Upgrading My Mainboard...

Hey guys,

I want to upgrade my computer but can't really afford to do it all in one go so will be doing it piece by piece as each month passes.

Want to upgrade my RAM first but my mainboard is already full so that obviously means upgrading both at the same time. The problem I have is I'm currently running on a P4 and will eventually want to upgrade to a dual core chip.

Can I get a motherboard that I can plug my P4 into that will also allow me to eventually plug in a dual core chip in it's place?

Thanks

 

First, I always advise against the 'piece by piece' upgrade, as it will be cheaper if you save up money and buy it all at once when you can afford (9 out of 10 times, the prices of the components you want will have dropped)

TO answer your question, what kind of P4 do you have? is it socket 478 (older) or LGA-775 (socket T, the current socket). Post as much info as you know.

The only thing I would say doesnt matter that you buy now (even if you cant use it) is RAM, as the price of DDR2 RAM is ridiculously low right now.

 

I'm running on a P4 2.4 socket 478 atm. HTH

Thanks

 

in that case, no, there is not a solution for you. Save up your money (or buy RAM now if you'd like, but you cant use it until you have a DDR2 capable motherboard) and buy it all at once, you'll get more for your money. keep in mind, aside from the monitor, you can build a great system for under $600 easily these days

 

Yup.... a rockin' PC can be built for $500-$600 no problem; and the price of DDR2 memory IS so low right now it's not even funny. Will it go back up? Who knows. PC parts (esp. memory) prices fluctuate almost like the commodities market, it's weird. One week a gig of DDR2 will retail around $80 or so, the next week, it's down around $60.... anyway- as posted above, you'd be better off saving your dough and buying everything at once. If you spend $120 on a new motherboard, and wait 2-3 months for the CPU, you'll probably be kicking yourself for not waiting: the price on the MB you bought will probably have dropped, or there's a new MB with better features at the same price.... so, I know it's hard, but wait, save, and do it all at one time. Let us know what hardware you decide on, and if you need some help, guidance, or any other advice or suggestions, we're always here!!!

hd2k