Help! - don't want to build/buy another obsolete PC
finns
that bought about 12 months ago. My questions for the group are based on
wanting to stay a little ahead of the tech/performance curve without taking
out a second mortgage.
1) As the majority of my use is around multimedia apps and gaming, the AMD
64 X2 4800 or AMD FX 70 seem to be a logical choice. However, I understand
they do not do as well when muilt-tasking(Outlook, DoD, Photoshop and 5 IM
sessions all running at once). Would the P955 EE be a better choice?
Both are at the higher end of the price equation for me but I might be
willing to go there if my choice doesnt become obsolete in 6-9 months.
2) There is a bit of hype around DDR2 memory improving the systems overall
performance. I believe with the right motherboard either the 64 X2-4800 or
P955 EE can utilize the faster memory. Is there a fundamental advantage
that either of these CPU has relative to using DDR2?
3) I currently run Windows XP and would probably upgrade to Vista once its
available. Is there any advantage to either of these CPUs in now or then?
4) Do either of these CPUs (or the associated motherboards) have any
advantages relative to disk storage (speed, shadowing, etc).
Is there any upgrade path for either CPU that would make future upgrades
viable and if so is a specific motherboard or chip set needed?
5) Perhaps most importantly, since I don't need to do anything immediately,
is there anything coming down the road in the next 6 months or so that would
truly be worth waiting for?
Any insight relative to the above would be appreciated. If there is a
specific configuration of motherboard+CPU+RAM+Video that you have experience
with and would recommend that would be great.