Hey guys, i have decided i want to upgrade my CPU. my CPU usage history graph is at 100% quite often. I do ALOT of photoshoping and thats when it is the slowest and the computer lags.

I have used the program CPU-Z to determine what processor i have. The specs are as fallows.

CPU
AMD Athlon 64 3500+
Winchester
Socket 939

the core speed is 2210.2 MHz
the bus speed is 1004.7 MHz

MAINBOARD
First International Computer, Inc.
Model: KTBC51G PCB 1.x
Chipset: NVIDIA

COMPUTER
Gateway GT4010
1.50 GB of Ram

I have also upgraded my memory and graphics card. (VisionTek HD 2600 PRO)

What i want to know is:

What are my options as far as choices that are compatible to upgrade?
What is the best value and speed to make my system preform better?

I tried to include as much information as possible for you, if you need anything else let me know.

Thank you for all your time, you are helping me out greatly.

Jason

I think the best processor you can by without upgrading your motherboard is this one:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103002

is this worth buying. is it faster then the one i have now?

yes, the processor you have is a single core processor, this one is a duel core and has a higher speed.

do you think it is substantial to upgrade or to wait for something that is better?

On a ten scale how much performance gain do you think i would get?

From what i understand, the 939 socket is no longer made and its out dated.

if i were to go the route of a new main board and cpu, what is involved as far as installation and price difference. Any suggestions on board and cpus?

for example:

would either of these work with my machine.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...8456&CatId=2417
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/...4321&CatId=2417


do the boards just get swaped or how does this work?


thank you again!

Socket 939 is indeed now officially extinct. Ideally you should upgrade most of your system. The 2600 pro is fine, but the memory will have to go as new platforms use DDR2, not the DDR1 you will currently have.

the 2600pro is a AGP, so rather save up some money and buy a whole new computer instead of upgrading them, you're going upgrade them again this year so why waste the money?

Ooh well spotted...

lol because checking the pc spec, the gpu must've being a AGP card

Er no, socket 939 was mainly PCI express. Some 754 rigs were AGP, but it was only socket A that was firmly stuck in the AGP area.

oh yeah, i forgot about that, my old 939 also uses pci-e. guess i'm wrong. My bad