Im thinking of updating my compy and could either buy a new Intel Core 2 CPU and suitable mobo or go for an AMD AM2 socket mobo and a cheaper 3500+ with the option of upgrading the CPU later. The present is adequate for most things except games so I am looking specifically into that area.

My present screen res is 1600*1200 refresh rate 75hz

How fast is your current cpu?

if you are changing motherboard and ram, go for a cheap core2duo

amd wont be catching up until late spring at the earliest, intel has the best price/performance at the moment

Quote from: sdpHow fast is your current cpu?

Its an AMD 2500+ Barton

ATM Im getting under 5000 on 3Dmark03, my brothers recently upgraded 3200+ with a pair of 9700GTs in gets just under 25,000 and the PSU he has isnt able to supply the full power the cards need so hes uprating it.

Quote from: evilslyif you are changing motherboard and ram, go for a cheap core2duo

amd wont be catching up until late spring at the earliest, intel has the best price/performance at the moment

What he says.

Intel Core 2 - the Ã,£150 chip looks pretty stonking for the money. Im tempted but my agp card is only a couple months old.

Does this support core2?

http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/products/index.html?rb=22105839053&action=c2hvd19wcm9kdWN0X3Jldmlld3M=&product_uid=113968

Intel was loosing it and they sat down and the Core duo well is just stonking and I have looked at the stuff on the quad core version and just basicaly sticking 2 cores on the same chip and with bios update able to use the same boards so no need for new mobos on the market my word the power!
After Xmas I will just flog my pc current as is to someone maybe on here and buy one and will be set for a good few years with it.

Quote from: evilslyif you are changing motherboard and ram, go for a cheap core2duo

amd wont be catching up until late spring at the earliest, intel has the best price/performance at the moment

Thats the whole point, I was going to buy a cheap CPU now and upgrade in the middle of next year.

Main thing is affordability though, I dont have endlessly deep pockets like some on here... :mrgreen:

/goes to look at core 2 duo prices...

Leave it for now.  When AMD release their next gen itll likely produce a price war.  The next AMDs are going to be roughly the same speed if not faster.  They will also be aiming for market pentration with the next gen.  Onother point someone made to me is its worth waiting until spring 07 to upgrade because by then AMD and ATi _should_ have started rolling out the early joint development tech.

Like you I am looking to upgrade in the near future, but I will be holding off until the newer AMDs come out.  I dont want to go out, buy the CPU I want, then find 2 months down the line I could have got half as much power again fro the same price, as a lot of the people who upgraded just before the Coe2 stuff arrived.

Quote from: BeakerLeave it for now.  When AMD release their next gen itll likely produce a price war.  The next AMDs are going to be roughly the same speed if not faster.  They will also be aiming for market pentration with the next gen.  Onother point someone made to me is its worth waiting until spring 07 to upgrade because by then AMD and ATi _should_ have started rolling out the early joint development tech.

Like you I am looking to upgrade in the near future, but I will be holding off until the newer AMDs come out.  I dont want to go out, buy the CPU I want, then find 2 months down the line I could have got half as much power again fro the same price, as a lot of the people who upgraded just before the Coe2 stuff arrived.

Intel out in a few weeks AMD quad core first verson before xmas, little price war will be later January to mid febuary and then settle to be a little more again is whats been predicited. Intel quad does look the better currently.

The only problem at the moment with going Core2 is that each motherboard has varying issues.  Generally considered to be the best are the Gigabyte GA 965P-DS3 and Asus P5W DH Deluxe, about Ã,£96 and Ã,£146 respectively.

The boards are generally very picky with memory modules, you will need to check to see if the memory you have or are going to buy will work on the board.  Bios releases have helped with this but it wont help you if the board came with an older bios :-/

Cheapest core 2 ATM is the E6300 1.86Ghz at about Ã,£130 (source Tekheads elsewhere may be cheaper) even adding both cores together is it going to give the output of a 3500+ Athlon 64? As most of my useage for this is going to be gaming there doesnt seem to have been much thought about the relative performance in this area.

Quote from: Deaths HeadThe only problem at the moment with going Core2 is that each motherboard has varying issues.  Generally considered to be the best are the Gigabyte GA 965P-DS3 and Asus P5W DH Deluxe, about Ã,£96 and Ã,£146 respectively.

The boards are generally very picky with memory modules, you will need to check to see if the memory you have or are going to buy will work on the board.  Bios releases have helped with this but it wont help you if the board came with an older bios :-/

Oh dear. Thankfully Im going to be upgrading the memory too as all I have is 1GB of DDR that will be staying in my old system. Was thinking about buying this.

Asus M2N32-SLI Deluxe WIFI Edition SLi nForce 590 PCI-E (Socket AM2) DDR2 Motherboard    Ã,£126.47

AMD Athlon 64 3500+ 90nm (AM2) - Retail with Fan                Ã,£63.45

Corsair Twin2X 2GB DDR2 (2x1024MB) XMS2 6400                   
Ã,£187.99

including VAT then using my brothers old Graphics card and upgrading next year when I have more dosh.

Will be including a PSU and case. Anyone know how good the Zalman ZM460-APS 460W ATX V2.03 Dual PCI-E Noiseless PSU is?

http://www.tekheads.co.uk/s/product?product=605562

Case = http://www.tekheads.co.uk/s/product?product=605846 :shock:

Now to go with the 11 who say buy core 2 or the single voice who goes against the flow

For the extra Ã,£65~ go for the Core Duo CPU, regardless of the fact it has two cores, each core is still significantly faster than a 3500+.

This may be good reading for the DS3, at least these guys will be pushing the limits of the board and should highlight the problems.

One thing to bear in mind is that the Northbridge heatsink gets very hot,  +50C It is recommended to improve the cooling.  

Regarding PSUs, as long as they have dual 12V lines then they will be sufficient for Dual Core.  I have seen a number of people using Seasonic 500W PSU, however they are Ã,£75.  Its one area that you cant save pennies on.  I have also seen this OCZ psu being used, 600W SLI capable and Ã,£73.