upgrading from a Pentium 4 -2.8c

S

smith94672

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 3, 2005
Messages
153
I'm still on a Pentium 4 - 2.8C that has been with me for over 6 years. Thinking I now need a new computer and using newegg prices, I came up with the following build:


-LG DVD Burner - Bulk Black SATA Model GH24NS50 - OEM $19.99
-Rosewill DESTROYER Black Gaming ATX Mid Tower Computer Case, comes with Three Fans-1x Front Blue LED 120mm Fan, 1x Top 120mm ... $39.99
-Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST31500341AS 1.5TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive $59.99
-Samsung BX2335 23" LED-BackLight LCD monitor Slim Design $209.99
-Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1250 Hybrid TV Tuner /Video Recorder 1196 PCI-Express x1 Interface $49.99
-SAPPHIRE 100283L Radeon HD 5770 (Juniper XT) 1GB 128-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready CrossFireX Support Video Card $139.99
- CORSAIR CMPSU-750TX 750W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power ... $109.99
- SONY 4.7GB 4X DVD+RW 10 Packs Disc Model 10DPW47R2 $12.99
- CORSAIR XMS3 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model CMX4GX3M2A1600C9 $54.99
- ASRock H55DE3 LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI ATX Intel Motherboard $89.99
- Intel Core i5-750 Lynnfield 2.66GHz LGA 1156 95W Quad-Core Processor BX80605I5750
$184.99

Total: $972.89 + $23.50 shipping

And I have some questions.

1) I intend to use the new computer for playing games, Internet, music, videos, reading, and watching TV. When I'm not at work, the computer practically rules my life. As for gaming, I'm not necessarily a hardcore gamer but I enjoy playing modern games only. I don't have a specific budget in mind but I prefer not to spend on what I don't need. As for overclocking, I probably won't do it because of my awful history of dead fans. Is the above build the right computer for me? Any suggestions?

2) I own an upgrade version of Win 7 64-but ultimate. For the new computer, do I absolutely have to install Win XP first and then install Win 7?

3) My current/old computer has an SB Audigy 2 sound card. Should I still use this in my new build?

4) I've heard stories of Intel's i5 retail stock fans not being effective enough. Is it recommended that I purchase a separate CPU cooler even though I don't plan on overclocking?

5) As of right now I have two hard drives. One is an 8 yr old 80gb drive from Seagate. The other is a 160gb Seagate drive that is 6 yrs old. Both seem to be functioning fine. Should I continue to use these drives in my new build?

6) I keep hearing of people waiting for Sandy Bridge or Bulldozer, and about how these platforms are an exciting change. Should I wait also?

7) I imagine that an i5 750 w/ HD 5770 computer would be extremely different from my current P4 system. I'm thinking I'll be amazed for the first few weeks of the upgrade. How likely is it that I'll be so distracted by the upgrade that I don't want to do anything else?
 
1: I would not use this drive, i would go with a ssd or a wd black. The hdd is really underrated in new builds but has a very large impact on day to day performance. A ssd or high performance hdd would be a worthwhile upgrade on this build.
2:no
3:eek:nboard is just as good if not better <<<<lol did not mean to do this
4:stock you should be just fine, no worries
5: i would copy the entire drives over to the new system but not install them in the system
6:This waiting game can go on forever. The i5 quad is a good build to go with and would definitly be a great upgrade for ya.
7: very, lol
 
spring for a GTX460, it can be found for the same or a little more than the cost of an HD5770
 
I'm going to approach this like you'll keep this computer another 6 years.;)

1. If you have a Micro Center nearby, you can snag an i7-950 for $200 (with the unfortunate side-effect of a more expensive board/RAM) or an i5-760 for $170 or an i7-870 for $230. Something to think about; there's certainly nothing wrong with the great bang-for-the-buck the 750 will give you.

