older p4 replacement

[Corporal79]

I've got an older workstation that we were going to recycle here at work and a buddy has been using it as a CS3 machine. It's an old P4 3.2 processor. He'd like to upgrade to a dual core or maybe even a quad core if it's really worth it for working with CS3.

Obviously I'll need a mobo and memory too but I wanted to nail down a processor first, don't care if it's AMD or Intel really. Under $150 for the cpu is what he'd like to stay under. I looked at the e7200 and and Phenom 8550, this machine will be strictly an internet browsing and CS3 machine, no games, maybe a movie or two from time to time. Just need to best CS3 performance. No plans to overclock this machine either.

Thanks!

 

[Corporal79]

alright, I think I'm sold on a Phenom 9550 with an ASUS M3A78-EM 780G micro atx board, no need for a video card since there will be no gaming on this machine. Just need a power supply...

 

[Dangman]

Definitely the E7200 then.

Now what's your or your friend's total budget for this RAM, CPU, and motherboard upgrade? Also, what PSU does that workstation have?

 

[engiNURD]

Hm... E8400 was $140 over the weekend at frys.com, but they may be out of stock now. I agree with Danny, I'd still get the E7200 or E7300 instead of the Phenom, and do a mild OC to 3+Ghz, which would outperform the quadcore phenom, overclocked or not. For the rest of the parts, we'd need a budget to work with and what his/your needs are for the motherboard (firewire, 4+ sata, etc).

 

[Corporal79]

ok scrap the phenom

total budget somewhere around $400-$500

I was hoping to use an old power supply I had laying around Zalman ZM400A-APF 400W but looking at it tonight it shows it's age I think, no SATA power connections at all.

Hm... E8400 was $140 over the weekend at frys.com, but they may be out of stock now. I agree with Danny, I'd still get the E7200 or E7300 instead of the Phenom, and do a mild OC to 3+Ghz, which would outperform the quadcore phenom, overclocked or not. For the rest of the parts, we'd need a budget to work with and what his/your needs are for the motherboard (firewire, 4+ sata, etc).

I just checked frys.com and it's sold out. Newegg has it for $169...

the e7200 is $119 on newegg right now

As far as mobo is concerned it doesn't need to be anything amazing, 4 memory slots, a couple SATA connections, eSATA would be nice because I know he wanted a large drive down the road but that can always be an internal drive. Something with decent onboard video would be good and save cash on not having to buy a video card. Absolutely no gaming will be done on this box, just CS3, internet surfing and the occasional DVD (optical drives are taken care of)

Vista Ultimate x64 will be the OS so I was hoping to squeeze 4GB of RAM into this as well...

 

[Dangman]

Man, for a $400 budget, he could get a quad-core CPU:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU - $190
Gigabyte GA-G33M-S2L Intel G33 mATX Motherboard - $95
G.Skill F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ 2 x 2GB DDR2 800 RAM - $70
Corsair 450VX 450W PSU - $70
-----
Total: $405 plus tax and shipping.

Also, Vista Ultimate isn't worth the extra costs IMO. Vista Home Premium is more than enough for most people. Unless your friend needs all of the security and backup features of Ultimate, don't bother with Ultimate.

 

[Corporal79]

Man, for a $400 budget, he could get a quad-core CPU:
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 CPU - $190
Gigabyte GA-G33M-S2L Intel G33 mATX Motherboard - $95
G.Skill F2-6400CL5D-4GBPQ 2 x 2GB DDR2 800 RAM - $70
Corsair 450VX 450W PSU - $70
-----
Total: $405 plus tax and shipping.

Not bad at all! looking at that mobo, without looking myself since i'm exhaust and about to hit the hay, are there motherboards with onboard DVI? I know he was looking to get a new DVI LCD to replace his CRT. Talking to him further, he wants a new case, something quiet for his home office. I have a P182 and sent him some pics but it's too tall for his taste. So something mid tower size that's quiet...

Also, Vista Ultimate isn't worth the extra costs IMO. Vista Home Premium is more than enough for most people. Unless your friend needs all of the security and backup features of Ultimate, don't bother with Ultimate.

I'll keep that in mind, he won't need or use the Ultimate features but he had a license for it through his work.

 

[Dangman]

Not bad at all! looking at that mobo, without looking myself since i'm exhaust and about to hit the hay, are there motherboards with onboard DVI? I know he was looking to get a new DVI LCD to replace his CRT. Talking to him further, he wants a new case, something quiet for his home office. I have a P182 and sent him some pics but it's too tall for his taste. So something mid tower size that's quiet...

There are motherboards with onboard DVI:
ASUS P5QL-EM Intel G43 mATX Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-EG43M-S2H Intel G43 mATX Motherboard

However, I haven't read or seen much reviews of the above mobos.

As for a quiet mid-tower case, well technically the P182 is a mid-tower case, LOL . But check out the Antec Solo. Seems like a quiet case.

 

[hstuehmeyer2000]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16856101039 Shuttle G31 Barebones
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820141366 PQI 2x2gb DDR2 800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115018 Q6600
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116072 E5200 if you want to save money

 

[engiNURD]

I'd avoid shuttles... they seem to be more finicky than they're worth. I've tried several, and while they worked great once I got them working, they all had at least one issue or another. I finally gave up and built my own SFF. Although, the Intel based shuttles seemed to have the least problems, btw.

 

[hstuehmeyer2000]

I'd avoid shuttles... they seem to be more finicky than they're worth. I've tried several, and while they worked great once I got them working, they all had at least one issue or another. I finally gave up and built my own SFF. Although, the Intel based shuttles seemed to have the least problems, btw.

Ok, then how about this,
pqi TURBO 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 800
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820141366
SeaSonic SS-300ES 300W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817151055
ZOTAC N73PV LGA 775 NVIDIA GeForce 7100 Micro ATX
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813500008
SILVERSTONE SUGO SG02B-F
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811163112
10xMASSCOOL FD08025S1M4(the case has room for 2 more 80mm fans and it is cheaper to buy 10 fans than to buy 2 to because when you buy 10 you get free shipping and they only cost $1.29)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835150007
Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115017

 

[Corporal79]

think there would be a heat problem to cram this quad core build into a mini P180?

 

[engiNURD]

think there would be a heat problem to cram this quad core build into a mini P180?

nope

 

[Corporal79]

great, looks like that will be the case. My friend keeps changing his mind, I guess his brother sold him his old 7800GTX so no more need for onboard video. Does that change anything as far as the mobo? I'd like to finalize my shopping cart and purchase this today.

 

[engiNURD]

Make sure that card will fit into the case. Tiraides should know... lets hope he sees this.

 

[hstuehmeyer2000]

great, looks like that will be the case. My friend keeps changing his mind, I guess his brother sold him his old 7800GTX so no more need for onboard video. Does that change anything as far as the mobo? I'd like to finalize my shopping cart and purchase this today.

yes, get this one, its supports dual channel
Foxconn G31MV-K LGA 775 Intel G31 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186145