New motherboard and processor recommendations please

[up4it]

I am looking to upgrade my PC which I built about 5 years ago so I only really want a new motherboard and processor so I can reuse all my other stuff. I am looking at getting a fairly high spec so I wont have to upgrade for another 5+ years (maybe some RAM if my existing RAM is not compatable but thats fairly cheap at the moment anyway)

I have not paid any attention to what is available at the moment as I havent needed anything and now days you get dual core, quad core and presumably some other fancy items as well and I am not up to speed on whats best or even what it all means

What would you go for if you wanted a high spec motherboard and processor?
Or can you recommend any good sites to search?

I am thinking of a paying a good few hundred quid but maybe not as much as �800+ which I found on one site for just the processor!!!

Any advice or suggestions would be gratefully received

[vehelpfulguy]

Why not ask on the forums here:

http://forum.micromart.co.uk/

The guys who help there are real experts.

Suggest you use forum called "System Builders and Upgraders".

You will need to register but I have always found that you get quick answers from people who really know there stuff.

[mattie]

Last time I upgraded, instead of going to the computer fair and buying the bits, I got them from www.powerc.com.

This website gives you the facility to pick your motherboard, add processor, RAM etc to fit in with your budget.

They then assemble and test the components, all you have to do is put it in the case.

That way you know it works when you get it.

[vehelpfulguy]

If you are thinking long term then you need to consider the new range of CPUs that Intel will ship at year end, code named Nehalem.

Intel recently announced they will be called "Core i7" (awful name).

These new CPUs will need new motherboard design and will not work with any existing motherboards.

They will of course be very expensive when they first come out, and probably wont be shipping in volume (or at a decent price) till 2009, but you still need to consider them if you are looking to build a new high end PC for long term use.

More here (or just search on Nehalem or Core i7

http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2328430,0 0.asp

[ACtheTROLL]

I'll keep mine as short as possible

DON'T!

if your machine is 5 years old presumably everything else is as well ... 5 years is a loooooooong time in computer years (10x more than dog years).

upgrade network card/ HDD even video on a newish machine ... worthwhile.

but core components ....
look at what's changed in those 5 years

Mobo and ports.... now mainly eISA, SATA300 USB2, eSata firewire 800 with very fast memory.
(yours probably has just a USB2 header! ide and ISA)
CD/DVD - now more likely sata than ide - faster data ... more reliable (�20)
floppy .... who bothers these days?
memory ... your old stuff won't fit - so you'll need new (�50 - 100ish)
video card - your old one is AGP or slow eIDE? .... chipsets are upgraded every 6 months or so - (thus your old one is 10 generations behind).

monitors ...
CRT to LCD - totally different
old LCD to new - totally different.

If you actually look at what's reusable
it's the case .... the mains lead .... maybe the monitor and keyboard and mouse (BOTH NOW USB not PS/2)
case �50
monitor �140
Mouse+Keyboard �20

if you want to do the project as a hobby .... fine ... money isn't an objection

if it's to save money ... the bigboys move kit in such huge quantities and they get massive discounts ... so a full system & monitor won't cost much more than you are preparing to spend. (do the sums)

and there is the added bonus that if the kit develops a fault .... you don't have all the hassle with suppliers - trying to prove that it wasn't you who caused the fault
and if it's intermittent - you don't end up buying kit on the off chance.

I stopped building quite a long time ago now.

I have an old clunker that started life with a p2 and is currently a p4 3.6 - kept