Hopefully building a new PC soon, looking for CPU advice

[XJnine]

I've been rolling along with the same old 3.0ghz P4 for quite a while now and I think I'm finally ready to upgrade my system. Time to dump AGP and go with PCIe.

I have a question about which CPU to go with though. If I had to buy today I'd probably go with an AMD X2 4400+. Luckily I don't have to buy now since my system is still running fine.

Should I stick with that CPU, go with another, wait for the AM2 cpu's, or wait for a Conroe?

I'm just looking for opinions so feel free to throw them out at me.

Overall I'm looking to spend about $2750 on the whole system to go along with a Dell 24" LCD monitor (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/ProductDetail.aspx?sku=24053YR&c=us&cat=snp&category_id=6198&cs=19&l=en&Page=productlisting.aspx) that I think I might pick up next week.

[Bio-Hazard]

For that kind of cash, I'd go with something like what Scott has right now except for the video cards, get the 7900GTX's instead.

[Gray]

That's still a decent processor + you can over clock it, my thinking is your "upgrade" is premature. With Air cooling alone Very conservitivly you can get 300Mhz for free outta that. If you have enough memory that's an issue. Then the Video card is another issue, you know you will see a great preformance gain there.

It all depends on what you want to play. Personally I would love that processor; but I am seriously going to wait to buy a new computer for a year and a half. Money not realy the only issue, I want to see a big change when I buy for top doller, if not your getting soaked!

I will however change my video card.

My days of buying "NEW" all the time are over, I feel like an Idiot when other people wait 6 months and say ya I got it for "say 1/3rd" of what I payed for it.

O & PS.... if you need a new monitor and you are going to buy LCD that is Sick, nice piece of hardware. 12 ms response time is decent.
But have you seen this slut? http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/images/products/large/3007WY3.jpg

30 Inches baby Buy it in canada it is cheaper! (ya in usa it's DOUBLE the price for the 24 you were saying!)

When I end up going LCD that's where I am going 30"+. : )

Good luck.

[XJnine]

I'd go with something like what Scott has right now except for the video cards, get the 7900GTX's instead.

The vid card issue will be brought up in another post. Seriously considering SLI 7900GTX's but there's a couple other options I'll throw out there.

[Bio-Hazard]

Have you given any thought to getting a dual core Opty, there's a fuller product range of those and they run fine in socket 939 boards????????

[PUTALE]

I would suggest wait. Your cpu is still uqite powerful. Wait till at least toward the end of the year as Vista is coming out so you can buy a better system for it. In addition, am2 should be out by then as well as the new intel cpu, so by then you would know which cpu is better.

[Bio-Hazard]

The only reason I would wait is to see how far the prices drop on the current socket 939 parts, but that's just me. And seeing as Vista isn't going to be released until early next year, if then , that's a mighty long time to see just what might happen. AMD will have their next gen CPU (65nm part) out in the first half of 07, so he could wait to see what is happening when they come out. So it's pretty much a crap shoot, wait and see or build now and enjoy.

[Gray]

would suggest wait. Your cpu is still uqite powerful. Wait till at least toward the end of the year as Vista is coming out so you can buy a better system for it. In addition, am2 should be out by then as well as the new intel cpu, so by then you would know which cpu is better.

I think I said the same thing, so I agree Well said...
1 Year in computer life is a long time to wait???

Man you will get screwed if you buy now IMO.
Duo is coming and like I said before but simplified, your going to spend a lot and get a little.

Your money though.

[XJnine]

I will however change my video card.

Unfortunately with my current system I can't really do that. I have an AGP 6800GT right now and I'm not going to spend any money on another AGP video card.

I know I don't need a new system right now but I just really want one. I suppose I could squirrel the money away for a while but I'm sure you all know how tough it is to wait when you've got the upgrade bug and the funds to do it.

Sigh... What to do, what to do. :x

Thanks for all the input so far guys.

[Bio-Hazard]

If it wasn't for my wife when I have money I'd buy buy and buy somemore.................... :shock: At least she makes me think it over before I buy something high dollar.

Upgrade now.................... :shock:

[PUTALE]

yep, it's always hard to resist temptation as you hear about new product, tha'ts faster/better, cooler, etc, etc.... is out like every week or so. However, my take on the issue is that since your system is quite powerful and you can still run what you need fine, why not just wait, as you would notice once you upgrade to a new system, you will soon hear that the new parts are out and you hav eteh eager to upgrade again. You really won't notice that much performance improvement if you upgrade your system (specially teh cpu). The only thing that you may see is the video performance during gaming if you do upgrade to cards like 7800 or even the 7900 lines, however, since your system only runs with agp, if you want to upgrade to either setup, this will leads to a full upgrade, which I do against at current moment due to earlier comment (new things and supposedly better and much faster is coming).

[Bio-Hazard]

The problem with waiting is that there's always talk of something new, better and faster. Heck, AMD is already talking about their socket F 65nm parts comoing out after the first of the year. So you figure you wait till the AM2 is out and fully in the retail chain, it'll be time ofor the new sockets to be released, so you might just as well wait again. If you take this attitude, you'll never get a new system, sooner or later you'll have to bite the bulet and get something, fully knowing that something else is right around the corner.

http://www.bjorn3d.com/theforum/viewtopic.php?t=63053

[Chakka]

I've been rolling along with the same old 3.0ghz P4 for quite a while now and I think I'm finally ready to upgrade my system. Time to dump AGP and go with PCIe.

I have a question about which CPU to go with though. If I had to buy today I'd probably go with an AMD X2 4400+. Luckily I don't have to buy now since my system is still running fine.

Should I stick with that CPU, go with another, wait for the AM2 cpu's, or wait for a Conroe?

I'm just looking for opinions so feel free to throw them out at me.

Overall I'm looking to spend about $2750 on the whole system to go along with a Dell 24" LCD monitor (http://accessories.us.dell.com/sna/ProductDetail.aspx?sku=24053YR&c=us&cat=snp&category_id=6198&cs=19&l=en&Page=productlisting.aspx) that I think I might pick up next week.

First thing you need to do is make sure you have a good psu. I have seen many users forget that piece and end up have unstable systems with the nforce4 motherboards. If you are going to run SLI with GTXs, you need to have at least 33a on the 12v rail (I prefer single rail psu's). Many users seem to have the OCZ "powerstream" 520w which is one reason I bought mine.

Second, I had a 6600gt SLI setup and I recently got 1 7900gt - the difference in video quality is simply amazing with just 1 card. Either a SLI 7900gt or 7900gtx rig will do the trick with that 24" monitor.

Finally, get a speedy WD raptor hdd - only get the 74gb or 150gb, they are both upgraded and new and the stats on either are close. Anandtech did a recent study on the 150gb. Just my 2 cents.

[XJnine]

As I just posted in my other system thread I've decided to wait for the new cpu's before building my system. The AM2 and Conroe and too big of changes to not wait the few months it should be until they're on the market.

I am however going to order my new monitor in just a few days. Probably when I get back from Chicago later this week. I'll post pics of my new 24" baby when it comes.

Thanks for the advice guys!

[Bio-Hazard]

I'll PM you the alternate shipping address if you'd like just in case............;)

[mousiness]

i know this is random but gray... you have the exact same specs as my friend does lol...

[XJnine]

I'll PM you the alternate shipping address if you'd like just in case............

Aww, sorry man. I didn't read you post before I ordered it today. You'll have to wait until I buy my next one. I promise the next 24" Dell LCD I buy I'll ship to you... ;)

[Bio-Hazard]

Thanks, I knew there was a reason I didn't get it yet.........;)