[PeanutButterPanda]

Okay, with all the new games coming out requiring more CPU power these days, I figured it was about time to upgrade mine, but I have no clue where to start.

The info I have to help is.
I'm running Windows Xp
Currently have a Intel Pentium D 930 dual core 3.0GHz 'Presler'
Socket 775 LGA, 65nm, Core VID 1.260 V
My Mobo is NVIDIA nForce4 SLI Intel Edition model number 0XH241.

I just want to find an upgrade for my CPU, it's a bit old. Any other information you need, let me know and thanks ahead of time.

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Okay, with all the new games coming out requiring more CPU power these days,

Actually, they require more GPU power than CPU power. But also note you generally can get a better performance boost by first, ensuring you have plenty of RAM, then a good graphics card. Any task the CPU can hand off to the GPU speeds up the entire process, and handing off tasks is pretty easy to do. So a good graphics card with plenty of on-board RAM is essential for good performance in today's graphics oriented world.

So I would look at your RAM and current graphics solution first to see if there's room for improvement there. Then look at the CPU.

BUT!!! - new hardware means different power requirements, and new graphics cards are very power hungry. So make sure your PSU is capable, and if in doubt, get a new one.

[Digerati]

Okay, with all the new games coming out requiring more CPU power these days,

Actually, they require more GPU power than CPU power. But also note you generally can get a better performance boost by first, ensuring you have plenty of RAM, then a good graphics card. Any task the CPU can hand off to the GPU speeds up the entire process, and handing off tasks is pretty easy to do. So a good graphics card with plenty of on-board RAM is essential for good performance in today's graphics oriented world.

So I would look at your RAM and current graphics solution first to see if there's room for improvement there. Then look at the CPU.

BUT!!! - new hardware means different power requirements, and new graphics cards are very power hungry. So make sure your PSU is capable, and if in doubt, get a new one.

[PeanutButterPanda]

Oh hey thanks, but I had thought of that already :3 I've got 2gigs of ram on my system (xp 32's max) and I've got a brand new graphics card. I had just been curious about a new CPU because some of the games coming out in the next few months recommend 4 core CPU's and stuff, and wondered if I NEEDED to upgrade mine.

[Digerati]

I've got 2gigs of ram on my system (xp 32's max)

That's not XP's max but it may be your motherboard's max. 32-bit XP can handle 4Gb, like all 32-bit OSes.

No, you don't NEED to upgrade - you have a fine CPU already. I would wait until a game you want comes out, then see if your system can keep up, or if you need more horsepower.

Unless of course, if you are simply looking for an excuse to upgrade, then absolutely, you need it!!!

[PeanutButterPanda]

Well that's certainly intersting, I wonder if mine supports 4gig of ram. hm. But you know, upgraded CPU is never a bad thing

Edited by PeanutButterPanda, 10 October 2009 - 09:14 AM.

[Digerati]

I wonder if mine supports 4gig of ram

Since that appears to be a Dell OEM board, you should check the Dell site.

[Grongle]

Yes, and keep in mind that XP86 won't actually show 4GB of RAM. It will show as something above 3GB. But all is well anyway. I believe part of the "invisible" RAM is being used "for other things", and part of the "invisible" RAM is not being used. But the extra won't hurt anything, so go ahead if you want your max RAM in XP-32. (It is arguable whether it will make a lot of difference, but I like RAM myself—just don't expect the computer to do cartwheels. The RAM facilitates some operations to run better, and that can result in better performance; that's all.)

Edited by Grongle, 10 October 2009 - 11:44 AM.