New Motherboard and CPUs

[SupremeLegate]

This is not problem question but a search for some information, I think this is the right place to put it.

I've had my current computer for going on 7 years, and in that time I have replaced the Video card, Sound card, Memory, Power Supply, and even the Hard Drive. Though I have gone back to using the original Hard Drive and slaving the new one to it, as well as using an External Hard Drive.

Now I have considered getting a new computer, but I thought all I would need is a new tower, which lead me to think that all I really need is a new Motherboard and CPU's. So here is my request for information:

What all would be involved in finding a new Motherboard for my computer?

I assume I would have to make sure it would fit the tower, how do I go about doing that?

So any and all information would be much appreciated.

[camerongray]

This page details the sizes of different motherboards - You will most likely have ATX or micro-ATX http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_form_factor

[truenorth]

Your question is really quite general as there will undoubtedly be many factors to consider if you go the route you are proposing. If i might be permitted (without knowing exactly the types and quality/performance levels of the components that you have already replaced). It occurs to me that you may wish to consider an alternative and that is to purchase (or build if that is your desire) a new state of the art computer. Using a car as an analogy you have replaced the transmission/radio/suspension and other parts but it is still a 2004 Buick. First i would ask why are you seeking to do this "upgrade" of fundamental components (what is it you seek that your current computer is NOT providing?) Define your computer needs then research what would fill those "needs" In changing the stated components you may have omitted to realize that "they" will demand other changes to accommodate them . So i urge you to go through the process of determination i have suggested as an alternative to what you are proposing i believe you will have a better result and probably less costly. truenorth 

[soybean]

Some details to consider;
1) Surely, you'd need new memory since a new motherboard would not use the older type memory you now have.

2) I doubt that your video card is a PCI Express card. It's probably AGP, or even PCI. So, it wouldn't work with a new motherboard.  Of course, a new motherboard with onboard video may provide sufficient video performance, depending on what you do with your computer.

3) Will your current supply work with a new motherboard?  Does it support SATA devices?  Does its power cord connector for the motherboard have the 24-pin configuration you'd probably need for a new motherboard?

4) Is the "new" hard drive you bought IDE or SATA?  If IDE, it probably won't work with a new motherboard, which may only support SATA drives. So, to use your "new", you'd need to get a USB external enclosure and make an external hard drive with it in order to use it.

5) Your sound probably won't be needed with a new motherboard.  But, if you did want to use it, you need to verify it will work with a new motherboard; this is similar situation to the video card.

[SupremeLegate]

Actually while my computer is 7 years old, it does have PIC Express slots. I found this out last year when I replaced my video card and the Memory is DDR2, both of which surprised me when I replaced said parts. And both Hard Drives are SATA. I also had to up the power supply to 750w for the Video Card.

So in effect, the only part of my computer that is in fact 7 years old is the motherboard and the tower. And of course my CD/DVD drives.

Now the reason I want to upgrade my computer, either by buying a new Motherboard or just by buying a new computer, is because I play STO. Now while my current computer can technically play STO it only has 1 Pentium 4 CPU, and the minimum for the game is Dual Cores I believe.

And my question was general simply because I do not know what all I need to know. But let me try and lay out my intentions.

My main concerns are:

How much money buying a new motherboard vs a new computer.
How much work is involved in putting in a new motherboard.
What all do I need to consider when looking for a new motherboard.

[SupremeLegate]

So, nothing?

[truenorth]

Well really those of us that have tried to assist you have tried to point you in a direction that will assist you--however we cannot do the decision making for you. Once again your questions are too general and have multiple possible answers.
  As an example let us look at your 1st question: "How much money buying a new motherboard vs a new computer."
1.What is the cost of your chosen motherboard?
2. What is the cost of your chosen computer?
I doubt at this point that in fact you have chosen either. So how can we possibly advise you and anyway at the point when you have made your choices it becomes a basic arithmetic equation (notwithstanding my and soybeans cautions re additional possible requirements that may arise).
The answer to your 2nd question is also variable depending on your choice--but generally not an insurmountable task. (again depending on what else you decide to change along with the motherboard for instance a CPU). How knowledgeable are you in doing this?
The answer to your final question is based on comments i made earlier"define your goals"--current and future - as to what you want to achieve from your computer "needs".
  We really go out of our way here on the CH forums to assist members --but we cannot do it for you and that includes you doing some research and decision making. truenorth
If i might suggest --do some research --identify what you think is a suitable motherboard to achieve your desires and then ask the forum for their comments on THAT motherboard and/or any other components you want to add/change.

