[Geekish]New CPU/Motherboard for 140quid

[G.K Zhukov]

Xmas is soonish, and I need a new cpu and motherboard.

So whats the best I can get for around 120-140 quid?

spend lets say 140quid on a 754 mainboard and cpu, or spend 80 quid on a SocetA mainboard and cpu, and upgrade sooner next time?

[Apothos]

Get the cash and wait for the sales in January?

[G.K Zhukov]

This is my wishing xmas presents from my parents/other family..
Besides, these things dont drop much in january. If we were talking about a washing machine, TV, etc, I would definitivly wait.

[MrL_JaKiri]

AMD Sempron 3100+ 1.80GHz (Socket 754) CPU
Gigabyte GA-K8NS Pro nForce3 250 (Socket 754) Motherboard

Best bang for the buck going at the moment, especially considering the upgrade path.

www.overclockers.co.uk
www.ebuyer.co.uk

£150 from Overclockers, Ebuyer are usually a lot cheaper but I don't like the way the site's arranged so I haven't checked yet.

[Starbucks]

the 754 is AMD's future budget line, you will probably be better off going that route for future upgradability than spending £80 on something which will be obsolete in a months time.

And I am not overestimating the month either as that is when NForce 4 motherboards come out

[G.K Zhukov]

Any notable differnces between nForce3 and VIA UniChrome Pro K8M800 / VIA VT8237 ?

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by G.K Zhukov

Any notable differnces between nForce3 and VIA UniChrome Pro K8M800 / VIA VT8237 ?

nForce 3 is better, but if you don't want to splash out on a slightly more expensive motherboard, there's no real need for it with the Sempron, and upgrade later. It rather removes the point of going onto the 754 upgrade path though.

[bl0ke]

I think this is a bad time to buy..
Wait for AMD 64 Motherboards with PCI Express.
(ok some are available now, but the early boards are always dubious)

[G.K Zhukov]

Okey, a AMD Sempron 3100+ 1.8 GHz Socket 754, 256 KB cache, BOXED costs me 80 quid.
A mainboard of this type EPoX EP-8KDA3J (nforce3) costs me about 65 quid.
the ram; TwinMOS PC3200 DDR-DIMM 512MB CL2.5 32M*8/16chip, 184-P (for DDR-PC400MHz); costs me 50 quid.

Boxed means that it comes with a fan, or just in a useless box?
Somehow I suspect that the cpu atleast will become cheaper soonish. Anyone have some roadmaps for Intel and AMD lying around? I haven been able to find anyone recent at the hardware sites I read.

[MrL_JaKiri]

Generally it means it includes a fan. They're usually not very good.

Re: The upgrade path, bl0ke is right in a way, given that the nForce4 is due and prices should drop of all related products after that.

PCI Express is great if you want to spend another £150 on a midrange GeForce.

Re: The roadmaps, AMD claimed they'd be supporting 754, 939 AND A, although that was last summer so I don't know quite what's happening now. It's pointless looking for an Intel roadmap as they're currently in a cycle of 'Announce new processor/cancel new processor'.

[G.K Zhukov]

How much of an advantage is PCI Express.
And when will nForce4 get out?

[MrL_JaKiri]

Originally Posted by G.K Zhukov

How much of an advantage is PCI Express.
And when will nForce4 get out?

PCI Express is basically the replacement for AGP (although it doesn't actually do anything more at the moment). It seems likely that nigh-on all the future high end graphics cards will come in PCI Express rather than AGP, although the manufacturers will, most likely, not stop producing low-mid range AGP cards, simply because a significant amount of the low-mid range market will not have PCI Express. It's still a risk though, just not a very large one.

The nForce4 is due out any time now, but god knows what supply levels will be like.

[G.K Zhukov]

Seems nforce4 is already out, its just very few motherboards around with it.

[G.K Zhukov]

My grandfather just called and said he was about to order the cpu, mainboard and memory for me.
for xmas + my birthday in january.
I was like; this is to good to be true