Do you think you'll use USB 3.0? If you don't want to deal with an addon card, find a motherboard with it built in like: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131634

I don't trust Seagate either (still need to send back one of their external drives) but if you do, be my guest. I recommend the WD1001FALS or WD1002FAEX: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136284

SSDs have come a long way and, while a luxury, their prices are somewhat reasonable these days. The Intel X25-M and (a step down) SandForce-based drives are your best choices.

DRAM prices are dropping like a rock (and are expected to keep falling into next year), so I'd go with 8GB. Unfortunately, Newegg seems to be out of all of them. :( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231311 was the current favorite.

2. http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp
4. No prob with the stock cooler.
5. I'd keep the 160GB around for back-up.
6. Sandy Bridge will be faster, but as shinygecko said, the waiting game can go on forever. Without OCing, there seems to be less need to wait.
7. Quite.
 
Yes, as stated the waiting game can go on forever.

With that being said . . . while BD is still going to come out who knows when and be who knows how good, SB is out in about a month. It is December now, and sandy bridge comes out first week of January.

I understand why people want to wait, but especially given the fact that you will probably use this computer for a long time, it seems like a dead obvious choice to wait for SB. While I think it makes no sense to be picking up a new cpu right now anyways (unless you're in camp red), I think this makes even more sense given how long the computer will be in use.

I can't imagine choosing to build a computer now with the new generation coming out next month.

I also agree with the notion of bumping up to a 460.

Just my 2 cents.

As already seen I'm sure some people will disagree.
 
Sandy bridge is soooooooooooooo close. The waiting game will NOT go on forever, it will go on for just over 1 month! Sandy bridge is hard launching on January 9th. I can understand how some people buy a socket 1366 now instead of waiting a short time for sandy bridge - it has the advantages of more PCIe lanes and faster RAM. It makes zero sense, however, to upgrade to 1156 right now when 1155 is just around the corner and will be significantly better than any offerings on 1156.
 
Ha. And then when Sandy Bridge comes out, it'll just be a few months before the NEXT greatastic thing comes along. And then once you upgrade to that...it'll be obsolete. ;)

That being said, the build looks good, except I agree WD would be preferable on the HD and 750 watts is just not necessary...I'd go somewhere between 400 and 500.

And if you don't OC, the stock cooler will be totally fine.
 
Subliminal said:
Ha. And then when Sandy Bridge comes out, it'll just be a few months before the NEXT greatastic thing comes along. And then once you upgrade to that...it'll be obsolete. ;)
Click to expand...

Not exactly... there will be S1356 later on in the year as the replacement for LGA1366, but that's not really relevant for LGA1155 SB users.

LGA1155 will be the new 'mainstream' socket for Intel for at least the next 12 months, why would you buy into an EOL socket right before the new socket is due?! :confused:
 
I can come up with a couple of reasons:

1. You want a computer like right now. You're excited, money is allocated, and components out now are pretty badass.

2. Most people upgrade every few years...if you don't get next years stuff this time, maybe you'll get it next time.

3. There are great deals on a lot of stuff right now.

4. Don't want to pay the premium of the early adopter

5. Maybe right after Intel comes out with something cool, AMD will again come out with something even cooler and you'll still be behind the game when you waited all that time anyway.

I know these arguments can all have holes in them, but so can the argument for waiting.

I say do it!
 
Furystrike said:
Sandy bridge is soooooooooooooo close. The waiting game will NOT go on forever, it will go on for just over 1 month! Sandy bridge is hard launching on January 9th. I can understand how some people buy a socket 1366 now instead of waiting a short time for sandy bridge - it has the advantages of more PCIe lanes and faster RAM. It makes zero sense, however, to upgrade to 1156 right now when 1155 is just around the corner and will be significantly better than any offerings on 1156.
Click to expand...

Is Jan 9th the date when Sandy Bridge is available to the distributors or to the end-users?

What is the estimated price for a 1155 motherboard and cpu that is right for me? And for how long will Intel release new processors for 1155?
 
