Case selection

[Rachet]

I haven't been keeping up with the latest technology since I built my last machine.

My son and I both have P4's (478), he has a 2.8 Northwood, IS7 motherboard, an Antec 480watt PS and an Enermax case.

He is thinking about upgrading his system with a Sapphire x1950 video card, faster Ram, and possibly a new 3.4 P4.

The other option is to move to the new tech. and get a new motherboard etc but this adds about $400 to overall cost depending on what the answer is to the following question.

My question is, do the new motherboards that support Intel® Quad-core CPUs
need a different case than the one he has?

I'm trying to price out the 2 options, realizing there is a performance difference.

 

[Boyo]

His case should work just fine as long as it is an ATX case.

 

[RallyMaster]

He might want to get a new case just for the better cooling, to be honest. The case will fit all the parts, I'm sure, but it'll get really hot in there with only 80mm fans to cool a hot video card and a Prescott.

 

[azzameae]

If you are talking about a C2D, then those actually run cooler on stock voltages than the netburst architecture. You should be fine with your old case. The videocards on the otherhand seem to get hotter and hotter the newer they are.