Upgrade: p3-800E 100mhz vs new Duron/ThunderBird + Motheborad???

[vladgur]

I have a computer with a asus p2b-d board and looking for upgrade. THe easiest option is p3-800e which retails for $160+shipping according to pricewatch. At this cost, wouldnt it be smarter to get a brand new motherboard and the cpu like those from AMD. What are my upgrade option for below $200 excluding the memory(I will need to buy it anyways and high-density modules seem to be cheaper).

 

[arod324]

You could get a Duron/Mobo for about $200. The Duron'll be about $50, while the mobo will be about $130, and a 'okay' heatsink for about $20. You could get the Duron, depending on your chip, up to about 1000 or so. (My duron600 is at1050). However, since you already have the mobo, I believe it would be much easier to just get the 800E. Also, you could overclock this, to 133 (if you get lucky, and if your mobo supports it, i'm not sure if your mobo does). Another option would be to buy a 700E for cheaper, and overclock that to 933mhz.

 

[Vegito]

Also depend if you have pc133 or pc100 now.. if u have pc133 now, u can easily overclock... otherwise u might be getting new memory as well..

 

[vladgur]

unfortunately Asus p2b-d will not go beyond 112 so 784 or is my limit for either p3-700e or p3-800e. I have 128mb of pc100, and it works fine when I oc my p2-400 to p2-448, but I will need to buy more memory anyways, so I might as well buy pc133 and high density is cheaper. How is Duron compared to Thunderbird lets say? What is a oc'able good motherboard? Do you have any problems with your USB peripherals?

 

[arod324]

The Duron performs at 90% of a TBird of equivilent clock speed. As for overclocking, I would reccomend the A7V133 (the asus KT133A chipset). This way you can overclock the FSB more equalling in more performance.

 

[Instigator]

vladgur,
First, the PIII 800e would out perform most Durons (64k L2 cache). But if you upgraded to a new KT133a motherboard it would give you better upgrade possibilities in the future. Personally, if you have the extra cash I'd get the Tbird. Here is a setup from MWAVE:

MSI K7T Turbo
AMD 800mhz Tbird $230

MSI K7T Turbo
AMD 800mhz Duron $187

Is it worth $43 to get a Thunderbird? Yes, definitely. If you go with a KT133a motherboard like the MSI K7T Turbo and you decide to upgrade your memory to PC133. You can unlock your Tbird/Duron and run it at 266mhz on the FSB. If money is an issue I would get the Duron setup. Just make sure you get a KT133a motherboard. It will give you better upgrade possibilities. Also one last thing,
don't forget that your Asus BX motherboard was designed to run at 100mhz on the FSB. Your PC100 better be good memory if you want to run it at 133mhz and your PCI (43mhz) and AGP (89mhz) will be running out of spec.

 

[blackhawk]

Simplest upgrade would be an overclocked Celeron2 running at 112mz so everything would be close to spec. A 600 or 633, slotkit and fan should work fine. That'll give you about a gig.