Best upgrade path for a newbie?

[colinchen70]

Hi all...

This is my first post to this board - just wondering if I could get some advice in terms of upgrading my CPU and maybe the cooling?

My current set up is:

AMD Athlon 64 3500+ Socket 939 - latest Bios revision
A8n-SLI motherboard
2GB Ram
160GB Hard Drive
2 * 6800 Ultra Graphics cards in SLI configuration (recently purchased the second one...a BFG to go with the original MSI one)

I'd like to increase the system performance in readiness for Windows Vista..however I'd also like to make the rig more performant for FPS games. I am also thinking of upgrading the monitor (currently 17") to either 22" or 24".

Is it worth overclocking the 3500+ or should I look to get an X2 4600+ . 4800+?

Many thanks for your help!

 

[ghgh]

Welcome to the forums..

Try overclocking it, ive got a 3500 and it can do 2907mhz on 1.55v stable...it might just get you higher frame rates and nippier in windows...if you managed to overclock it over 2.6ghz i doubt a dual core would be much faster unless you do a lot of multi tasking requiring two cores....having said that most x2s can do 2.6/2.7ghz at least.

if it overclocks naff then consider upgrading to a dual core imo.....but if it goes to 2.6 or behond id stick with it, still a quick processor even for new games.

 

[colinchen70]

Overclocking method?

Hi..thanks for the response...maybe I should try overclocking first. Now..how would I go about that? I've never overclocked before...but I have got reasonable experience in software etc! Hints or tips appreciated!

 

[ghgh]

Start by upping the FSB to say 220MHz..that'll give you 2420MHz, then try 230 etc and when it gets unstable up the vcore. I reckon it will do 2.5 on stock vcore like most venices...If your htt link multiplier is on 5x lower it to 4x or even 3x if you go over 250htt. Try not to up the vcore to over 1.55v.

regards
ghgh