Upgrade options from opty 165

[s[H]aqFU]

I am looking to upgrade my sons computer as part of his christmas with a budget of $200 or so. He has an amd opteron 165 (pre am2) that is oc'd from 1.8 to 2.7, but its getting long in tooth and he would like a quad core system. So I need a mobo and cpu and perhaps memory.
But want to keep cpu mobo under 200!
Do any of you know good options? I have microcenter in Chicago, and heard some say they have free mobos with purchase of certain cpus, but its not close, so I am not sure of their inventory or latest deals.
We will use all of the other existing components and os etc....
Thanks in advance!

 

[DaFox]

Your real only option would be to go AMD at that price point.

The cheapest current Intel Quad worth buying would be the i5 750/760 at around $170 on sale.

I suppose you could always get an old core 2 quad system. It would still be stretching your budget though.

 

[drescherjm]

One could get a 4 threaded i3 processor and motherboard for less than $200. You would still need memory however. Remember that Intel has a large lead in IPC so it will take an AMD system 400 to 600 MHz extra frequency to be in the same ballpark performance.

 

[harpoon]

Agreed with DaFox, go with AMD on your budget... Look at a cheap Phenom X3 or X4 I reckon...

 

[johnny*]

Whatever you eventually upgrade to, just don't get rid of that Opty 165..... what a great processor that is/was. Mine has finally been delegated to file server duty, running near stock speed at <1.00 vcore. Long live s939

 

[xBanzai89]

Take a look http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...ubCategory=343&SortField=0&PageSize=10&page=1 . You can pick up a AMD PII 925 with a motherboard for under $200 with those combos. I would pick one out, but I don't know if you want an ATX, USB 3.0, Sata III, and so on. The AMD PII 925 comes with a $15 dollar gift card to newegg also. Be nice to use that on the memory.

 

[drescherjm]

I am not sure I would get a PII 925 over an i3 540.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115221&cm_re=i3_540-_-19-115-221-_-Product

Unless you have a lot of quad core optimized applications the i3 would be faster, more energy efficient and it overclocks better.

 

[s[H]aqFU]

thanks.
I saw TD had a combo today for 199 with 13 540 and mobo.
and yes the opty has been a trooper, was my pc for couple years before he got it.

 

[nobody_here]

im actually in the same exact boat....Opty 165 system here still rocking!

i actually was cleaning out the pc the other day and found a cap on the motherboard leaking....its been worked damn hard man....used to keep this Opty running 2.7-2.8Ghz round the clock....

i think i found the sweet spot for me at the <$300 price point

Core i3 540 Clarksdale CPU $114.99
ASRock H55M-LE LGA 1156 Intel H55 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard for $65
and some decent overclocking memory
OCZ Reaper 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2000 (PC3 16000) Desktop Memory Model OCZ3RPR2000LV4GK for $89.99 (after MIR)
because like every 5 years or so my plan is to get the baby, pair it up with some good memory, and overclock it well

the only thing im not doing now is changing out the 9600GSO 384Mb card i have. i think my system has been holding it back a bit anyways, so im gonna upgrade the platform, then watch the GTX465 1GB card prices and grab one when one of the better ones like the Asus 465's get closer to $150

figure that will hold me over for another 5 or so years seeing as how long i have stretched this Opty 165 (which is still rocking the MWLL Crysis mod which is more demanding than Crysis itself and BFBC2 btw)

 

[wongnog]

3rd person in same boat. Opty 165 here still rocking at 8 x 405 = 3.16 Ghz. Just wondering is it worth it to keep my motherboard (ASUS P5Q-E) and memory (2 x 2Gb OCZ PC2-6400) and just upgrade my S939 CPU?

 

[nobody_here]

3rd person in same boat. Opty 165 here still rocking at 8 x 405 = 3.16 Ghz. Just wondering is it worth it to keep my motherboard (ASUS P5Q-E) and memory (2 x 2Gb OCZ PC2-6400) and just upgrade my S939 CPU?

i dont think so bro, our cpu's overclocked high are pretty much right up there with the $1000 cpu's in socket 939 and now because 939 is becoming hard to find the cpu's are actually pricey, parts get cheaper then they get more expensive after a long time

that socket 775 mobo is getting pretty long in the tooth too....i skipped 775 altogether

i started a thread in general computing asking for upgrade path advice, and in the $500 budget i have the Phenom II quad core around $220 was recommended over the Core i3 series for performance for dollar, just FYI

 

[YELL]

Microcenter lets you check the store's inventory online if you designate a store when you go on their website. You could get him the Phenom II X4 or X6 with mobo for under $200. http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/AMDbundlePROMO.html

Too bad you are fixated on AMD, Microcenter has a sweet $99 Intel Q9300 which would be awesome with a nice cheap Asus or Gigabyte motherboard. A Q9300 is about on par with the top of the line AMD products.

 

[drescherjm]

3rd person in same boat. Opty 165 here still rocking at 8 x 405 = 3.16 Ghz. Just wondering is it worth it to keep my motherboard (ASUS P5Q-E) and memory (2 x 2Gb OCZ PC2-6400) and just upgrade my S939 CPU?

I am confused P5Q-E is an intel 775 board not an AMD 939.

 

[wongnog]

I am confused P5Q-E is an intel 775 board not an AMD 939.

Whooops I got so confused, sorry my bad. I forgot that my Opteron 165 was passed on to my father. I have a Q6600 which you are right is an Intel 775 with that mobo and memory. I guess I should start a new thread on upgrade options from Q6600, not Opty 165! Sorry my bad!

 

[s[H]aqFU]

Ok, so I got him a i3 550 for 99, and an evga p55 mobo for 89, and 4 gig patriot sector 5 memory for 59.
and have rebates from evga for 25 and patriot for 25, so came very close to original spend plan.
Seems like a solid chance that this processor will do 4 ghz and should be plenty for his cod and wow gaming. his vid card is 4850. none is this is top end, but max res on his monitor is 1920 so he should be in good shape.

 

[nobody_here]

Ok, so I got him a i3 550 for 99, and an evga p55 mobo for 89, and 4 gig patriot sector 5 memory for 59.
and have rebates from evga for 25 and patriot for 25, so came very close to original spend plan.
Seems like a solid chance that this processor will do 4 ghz and should be plenty for his cod and wow gaming. his vid card is 4850. none is this is top end, but max res on his monitor is 1920 so he should be in good shape.

thats a good damn deal man, where did you get those prices though, the mobo on newegg is $140 with a $40 MIR...

 

[s[H]aqFU]

I bought it all at comp usa, which is basically tiger direct, got them to price match with microcenter the things that were cheaper there! I came armed with printouts of pages from competition! Took a little convincing, they told me the i3 was below cost, even at $109.00!