Upgrading my CPU

[Zenoth]

Hi.

As you guys can see in my signature, I currently use a 3500+ NewCastle. And I want to upgrade this year. I got the money needed, but I don't want the "very best". Just something "above average". I've heard and read a lot about the recent AMD X2's, and they are really interesting.

The model I've been looking at since a few days is the AMD X2 4400+.

I'm using my PC for gaming mostly. There is those rare moments where I encode and / or decode videos and music, but that really happens just one or two times per month. And of course I do multi-task regularly, but nothing complex, things such as Internet browsing (sometimes up to five or more open windows or tabed windows), listening to music at the same time (Winamp / WMP / Fruityloops), and third party programs running in the background and visible on the Task Bar such as MSN Messenger, ATi Tray Tools, Rage3DTweak, Anti-Virus and Firewall.

Now I do know that the X2's excell at multi-tasking. That's cool.

But what about gaming ?

Compared to my actual CPU, what's the estimated performance increase should I expect ? 5% - 10% - 15% ? Even more ? So far it is not very clear to me how they do in gaming. Because right now my 3500+ does the job very well at basic multi-tasking.

And I wouldn't want to spend more than $500 for a product that's going to be barely better at what I'm doing with my PC.

So the main question here is: Would it be worth it to upgrade from a single core 3500+ to a dual core 4400+ ?

Just need opinions to help me alleviate the weight of the dilemma.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Appledrop]

lol what the hell? you are a gamer right? Upgrade your video card before that cpu... That is the bottle neck in your system.

 

[kini62]

Currently a 4400+ X2 at 2.2ghz will run current games the same as your 2.2ghz 3500+. Current games are not multi-threaded to take advantage of dual core or multiple processors. Unreal 3 is supposed to be multi threaded and can take advantage of dual core, as will many new games in the next year or so.

Xbox 3rd gen, is multi-core and the PS3 has a multi-core cell processor so games will be coded for multi processors systems. This is where you will see a big benefit of the X2 CPU.


For what you do, keep your CPU until X2 comes out by then there may be more apps that can take advantage of dual core. For games it will be at least until Q2 or Q3 2006.

 

[Zenoth]

Ok thanks kini62.

Azzy64, I see you're fast on jumping to conclusions. You should ask before typing what you think are facts. I already have the money for everything, my upgrade INCLUDES the new CPU, and I wanted to get information about the new CPU to be included. The rest has already been chosen. Man do people judge fast.

And no my current system is in no way bottleneck'ed by my GPU. I'm not upgrading because my current system is "slow", I'm upgrading because I like to do so when I know I can afford to do so.

Thanks.

 

[frx218]

If you upgrade your GPU you will get more of a performance increase in games, right now you really don?t need a multiple core processor for any games or apps so I would stick with your CPU for a while.

 

[Zenoth]

frx218, did you read my last post ?

..."The rest has already been chosen."...

 

[frx218]

Obviously read it a little fast

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Zenoth
frx218, did you read my last post ?

..."The rest has already been chosen."...

Looks like you have everything under control then, huh? End of thread?

 

[frx218]

Obviously read it a little fast

 

[Bateluer]

The X2 4400 isn't out yet.

And yes, the 9800 Pro is a bottleneck when paired with your 3500.

If you got the cash for such an upgrade, put it all in a 6 month CD. When it matures, take it out and upgrade then. Should be able to get a next gen video card then to pair with you new A64 X2 chip, which will have dropped in price by then.

 

[Shimmishim]

IMHO, upgrading wouldn't be worth it as you said... you're mostly a gamer and like other posters have said... most games don't take advantage of the dual cores so you're better off with that 3500+....

or even a new san diego or venice coming out but prolly not the X2

 

[imported_g33k]

Unless he wants to burn a dvd and play a game at the same time.

 

[Insomniak]

You're upgrading a 3500+? That CPU is nowhere near the end of its rope. It's good for another year to 18 months at least.

 

[GoodOmens]

Yea I would say get a pci-e video card and a dfi lan party mb now. Then upgrade your processor when more things take advantage of 2 cpu's.

 

[Aenslead]

You really, really, REALLY don't need to upgrade... Honest.

 

[cyto]

Like everyone has already mentioned, the X2's will not take advantage of gaming software for quite a while. Just take a look at Anand's review of the Opteron and Intel 840 dual cores. They are great at multitasking and server/client performance but the ol' single cores run 3D games just as fast or faster at a given frequency. You could always go with the San Diego core 4000+ when it's released and then sell it off when games do support multi-threading and multi-core cpu's. That way you'll have plenty of power for any game you throw at it until the newly developed games begin to surface for multi-cores.

 

[carlosd]

Originally posted by: Azzy64
lol what the hell? you are a gamer right? Upgrade your video card before that cpu... That is the bottle neck in your system.

Sure