, if you can squeeze the extra amount.

Howling Wind,

I have been out of the building game for quite some time now. So I will ask you this: Can he get a motherboard that has the cheapie processor that he can afford and be able to upgrade to a AMD 64 chip later? I know you can do this with some motherboards, but I am ignorant to any of the newer ones of today.

I seriously hope that Compaq he is looking at isn't what I think it is....a Compaq version of Dell's 2400 series. NO VIDEO CARD SLOT. That is a total waste of dollars spent if that is the case.

nohooiam · Sep 07, 2005, 11:26 PM // 23:26

yes make sure it has a AGP or PCI-E slot.

RMThompson · Sep 07, 2005, 11:39 PM // 23:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by nohooiam

yes make sure it has a AGP or PCI-E slot.

It has an AGP..

My VIDEO CARD though, is unfortunatly PCI

Toral Xi · Sep 08, 2005, 03:41 PM // 15:41

If it is AGP and the card you have now is PCI-e than that is even more reason not to purchase it. You will be much better off getting an AMD64 3000+ 939 with venice core, ($146 at newegg), a 939 ABIT nforce 4 board with PCI-e ($86), 1 stick of 512mb crucial ballistix ram ($70 - I say one stick to keep price down and you can add another 512 later on; also, amd systems work well with micron chips used by Crucial & some OCZ). That puts you at $302 but if I were you I would (actually you will have to) spring for a new case ($49 coolermaster centurian) and a new power supply ($58 Thermaltake 480w). That puts you at $409 using your current hard drive (will need to check compatibility with motherboard) and current video card which you can upgrade both easily in the future when you get more funds.

As a side note you could build an AMD64 754 socket system for a little less but I like using the 939 for future upgradability, for instance the ABIT board I suggested supports dual cores.

You will have to get a new case because the new system I suggested will not fit in your current case and the power supply you have now is way inadequate for this system.

RMThompson · Sep 08, 2005, 04:57 PM // 16:57

I've settled on the system...

It's just too good a deal to pass up...

SURE it's 754, SURE it's not a 64-bit system, but for 319.97 I can't go wrong... I mean the 160 gig HD, Monitor, DVD and CDRW are worth that alone...

Later on I can replace the MoBoard and Processor If I want to upgrade... maybe a year after VISTA is released...

Thanks for the help...

Here is the system, one more time:

HP printer and 17inch FLAT screen monitor

AMD Sempron 3100+

512MB 3200 ram

256KB L2 cache memory for efficient system processing

160GB Ultra DMA hard drive (7200 rpm)

Front-mounted 9-in-1 media reader supports CompactFlash Type I/II, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO, Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, xD-Picture Card and Microdrive

2 IEEE 1394 (FireWire) ports and 7 high-speed USB 2.0 ports, both front and rear accessible, for fast digital data transfer and easy peripheral connectivity

Built-in 10/100Base-T Ethernet networking interface; 56k high-speed data/fax modem

ZennZero · Sep 08, 2005, 05:29 PM // 17:29

That actually is a very good price. If it does in fact have a 754 pin socket, you should eventually be able to upgrade to a (single channel) Athlon 64 quite cheaply. Also, AGP card will continue to be produced for a few more years, so I wouldn't let that dissuade you, especially for that price. My video card alone was close to that price.