Worth the Upgrade?

[Magic Johnson]

Is this worth the upgrade?

Currently E4300 C2D @ 2.45GHz
2x1GB DDR2 667mhz Corsair XMS

TO

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/167118

And for RAM should I get two more of my current to make 4GB or buy 2x1GB of 800mhz DDR2?

Help would be GREATLY appreciated.

Also there's a third option, wait a couple of years and get an Intel i5/7 machine when they drop in price.

 

[Gareth]

hardly worth upgrading the CPU, RAM could be worth upgrading but it depends on which OS 32/64 Bit your running and what you use the machine for.

 

[Magic Johnson]

Really? Why?

My OS is 32 bit Windows 7 Ultimate.

Use the machine for everything, CS4, bit of gaming, general use etc

Planning to run it as a server when I get a new machine entirely.

 

[Gareth]

32Bit is only going to see and make use of 3GB max. The difference between a C2D 2.45 and a C2D 2.8 isn't worth mentioning.

 

[conneh]

Theres not really much difference in those CPUs.

What mobo are you running? You could easily overclock the E4300 to 3.2Ghz+.

 

[Magic Johnson]

I did, had it at over 3.6GHz at one point, 3.0 stable, but de-clocked as I stopped gaming and left it at 2.45.

Also the other processor has a much better FSB and a better cache.

I've got an nForce 650i Ultra.

 

[Darren S]

32Bit is only going to see and make use of 3GB max. The difference between a C2D 2.45 and a C2D 2.8 isn't worth mentioning.

As Gareth says, 32-bit is very long in the tooth now. It's based on technology that started mainstream in 1986 - which might as well be prehistoric in PC terms.

64-bit has been around for quite some time and it's no longer possible (for the most part) to buy a pure 32-bit CPU anymore.

Looking ahead at future memory requirements, disk storage and proper multicore usage - you really should be looking at 64-bit. Also the current generation of Windows Server O/Ss are the last you'll be able to get in 32-bit flavour. It's 64-bit from now on.

D.

 

[Magic Johnson]

I've only got 32 bit because it was, erm...yeah you know.

So thanks for clarifying chaps, will wait until I can afford an i5 machine!

 

[Darren S]

I've only got 32 bit because it was, erm...yeah you know.

So thanks for clarifying chaps, will wait until I can afford an i5 machine!

i5's seem to be a good bang-per-£ CPU. I'd prefer an i7 myself (just to be an awkward git!) but they are definitely a more than capable CPU.

Griff's got one in his recent PC system. I'm sure he'd comment on how it fairs if you PM him.

D.

 

[Gareth]

I'm rebuilding an i5 laptop at the moment, seems ok, but nothing special over a regular Quad-Core.

I can't decide between i5 and i7 for my 27" iMac.

 

[wozzaa]

Thing is the i5 isn't much of an upgrade of a Q6600. Really very little in it between them in normal use.

Even the i7 920 not much between one of those an a Q6600 in actual abilities unless the program is designed to make use of more than 4 threads. (Most aren't)

GPU, Memory and Hard drive are the best places to spend your money. Biggest noticeable speed increase you will see when it comes to using a computer is changing to a SSD over the old style HDD.

 

[conneh]

I recently purchased one of Western Digitals Caviar Black HDD's. 32mb Cache, 640Gb etc etc. It's their 'performance' drive. I'm impressed, boot up times are great - W7 loads in no time at all.

 

[David]

ram is worth it the cpu isn't. i7 ftw though.

if u want performance increase on of my biggest was running a ssd for the os