Is upgrading Worth Now???

[Harshu]

Well i'm having a PII 350, 256MB PC133 RAM, 20GB HDD, 4MB VRAM SiS6326 AGP etc etc. Now i'm thinking to upgrade this old and reliable PC. I'm using WinXP and WinME with Heavy softwares like 3D MAX 4, Photoshop 6, Premier 6 etc etc. So upgradation is a must thing for this PC for the kind of work i take from this PC.
Now the point is whether upgrading this moment really worth or should i wait for some time. Actually at this moment i'm thinking of the following upgrade: -

P4 2Ghz
MSI 845D Ultra Mobo,
256 MB DDR-RAM
64 MB GeForce2 MX 400

I m a fan of AMD but my xperience with it is very bad. My friend's CPU overheat and reaches to 87 C and other problems. I know these chips r quite high performing but i have a doubt about there future.
Think, after 2 years when the minimum requirement of a operating system will become a 1800Mhz Processor then will a AMD Athlon XP 1800+ work with it, as it is running @ a lower frequency than 1800Mhz. Simlarly what will happen with the other softwares. Will they run on the processors which actually runs on a lower frequency. Some sotwares today don't even complete there setup if u don't comply its min. requirement. Here i think a P4 will be a better option. See these thing r quite imp. for me as i don't have money for frequent upgradations.
Now another question should i wait for some time for an upgradation of my PC??? I'm thinking to wait for (upto Oct) AMD Athlon Thoroughbred,is it worth the time? Well i know the Mem prices will become low at that time so i can have more RAM say 512 MB for faster DDR. Similarly new GPUs will be launched so older one like GeForce3 Ti 500 will come in my buget. Newer mobo will support better tecnology. But i still want to know how much this waiting period worth. Another thing when r these thoroughbred r going to be launced. And what about ClawHammer. What will be the estimate pricing for both of the processors.
Please guide me As it is very important for me.

[BipolarBill]

The Clawhammer is a 64-bit chip and not compatible with your OS. The T-bred will be a .13 micron core and should run much cooler. It will not, however, be less money than a Northwood P4.

The P4 2.0 is a fine purchase and the rest of your component choices are as well. I would try to get a GeForce GTS if I were you. For Graphics, 512MB should be your absolute minimum - 1GB would be better.

[Harshu]

Oh BipolarBill Thanks for replying so soon (tell me how di u manage so many posts;) )
I would like to purchase GeForce 2GTS but the prices here r too high. Well for graphics and animation any amount of RAM is not enough but still there is a limit for everyone. Can u tell me the prie difference between GeForce 2 MX 400 and GeForce 2GTS.
Well T-Bred will run much cooler but i want to know when r they going to be released and waiting for it really worth or i should upgrade my PC.
Another thing the configuration i have mention in my previous post
P4 2Ghz
MSI 845D Ultra Mobo,
256 MB DDR-RAM
64 MB GeForce2 MX 400
Cost Rs 15000-Rs20000 i.e. $300-$400. What r the prices in ur locality. Another thing how much a 19inch moniter cost @ ur place. Here in INDIA a bare minimum 19 moniter with not so good specification costs Rs 20000 i.e. $400. (It will increase as the India-Pakistan tension increases) What r the prices in ur place

[deadkenny]

If you are worried about AMD processors overheating, you should know that the AthlonXP does have an on die thermal diode. The main problem is, since AMD (unlike Intel) makes their new processors compatible with older mobos, a lot of mobo don't have the hardware to make use of the on die diode on the XP. If you choose the right mobo though, you should be just as safe with an AthlonXP (or later) as you are with a P4.

I doubt that there will be any apps anytime soon that will require a minimum clock speed of 1.8GHz. Apps are generally limited by processing power or instruction sets (e.g. must have MMX or SSE etc.), not sheer clock speed. AMD's rating system is all about the fact that the AthlonXP does more per clock cycle than the P4 (so does the Tualatin for that matter, which is why Intel hobbled it, because it would embarass any P4 under 2GHz if allowed to reach it's potential). Therefore the AthlonXP has the processor power of P4's at higher clock speeds. About the only thing the AthlonXP doesn't have is SSE2 instructions, so that might be an issue if an app depends on or requires SSE2.

[BipolarBill]

tell me how di u manage so many posts )

I keep my word count waaaay down.

I would like to purchase GeForce 2GTS but the prices here r too high. Well for graphics and animation any amount of RAM is not enough but still there is a limit for everyone. Can u tell me the prie difference between GeForce 2 MX 400 and GeForce 2GTS.

Here, a 32MB DDR GTS can be had for $50-75. An MX version is only $10 less. The MX is lame, IMO.

Well T-Bred will run much cooler but i want to know when r they going to be released and waiting for it really worth or i should upgrade my PC.

I HATE to wait. ;)

Another thing the configuration i have mention in my previous post
P4 2Ghz
MSI 845D Ultra Mobo,
256 MB DDR-RAM
64 MB GeForce2 MX 400
Cost Rs 15000-Rs20000 i.e. $300-$400. What r the prices in ur locality.

About the same, actually. :) Not much less for sure.

Another thing how much a 19inch moniter cost @ ur place. Here in INDIA a bare minimum 19 moniter with not so good specification costs Rs 20000 i.e. $400. What r the prices in ur place.

At discount, about $250-300 - delivered.

Keep in mind that my most powerful PC has a P3 1.2T w/512MB PC133 RAM and a 32MB SDRAM GTS. I like it just fine. (I won't mention the full tower, 4 HDDs and 3 optical drives ;) )

[Harshu]

Oh thats is a relief that the prices r near about same as here in India we always have to pay higer prices. U will not believe here the prices difference for 512 MB of DDR is more than Rs. 4000 or about $50 from the internatinal prices.
Well have u got any info about the AMD Athlon XP Appaloosa processor with 512 KB L2 Cache. And when r they going to be launched. They will create wonders.

deadkenny
I know that AMD r the best processors but still which u will also agre is the built quality of Intel processors r far much better than AMD processor. Take a AMD Athlon XP and P4. U will see the difference in both of them. The P4 have better finish and the thermal diode works much better with the P4. But no doubt that AMD r making the best processors but they should do something for there build quality.

[BipolarBill]

The Appaloosa core Duron is due very soon. Planned launch was the first half of this year. We have 3 weeks left in June. ;)

[Harshu]

Sorry sorry i was asking about the Barton processors. The name r really confusing. I don't know where do they fine these weird names. :p
Ya Appaloosa r going to be launched in Q3. I hope AMD will not let us down and will release all the processors on time.
How much performance difference is there in GeForce 2MX 400, GeForce 2 GTS and Geforce 4MX?

[BipolarBill]

GF2 MX = cow dung

GTS and GF4 MX are about equal in all-around.

[deadkenny]

Originally posted by Harshu
deadkenny
I know that AMD r the best processors but still which u will also agre is the built quality of Intel processors r far much better than AMD processor. Take a AMD Athlon XP and P4. U will see the difference in both of them. The P4 have better finish and the thermal diode works much better with the P4. But no doubt that AMD r making the best processors but they should do something for there build quality.

I'm not trying to talk you out of getting a P4. Intel definitely makes a quality product. However, they also charge top dollar for it. Just wanted to let you know about the on die thermal diode and the clock speed / performance issue.