what cpu should I get

[martyboy]

I am thinking of upgrading my computer, and wonder what my options are. I am not really computer savvy, so wonder what suggestions anyone might have

I got the SIW stuff as that seemed to be suggested and that tells me the following:


Property Value
Manufacturer: Giga-Byte Technology Co., LTD
Model : i815-ITE8712
Version: 1.x
Serial Number:
Chipset Model: 815/G/EG/P/EP Solano Host-Hub Interface Bridge (GMCH/MCH B0-step)
Chipset Vendor: Intel Corporation

CPU: Intel Celeron
CPU socket: Socket 370
Processor Upgrade: ZIF Socket
Max CPU speed: 1200 MHz

Slots: 5 PCI, 1 AGP

Capacity: 512 MBytes
Location: System board or motherboard
Maximum Capacity: 0 MBytes
Maximum Memory Module Size: 512 MBytes
Slots: 3
Error Correction: None
Name: Physical Memory Array
Use: System memory

SMBus: @5000


I upgraded the ram to 512m which is the max for the mobo and the video card is 128m geforce 4, which seems ok for now. so I am thinking maybe a faster cpu might be the go, but wonder how upgradeable the mobo is?

[gee.tee]

Hi Martyboy checked out giga and intel sites and cant i.d. your board.. download belarc adviser then run it.. then post back more details... cheers gee.tt

[martyboy]

The Belarc advises as follows:


Processor
1000 megahertz Intel Celeron
32 kilobyte primary memory cache
128 kilobyte secondary memory cache

Main Circuit Board
Board: Giga-Byte Technology Co., LTD i815-ITE8712 1.x
Bus Clock: 100 megahertz
BIOS: Award Software International, Inc. 6.00 PG 07/20/2001

I didnt think the mobo was unusual, but I did get it a couple of years ago...

[gto-pontiac]

your motherbord model number is GA -6OX

well acording to the gigabyte web site
the fastest CPU you can get on the computer of yours is 1Ghz Pentiam 3s
witch i don't think you can find much of them.
i don't think its worth the money to up-garde the CPU.

[anandasim]

Manufacturer: Giga-Byte Technology Co., LTD
Model : i815-ITE8712
Chipset Model: 815/G/EG/P/EP Solano Host-Hub Interface Bridge (GMCH/MCH B0-step)
CPU: Intel Celeron
CPU socket: Socket 370
Slots: 5 PCI, 1 AGP
Capacity: 512 MBytes
Maximum Memory Module Size: 512 MBytes
Slots: 3
I upgraded the ram to 512m which is the max for the mobo and the video card is 128m geforce 4, which seems ok for now. so I am thinking maybe a faster cpu might be the go, but wonder how upgradeable the mobo is?

http://tw.giga-byte.com/Motherboard/Sup ... .htm#Intel 815

Your motherboard chipset is an Intel 810/815 - that's oh, pretty old - it uses SDRAM (like mine) whereas most current and new boards use a different RAM called DDR. In plain speak, it means that you pay the same money for slow RAM.

Your CPU is a Socket 370 Intel Celeron - it appears to be running at 1Ghz - which is surprising to me - I left Socket 370 when my CPUs were running at half that speed. Intel still makes Celerons but although they use the same brandname, that's only for advertising - the technical bits are completely different. Nothing current fits Socket 370.

Socket 370 can take old Celeron and old Pentium III which were better. You could get second hand old Celerons and Pentium IIIs at swap meets.

For comparison, $100 will buy you a modern AMD Athlon XP 2200+ / Semperon / Intel new Celeron 2.6Ghz - they would be twice as fast as your current CPU but they won't fit Socket 370.

Rule of thumb is:
$100 for a new CPU
$100 for a new mobo
$100 for new 512Mb DDR RAM
$70 for a new hard disk (I assume your current hard disk is small and slow)

You have to decide whether you should shell out in the region of $300 for a machine that is considerably faster than yours (retaining your old hard disk etc... )

HTH

[martyboy]

Thanks for the info. I just bought new ram so I might think about a pentium III; are they much faster than the celeron 1000 I have?

[DogBoy]

Thanks for the info. I just bought new ram so I might think about a pentium III; are they much faster than the celeron 1000 I have?

I doubt it. Probably not worth the time and energy you'd spend looking for one, then the price you'd pay to buy it. Although you could probably get a second hand one relatively cheaply, the speed increase wouldn't be worth it.

This review might help you make up your mind.

[martyboy]

Ok, looks like I should think about a new mobo, cpu and ram. whatabout power supply? I am thinking I would keep my case etc and hard drives, sound and video and bits and pieces, but would this work?

[gto-pontiac]

Ok, looks like I should think about a new mobo, cpu and ram. whatabout power supply? I am thinking I would keep my case etc and hard drives, sound and video and bits and pieces, but would this work?

it should work. it depens on what you buy.
if you go for the new motherborad with PCI express 16X then your Video card will not work as you need to get one with AGP.
and again with power supply it depens on what you are going to get.
if your PSU (power supply unit) is less than 300W then you should look in to buying a new one. some of the PSU are cheap as any thing. but might not work well.

[martyboy]

I think the video card should be alright, its a g-force mx 4000 and seems to be agp compliant. As for the power supply, mine is fairly old and I think I would need a new one, but I wouldn't be adding anything extra to what I have now, just a new mobo, though maybe that needs more power?

[gto-pontiac]

though maybe that needs more power?

if you rae getting Pentiam 4s witch are power hungly then it might pay to get a new one.
or you could get a new one just incase.

[martyboy]

ok, thanks for all the tips. I think the upshot is I save up my dollars and get a new system essentially -perhaps next year....