Updating motherboard...

[Lau]

Hi guys,

So I bought a new graphic card for my 3 year old computer. And off course, I didn't pay attention, and bought a PCIe card, which my motherboard doesn't have.
So I have 2 alternatives: get another card that'll go on the motherboard, or get a motherboard that'll fit the card. I'm not too sure about which one I want to do just yet.

Both my current motherboard and graphic card are MSI, and I'm very satisfied with that manufacturer, so I want to stick with it.
Current mobo: Pentium 4 (socket 478), Intel 845GE Max @ 2.4 Ghz
On it are:
- a sound card
- a graphic card (MSI nVidia GeForce 4 MMX 440 @ 64 MB)
- 2 HD: 1. Maxtor 40Gb Ultra ATA/133; 7200 RPM
2. Seagate 160Gb; 7200 rpm
- one stick of 512 MB of RAM

I want to upgrade so I don't have to worry about it for another 3-4 years, and to have satisfying performance.
The MSI K8N Diamond Plus Socket 939 NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16 ATX AMD (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813130037&ATT=13-130-037&CMP=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r) looked really good to me. Any disadvantages to swiching from P4 to AMD?
Is this even worth it or should I just get the video card replaced with a PCI one?

[Lau]

In response (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?p=278678#post278673)
Any intel CPUs are not compatible with AMD MOBOs. For us to make a suggestion based around your current hardware, we need to know what you have now. Let us know and we can work from there.

I'm sorry I'm jumping from board to board, I just want to correct subject in its correct place :)

I'm totally confused by what you're saying hockey man: isn't the CPU attached to the motherboard?? new motherboard == new CPU == no problem

[hockey man]

No, you have to purchse the CPU and MOBO seperately. Your current CPU and MOBO are old technology, so at this point my recommendation depends on your budget. Also, what is your PSU's ratings? (How many Amps on each Rail.)

[Lau]

hockey man -- :D LOL...I though those mobos and CPU were really cheap. That's cause they weren't there... What an idiot :rolleyes: :rolleyes: So could I buy an Intel compatible mobo and keep my current CPU. Would that make sense?

About PSU: I'm not sure if that's right. I had to pull out the invoice to find out. I believe this line refers to the case and PSU:
CS-SEE-A268-S (Black) ST-CS 350 W. A268SP

If that's not right, someone needs to let me know where to find this info.

[hockey man]

What is your budget?

[saphalline]

There's a sticker on the side of the PSU that gives all the details we need. Although if it's an old 350W PSU that came bundled with your case, it's garbage! It probably has less than 17A on the +12V rail, meaning it barely has enough juice to power a modern CPU and vid card - and that's about it. You'll need a new one for certain if you want to upgrade your mobo & CPU & RAM (which is called a "core upgrade" because you're replacing your entire platform).

As long as you move up in CPU technology, there's nothing wrong with switching between Intel and AMD. A P4 2.4GHz is old compared to a P4 631 or A64 3200+. You have to think in terms of the entire system - getting a better CPU also means getting a better mobo/chipset and faster RAM. Faster CPU's imply a better platform all-around. So a P4 2.4 w/i845GE system pales in comparison to a Socket 939 A64 3200+ w/NForce4 SLI x16 system, or to a P4 631 w/i945P system. Either way, it's better.

Now in terms of your upgrade, we need to know your budget and your intended use for your computer. Since you bought a new vid card, I'm assuming you want good gaming performance? Whatever your usage, your budget will determine everything. Ie, if you don't have enough for a core upgrade, you can't do one! Give us a figure and we can go from there.

[Lau]

saphalline & hockey man -- I appreciate the 2 of you taking the time to answer my questions. I had a small budget set for a new video card... I want to be able to upgrade my computer nicely when I do it, and right is not a good time. I will put that subject on idle for a little while until I have the money to do this.

Thanks again!

[hockey man]

No problem . . .when you get to dig up the cash, start a new thread and we will be glad to help you.