Upgrade to AMD X2 or X3?

[ellert]

After 5 years on the same system, I am having to upgrade my entire system because my main drive failed over the weekend. So, not knowing much about current technology, I've looked up some info on NewEgg and asked a few questions at the local Fry's.

This machine is our home desktop that the whole family uses (oldest kid is 7). See my sig for what I currently have. We don't do a lot of heavy gaming, mainly internet stuff, photo editing, video capture, and home office software. So, a high-powered machine is not needed.

I was looking at the AMD triple-core X3 processors and motherboards on NewEgg. But, when I went to Fry's to look at them in person, the worker there told me that I wouldn't need anything more (based on the 2nd paragraph above) than a dual-core X2 processor. It looks as though the X3 processor, motherboards, and DDR3 (most mobos look to take the DDR3) add about $100-$200 to the total price of the X2 processor, mobo, and DDR2.

What is the general opinion on suggestions for my "new" system? I found out I'm also going to need a new video card, hard drive (mine are IDE currently), case and power supply (600W+, really?!?), and DVD burner (again, IDE currently). Not sure about the sound card. I hear the new mobos have pretty good onboard sound capability.

I appreciate all of the help. Now I know what I'll be doing over the Thanksgiving holidays!

[Learux]

Motherboard sound will be fine, socket am2 or am3 does not make much difference for you.

Check out the mobo in my signature, it has very descent onboard graphics. HD3300. If you want to do any gaming this won't work but for what you described it will be fine.

I would buy at least a tri core, if budget allows quad core would be way to go. They are not that much more expensive.

Otherwise look for a board with a AMD 780 chipset they will have the ATI 3200 on board IGP.

With the kid being seven he/she will probably get into gaming soon.

[kpxgq]

if you dont mind tweaking, 550 black edition

[gkline]

How much $$$ do you have budgeted?

[Steve R Jones]

I am having to upgrade my entire system because my main drive failed over the weekend

Wouldn't a 40 dollar new hard drive fix this?

[ellert]

I haven't been able to find any support on my current mobo (EPOX EP-8KRAIPRO). Having not been up to speed lately on manufacturers, I'm not even sure if EPOX is still in business. This mobo has 2 SATA connections, but I don't know if they will work with the new SATA HDDs today, or have performance issues. Have not heard back from EPOX support center on this.

Budget is somewhere in the $500-$600 range.

I was looking to get a separate video card, but I don't really want to go as far as high-end quad-core. Something in the dual-core/tri-core would suit me fine. I guess that would be in the Athlon X2 or Phenom X3 categories.

[Un4given]

Just as an FYI, socket AM3 processors are backwards compatible and will work in socket AM2/AM2+ boards and will run DDR2; the memory controller supports both DDR2/3.

I just built my mom a system using this board. The manual is absolutely terrible, but it is a nice board, and has on-board graphics. It's quite tweakable, and a fully featured board for this price range.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16813135075

[Steve R Jones]

If your current mobo has SATA connection then any SATA drive will work fine on it...I wouldn't toss out a whole pc just because the drive died

[ellert]

If that is true, I'll just go with the new HDD then. I was concerned that having an "ancient" mobo coupled with the newer SATA drives (3.0) would lend itself to performance problems with the new HDD. If that isn't the case, please advise, and I'll go with the HDD only. This is what I was trying to get out of the EPOX support team.

I'd much rather spend $50 on a HDD than drop $500 or so on a whole new system...especially 4 weeks before Christmas!!!

Oh, and thanks to everyone out there being so helpful. Yet another reason why I love this site.

[Learux]

I would just buy the drive and see if that fixes the computer. If it does not come back to live, then you will have a drive you will be able to use for your new build.

[anubis44]

Originally Posted by ellert

I haven't been able to find any support on my current mobo (EPOX EP-8KRAIPRO). Having not been up to speed lately on manufacturers, I'm not even sure if EPOX is still in business. This mobo has 2 SATA connections, but I don't know if they will work with the new SATA HDDs today, or have performance issues. Have not heard back from EPOX support center on this.

Budget is somewhere in the $500-$600 range.

I was looking to get a separate video card, but I don't really want to go as far as high-end quad-core. Something in the dual-core/tri-core would suit me fine. I guess that would be in the Athlon X2 or Phenom X3 categories.

EPOX is indeed out of business as of a couple of years ago. You can give a new SATA drive a try, it should work.

If you do go for a new board/CPU/ram combo, I'd highly recommend the primary machine hardware in my sig. The AMD Phenom II X2 550BE CPU is quite inexpensive (about $110US, I believe), runs at a default clock rate of 3.1GHz, and if you get a motherboard like mine with dual bios, you can unlock the other 2 cores on the CPU and get a quad core for half the price. Some will tell you there are no guarantees about the quality of the other cores, and that's true, but my X2 550BE has been running all tests flawlessly on all 4 cores since I bought it. Even if you find one or both of the other cores is bad, you still have an excellent, quick dual core CPU. In addition, you can use super cheap DDR2-800 ram without much performance difference over DDR3 with this CPU, or you can spring for a DDR3 motherboard. In any case, if you do plan to try to unlock the other 2 cores, make SURE that motherboard has been proven to be able to do so. Not all mobos can unlock the Phenom IIs extra cores. If you really want a cheap quad core, however, and you want to be certain all 4 cores are good, you can always just buy the Athlon II X4.

What I've told you is the very cheapest possible upgrade value for the $$ you can get right now. Good luck!

[Nater]

Unless you're looking to spend under $100 on the processor itself, go intel. Their Lynnfield chips absolutely thrash anything AMD has and the are at AMD-level prices.

I wouldn't mess with a tri-core either. Considering your apparently long hardware cycles, the best idea is to get a quad core.

[richardginn]

Originally Posted by Nater

Unless you're looking to spend under $100 on the processor itself, go intel. Their Lynnfield chips absolutely thrash anything AMD has and the are at AMD-level prices.

I wouldn't mess with a tri-core either. Considering your apparently long hardware cycles, the best idea is to get a quad core.

Go with the X4 620 AMD chip??? Quad core on the cheap.