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So, I'm in a slightly strange situation and I'm trying to figure out what to do. Here's the deal, last summer I 'upgraded' my video card to an R9800Pro from my Parhelia. The P does not work in my secondary system (just plain too old). As I am starting to seriously get back into my photography hobby, and as I learn better post proccessing techniques I am finding that it would be awfully damn nice to be able to do my post-proccessing with the spirit of Matrox on my side. However, I also don't want to give up the R9800 given my penchant for gaming.
So.... 3 options present themselves.
Option the first:
New Mobo, RAM, CPU for main system, step current components down to secondary system
Pros: Mucho fastness, speed, power, and all around feeling goodness.
Cons: $$, would require a format of both primary and secondary systems.
Option the second:
New Mobo and RAM for main system, step current mobo and RAM down and use old Athlon 1600 that is currently collecting dust (works, recieved 2400+ for bday last year which replaced it).
Pros: Somewhat less $$, new mobo and RAM goodness.
Cons: format both systems, kinda pointless to get a new mobo and RAM without a CPU to take advantage thereof.
Option the third:
New mobo and RAM capable of taking the 1600+ and nothing more.
Pros: much lower $$, only have to format secondary system.
Cons: no feelgoodness from fast new cpu in main system (OH NOS! THE WORLD WILL END!)
Now then, funding is not technically an issue, but I would rather be a) spending the money on photography equipment or b) saving it. Also, I should note that I plan on building a full new system later this year when AMD starts releasing the A64's on the standardized socket (939 iirc).
So, the question is, what would you do, and what mobo would you get to do it with? (side note: I will be putting 1gb of RAM in any new configuration).
So.... 3 options present themselves.
Option the first:
New Mobo, RAM, CPU for main system, step current components down to secondary system
Pros: Mucho fastness, speed, power, and all around feeling goodness.
Cons: $$, would require a format of both primary and secondary systems.
Option the second:
New Mobo and RAM for main system, step current mobo and RAM down and use old Athlon 1600 that is currently collecting dust (works, recieved 2400+ for bday last year which replaced it).
Pros: Somewhat less $$, new mobo and RAM goodness.
Cons: format both systems, kinda pointless to get a new mobo and RAM without a CPU to take advantage thereof.
Option the third:
New mobo and RAM capable of taking the 1600+ and nothing more.
Pros: much lower $$, only have to format secondary system.
Cons: no feelgoodness from fast new cpu in main system (OH NOS! THE WORLD WILL END!)
Now then, funding is not technically an issue, but I would rather be a) spending the money on photography equipment or b) saving it. Also, I should note that I plan on building a full new system later this year when AMD starts releasing the A64's on the standardized socket (939 iirc).
So, the question is, what would you do, and what mobo would you get to do it with? (side note: I will be putting 1gb of RAM in any new configuration).