Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice

Jedimushroom · 07-13-2009, 10:48 AM

I'm considering swapping out my current motherboard and processor for a performance increase, with a slightly flexible budget of £350 (around 433 euros or $604 if you really care). I would like to move toward an Intel system as my experience with AMD has not been very good, but if you think AMD is much better then feel free to chip in.

My current rig is as follows:

Processor: AMD Athlon 64X2 5000+ AM2 socket (dual core)
Motherboard: MSI K9A Platinum
GPU: XFX 8800GT (factory overclocked)
RAM: 3x1gb Crucial ballistix PC2-6400 RAM (probably going to buy another gig)

I think that's about all the relevant information, my PSU is 650W so no problems with power.

EDIT: I'm leaning toward the Asus P5Q pro s775 motherboard, at around £100 it's good value for money and PC Gamer recommends it.

Thanks in advance for your advice.

Robbi · 07-13-2009, 10:51 AM

Ok, that board is a solid investment definitely, strong chip and solid for overclocking, if thats a route you want to go down.

What exactly is this machine going to be used for?

Jedimushroom · 07-13-2009, 11:20 AM

Mainly gaming, usually the newer games which support multithreading well, so I was thinking of going for a the quad core route.

Robbi · 07-13-2009, 11:43 AM

Well a Q9550 would be a good choice for you, as its got a 12mb cache and 1333 fsb, so its the cheaper version of the Q9650, but can easily be overclocked to that speed.

That has a clock speed of 2.83GhZ where the Q9650 has a speed of 3.0GhZ for an extra £50 - £60, which is just not worth it

Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 LGA775 'Yorkfield' 2.83GHz 12MB-cache (1333FSB) Processor - Retail + World In Conflict PC Game

Overclockers has it with a copy of World in Conflict too. That should also give you a bit of cash to get a decent cooler too

I've got one of these, very quiet and very very good at keeping your stuff cool.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...57&subcat=1395

VoXiNaTiOn · 07-13-2009, 12:21 PM

P5Q Series is solid, you can't go wrong there! (I can say with confidence as a P5Q Deluxe owned, it OCs without even trying!)

Q9550 will do you perfectly, and for cooling, if noise is not an issue, get one of THESE with THIS strapped to it. With a lesser fan on the TRUE my temps stay well below 60C load (Prime95, IBT takes them just over) at a 3.2Ghz clock-speed (up from 2.66Ghz) and that's on a 65nm CPU, the Q9550 is 45nm so runs a lot cooler.

Jedimushroom · 07-13-2009, 12:21 PM

Thankyou very much for the advice, that looks like a good build!

I'm a little worried about problems re-activating windows after such a huge hardware change, I did it before and it went well but I think I needed a windows key that was stuck to my old case. I no longer have that case so I am wondering how I will sort it out.

EDIT: I have a similar Thermalright heatsink attached to my 8800gt and it works a charm, I might well consider that.

EDIT2: I think it would be easier budget wise to buy the main components and then possibly grab the cooling add-ons later depending on how hot the thing gets on stock cooling.

EDIT3: scan.co.uk (Not my preferred website but Dabs.com is constantly out of stock) wants me to pay £6.87 for some sort of insurance which will apparently replace items broken in transit or during installation for free, slightly dubious about that.

Robbi · 07-13-2009, 12:55 PM

hmmm, dubious about insurance to be fair...

If your looking at that board, plus the Chip I said then you should have well enough for a decent cooler too as the stock intel ones are a bit shite to be fair

Jedimushroom · 07-13-2009, 01:09 PM

Alright I'm going for the Asus P5Q and the Q9550, with the Thermalright heatsink and a 120mm fan (I couldn't find the one you mentioned but it appears to be a similar fan by the same company so it should all be good).

Robbi · 07-13-2009, 01:19 PM

Good job, what site couldnt you find the heatsink on?

VoXiNaTiOn · 07-13-2009, 01:31 PM

Robbi, I assume he means he couldn't find the fan, as I know for sure Scan stock the TRUE

.

If you're buying from Scan, I assume you are getting the Scythe S-Flex 1600RPM fan, is the one I have and is effective yet quiet.

The ScanSure insurance is alright, basically if you fuck something up during the install, they cover it

.

07-13-2009, 10:48 AM	#1
Jedimushroom Join Date: Jul 2006 Afghanistan Location: London Posts: 1,016	Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice I'm considering swapping out my current motherboard and processor for a performance increase, with a slightly flexible budget of £350 (around 433 euros or $604 if you really care). I would like to move toward an Intel system as my experience with AMD has not been very good, but if you think AMD is much better then feel free to chip in. My current rig is as follows: Processor: AMD Athlon 64X2 5000+ AM2 socket (dual core) Motherboard: MSI K9A Platinum GPU: XFX 8800GT (factory overclocked) RAM: 3x1gb Crucial ballistix PC2-6400 RAM (probably going to buy another gig) I think that's about all the relevant information, my PSU is 650W so no problems with power. EDIT: I'm leaning toward the Asus P5Q pro s775 motherboard, at around £100 it's good value for money and PC Gamer recommends it. Thanks in advance for your advice.
	"God will strike him down when he checks his email and sees young Fighter has turd burgling tendancies. Could you imagine going to church knowing your son takes it up the wrong 'un?" - [R-Dev]Gaz on 'Fighter137'

