Desktop Upgrade Time

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maccasparks

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#108687 3-Sep-2012 19:23

Howdy - 5 yr old PC is getting sluggish( Athlon 64 X2 Dual 2.11 2GRam) running XP. Thinking its time to get with Windows 7 and like the sound of those SSD's . Is it worth upgrading with what I have or do I need to upgrade CPU MOBO and RAM? I only use it for surfing, light gaming and bit of media - music and storing movies.
Cheers
Alan

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#681027 3-Sep-2012 21:09

What is your motherboard model exactly? Link to manufacturer motherboard page please.

The price of Windows 7 - that is a fair chunk towards a new machine which will come with Windows 7 anyway unless you are a builder.

Upgrade to Windows 8 from XP is cheaper.

Adding another 2GB to your existing machine will give a noticeable boost but again could be put towards a new machine and new o/s instead.

mattwnz

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#681050 3-Sep-2012 21:53

I think it is worth upgrading, you will notice quite a big speed increase, especially with an SSD, plus you show be able to do a lot more with the new PC.

maccasparks

39 posts

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#681060 3-Sep-2012 22:25

Is this enough info ?

m Information
------------------
Time of this report: 9/3/2012, 22:21:29
       Machine name: ALAN-5D3DC617B4
   Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3 (2600.xpsp_sp3_gdr.120504-1619)
           Language: English (Regional Setting: English)
System Manufacturer: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
       System Model: M61SME-S2
               BIOS: Award Modular BIOS v6.00PG
          Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4000+, MMX, 3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.1GHz
             Memory: 2048MB RAM
          Page File: 718MB used, 3223MB available
        Windows Dir: C:\WINDOWS
    DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)
DX Setup Parameters: Not found
     DxDiag Version: 5.03.2600.5512 32bit Unicode

------------
DxDiag Notes
------------
DirectX Files Tab: No problems found.
      Display Tab 1: No problems found.
        Sound Tab 1: No problems found.
          Music Tab: No problems found.
          Input Tab: No problems found.
        Network Tab: No problems found.

--------------------
DirectX Debug Levels
--------------------
Direct3D:    0/4 (n/a)
DirectDraw: 0/4 (retail)
DirectInput: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectMusic: 0/5 (n/a)
DirectPlay: 0/9 (retail)
DirectSound: 0/5 (retail)
DirectShow: 0/6 (retail)

---------------
Display Devices
---------------
        Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
     Manufacturer: NVIDIA
        Chip type: GeForce 8500 GT
         DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
       Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0421&SUBSYS_824E1043&REV_A1
   Display Memory: 512.0 MB
     Current Mode: 1280 x 1024 (32 bit) (60Hz)
          Monitor: Default Monitor

Cheers
Alan

timmmay

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#681114 4-Sep-2012 07:40

Suggest you get one of the new i5s, a low to mid priced motherboard (one that has USB 3.0 and enough SATA III ports), no video card (the processor has a decent enough one I think) and 8-16GB RAM. 8GB RAM is more than enough for most people, 16 is fine for me and I do a lot of image processing.

Lias

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#681157 4-Sep-2012 08:58

It's not really economical to upgrade the existing CPU/RAM on that motherboard.

It's a DDR2 motherboard and DDR2 is starting to get pricey. Also it's an older AM2 board which doesnt support AM3/Am3+ CPU's, so you'd be trying to find a second hand AM2+ CPU, and even then it wont run at full speed.

Cant see any suitable CPU's on trademe atm, and your looking at 60-70USD on ebay, and your looking at around NZD$100 for 4gb of DDR2, so maybe $200ish NZD to upgrade, for what wont be a huge difference.

If you can afford it, any of the newer intel chips (i5 preferably but even probably an i3) will blow that out of the water.

I'm a geek, a gamer, a dad, a Quic user, and an IT Professional. I have a full rack home lab, size 15 feet, an epic beard and Asperger's. I'm a bit of a Cypherpunk, who believes information wants to be free and the Net interprets censorship as damage and routes around it. If you use my Quic signup you can also use the code R570394EKGIZ8 for free setup.

maccasparks

39 posts

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#681508 4-Sep-2012 21:30

Cheers for the great info. I'm keen for the upgrade but thinking AMD (you know the old Ford Holden thing!)

Have read that this is a good MOBO :GA-970A-D3 Is this too much for what I need ? Also now thinking may be easier to buy a new box already made. I'm not worried about the build its just setting it up properly.
Also how is it cheaper to go straight from XP to Win8 - is it worth waiting for?

Cheers again

D1023319

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#681764 5-Sep-2012 13:05

maccasparks: Cheers for the great info. I'm keen for the upgrade but thinking AMD (you know the old Ford Holden thing!)

Have read that this is a good MOBO :GA-970A-D3 Is this too much for what I need ? Also now thinking may be easier to buy a new box already made. I'm not worried about the build its just setting it up properly.
Also how is it cheaper to go straight from XP to Win8 - is it worth waiting for?

Cheers again

call me overly cautious but i'd rather pay a little extra go for Win7 now rather than wait for Win8 least it be the next Vista /ME. give it time to settle.

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gzt

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#681790 5-Sep-2012 13:47

Microsoft guy here says XP upgrade price not set for NZ but set at US$39.95 for US.

Pricespy or the like will give you current prices for windows 7.

Lias

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#681848 5-Sep-2012 14:58

maccasparks: Cheers for the great info. I'm keen for the upgrade but thinking AMD (you know the old Ford Holden thing!)