[SupremeLegate]

Hmm...I don't think I can get much more general than that. I currently don't have a motherboard in mind, since I am not sure what all I need to consider when looking for one. At the moment this is all preparation for the future, as I currently don't have the means to buy either a new motherboard or a new tower.

I can answer a couple of your comments; I do intend on getting a new CPU. In fact the whole point of this is to get a multi-core system. Also I don't have any real expertise, at least not with installing a motherboard. Though I know someone who buildings computers, so I will most likely pay them to do it.

Now this next question is general, I seem to do that a lot. As I have understand the past comments, it is possible for a new motherboard and CPU could cost just as much as a new tower. Am I correct in that assessment?

Dose any of that help clear things up?


Quick addendum: I am currently on NewEgg looking at Motherboard/CPU/VGA combos, with a price range of $100 - $200. I see where it shows the memory standard, which is DDR2 which I have. And I am assuming that they have PCI Express card slots. So anything else I should be looking at?

[Salmon Trout]

Personally I would make up my mind what I want to use the computer for: serious gaming, lots of video encoding, or general use. Depending on whether I wanted a really powerful high end PC or a mid range machine, that would point me towards a choice of processor (AMD or Intel?) and possibly RAM amount (4, 8 or 16 GB?). Of course you need a hard drive and optical drive. I might pick a notional system just for the sake of argument and then, doing some Web research,  proceed to evaluate it against my needs. Of course, if you are used to a 2004 computer (you have not said much about its specification) you will find even a low end modern computer to be much faster. Something like a mid range AMD 3,4 or 6-core processor and 4 or 8 GB of RAM and a 1 TB hard drive is going to be a pretty capable machine.

[Salmon Trout]

Now this next question is general, I seem to do that a lot. As I have understand the past comments, it is possible for a new motherboard and CPU could cost just as much as a new tower. Am I correct in that assessment?

You can spend the same amount of money on a higher end motherboard and CPU as you would on a lower end complete system box with everything in it, but so what?

[SupremeLegate]

You can spend the same amount of money on a higher end motherboard and CPU as you would on a lower end complete system box with everything in it, but so what?

The point is I am trying to determine which is more cost efficient, a new Motherboard/CPU or a whole new tower.

Personally I would make up my mind what I want to use the computer for: serious gaming, lots of video encoding, or general use. Depending on whether I wanted a really powerful high end PC or a mid range machine, that would point me towards a choice of processor (AMD or Intel?) and possibly RAM amount (4, 8 or 16 GB?). Of course you need a hard drive and optical drive. I might pick a notional system just for the sake of argument and then, doing some Web research,  proceed to evaluate it against my needs. Of course, if you are used to a 2004 computer (you have not said much about its specification) you will find even a low end modern computer to be much faster. Something like a mid range AMD 3,4 or 6-core processor and 4 or 8 GB of RAM and a 1 TB hard drive is going to be a pretty capable machine.

I want my computer to be a gaming computer. As for the specifications, the only original parts are the CD/DVD drives and the Motherboard/CPU.

First I had to replace the memory, so I now have 3  1GB DDR2 sticks of memory. And 3GB is the max this computer can recognize.

When I got Star Trek Online I replaced the Video Card, the Video Card is a ATI Radeon HD 4650, and has an additional 1GB memory. When I replaced the Video Card I had to replace the Power Supply, so I now have a 750W Power.

Recently I had to replace the Sound Card, the old one just decided it did not want to work any more. So I now have a Rocketfish 5.1 PCI Sound Card

And now we have the Hard Drives, long story short I have a 160GB SATA, 320GB SATA, and 1TB. The 160 has the OS, with the 320 slaved to it, and the 1TB is external.

Now my current CPU is a Intel Pentium 4, I assume the reason my Device Manager shows two if them is because it it Hyper-Threaded.


So when I began this journey of getting a new computer I noticed that my current specs were actually comparable to anything I would find in a new tower. So I began thinking that all I really needed to do was replace my current Motherboard and CPU. And my recent look on NewEgg suggests that I am correct in my assessment.

So I guess my question comes down to finding out what all I need to consider when looking at Motherboard/CPU replacements.

Do I just need to make sure it supports DDR2 memory, PCI Express extentions, and SATA Hard Drives? Are all Motherboards the same size, or do I need to make sure it will fit the tower that I currently have? Is there anything that I have not considered?

I think those questions are specific enough, if not let me know what other information I need to provide and I will see what I can do.