[olug] WTB AMD Phenom II X4 980

[Obi-Wan]

>> My current desktop computer (c.2008) could really use a speed upgrade.
> 
> Really? I'm still plugging along with a 2003 built Athlon 2800+ with a measly 1 GB RAM. :-)

For a standard web terminal, that would be plenty.  My Dell laptop is
older (or at least wimpier) than that, and it does fine for the things
that I do on a laptop--mainly web browsing and ssh.

> Are you sure you need new CPU/motherboard?  Would a new/fast video card make enough difference?

My current desktop mobo is AM2+, so that aforementioned CPU is the fastest
one that will fit.  In order to upgrade to a kick-ass i7 and more RAM, I'd
need a new mobo/RAM to go with it.

A new vid card would make zero difference in the processing power of
my computer.

> Even on this old system, which I can't even run Flash plugin on (no SSE2 instruction set), it's only some polluted JavaScript on some websites that pegs my CPU.

I do a lot of photography on the side.  My image editing software has
always been the driving force in my computer upgrades.  I run Corel
AfterShot Pro (similar to Adobe Lightroom, but cheaper & it supports
Linux), and it pegs both my cores for several seconds at a time when
I'm changing filter settings.  If I can cut a 6-second lag down to a
2-second lag with a simple sub-$100 upgrade, it would be well worth it.
At my current hourly rate, I could recoup that investment in no time.

If you're curious, my commercial gallery is:
	http://www.PrairieRimImages.com
and my photo blog is:
	http://blog.PrairieRimImages.com
The gallery site could really use a face lift, but it does the job.

-- 
Ben "Obi-Wan" Hollingsworth    obiwan at jedi.com    PrairieRimImages.com
   The stuff of earth competes for the allegiance I owe only to the
     Giver of all good things, so if I stand, let me stand on the
       promise that You will pull me through.  -- Rich Mullins