Upgrade Processors, Not PCs
The reason is simple: Older Intel and AMD processors -- circa 1996 to 2001 %96 of up to 1.4 GHz are available as newly boxed products at incredibly low prices. For example, you can now purchase online a new AMD 1.33 GHZ Athlon CPU for as little as $39, just a fraction of its original price. Chances are that a machine purchased several years ago contains a CPU that was expensive to purchase by itself; but as the older technology is replaced by new, the prices drop drastically. Take, for example, this AMD Athlon 1.33 GHZ CPU available on Newegg.com.
It's also painfully obvious that the current (2003 and 2004) 3.0 GHz Pentium 4 and AMD processors are overkill -- and overpriced -- for most end-users' desktops. So a huge opportunity exists in upgrading older PCs ranging in processor speed of 300 MHz up to 1.4GHZ.
In this recipe, I will provide a list of all the CPU upgrades possible in this performance range, and provide some instructions on how to perform the upgrade without too much fuss and hassle.
I believe that box builders can make their end-users very happy by upgrading their CPUs, and showing them real value and performance at a reasonable cost. End-users are expressing great interest in Windows XP, so by upgrading their CPUs, they will enjoy maximum performance of that operating system.
Overall, the savings to a customer could be over $250 for an upgraded machine versus a new PC. New PCs from Dell or CompUSA are going down in price, but still remain around $375. By taking an existing PC and upgrading the CPU, the cost is much less, and the performance of Windows XP or Windows 2000 is fine for the average end user. Let's do the math to prove this:
$375 (New PC with Pentium 4) - $39 (cost of Athlon CPU) - $75 (approximate cost to install CPU in older PC) = $261 (Total savings).
I appreciate a healthy dose of skepticism here from the white-box builder who has been touting the benefits of the latest Pentium 4 processors in the 2.5 to 3.0 GHz range. After all, these are the latest and greatest CPUs that Intel has to offer. With that said, I have benchmarked several brand-new Dell and Compaq machines by using a stopwatch to see how long certain operations take. My favorite is the generic "time to boot Windows XP" test, which typically ranges from 17 seconds to more than 70 seconds. This "time to boot" refers only to the time it takes to get from the opening banner of Windows XP, to where the desktop is first visible. This way it's an "apples to apples" benchmark of the Windows boot routine, without all the extra drivers and software that load after the initial display of the desktop.
I have found that while a few of the newest PCs boot in under 20 seconds, the majority of new PCs need about 30 seconds to boot Windows XP. These new systems contain CPUs ranging in speed from 2.5 GHz to 3.0 GHz. By contrast, I worked with three generic older PCs, each with a 700-MHz AMD Duron CPU. The time to boot Windows XP on any of the three ranged from 24 to 38 seconds. In other words, the huge increase in processor speed did very little to speed actual Windows performance.
In addition, I ran Internet Explorer and browsed around to different websites as another gauge of the performance of the PC. The response of the PC was just about equal to that of the NEW PCs with little noticeable difference in performance.
So while new PCs are a bit faster than the older ones, given the savings in real dollars, it's worthwhile for your customers to look at the refurbishing of older machines. Let's dig in.
Ingredients
- CPU upgrade list (see sidebar below).
- 1 new CPU processor, to replace the original. (See "A word of caution" in the sidebar below. This explains the steps you MUST take to ensure compatibility for this upgrade process.)
- 1 applicable heat sink for CPU (best to purchase as a package with the CPU).
- 1 flat-head screwdriver.
- 1 can of compressed air.
- "Good Fingers" -- good dexterity and experience inside a PC case.
- Thermal paste. Thermal paste acts as both a lubricant and heat-dissipation compound to ensure a cool-running CPU. One brand I like is Arctic Silver, which can be ordered from NCIX.com.
Performing the CPU Upgrade
The mechanics of upgrading the CPU are fairly straightforward. Since this process can only be performed by a seasoned PC technician, some of this information may seem redundant or unnecessary, but maybe you'll find something informative in this section anyway. Here is the step-by-step process:
- Open the PC's CPU case. Then use your compressed air to clean out the interior.
- Determine which type of CPU footprint you have: ZIF, Slot 1, or Slot A. A ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) CPU is the most common; it has a square-shaped heat sink and lies flat on the motherboard. Slot A and Slot 1 CPUs have rectangular heat sinks, and they are inserted vertically into the CPU slot marked on the motherboard. Since Slot A and Slot 1 CPUs look the same, you will need to look up the specs of the motherboard to determine the type.
- If you have a ZIF socket CPU, determine whether the heat sink can be removed easily with finger screws. If so, or if you have a Slot A or Slot 1 CPU, simply swap out the CPU, apply a thin coating of thermal paste to the bottom of the heat sink, and replace the heat sink and fan.
- If you have a heat sink that's clipped across its middle section to hold it in place, removing the CPU will be more difficult. You must work very slowly and carefully with the flat-head screwdriver to remove the strap across the mid-section of the heat sink. You may need to remove the entire motherboard to complete this task. If that's the case, remove the heat sink and CPU, then replace them with the new components. Don't forget to spread a thin layer of termal paste on the bottom of the heat sink. After that, replace the fan.
About the CPU Fan
The CPU fan that sits on top of the heat sink is vital to the smooth operation of both the CPU and the overall system. Without the fan, the temperature of the heat sink can rapidly rise to 130 F. or hotter in a standard Pentium III PC. With the fan attached properly, the heat sink stays cool, and the CPU is in no danger of prematurely burning out. So be sure the fan is attached and working properly.
A Bonus Piece of Information
All motherboards are manufactured with settable jumper blocks, which can alter the bus speed of the PC. You may find it worthwhile to scour the spec sheet of each motherboard that you sell to see how much speed you can squeeze out of the system.
Case in point: While the 700-MHz Duron bus-speed jumper on my own system was set to 100 MHz on delivery, it's settable to 133 MHz. By simply moving the jumper to the 133 MHz bus speed pins, I gained an impressive 30 percent performance increase. Give it a try.
Sidebar: CPU Processor Upgrade List -- and a Note of Caution
The following list of CPU upgrades, provided by Compaq, was written for Compaq computers that were tested with these upgrades. However, in general this list is applicable to any PC regardless of the brand or model.
But with this in mind, you must double-check with your motherboard manufacturer to make sure that the upgrade listed here is compatible with the system you're building. Also, be sure to check the BIOS revision with the manufacturer to determine whether a BIOS upgrade will also be needed.
DAVID KARY is the founder and CEO of rippt.com, and a frequent contributor to TechBuilder.org.
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