Have read that this is a good MOBO :GA-970A-D3 Is this too much for what I need ? Also now thinking may be easier to buy a new box already made. I'm not worried about the build its just setting it up properly.
Also how is it cheaper to go straight from XP to Win8 - is it worth waiting for?

Cheers again

I was a longtime (as in since Slot A through to AM3) AMD fanboy, but Bulldozer was a disaster, and the iseries chips from Intel are just amazingly better.

Opinions on Windows 8 are many and varied.. My 2 cents is to ignore it and goto Windows 7, or buy a version of Windows 8 that has downgrade rights and goto Windows 7 for the meantime.

gzt

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#681867 5-Sep-2012 15:26

Windows ME was a frankenstein monster interim release on the way to 2K. No argument about that. Drivers largely incompatible with anything before or after.

Vista underneath was same codebase as 2K8 server. Nothing wrong with 2k8. Still, the Vista UI was incredibly bad as in extremely slow and badly thought out impractical for many normal tasks, but outside the ui performance ok. Really unlikeable.

7 was back to basics. Nice job better performance all round.

8 is picking up lots of hate about the UI, but no complaints about UI performance as such, and no complaints about base performance. Driver model is more or less the same as 7 and (I believe - could be wrong) 7 drivers will work fine in 8 if needed.

Seems to me the business market will keep on buying W7 licenses until MS de-metrofies 8.

Safe option is 7 but have not heard any don't touch it with a barge pole type reasons for 8. I plan to go with 8 on one of my machines if the XP/Vista upgrade is priced similar to the US.

mattwnz

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#681871 5-Sep-2012 15:45

gzt: Windows ME was a frankenstein monster interim release on the way to 2K. No argument about that. Drivers largely incompatible with anything before or after.

Vista underneath was same codebase as 2K8 server. Nothing wrong with 2k8. Still, the Vista UI was incredibly bad as in extremely slow and badly thought out impractical for many normal tasks, but outside the ui performance ok. Really unlikeable.

7 was back to basics. Nice job better performance all round.

8 is picking up lots of hate about the UI, but no complaints about UI performance as such, and no complaints about base performance. Driver model is more or less the same as 7 and (I believe - could be wrong) 7 drivers will work fine in 8 if needed.

Seems to me the business market will keep on buying W7 licenses until MS de-metrofies 8.

Safe option is 7 but have not heard any don't touch it with a barge pole type reasons for 8. I plan to go with 8 on one of my machines if the XP/Vista upgrade is priced similar to the US.

I just can't understand why people would go for windows 8 over 7 on a desktop. Fine if it was a tablet, as it is a tablet interface, but I have never seen a tablet with windows 8 on it yet. I have tried windows 8, and it is ok, but windows 7 is better for desktop use. Windows 8 upgrade is just $20 if you buy a new windows 7 PC now.

joutei

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#681881 5-Sep-2012 15:51

mattwnz:
gzt: Windows ME was a frankenstein monster interim release on the way to 2K. No argument about that. Drivers largely incompatible with anything before or after.

Vista underneath was same codebase as 2K8 server. Nothing wrong with 2k8. Still, the Vista UI was incredibly bad as in extremely slow and badly thought out impractical for many normal tasks, but outside the ui performance ok. Really unlikeable.

7 was back to basics. Nice job better performance all round.

8 is picking up lots of hate about the UI, but no complaints about UI performance as such, and no complaints about base performance. Driver model is more or less the same as 7 and (I believe - could be wrong) 7 drivers will work fine in 8 if needed.

Seems to me the business market will keep on buying W7 licenses until MS de-metrofies 8.

Safe option is 7 but have not heard any don't touch it with a barge pole type reasons for 8. I plan to go with 8 on one of my machines if the XP/Vista upgrade is priced similar to the US.

I just can't understand why people would go for windows 8 over 7 on a desktop. Fine if it was a tablet, as it is a tablet interface, but I have never seen a tablet with windows 8 on it yet. I have tried windows 8, and it is ok, but windows 7 is better for desktop use. Windows 8 upgrade is just $20 if you buy a new windows 7 PC now.

Amen to that!

gzt

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#681891 5-Sep-2012 16:10

mattwnz: I just can't understand why people would go for windows 8 over 7 on a desktop. Fine if it was a tablet, as it is a tablet interface, but I have never seen a tablet with windows 8 on it yet. I have tried windows 8, and it is ok, but windows 7 is better for desktop use. Windows 8 upgrade is just $20 if you buy a new windows 7 PC now.

I'd get 8 to upgrade my xp machine at a good price. Yeah, it's as if someone at MS had a vision that tablets and touch screen would be the only game in town. Seems a little early. Success depends how many tablet/touch OEMs they have signed up for 8 and shifting the market away from Apple and Android. Microsoft are not good at changing gears so far.

maccasparks

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#682026 5-Sep-2012 21:23

Okay - sounds like Intel is the way to go with Win7.

Any suggestions - don't know any Intel stuff? Budget around $700- will need the whole thing case and all or am I dreaming?

I could do a build if I knew what to get

wishlist is:

i5
SSD Boot Drive
usb3.0
HDMI
DVD
Card reader
Win7 Home Premium (32 or 64??)

Loismustdye

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#682032 5-Sep-2012 21:37

I started here a few months back:
http://www.playtech.co.nz/afawcs0139234/CATID=769/Intel-Core-i5-Bundles.html

And worked from there up. It was my first ever build and was a piece of cake relatively speaking (I had never built before and not overly computer savvy).
Add a case and an Oem windows 7 from the same store with a hard drive and a psu and you're pretty much good to go, just add the other bits as you need them down the track.

Just be sure if you get a microATX board it is what you want (usually denoted by a mATX).

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