I have an old system which I'm using now, and was thinking of upgrading both CPU HSF and PSU, now I wish to save as much money as possible with a best bang buck of money for now and for future upgrades.

My problem is this, I have a AMD Athlon™ 64 Processor 3000+ (754 Socket) running 54C under full load. I think this temp might be acceptable for some of you but I live in a hot country so I'm afraid when the ambient temp is higher the CPU temp might go even higher. I'm eyeing on this particular heatsink Freezer 64 Pro PWM while I still don't have any idea on what CPU I'm going to get in future, I wish to continue using Freezer 64. But I read most of the sites suggesting that Intel processors are performing better than AMD processors. Can someone enlighten me on this?

Second PSU, I'm using this brandless PSU which I don't think it runs efficiently compare to the higher quality ones, of course. Like I said I'm planning to upgrade my system in near future and wish to continue using Silverstone Strider ST400 400 Watt ATX Power Supply if I were to purchase this. However, my main concern here is although this PSU will provide enough juice for my current system but what about with my future upgrades? I mean I'm going to have almost complete upgrade in my system because it's now using old technologies. All I can see now with the GPU of these days are power-hungry, and I'd look for mid-high range GPU for my future graphic card.

My budget for future upgrades estimated 1.2k USD or less.

Thanks in advance

Thank you for posting your budget. I wish everyone seeking upgrade or new build advice would do that. It is 1 of the 2 critical bits of information so often left out of posts seeking such advice. Unfortunately, you did not provide that other critical bit either! What is the intended purpose of this upgraded computer? Cutting edge 3D animated gaming? Or for school, work, personal finances, music library/server, email, working these forums, and an occasional DVD movie?

Without knowing what the purpose of this machine will be, I cannot be specific. But for $1,200 you can do a lot! But you need to make some decisions fast because the road forks now!

You need to determine, and we need to know what you are bringing to the table for this upgrade. Is your case adequate? HDs? Opticals? Windows license? Monitor? Graphics card (AGP/PCIe)? Motherboard? You want to keep the PSU, I'll post my canned text on that below.

How much RAM do you currently have? If less than 1Gb, bumping to 1Gb offers the best bang, by far! 2G offers better performance yet, though less drastic once going past 1Gb from say, 512Mb or less. That's XP. If Vista, and if upgrading, you should go Vista - 2Gb is the bare minimum with 3 - 4Gb better.

What is your current graphics solution? If using on-board graphics, max out your RAM, get a good graphics card (see Tom's HW - Best Video Cards for the Money, September 2008) and new PSU, maybe an extra case fan, then watch your system scream! And with the hundreds of bucks you'll save, get a good UPS with AVR, AND a new widescreen monitor (or 2!).

When Intel released the Core 2 Duo line of CPUs a couple years, they recaptured the lead from AMD by producing a line of Intel CPUs that outperform, consume less power and generate less heat than AMD. They also lowered prices. Intel learned their lesson from years ago when they got complacent with their market position and AMD spanked them by putting out a better and cheaper CPU that drove PC prices under $1K. That was particularly embarrassing for Intel because AMD got their BIG R&D money when Intel (under pressure from IBM) licensed AMD to manufacture Intel CPUs so IBM could have a second source of CPUs for the new PC. Bad for Intel. Good for AMD, and most excellent for consumers.

It took Intel nearly 10 years to regain the crown, they have no intention, or lack of fund, to let that happen again. Understand, AMDs are still excellent, reliable CPUs, and make the foundation for fine PCs.

So, you need to decide if you are staying with AMD, in which case, you don't need a new motherboard. Or go with Intel, in which case, will mean new motherboard, CPU, and probably RAM, and maybe graphics too, depending on current card.

I advise against getting a new cooler until last, if at all. While you are certainly wise to be concerned with heat, the bane of all electronics, some motherboards do not support some HSF assemblies - the components surrounding the CPU socket often interfere with proper mounting. Also, a most often over looked concern is the warranty of the CPU. It should be noted that using a 3rd party cooler on retail and OEM versions that are supplied with HSFs voids the warranty!!! Certainly, this is not a concern for many enthusiasts, but it is a concern for many others, and everyone should be aware of it.

