Upgrading my rig - your input desired :)

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Wolfdale75

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jun 17, 2010
Messages
133
Hey Guys,

I'm trying to work out how I can max out my hardware, without buying a new mobo, a new RAM type, new GPU. I could consider a new CPU, though.

I use my PC mainly for word processing, e-mail, Internet, playing music, data storage.

I'm also studying for the A+, so I have a couple of OSs installed which I mess around with as administrator.

I do some light gaming, almost entirely strategy. I don't do FPS or anything like that.

Here's my shit:

*ASUS P5B Deluxe (Socket 775, PCIe, SATA II, DDR2)
*Intel Core2Duo E8600 "Wolfdale" (3.33Ghz, 1333FSB, 6MB L2 cache, 45nm)
*OCZ 4GB (2 x 2GB) PC2-6400 (DDR2-800) Dual Channel Platinum Revision 2 [OCZ2P800R22GK] (CL 5-5-5-15)
* MSI Nvidia GeForce 7900GTO PCIe 512 MB
*40 GB Samsung SATA II HDD, 7200 rpm, 8.9 ms, 8 MB cache (Windows drive)
*74 GB Western Digital Raptor SATA I HDD, 10,000 rpm, 4.6 ms, 16 MB cache
*120 GB Western Digital SATA II HDD, 7200 rpm, 8.9 ms, 8 MB cache (main storage drive)

*Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit

First, am I right in thinking my current chip is the best there is for Socket 775? (At least as far as single- and dual-thread processing is concerned). If not, what chip could you recommend that is compatible with my mobo that would give me general performance gains? (Btw, I prefer not to overclock chips).

Next, would you agree that upgrading my RAM - to say, 8GB - would be the most cost-effective way to get performance gains? (My mobo only does DDR2 mem).

Finally, I'm interested in a Solid State Drive. Could I get a small one, e.g. 50GB, and use it as my dedicated Windows drive? Would it speed up my OS significantly?

If you have any other advice on getting performance gains from new hardware, pls say :)

Thanks!
 
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Firstly you need to tell us what you do with this computer? You also didn't list a GPU in your list of current parts...
 
My suggestion would be to get a small SSD (intel x25m-g2 if you have the money) and then a 500gb or 1TB drive (either the WD Blue/Black or the Samsung F3) and scrap all those tiny hard drives you have.
This would be the most you could do to speed up your system with the way you use it. What you do doesn't warrant 8gb of ram nor an upgrade for the chip.
 
Unfortunately, the current prices of DDR2 RAM pretty much makes it the least cost-effective way to get performance gains. In addition, unless you can get the Q9550 for $180 shipped, you're stuck with the E8600.

But yeah, the only real cost-effective and worthy upgrade you can do is a SSD upgrade:
$120 - Intel SSDSA2MP040G2R5 2.5" 40GB SSD
$230 - Intel SSDSA2MH080G2R5 2.5" 80GB SSD

Besides that, you're gonna need to replace the CPU and mobo if you want another cost effective upgrade.
 
Danny Bui said:
Unfortunately, the current prices of DDR2 RAM pretty much makes it the least cost-effective way to get performance gains. In addition, unless you can get the Q9550 for $180 shipped, you're stuck with the E8600.

But yeah, the only real cost-effective and worthy upgrade you can do is a SSD upgrade:
$120 - Intel SSDSA2MP040G2R5 2.5" 40GB SSD
$230 - Intel SSDSA2MH080G2R5 2.5" 80GB SSD

Besides that, you're gonna need to replace the CPU and mobo if you want another cost effective upgrade.
Click to expand...

Actually, DDR2 RAM is slightly less expensive per GB than DDR3 RAM. This is due to the glut of DDR2 memory still in the reseller channels.

As for the P5B series motherboard, it is based on a chipset (Intel P965) that officially supports only up to a 1066MHz FSB. Hence, the chipset does not officially support a 1333MHz FSB. However, 1333MHz CPU support for that series of motherboards are available only in beta BIOSes: The OP's E8600 needed that beta BIOS just to function properly.
 
Thanks guys! It looks like a SSD is the way to go.

Is there a site that offers a list of Intel processors which you can compare side-by-side for benchmark performance? Must include older CPUs like mine :)
 
What are you looking for, in particular?

Try to find a used Q9450 or Q9550.
 
Got another query:

My mobo manual says my board does IEEE 1394a - does that mean it supports FireWire 800 or only FireWire 400?
Generally, is FireWire a technology worth investing in, or is it going to be obsoleted by USB 3.0?
 
Wolfdale75 said:
Got another query:

My mobo manual says my board does IEEE 1394a - does that mean it supports FireWire 800 or only FireWire 400?
Generally, is FireWire a technology worth investing in, or is it going to be obsoleted by USB 3.0?
Click to expand...

IEEE 1394a is FireWire 400. The official term for FireWire 800 is IEEE 1394b.
 
OK, I'm a bit confused about the new standards. Can anyone break it down for me?

- Do devices need to be specifically made for USB 3.0, or can I simply plug any USB device into a USB 3.0 adapter card and have it run at USB 3.0 speed?

- Is it worth getting an internal eSATA expansion card and plugging my internal SATA II drives into it? Or will it be possible to get an adapter card to turn my SATA II drives into SATA-600 speed?

- If you are going to buy external storage, which is the interface to go for in performance terms, eSATA, SATA-600, or USB 3.0?

- Is SCSI still worth considering as an option for internal storage?

- I'm assuming FireWire is now old hat and out of the picture?

Thanks!
 
What external devices do you have? if there aren't any then don't worry about any of that, but a usb 3.0 controller should be fairly cheap.

& No Moving an internal drive to external will get you NO gains.

Your best upgrade path for what you ahve said is as posted above an ssd & single decent storage drive. IMHO though even though you said you didn't want to change the GPU a Radeon 5750 or 5770 would get you alot of gains in the gaming front & shouldn't require any major work to do.
 
- If you want USB 3.0 speeds, the USB device has to be specifically be made with USB 30. Otherwise, it'll act as a normal USB 2.0 device when connected to a USB 3.0 port

- No mechanical hard drive in the world can even approach SATA 3.0Gb/s let alone SATA 6.0 Gb/s. So no you can not have SATA 3.0Gb/s drives perform at SATA 6.0 Gb/s speeds. However, they are compatible with one another so you can use SATA 6Gb/s in SATA 3Gb/s por and vice versa.

- SATA 6Gb/s is NOT an external storage option. eSATA has not been update to SATA 6 Gb/s standard as far as I know. Still wouldn't make a difference either way. I go with eSATA since it's the more mature tech now

- Not for home PCs and such

- Yes.
 
They have taken all the words out of my mouth... :p

Good Luck on the A+ i studied and got my A+ in two weeks. Make sure and take it before Dec. otherwise you will have to update it every 3 years. If you take the test before Dec. it's good for a lifetime.
 
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