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Geek Culture / Is there really a need for a new motherboard with a CPU upgrade?

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SikaSina Games
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Location: Reading, UK
Posted: 10th Jul 2010 22:14
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I'm currently in the state of looking for upgrades for my PC since it definitely is dying...I'm even lagging typing this right now. I've been checking on shopping sites and whatnot and found this beauty - the AMD Athlon 64 X4 2.9GHz Quad Core for £90. However, the Motherboard I use right now is an AM2 socket, and the X4 uses an AM3, so the question arises: can AM3s be run on AM2? I have heard some AM3s working on older mobos but I wanted to check on here first. It's the next thing to upgrade since I can't work on UDK with a Dual Core 4400+ 2.3GHz, because if I'm doing Game Design on UDK, I blatantly need a super PC. Following that note, I have another question: If you use a 32-bit OS (Windows 7 HP), do you HAVE to delete everything and completely re-install the OS as a 64-bit version? And since I used Vista HP 32-bit before and upgraded to 32-bit 7, can it be possible to just jump to 64-bit? I'm sick of having a limit of 3.5GB RAM on crappy 32-bit when UDK recommends 8GB...and I don't really want to sit there for eternity deleting all my files only to find out I can't use 64-bit...so my current specs are:

Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit
AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Dual Core 2.3GHz
3GB RAM
nVidia GT 240 1GB inital memory (weighed out at 2.2GB)
160GB Internal HDD with Windows installed
320GB Additional Internal HDD
550W PSU

I'm ambitious to upgrade it to:

Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
8GB RAM
"Same GPU"
"_____"
"_____"
"_____"

I use an abit AN52S AM2+ motherboard, and my third question comes here: Since abit have closed down, but still allowing warranty until next year, shall I get a new AMD motherboard?

My budget's £120 and is currently focused on the CPU and Motherboard, nothing else. Don't come at me saying "that CPU is crap, get an Intel or a 5GHz Quad", because I want THAT CPU since that leans perfectly on my price idea. For a CPU equalling almost 12GHz, £90's a steal.

-SSG

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Aaagreen
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Joined: 4th Sep 2007
Location: City 17
Posted: 10th Jul 2010 22:38 Edited at: 10th Jul 2010 22:41
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You haven't stated what type of RAM you have, but being as your mobo is AM2 I'll guess DDR2.

The question is, do you want to upgrade your RAM while you're at it? To fully reap the benefits of a quad core CPU, you'd probably be better off spending an extra £120 on 6gb of DDR3, along with a new AM3 motherboard to support it.

Upgrading the motherboard is unavoidable though, an ordinary AM2 mobo like yours won't take an AM3 processor. If however, you're happy with having outdated RAM, find a decent AM2+ motherboard. Mine is an M4N82 Deluxe, and as you can see from the CPU support list it happily takes the latest Phenoms and various other AM3s.

And it's pretty much impossible to go straight from a 32bit OS to a 64bit OS, so just make sure you plop everything on that second hard drive of yours.


I'd love to see things from your point of view but I can't get my head that far up my bum.
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SikaSina Games
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Location: Reading, UK
Posted: 10th Jul 2010 23:12 Edited at: 10th Jul 2010 23:13
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Forgot to say I had DDR2 lol and 32-bit only supports 4GB and won't take advantage of the excess RAM, so it'd be a bit of a waste. I am thinking of upgrading my RAM too but I wasn't so sure about it, but I guess it'd do.

So for the OS, should I basically un-install 7 and buy a 64-bit version of it? So now my list is:

6GB DDR3 RAM
64-bit Windows 7
New AM3/AM2+ motherboard

I could fit in the OS and RAM later, but for the time being, I'll have to see about the CPU and Mobo. Cheers .

PS: Added you on Steam .

