Choices Choices!!

Coln · 9 Jun 2006 at 23:59

Ok here's the dilemma i've got.

At the moment i've 2 computers here. One is a basic XP2400, no frills gfx card, no sound card, etc, just basically for downloading, shrinking, number crunching, etc. The second pooter is AMD 64 3200, ASUS AGP mobo, 1gb geil PC3200 and an ATI 9800 Pro flashed to an XT. Whatever goes into the 2nd pooter will be handed down to the first if you know what i mean.

I was thinking about upgrading to an AMD X2 4400, Asus PCI-E mobo, 7900GTX gfx card, 2gb Geil PC3200, but with AM2 just coming out i'm leaning towards a slightly newer AGP gfx card and another 2x512 of Geil PC3200 just now until AM2 stuff is a. more widely available b. has all the bugs ironed out from the first hardware.

So just wondering what you guys thought.

Do i:-

A go for a new skt939 setup just now

or

B upgrade to a better AGP card and memory then upgrade to AM2 later in the year.

Thanks for looking

Monstermunch · 10 Jun 2006 at 00:17

Up to you really, AM2 offers very little advantage over the current skt 939, with the main one being support for DDR2 memory. AM2 is obviously the next step, but I belive that the current batch of AM2 chips are just skt939's adapted to AM2 socket with DDR2 support.

From what I have read the proper AM2 chips won't be available until later in the year. All current benchmarks either show the AM2 eqivalent chips on par with skt939's or slower!

Basically IMO if you want a new PC buy one now and stop worrying about what's happening tomorrow.

Coln · 10 Jun 2006 at 15:25

I'm not in a major hurry to upgrade that's why i'm asking just now.

I don't want to spend £1000 on a new setup if i can wait 4-5-6 months on the AM2 stuff being more established. If AM2 wasn't just coming out i would have no hesitation in getting a new skt939 setup or if AM2 was more established then getting a decent AM2 setup.

I know you can never keep ahead of what's happeneing, it's just that i don't want to upgrade to a faster skt939 just now and be left with a basically obsolete setup in 6 months time when everyone will be pushing AM2. That would mean new mobo, cpu, memory again.

Reckon i'll just upgrade the gfx card and memory at the moment and wait it out and see what happens. It's not going to go to waste that way as everything is handed down to my older slower computer.

crashuk · 10 Jun 2006 at 15:27

Monstermunch said:
Up to you really, AM2 offers very little advantage over the current skt 939, with the main one being support for DDR2 memory. AM2 is obviously the next step, but I belive that the current batch of AM2 chips are just skt939's adapted to AM2 socket with DDR2 support.

From what I have read the proper AM2 chips won't be available until later in the year. All current benchmarks either show the AM2 eqivalent chips on par with skt939's or slower!

Basically IMO if you want a new PC buy one now and stop worrying about what's happening tomorrow.

yes but if your buying a board and mem why not go for am2 means you only need to upgrade the chip thats if you buy mem with 800mhz and up speeds.

Energize · 10 Jun 2006 at 15:35

The asrock dual-sata 2 supports, socket 939 and am2 and supports agp and pci-e.

Your much better off buying conroe though.

Coln · 10 Jun 2006 at 16:14

Cheers for the replies.

Wasn't going to buy a new board, just a £100 gfx card and £65 for another 1gb geil Pc3200.

a lot of people saying AM2 boards are still buggy yet. Even if i buy the 2 items above, i can still pop them in the other computer no probs when i upgrade later on in the year.