CPU Scaling and upgrading an older PC from a GF2PRO to a 4200

[Bobtech]

Hi, all:

My box is a KT7 - RAID, Athlon 1 Ghz, 384 megs RAM, GF2 PRO (64 meg).

I read Anands recent CPU scaling on the new UT engine article with great interest. I'm thinking of replacing my old GF2 PRO with a 4200.
My setup is fairly different (slower at a given CPU frequency) from the test machine (200 Mhz FSB, not 266, SDR not DDR). According to Anand's graphs, even allowing for older/slower MB, I would still get a noticeable improvement. I have to avoid Arena games in Tribes 2, because having loads of players on screen turns the game into a slideshow, and me into a victim. Has anybody tried this, or at least has a reasonably informed opinion? I wouldn't want to cough up $300 Canadian, and wind up having to return the card to the somewhat excitable Cantonese gentleman who runs my favorite computer store around here.

Thanks,

Bob Milne

 

[tenoc]

The scaling should be similar. The fsb part isn't a huge factor. The sdr vs ddr is maybe a 5% differential.

See if the excitable gentleman will take the Athlon in part trade for a 1.3 Duron.

Oh, I trust that the 300 gets you the 128 meg version.

 

[Bobtech]

Thanks for the pointers. I remember reading somewhere that the extra cache on the Athlon only makes a difference in using multiple windowed apps (databases, Excel, etc.), and that gaming didn't really demand the larger cache. I see I can get a 1300 Duron for about $110 CDN, which is fifty bucks cheaper than the Athlon cost me last year. Oh, yes, the $300 is for a 128 meg Asus 4200.

I think this upgrade will do for a while, though. Next year, new MB and RAM. I've been using AMD for my last two machines, and it was just thrilling dealing with the Via/SBLive! issues, but maybe Intel will grab the bang for the buck next spring. Their prices may become more competitive if AMD gets some big PC vendor contracts (over Intel's dead body)...

Just on the off chance, do you happen to know if my old Abit KT7-RAID BIOS (rev UL) will support a 1300? I know, I could track that down on Paul's FAQ. It's a disease, this upgrading thing.

Regards,

Bob Milne

 

[weeber]

Well, you might be able to compare your situation with mine. I was in the same boat, but with a 1.4 T-bird (still using SDRAM too). Anyways, I thought I was going to stick with my GF2Pro, but saw a deal on a 4200 that I couldn't pass up. Long story short, I'm really happy with the upgrade. Right now my game of choice is IL-2 Sturmovik. I went from med details with some stutters to max details and FSAA enabled without any stutters. Needless to say, I'm very happy and I'm fairly sure that this card will be with me for awhile (famous last words).

 

[tenoc]

I think your mobo has the KT133a chip and thus should support the 1.33 and 1.4 Athlons.

The 1.33 (10x133fsb) probably costs the same as the 1.3 Duron by now.

It's a disease, this upgrading thing.

"Oh, what a tangled web we braid
When first we practise to up-grade!"

(With apologies to W.S. or whoever.)

 

[tenoc]

Or, better.

"Oh, what a tangled rope we braid
When first we practise to up-grade!"

And then we hang ourselves with it!