Upgrading Options for 3.5 yr old comp

T

Toranaga

Weaksauce
Joined
Mar 7, 2005
Messages
68
Hey everyone, first post here.
I would like some help on upgrading my computer to be faster, and for better grafics (I play HL2, etc.)
Its a Dell Dimension 4300 bought in Sept. of 2001.

Here are the specs:
Intel P4 1500 Mhz
1024 mb of ram
MS-StarForce GeForce FX 5600 (AGP8X) (But only running at 4x becuase of motherboard i guess)
40 Gb harddrive
CD-RW/DVD
floppy drive

Thanks in advance
 
That seems like a Socket 423 P4 Wily system w/ RDRAM or PC133, judging from the age. I had a 1.4GHz Socket 423 P4 Sony VAIO system from August 2001 and I don't think the 478's came out until half a year later.

The CPU/mobo/RAM would hold you back even if you purchased a 9800Pro in hopes that the Dell PSU from Fall 2001 can support it.

You're really better off getting a new computer from the ground up if you can afford it. The Socket 423 Pentium 4's weren't very good.
 
I agree. You are extremly limited to what you can do to that computer. You can add more ram, which wont help too much but it wont hurt.... or you can add a Hard drive in their. Thats about all you can do.

Unless you buy a new Motherboard, then you will need a New Processor, and new Ram...
 
HardOCP's Northwood review was dated Jan. 7, 2002

But just in case, I also double checked Dell's website also. The Dell Dimension 4300 specs. The 256K L2 cache indicates that it is a socket 423 Wily

It should be a Socket 423, so a new computer would most likely still be the OP's best option. There are some Powerleap adapters out there that let you use Socket 478 CPU in a Socket 423 mobo, but they're pretty pricey themselves, so for most people they're not worth it.
 
thanks for all the information. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to do anything to improve this computer and I guess i was right :( .
I will be getting a laptop in the fall of 2007 for college, but do you think it is worth it to buy a new computer now for the next 2/3 years?
 
hmm, possibly, due they offer good performance ,copared to an athalon 64 system, or a newer P4?
 
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