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Upgrade: CPU or RAM (?)

K

Kuo

Gawd
Joined
Jun 7, 2001
Messages
641
Hey,

This is something I've been throwing around in my head for while, and with my next paycheck coming soon, I think I can funnel a little cash into a system that hasn't been upgraded in quite some time, sadly.

But my question is which should I upgrade? Can't do both - only one of them.

CPU: AMD XP 1800 --> ??? AMD XPM 2400 I'm thinking right now. Or something around that ball park (~80-90 US $$ range)
RAM: Extra stick of some type of 512 MB RAM (Corsair value select PC3200 perhaps)
The system I am upgrading IS the one in my sig.

Points to take into account:
(1) I am running Dual-channel 2x256 right now. I can't really afford replacing that with 2x512, so I'll probably buy just another stick of 512 MB, thus losing dual channel capatability. How much will this effect performance and OC ability?
(2) I do OC - but I'm staying with air cooling
(3) I use my computer mostly as a file server and I do a lot of video/audio format conversions (encoding from various mediums into other mediums). Don't know if CPU or RAM effects this more
(4) I do use my computer for games - but mostly older ones right now (CS, Warcraft3). I do want to keep an open mind in being able to play other games down the road though (eg HL2), but that doesn't have to be immediate (as in perhaps by then, I can afford another upgrade).
(5) I run WinXP and I hate rebooting the machine :) haha.

That's about it. Suggestions? Thoughts? Comments? As always, any input is appreciated. Thanks.
 
Upgrade the CPU. You will see the largest performance improvment moving to a mobile barton core cpu over doing the RAM now. You do need to do the RAM but you should wait until you have the cash to do it right.
 
You should determine how compatible your mb is with the mobile barton. Some motherboards like my asus a7n8x only allow multipliers to be set to 12.5x.

Also, you may want faster ram to get full speed out of overclocking...

What I did is just buy a 512 dimm for $60.00 after rebate...

Oh and the speed diff between dual channel memory and single channel is pretty much negligible on XP processors.
 
DocSavage said:
Oh and the speed diff between dual channel memory and single channel is pretty much negligible on XP processors.
Click to expand...

/concur

That extra ram will help a bunch though. Dual channel is really only good for getting better benchmark scores on AXP systems. A faster CPU and more ram both sound good, but a faster Barton core would help you out a bunch.
 
The CPU would probably get you the most performance for an upgrade right now.

I would personally just hold off and save the money until you can do a CPU/mobo/RAM upgrade. All three components are getting somewhat aged.
 
DocSavage said:
You should determine how compatible your mb is with the mobile barton. Some motherboards like my asus a7n8x only allow multipliers to be set to 12.5x.
Click to expand...

Oh, I didn't know that would be an issue with the XP Mobiles. I'll do more research on that line - but I'll throw the question out anyway -- what settings do people tend to OC them at? I've never really pushed my multiplier above 12.5 before, so I never took that into account. Do the mobiles take less voltage, thus allowing a higher multiplier cause you can more safely feed it more voltage that the higher multipliers allow? Is that where the potential for OC is coming in?
[edit] Just checked my board. It's "rated" to support XP 1500-2800, but the multiplier goes up pretty high (not actually at computer, but I have a number of friends w/ the Epox 8rda+, and they tell me it's x12+)
[edit] Ok, I just checked up on this. I think the Epox board can only do x12+ if I lock it's bus to a max of 169.. which will sorta limit the OC I can do :(

SmokeRngs said:
The CPU would probably get you the most performance for an upgrade right now.

I would personally just hold off and save the money until you can do a CPU/mobo/RAM upgrade. All three components are getting somewhat aged.
Click to expand...

I know :( And I've been wanting to upgrade for so long now... so while it would be nice to upgrade all three, it's too hard to restrict myself to wait, heh. Something has to change! :)
 
I would advise sitting on the cash for now. Any increase either of these will give you will overall be negligable. Your best case is to replace the guts of this box with an overall upgrade on the order of 1200 or so.

Just my advise.
 
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