My Dilemna: Keep the PL adapter or "Upgrade" the MB?

[apoppin]

I have always appreciated your advice.

Back in November, I purchased a 1.2Ghz Tualatin Celeron/Powerleap PL-iP3 adapter for $169 to replace my PIII600E@800Mhz. It was a nice and simple upgrade with a definite performance boost. The only problem was the PL adapter wouldn't O/C (well, 3%).

Recently, my adapter became defective and PL RMA'd me another (incidently, EXCELLENT service from PL - they paid postage BOTH ways AND sent my replacement 2nd Day Air). This one overclocks outstandingly - 1.5Ghz at default voltage (it's like the old one running on steroids). 🙂

My problem: I ordered and received a (Tualatin) SOYO MB for $54 shipped.

Now, I am already where I wanted to be - I can probably even get 133FSB/1.6 Ghz from the PL adapter (it'll give a 1.4Ghz Athlon a run for its money already) by increasing the voltage. Shall I send the Soyo MB back? I'll have to eat shipping and a 15% restock fee.

Is there an advantage in taking all the trouble to install a completely new MB? Or just keep the BX and the adapter?

 

[Viper GTS]

I'd keep the BX, the overclocked PCI and AGP buses are helping your performance.

Viper GTS

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
I'd keep the BX, the overclocked PCI and AGP buses are helping your performance.

Viper GTS

Well, PCI and AGP buses are not O/C. My Abit BX-6(R.2) has the 1/4 PCI divider and there is a AGP divider for 133 FSB. Right not - at 124 FSB, they are slightly underclocked.

 

[apoppin]

Is there any advantage to the Tualatin SOYO MB over my Abit BX MB? After all, my BX is 4 years old.

I guess I would have on-die CPU temperature reporting and more O/C'ing options. Perhaps the resale value would be marginally higher with the newer MB. I already have ATA 100 on the BX board.


??

The disadvantage is the time required to install the new MB and install the O/S. And about $30 in my pocket from returning the MB. (Of course, I can keep the MB and sell the PL adapter.)

Edited.

 

[Insane3D]

Personally I would use the newer mobo and sell the socket...



Course, that stuff is all too old for me...😛😉


Disclaimer: Yes, I know the new Celeron is not old. 🙂

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Insane3D
Personally I would use the newer mobo and sell the socket...



Course, that stuff is all too old for me...😛😉


Disclaimer: Yes, I know the new Celeron is not old. 🙂

I think I will do just that. I already spent $54 shipped for the Soyo. I'd only get $34 minus my shipping costs back. And I have a buyer for my adapter.

What this has done for me is to buy me more time to put off upgrading. I was stuck at 100FSB and 1.2 Ghz - I was dying to get a P4 over 2.0Ghz. Now that I have a 133FSB processor likely at 1.6Ghz . . . it's not that bad (I think it'll do fine with a Radeon 9700) and I no longer feel pressured to upgrade my CPU until the DDR II P4 boards or Hammer. 😀