If you can swing for it I'd recommend the Antec 300 Illusion. Better build quality than the Rosewill IMO and comes fitted with 4 fans.
 
smith94672 said:
Is Jan 9th the date when Sandy Bridge is available to the distributors or to the end-users?

What is the estimated price for a 1155 motherboard and cpu that is right for me? And for how long will Intel release new processors for 1155?
Click to expand...

No one can say 100% exactly what day you'll be able to order or receive SB parts, but it will be very very close to the 9th if not on the 9th.

The estimated price for a 1155 motherboard is going to be similar to 1156 motherboards.

As far as cpu goes, you listed getting an i5 750 2.66 GHz for like $185
Sandy bridge has models i5 2300,2400,2500 are all quad core processors ranging from 2.8-3.3GHz and should be doable around the $200 mark (obviously the lower end 2300 should be less and the 2500 will probably be a little over).
http://www.expreview.com/12856.html

I know the waiting game sucks. If you pulled the trigger right now you would be happy with what you got and you will have fun and it will last you a long time.

My personal opinion would be to try and wait as any of those three models should be a hefty upgrade over the 750, but I'm not the one waiting for the hardware.
 
What do you think about getting an AMD X6 1090T 3.2 GHz in lieu of the i5-750?

Unlike with buying an i5, I could buy a 1090T / AM3 right now and not worry about it being obsolete too quickly.

Any opinions?
 
smith94672 said:
What do you think about getting an AMD X6 1090T 3.2 GHz in lieu of the i5-750?

Unlike with buying an i5, I could buy a 1090T / AM3 right now and not worry about it being obsolete too quickly.

Any opinions?
Click to expand...

The X6 1090T competes with core2quads in many games, if we look at performance the X6 was obsolete the moment it went retail.
 
smith94672 said:
What do you think about getting an AMD X6 1090T 3.2 GHz in lieu of the i5-750?

Unlike with buying an i5, I could buy a 1090T / AM3 right now and not worry about it being obsolete too quickly.

Any opinions?
Click to expand...

For gaming, you're better off with the i5. The X6 1090T is faster at tasks that use all 6 cores, like video encoding.

Like I said previously though, it's probably worth the wait for SB, especially if you intend to keep this new system as long as your last system. ;)
 
2OP: I agree with those who advise to wait 1 months for Sandy Bridge.

 
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Regardless of what you get, make sure you get an ssd for your OS & apps.
80, 100, or 120gb. Preferably Intel or sandforce based controller.
 
2.8c Northwood... man I loved that CPU. But yes, it is time to move on and you will be stunned how much of a difference it is, especially in gaming.
 
don't get the 10 pack of dvd-r for $12, Radio Shack has regular sales of 50 pack for $10 in their stores
 
Hey if you waited for so long with that P4, wouldn't it be better to just wait like one more month and get the new Intel sandy bridge chips?

I'm basically in the same boat as you. My pc is built around an Athlon XP 3200+, 7600GS (agp of course), 1.5gb ram, that kind of thing. Except I'm probably better off because I did stick the quite new spinpoint F3 drive into it (the mobo does have native sata1), and that makes it much snappier during boots/hibernation, etc than my other athlon xp-based box. Even so, it's getting quite annoying with the stuttering I get when a bunch of FF windows/tabs are open.

I'm now itching to finally build a new one from scratch. But I'm waiting for the new CPUs to arrive since it's so close already, and what is a few more months to someone who has waited so long? I was going to wait until the Llano comes out and probably get that, but looks like it will take too long so will probably just get one of the mainstream sandybridges. I know the sandybridges that will come out first are not the enthusiast class, but do you really need a powerful cpu if you've been putting up with a P4 all this time?

Edit: I obviously did not read the rest of the comments/posts before posting this :p
 
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ok so I waited. As desperate as I was, I didn't upgrade immediately to Sandy Bridge on the release date because I wanted to see a few weeks of reviews first. As we all know it, the chipsets have been recalled, and may not be in the retail channel maybe until late spring or early summer.