Intel CPU Warranty Information (my bold added)

Intel warrants the Product (defined as the boxed Intel® processor and the accompanying thermal solution)... ... if the Product is properly used and installed, for a period of three (3) years. This Limited Warranty does NOT cover:

• damage to the Product due to external causes, including accident, problems with electrical power, abnormal electrical, mechanical or environmental conditions, usage not in accordance with product instructions, misuse, neglect, alteration, repair, improper installation, or improper testing; OR
• any Product which has been modified or operated outside of Intel's publicly available specifications

AMD CPU Warranty Information (their bold)

AMD is more straightforward on their page where it says the following concerning their retail, Processor In A Box (PIB), versions of their CPUs:

This Limited Warranty shall be null and void if the AMD microprocessor which is the subject of this Limited Warranty is used with any heatsink/fan other than the one provided herewith.

The good news is since both AMD and Intel warranty their boxed CPUs for three years, and since replacing them at their cost is not something they want to do, both make excellent cooling solutions both in terms of cooling abilities, but also in noise levels.

Although your 400W Silverstone might "technically" have enough horsepower to power your new system and graphics card, if not too demanding, that is a little low for me. There will be little head room. Connections might be a problem too, especially when new graphics cards frequently need 1 (or 2!) extra power connections. Little headroom (running near capacity), in terms of output accuracy and voltage stability should not bother a well built PSU, but it leaves you no room for an extra drive, or even some port powered USB devices. It also causes the PSU run consistently on the hot side of normal, which can speed up the "normal" aging process of electronic devices.

I think you would be wise to "invest" in a good PSU that will carry you through several upgrades, instead. Then use that Siverstone for testing fans or something.

Remember, the computer will draws only the watts it needs - meaning, if a computer (motherboard, RAM, drives, graphics card, USB devices, etc.) needs 400 watts, it will draw from the wall 400 watts (plus PSU overhead) , regardless if the PSU is a 600W supply, or a 1KW supply.

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Use the eXtreme PSU Calculator Lite to determine your power supply unit (PSU) requirements. Plug in all the hardware you think you might have in 2 or 3 years (extra drives, bigger or 2nd video card, more RAM, etc.). Be sure to read and heed the notes at the bottom. I recommend you set Capacitor Aging to 30%, and if you participate in distributive computing projects (e.g. BOINC or Folding@Home), I recommend setting TDP to 100%. Research your video card and pay particular attention to the power supply requirements for your card listed on your video card maker's website. Then look for power supply brands listed under the "Good" column of PC Mechanic's PSU Reference List. Ensure the supplied amperage on the +12V rails of your chosen PSU meets the requirements of your video card. Don't try to save a few dollars by getting a cheap supply. Digital electronics, including CPUs, RAM, and today's advanced graphics cards, need clean, stable power. A good, well chosen supply will provide years of service and upgrade wiggle room. I strongly recommend you pick a supply with an efficiency rating equal to, or greater than 80%. Look for the 80 Plus - EnergyStar Compliant label. And don't forget to budget for a good UPS with AVR (automatic voltage regulation).
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Thank you for providing such detailed information to me, that's exactly what I need!

About the critical information I was thinking to include it but I was afraid that if my post was too long nobody will bother to read it, so I kept it short.

I'm using my computer mainly for gaming, movies and web surfing. For the gaming, the most demanding game to me is FSX (does this consider as cutting edge 3D gaming?). Of course, I'd prefer it to have as smooth FPS as possible, within my budget range.

I'm using Cooler Master Centurion 5 for now, and I'm keeping for this in future too. My HD for the moment I think it's still ok considering that it has 160GB storage. The motherboard I'm using now is pretty old Asus K8N, it only supports AGP interface I even have 1GB (512MB x2) DDR SDRAM on it, until now I'm still not sure it is a right choice for me as I already purchased this Palit 7300GT Sonic not long ago probably earlier this year for the sake of "withstand" for 1 to 2 years to come because the games I play now isn't so good for my very old Nvidia FX5500. So I think technically I'll be changing the whole thing in my system, but it would be step-by-step process. Certainly, I'll be changing my OS from XP Pro to Windows 7, it's releasing soon near 2 to 3 years time right?

I don't have the Silverstone PSU yet, now what I'm using is the brandless PSU which I think it won't do good for my electricity bill though. That's exactly my concern, if I were to purchase Silverstone in future I'm afraid it wouldn't have much juice to squeeze out in case the new system needs more power because of its 400watts which seems to me low too.

The keyboard, mouse, monitor and speaker can still be used but would consider a change whenever possible.

Will it be possible for me to achieve what I want if I lower my budget to 600-700 dollars?

This post has been edited by Conspire: Sep 22 2008, 09:11 PM