07-13-2009, 10:51 AM	#2
Robbi Join Date: Jul 2008 Tuvalu Location: .l.. Posts: 4,484	Re: Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice Ok, that board is a solid investment definitely, strong chip and solid for overclocking, if thats a route you want to go down. What exactly is this machine going to be used for?
	To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "Dtacs you fool you have overloaded your douschbag reactor!!! Your at fucktard critical mass, NO DONT PUSH THAT BUTTON YOU RETARD!" dtacs - lol who said that? say dat 2 my face nerdking not online and see wat happens

07-13-2009, 11:20 AM	#3
Jedimushroom Join Date: Jul 2006 Afghanistan Location: London Posts: 1,016	Re: Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice Mainly gaming, usually the newer games which support multithreading well, so I was thinking of going for a the quad core route.
	"God will strike him down when he checks his email and sees young Fighter has turd burgling tendancies. Could you imagine going to church knowing your son takes it up the wrong 'un?" - [R-Dev]Gaz on 'Fighter137'

07-13-2009, 11:43 AM	#4
Robbi Join Date: Jul 2008 Tuvalu Location: .l.. Posts: 4,484	Re: Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice Well a Q9550 would be a good choice for you, as its got a 12mb cache and 1333 fsb, so its the cheaper version of the Q9650, but can easily be overclocked to that speed. That has a clock speed of 2.83GhZ where the Q9650 has a speed of 3.0GhZ for an extra £50 - £60, which is just not worth it Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 LGA775 'Yorkfield' 2.83GHz 12MB-cache (1333FSB) Processor - Retail + World In Conflict PC Game Overclockers has it with a copy of World in Conflict too. That should also give you a bit of cash to get a decent cooler too I've got one of these, very quiet and very very good at keeping your stuff cool. http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showpr...57&subcat=1395
	To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "Dtacs you fool you have overloaded your douschbag reactor!!! Your at fucktard critical mass, NO DONT PUSH THAT BUTTON YOU RETARD!" dtacs - lol who said that? say dat 2 my face nerdking not online and see wat happens

07-13-2009, 12:21 PM	#5
VoXiNaTiOn Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 United Kingdom Posts: 1,664	Re: Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice P5Q Series is solid, you can't go wrong there! (I can say with confidence as a P5Q Deluxe owned, it OCs without even trying!) Q9550 will do you perfectly, and for cooling, if noise is not an issue, get one of THESE with THIS strapped to it. With a lesser fan on the TRUE my temps stay well below 60C load (Prime95, IBT takes them just over) at a 3.2Ghz clock-speed (up from 2.66Ghz) and that's on a 65nm CPU, the Q9550 is 45nm so runs a lot cooler.
	To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

07-13-2009, 12:55 PM	#7
Robbi Join Date: Jul 2008 Tuvalu Location: .l.. Posts: 4,484	Re: Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice hmmm, dubious about insurance to be fair... If your looking at that board, plus the Chip I said then you should have well enough for a decent cooler too as the stock intel ones are a bit shite to be fair
	To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "Dtacs you fool you have overloaded your douschbag reactor!!! Your at fucktard critical mass, NO DONT PUSH THAT BUTTON YOU RETARD!" dtacs - lol who said that? say dat 2 my face nerdking not online and see wat happens

07-13-2009, 01:09 PM	#8
Jedimushroom Join Date: Jul 2006 Afghanistan Location: London Posts: 1,016	Re: Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice Alright I'm going for the Asus P5Q and the Q9550, with the Thermalright heatsink and a 120mm fan (I couldn't find the one you mentioned but it appears to be a similar fan by the same company so it should all be good).
	"God will strike him down when he checks his email and sees young Fighter has turd burgling tendancies. Could you imagine going to church knowing your son takes it up the wrong 'un?" - [R-Dev]Gaz on 'Fighter137'

07-13-2009, 01:19 PM	#9
Robbi Join Date: Jul 2008 Tuvalu Location: .l.. Posts: 4,484	Re: Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice Good job, what site couldnt you find the heatsink on?
	To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. "Dtacs you fool you have overloaded your douschbag reactor!!! Your at fucktard critical mass, NO DONT PUSH THAT BUTTON YOU RETARD!" dtacs - lol who said that? say dat 2 my face nerdking not online and see wat happens

07-13-2009, 01:31 PM	#10
VoXiNaTiOn Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 United Kingdom Posts: 1,664	Re: Mobo/Processor replacement, looking for advice Robbi, I assume he means he couldn't find the fan, as I know for sure Scan stock the TRUE . If you're buying from Scan, I assume you are getting the Scythe S-Flex 1600RPM fan, is the one I have and is effective yet quiet. The ScanSure insurance is alright, basically if you fuck something up during the install, they cover it .
	To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 1 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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