Upgrade time for overclocking - options

weescott · 12 Feb 2006 at 17:44

I currently have a 3700 Clawhammer on a flakey DFI NF3 250GB. I only got it up to 2.7 on water (I didn't try that hard). I have a Mach 2 GT on order and want to make the most of it, what should I do;

Buy new mobo for the claw and have another go...or buy an X2 4200 and new AGP mobo. Sell my 6800GT and go PCI express?

Ram is HyperX PC3500 that is good for 240FSB @ 2-3-2-8
480w Antec TB PSU should suffice.
Watercooling for GFX

I have ruled out the Opterons due to cold bug problems and the FX60 is way too expensive.

Budget is c£350 for CPU and mobo.
Sale of 6800GT and some watercooling bits could raise additional funds.

Apart from overclocking, PC will be used for video encoding, Photoshop and some games 1280 x 1024

Any advice? opinions on possible upgrade routes?

Cheers

BigDom · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:31

Well as you like overclocking I'd say PCI-E, is a sensible route and doable.. just. Even if you only go X850XT on the graphics in combination with say an £80ish Asus mobo (NF4 or Crossfire) and the X2. Depends really how much your likely to get for the 6800.

chex · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:52

I would go dual core too imo, but i multitask a lot

BigDom · 12 Feb 2006 at 19:54

Oh X2 wise you want the 3800+ or 4400+, 4200 is waste of cash as you'll get close to, if not the same O/C out of the 3800.

weescott · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:02

The reasoning behind the 4200 over the 3800 was the higher multi as my ram isn't that great. Ok I can put it on a divider and it won't make that much difference but I thought it would make things easier for higher clocks.

BigDom · 12 Feb 2006 at 20:06

weescott said:
The reasoning behind the 4200 over the 3800 was the higher multi as my ram isn't that great. Ok I can put it on a divider and it won't make that much difference but I thought it would make things easier for higher clocks.

hehe understand that logic, use same logic on 'Red Alert', uses a Venice 3500 not 3000 or 3200

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