[Cogglesz]

hi there i just joined computer juice just now, been checking some topics for help with other things but i have my own little problem.

i got this pc from a freind of mine for £40 after i ended up wasting my old pc, the only problem with this was viruses but now that is all well, i've been upgrading the pc week by week i've installed a 1gb video card, 4gb of ram (its xp media centre x32 so it only reads 3.5 gb buts thats no problem) also changed the psu, the only things i need to work on is hard drives, sound card and a new processor.

i've got a decent knowledge about replacing and changing parts on a pc so installation is not a problem, the only problem i have is what processor to buy, i know i perhaps should have went and got a new motherboard but the one fitted is good enough for me, i'd love to have 3 choices of processors to buy, a cheap one, a medium priced one and an expensive one, whatever suits best, i just dont know what processor will work with my motherboard.

My Motherboard is a Acer EM61PM/EM61SM

Right now i only have AMD Sempron, 1800 MHz (9 x 200) 3400+, now if i had a better processor i'd get the best out of the parts i've put into it, i plan on making this pc work the new games of today for the pc, it can run them, but the only problem i have is processing speed which causes lag towards games such as bioshock, even with the 3.5 gb of ram and 1 gb graphics card, installation will not be a problem all i need to know is what processor will run with my current motherboard if there are any more things you need to know about my pc before telling me which cpu's will work check my profile on here, i've got my stats on there.

thanks

[Hybr!d]

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en...G=Search&meta=

Loads of info to read through, although nothing I can see seems very concrete.

Branded mobo's are notoriously crap, ie: locked to certain hardware/speeds with little manufacturer support. It's a money thing.

Personally if I were upgrading a branded PC the mobo/case/psu would be the first things to junk.

[Cogglesz]

hmm yeah, i've had a little look, some people are saying it can be upgraded and some say it can't, but they also say they can't get over 2gb's of ram into it as well, im sorry but i do have no knowledge with processors apart from their installation, but i hear in some places if i were to get the latest bio's i'd be able to upgrade to an X2 processor but if the speeds are locked at what there at then i dont think there would be any point, i was after a dual core perhaps.

if the worst comes to worst i'll try look for a motherboard that will accept my ram chips and gpu

[Hybr!d]

A new mobo will set you back £40-£50. I doubt acer offer much help in the way of BIOS updates or documented support. The brands never do. Good luck.

[spot]

I checked the Acer site, they're bloody tight-fisted with their information. No chart of what processor will run on that motherboard and what won't. As far as I can see it's an AM2, not an AM2+, but I'm by no means sure. It's why I prefer a motherboard from a firm which makes motherboards instead of a firm which makes computers. Any company that wants 50p a minute to ration out what they know about their own product is a company that should die and make way for a friendlier one.

It will certainly run with a Athlon 64 X2 2.2GHz 4400+ Dual Core but that might be getting towards its limit and it's not going to be wildly more responsive than what you're using.

[Hybr!d]

Correct, not much between them. seems a waste of money IMO.

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?pag...item=483&num=7

[Cogglesz]

right cheers guys, i think i'll just go get a new motherboard at some time, i'll do some research and hopefully i'll find one thats gonna work with all i got, thanks you's two !

[Hybr!d]

You will do better not spending any more on your current setup and saving for a core 2 duo/quad PCI-e GFX card setup.

Anything you can add to your current setup is already out of date and you will just be upgrading again in a few months.

A decent core 2 duo/quad setup will last you years.

[Razer]

I agree with Dave, a new dual or quad will see you through a lot more than any of the processors you could use. You'll spend more money upgrading an older system than you would buying a new one, you get the option to build with a new system too!