Changing Mobo/CPU... help!

Zaphod Beeblebrox

OK this is a long one for the techies, don't read unless like me yer a sad individual with too much free time

Apart from changing GFX card and adding RAM, I'm an upgrade virgin. But anyway I'm fed up with my lame P3 and components are coming down in price, so I've decided to replace my CPU. Because I'm changing to an AMD I know I need a new Mobo, PSU etc. So far my Christmas list goes thus:

MOBO: Gigabyte GA7ZXR
CPU: AMD Athlon 1.3GHz 266MHz

The only other thing I know I need is a PSU, seeing as mine is only a 200W. What I need to know is; do I really need a 350 or 400W double fan PSU inside my comp (I have a CD-RW also) or will a 300W be enough so long as I have another cooling solution (I have my eye on one of those nice li'l ISA heat extractors)?
Does anyone know a site (preferably one with a good rep) in the UK or Ireland where I could get a 350W or higher PSU that would support an Athlon, for around UKp30/IEp40/Eu50 (formatted comp, currency symbols not working).

Also can someone please tell me the difference between a cooler and a heat sink? I'm looking at a Cooler Master DP5-6I11, costing 7 UK pounds. It's listed as a cooler and looks like a fan. If that's a cooler then what is a heat sink? Please help; I'm really confused. And it's not the drink doing that. Well, maybe a bit.

Scruff

www.marx-computers have a 350watt psu for £32. ye'd have to check with em though if its athlon compatible, its atx from factor so i cant see why not. (its under their "case" heading)


they've also got the CoolerMaster EP56I51 , fairly similar to what u are looking at. it s a heat sink and fan. fairly bog standard though, recomended up to 1.33ghz so i wouldn't recommend overclocking with it.

Gerry

If its the top of the line coolermaster, its well able for 1.4ghz, even though only rated for 1.33. It is much better than the coolermaster with copper heatpipes, which was rated for 1.4ghz, and is absolutely ****e, and which I hope is not available anywhere.

A cooler usually means fan and heatsink combined, you need the heatsink to spread the heat away from the cpu into a wide area, which the fan can then easily cool. Old cpu's used to be ok with just a heatsink and no fan, nice and quiet, but todays power hungry cpu's need a fan on top of the heatsink to get rid of the heat.

A 300w psu is fine, I've just put together an athlon xp 1600+ with a 300w psu.

The 350w in marx seems reasonably priced, and yes it is athlon compatible, if it wasn't for the athlon, they wouldn't be selling very many 350w psu's at all

JustHalf

The motherboard sucks.
Get a new (decent) motherboard and an AthlonXP 1600+.

Zaphod Beeblebrox

JustHalf I ain't made of money

I'm getting the motherboard and CPU for just under £200 (English). The mobo supports Athlon Thunderbirds up to 1.5GHz which will do me fine for at least a couple of years. If I was to fork out on a newer motherboard and the new Athlons I might as well buy a new PC without peripherals.

Logical captain :cool:

JustHalf

I don't think you understand how cheap this kit is.

Epox EP-8KHA+ DDR (Socket A AMD Thunderbird/Duron) (MB-000-EP)
Price: £86.50 (£101.64 Including VAT at 17.5%)

AMD Athlon XP 1600 (CP-009-AM)
Price: £95.20 (£111.86 Including VAT at 17.5%)

Crucial 256MB DDR PC2100 CAS-2.5 (MY-001-CR)
Price: £32.00 (£37.60 Including VAT at 17.5%)

Prices in sterling. £251.10