Anybody help with upgrade selections

[WhiteHawk]

I have p4 2.6 ghz (clocked to 3.0), 1 gig mushkin PC3500,  ati radeon 9800 AIW  pro, and ic7-max3 MOBO.  And I get 200 bucks to spend on my puter for my birthday.  Do I go with better  RAM or better CPU.  I really like my 9800 AIW, so I prolly not gonna replace it.

Thanx

[whels]

Originally posted by WhiteHawk
I have p4 2.6 ghz (clocked to 3.0), 1 gig mushkin PC3500,  ati radeon 9800 AIW  pro, and ic7-max3 MOBO.  And I get 200 bucks to spend on my puter for my birthday.  Do I go with better  RAM or better CPU.  I really like my 9800 AIW, so I prolly not gonna replace it.

Thanx

your choice would be between video and cpu, your Ram is fine.

for you, id max out the CPU.

[StarOfAfrica2]

My suggestion would be CPU, if you are determined to keep your current video card.  AH is pretty heavily CPU dependent after all.  The RAM is fine.

[WhiteHawk]

my CPU has always run hot, and I am reading that the socket 478 prescottts run hotter than hell.  I really would like to get away from that issue without  going water cooled.  My CPU is a socket 478 P4.  Any suggestions here.

I have to pause my DVD burner about 10 times to avoid a heat related crash.

THnx

[whels]

Originally posted by WhiteHawk
my CPU has always run hot, and I am reading that the socket 478 prescottts run hotter than hell.  I really would like to get away from that issue without  going water cooled.  My CPU is a socket 478 P4.  Any suggestions here.

I have to pause my DVD burner about 10 times to avoid a heat related crash.

THnx

max CPU for you would be a prescott 3.0E(i think).  what heatsink do you use now?  might need to get a higher end HS.

whels

[WhiteHawk]

thermaltake volcano w arctic silver.  Really not much improvemnt over the stock fan that came with my 2.6.  Really, though, as far as gaming, i never have a problem with the heat, just burning dvd's.  I can clock that 2.6 over 3.2 and run games pretty damm solid.  I just get nervous about pushing 65C on my chip so I back it down quite a bit..  My best bet for the 200 bucks may be to get some water cooling for the CPU and  jack it up?   Hmmm, I m kinda queazy about sloshing water through my puter though



thnx

[Krusty]

The only problem I have with liquid cooling rigs is the price and the fact that most need their own little box unit outside the case (it'd be MUCH more pleasing to the eyes if they were all internal, eh?).

When you put the parts together just make sure they don't leak and you'll be good!

Correction, you'll be good if you use special anti-freeze or if you use distilled water (tap water = no-no!)

[StarOfAfrica2]

Just as a suggestion, there are lots of Northwood P4's around 3 Ghz for 100 bucks on Ebay.  Just type Pentium 4 Northwood in the search box.  30 hits and 7 more hits from ebay stores.  Thats just today.

[Roscoroo]

Get your hands on a Northwood thats for shure.

every prescott ive seen and set up runs Hotter then hell ...
another thing is some of the pent4 type mainboards have to use a in windows system monitor program to help keep the temp down (it throttles back the cpu when nessesary )


also there is a fully enclosed water cooling system that fits inside your case ....
the cons of it though is ....

not enough water volumn.
may impead airflow thru the case.
has more of a chance to leak .

for a water cooled prescott id use an external cooling system . that way you just have 2 hoses coming in thru a card slot.

[Schutt]

Keep your system as long as it runs and spend the money on girls (cinema, restaurant invitation and flowers).

[WhiteHawk]

Originally posted by Schutt
Keep your system as long as it runs and spend the money on girls (cinema, restaurant invitation and flowers).

It runs good and my wife already spends the rest of my money.    

Hmmm,

[Roscoroo]

oh yea ur already on a northwood cpu...
(my memory finally came back .. either that  or im still having flashbacks)

I wouldnt change that unless ur planning on building a whole new system (Amd 64)

Give all the heatsinks /fans ... a good cleaning ... let it watch some playpc tv and Smile...