-SSG

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PAGAN_old
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Location: Capital of the Evil Empire
Posted: 11th Jul 2010 13:27
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Yes you definatley need an upgrade. you can get an am3 mobo with the most powerful phenom 2 x4 cpu (3.4ghz) for pretty cheap these days. If you are planning to upgrade your gpu any time soon, the dual core cpu and the ddr2 ram will be a major bottlneck. if you have a ton of money you can go intel instead. i am not sure how much better intels are than AMDs but the intel hexacore i7 3.33ghz is about 1000 bucks compared to amd six core 3.4= 300 bucks. they say the difference isnt worth that much money, intel fans say otherwise

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
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SikaSina Games
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Posted: 11th Jul 2010 14:09
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My dad's PC uses Intel and we've had a lot of CPU problems with it since we first bought it. My AMD has been running fine and I want to stick to AMD simply because I trust them more.

So if I upgrade to a AM3 motherboard, would that make way for DDR3 memory? I'll upgrade to 64-bit another time since it's not obligatory for now. And as for upgrading my GPU, I'm fine with it right now since it's one hell of a beast on games like Left 4 Dead 2 and Cryostasis. But I might get a better one soon, buy this one'll do for now .

-SSG

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Aaagreen
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Posted: 11th Jul 2010 14:52
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Well, Left 4 Dead 2 is hardly a taxing game.


I'd love to see things from your point of view but I can't get my head that far up my bum.
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charger bandit
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Posted: 11th Jul 2010 15:03
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Definately go for quad Phenom/Athlon. Buy any midrange motherboard that supports DDR3 RAM. Buy 4GB of RAM,will be totaly enough for any game these days.


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SikaSina Games
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Posted: 11th Jul 2010 15:06
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I'll do that, thanks CB .

@Aaagreen,

I thought that afterwards I can run it 1824x1020 on full AA and Anisotropic and maxed out graphics with no lag, but Crysis on the other hand.... Runs at Medium with a small bit of lag.

-SSG

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Aaagreen
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Posted: 11th Jul 2010 15:10
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Quote: "Buy 4GB of RAM,will be totaly enough for any game these days"


Yeah, but developing them takes one hell of a lot of resources.


I'd love to see things from your point of view but I can't get my head that far up my bum.
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bitJericho
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Posted: 12th Jul 2010 08:44
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Quote: "My dad's PC uses Intel and we've had a lot of CPU problems with it since we first bought it. My AMD has been running fine and I want to stick to AMD simply because I trust them more."


Eh? I've used intel exclusively for the last decade and never had any cpu problems

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charger bandit
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Posted: 12th Jul 2010 10:05
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Intel is uberly expensive,you get the best AMD for quarter the price of the best Core I7. Also RAM is so damn expensive these days you simply can't afford 6gb on a low-mid budget preformance PC. 4GB will be enough,you can always buy another stick of RAM later.


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PAGAN_old
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Posted: 12th Jul 2010 13:59
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what i like about intel CPUs the ones especially the pinless ones for lga sockets is they are indesructible. They have a butload of protection on them. One of the guys at my job wanted to keep a customers quadcore that customer thought was broken (really it just had problems with his particular motherboard) he wanted to tell him that its broken and if the customer decides he wants the CPU back anyways, the thing people like us do if customer wants their "broken" part back is actually break them since leaving stuff working when we say its broken is bad for companys reputation. Thats when we gound out how impossible it is to break the cpu, we tried frying it every way possible, we shorted out some pins, we poked it with an electric lighter element, we poured water on it while it was turned on, in the end it still worked.

dont hate people who rip you off,cheat and get away with it, learn from them
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SikaSina Games
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Location: Reading, UK
Posted: 12th Jul 2010 21:24
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I'm sticking with AMD simply because, as CB said, they are cheaper and less ridiculously geeked-out. Still, the sound of an indestructible CPU is cool but I'd rather a strong motherboard .

Anyhow, my plans are:

1). Buy a new Motherboard and CPU for now.

2). Possibly etch/weld some images or stencils on my chassis sides .

3). Later on, buy a Blu-Ray Player when they drop in price and buy Windows 7 64-bit.

4). Buy 6GB DDR3 RAM modules

5). Buy a top notch GPU.

Sounds tip-top for me . Although I'll keep this 240 for now, I'll sell my CPU, old ATi 4550 and my motherboard to save more up .

-SSG

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