P4 processor upgrade?

Hangee_77 · Post by **Hangee_77** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:31 pm

Hi all,

Right now I have P4/3GHz/533FSB/3GB RAM and I am tempted to upgrade my processor to either the Northwood P4 with 800FSB (used $50) or the Extreme Edition (used $150).

Do you guys think it is worth it? How much different in my DAW performance will I get?

hc.

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Mon Jan 22, 2007 6:02 pm

I know that the EE w/ it's extra L2 cache ( 3.4EE ) smokes my 3.0GHz Northwood in Gigastudio endeavors, but that's it. When everything is so cheap though, why not go 4 the CPU that use to cost 850 USD!! I am envious, as I bought mine as an engineering sample from England 4 500 USD, if you could even find one.
My first SFP DAW runs the 3.4EE w/ the P4SCT+II mobo, and w/ Raptors galore,......that DAWg'll hunt.

Kymeia · Post by **Kymeia** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 4:16 pm

I'm also thinking of ditching my P4 3.6 which has always had overheating problems if I can find a better CPU that doesn't run as hot (but without having to change the whole mobo)

dawman · Post by **dawman** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 4:34 pm

The 3.2GHz Northwood is perfect for that endeavor IMHO.

iskra · Post by **iskra** » Wed Jan 24, 2007 8:18 pm

Do you guys think it is worth it? How much different in my DAW performance will I get?

I cant answer that cos I still have a P4 2.4 Ghz, but are you experiencing any problems that you need this? I don't run out of PC processing power now, I know chips are cheap but if I had more money I'd want to save for more scope dsp (15 is not always enough)

Kymeia · Post by **Kymeia** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:06 am

scope4live wrote:The 3.2GHz Northwood is perfect for that endeavor IMHO.

Isn't that less powerful than a 3.6? Would it still fit my mobo?

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:12 am

I can't imagine you notice any difference at all with just a 10% clockrate deviation, but if you did experience heat problems, you can almost bet that the 3.6 CPU throttled down internally to any rate that it considered safe...
It may well be that such a CPU runs effectively with a 2.6 average clock...

My own rule of thumb has been that a CoreDuo with a 30% lower clock is 30% faster than a P4 - i.e. a 2.4 CoreDuo should outperform your 3.6 CPU by 30% - dunno if this makes considering a new mobo more attractive...

cheers, Tom