Since getting a 360, my PC has become relegated to browsing, office and the occasional game but I still have a hankering every now and then to play something and would like a reasonably decent framerate.
From my existing PC I can salvage the following: -
* Monitor
* 1 x SATA HD
* 2 x IDE HD
* Keyboard/Mouse
The mobo is an old Athlon one (running a 2600) and the graphics card is a 9800 pro. What I want to do is...
* Add a new motherboard + chip
* Add a cheap but better graphics card
* Add more memory
However, I'd like to try and do this in stages, so I was considering the dual GFX/dual memory mobos (i.e. they support AGP and PCI-E, as well as DDR 1 & 2). That way I can upgrade motherboard and CPU to start off with, then add more memory and a better graphics card.
This is the one I'm looking at: -
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-011-AK&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=205 (£43.46)
Question is, if I want to keep the upgrade as cheap as possible, I'll keep my existing GFX/memory and just add a Core Duo processor. What I'd like to know, how much difference is there in real terms between the following, and which would give the best VFM: -
Intel Core 2 Duo E2140 "LGA775 Conroe" 1.60GHz (800FSB) - £42.29
Intel Core 2 Duo E2160 "LGA775 Conroe" 1.80GHz (800FSB) - £49.34
Intel Core 2 Duo E2180 "LGA775 Conroe" 2.00GHz (800FSB) - £55.21
Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 "LGA775 Allendale" 2.20GHz (800FSB) - £76.36
I'd like to avoid going too much over £100 if possible. Has anyone got this motherboard, and is this a sensible upgrade strategy?
From my existing PC I can salvage the following: -
* Monitor
* 1 x SATA HD
* 2 x IDE HD
* Keyboard/Mouse
The mobo is an old Athlon one (running a 2600) and the graphics card is a 9800 pro. What I want to do is...
* Add a new motherboard + chip
* Add a cheap but better graphics card
* Add more memory
However, I'd like to try and do this in stages, so I was considering the dual GFX/dual memory mobos (i.e. they support AGP and PCI-E, as well as DDR 1 & 2). That way I can upgrade motherboard and CPU to start off with, then add more memory and a better graphics card.
This is the one I'm looking at: -
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-011-AK&groupid=701&catid=5&subcat=205 (£43.46)
Question is, if I want to keep the upgrade as cheap as possible, I'll keep my existing GFX/memory and just add a Core Duo processor. What I'd like to know, how much difference is there in real terms between the following, and which would give the best VFM: -
Intel Core 2 Duo E2140 "LGA775 Conroe" 1.60GHz (800FSB) - £42.29
Intel Core 2 Duo E2160 "LGA775 Conroe" 1.80GHz (800FSB) - £49.34
Intel Core 2 Duo E2180 "LGA775 Conroe" 2.00GHz (800FSB) - £55.21
Intel Core 2 Duo E4500 "LGA775 Allendale" 2.20GHz (800FSB) - £76.36
I'd like to avoid going too much over £100 if possible. Has anyone got this motherboard, and is this a sensible upgrade strategy?
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