Since I stayed for too long with my P4, should I just decide to wait maybe up to 3-4 more months for revised chipsets and stick with the Sandy Bridge upgrade? Or just upgrade now because just about anything will be faster than what I currently have?
 
DaRuSsIaMaN said:
Could just go for this just-arrived Fusion cpu & mobo combo:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/asus-e35m1m-pro

$140 for a mobo & cpu. Will be really crappy, too, compared to SB, of course. But hella cheap *shrug

But I'm in same boat as you... and I decided I'm going to just keep waiting :\
Click to expand...

Except amazon is the only place I can find it and its $173.

I would say just wait till the new sandy bridge mobos come out. All other current sockets are dead.
 
munkle said:
Except amazon is the only place I can find it and its $173.

I would say just wait till the new sandy bridge mobos come out. All other current sockets are dead.
Click to expand...

Eh, google shopping results brings up some random etailers I've never heard of that have it, such as:
http://www.colamco.com/store/stat/product/1032050.html?source=froogle
or
http://www.excaliberpc.com/602685/asus-e35m1-m-pro-amd-hudson.html

$147 to $150ish.

But yeah I guess I also recommend just waiting... again. *sigh
 
DaRuSsIaMaN said:
Could just go for this just-arrived Fusion cpu & mobo combo:

http://www.silentpcreview.com/asus-e35m1m-pro

$140 for a mobo & cpu. Will be really crappy, too, compared to SB, of course. But hella cheap *shrug

But I'm in same boat as you... and I decided I'm going to just keep waiting :\
Click to expand...
It's a really great combo for a media PC/low-power home server, but as a desktop... not so much. You could bundle a cheap AMD board plus CPU for less cash with more power (computationally and electrically :p). But using it as a desktop while you wait for greener pastures then re-purposing it wouldn't be too bad.

Personally, I'm holding tight at the moment for the Z68 chipset launch and the new SSDs that are supposed to hit late Q1/Q2 (Intel 510 and/or G3, Micron C400). Though, I may just jump on an Intel G2 120MB next time it drops down to a nice price.
 
DaRuSsIaMaN said:
But yeah I guess I also recommend just waiting... again. *sigh
Click to expand...

I've been thinking the same but I had to ask this here because I didn't know where to draw the line. Buying right now isn't bad at all if you have an old system but it won't be without feeling shortchanged because the existing 1156 and 1366 socket cpus haven't come down in price despite the release of Sandy Bridge. But then again suppose you do wait around June when the revised SB mobos are finally sold. Then wouldn't maybe just one or two extra months of waiting also be worth it to see how AMD does with its upcoming chip?
 
smith94672 said:
I've been thinking the same but I had to ask this here because I didn't know where to draw the line. Buying right now isn't bad at all if you have an old system but it won't be without feeling shortchanged because the existing 1156 and 1366 socket cpus haven't come down in price despite the release of Sandy Bridge. But then again suppose you do wait around June when the revised SB mobos are finally sold. Then wouldn't maybe just one or two extra months of waiting also be worth it to see how AMD does with its upcoming chip?
Click to expand...

Personally I don't think amd is going to pull off some crazy amazing chip. Right now am3 is behind the old i series so basically they have to beat two generations of i series processors now. I just don't see that happening. Unless you want cheap (amd) I wouldn't wait for bulldozer.
 
smith94672 said:
But then again suppose you do wait around June when the revised SB mobos are finally sold. Then wouldn't maybe just one or two extra months of waiting also be worth it to see how AMD does with its upcoming chip?
Click to expand...

The wait won't be until June. I believe the schedule is April at the latest. That is, Intel is promising the fixed mobos will be available "in volume" in April. I think that means you could be able to get one earlier than that, just that supply will be low.

Unless, by revised mobos you mean the Z68 chipset, or whatever it will be called.
 
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