help recommending cheapest non bottlenecking chip for 8800gtx

[buttkinz]

iv just built a computer up for my wife to play star trek online with me (dont ask me how i managed it ) out of old bits lying around.
its currently running a 8800gtx, 2 gig ddr2 ram, 2 sata drives, 1650x1050 22" monitor and a P4 HT 3gig chip.

the p4 is bottlenecking the 8800 horribly so need someone to recommend a cheap and chearful chip that will run in an asus g31 intel board, or an am2 chip as iv got one of those boards knocking about as well.

mainly to play games at the monitors native resolution, not worried about games like crysis etc, will just be for star trek, world of warcraft etc levels of graphics.

oh and emphasis on cheap were broke at the moment and the less i can get her system running sweetly the better for me

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

What is the speed of the DDR2 RAM?

What are the model numbers of the motherboards??

 

[easyrider]

Model number of the mobo is essential then we can check compatibilty on ASUS site on which chips the mobo supports.

 

[LEUVEN]

I'd expect one of the best CPU's available for that socket (478) is already in that motherboard, so maybe an upgrade is the only way forward. or

EDIT: is that g31 mobo you've got a socket 775?

I was thinking old as in P4 not P4 D lol

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

It should be a socket 775 motherboard - I thought that the G31 was only for this socket??

 

[PermaBanned]

You'd probably be looking at the AM2 board, depending on compatibility. Something like a 7850 BE or Athlon II x2/x3 if it works.

 

[buttkinz]

it is a socket 775 yes, the ram is rated at 800mhz, also theres no voltage options for overclocking on the board, only frequencies.

http://asus.com/product.aspx?P_ID=xs6iinKxu0y5agcg

this is the board

 

[buttkinz]

am2 board is an msi k9n neo v3 if that helps

cheers guys

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

An E5300 would do the for the Intel motherboard:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-273-IN&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=793

If you are willing to overclock it you should be able to get 3.2GHZ+ AFAIK.

If you already have a heatsink the X2 6000+ would work in the AMD motherboard:

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-195-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=803

If you don't overclock the X2 6000+ is ahead of the E5300:

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/default.aspx?p=28&p2=98

The motherboard may run Athlon II processors but it involves mucking around though:

http://forum-en.msi.com/index.php?topic=127553.msg1012684

Upgrading the Intel motherboard with an E5300 is probably the least hassle and if you overclock a bit should do the job nicely.

 

[buttkinz]

cheers for that cat, good advise, now to hunt for some second hand bargains haha!

 

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

cheers for that cat, good advise, now to hunt for some second hand bargains haha!

Look for the R0 stepping E5000 chips as they seem to be better than the earlier steppings IIRC.

Also look out for any cheap E7000 and E8000 chips under £60 too.

 

[buttkinz]

will do, hunt in progress.

 

[PhoenixUK]

8800gtx is not a beast, any c2d will be fine for it, even e2160 as long as it's clocked around 3ghz.

 

[buttkinz]

lol, managed to fix an old e8200 which i thought had fried when i popped my rig under phase, well chuffed!