Biostar k8m800 Micro AM2

Obscure Via board. Fits the bill.

feipoa wrote on 2020-02-13, 21:39:

RoberMC wrote on 2020-02-13, 19:13:

IMHO, i prefer a fast Core 2 Duo.

Windows XP games do not benefit from multiple cores, and a fast C2D runs pretty cold and overclock like crazy, a 3,3 Ghz easily to over 4 Ghz with default voltage, while still running cool and silent. It beats even any Core 2 Quad for WinXP gaming because of the lower clocks and more heat of the C2Q. It is also a cheap and stable platform with a lot of mainboard choices in all kind of form factors, chipsets, colors, and memory types (I like Micro-ATX boards the most for all my retro systems).

AM2 is just not as fast in general, not as efficient, noisier, fast processors are harder to find, not so many choices, some say drivers are not as stable, but anyway, still valid and fun to play with.

I currently run a Core2Duo T7800 (2.6 GHz) on my Thinkpad laptop in the kitchen, and an FX-60 desktop in my office. Both run XP with 3.x GB of RAM. Even with the FX-60 running at 2.6 GHz, it feels a bit more responsive than the T7800 with general browsing. Maybe the hybrid drive on the FX-60 system is responsible for that; I don't know.

EDIT: The main issue I have found with the AMD FX-60 and AM2 systems was that some old and new software doesn't work on it, like the version of Snagit I have, or the new printer drivers for my M281 HP laser printer. Probably an issue with the drivers not being tested for this hardware, but it is still something to consider.

Well... That T7800 is a laptop 30w CPU with 4 MB cache. A C2D E8600 is a 120w 6MB cache desktop CPU with 40-60% more performance in single and multi core. Also HDD speed is crucial when speking about system responsiveness and if you are using a mechanical HDD in laptop vs Hybrid in the desktop, it is just too unfair of a comparison. Also laptops motherboards do not support the fastest memory, no tweaking in bios, no OC, etc, etc.

What?

T7800 is 35W and C2D E8600 is 65W. I know as had T7xxx and T9xxx, and worked on many C2D notebooks, and still have a C2D E8600 in couple computers, and modded a P5K, my only board that I kept all the years and was retired from 7 years of use but in storage to use Xeon quad 3.0GHz. Can get another Xeon 3.33GHz quad later and stick the jumper sticker on.

PS: your notebook supports socket P which means you might able to use T9800 (2.93GHz 6MB, 35W).

Cheers,