Processors

intel i7... (960 is best)

its a 4 core, but with 4 virtual cores making it like an 8 core.

Whats your budget

 

Get a pretty high clocked triple or quad core. i7 is the best of course.

 

I found this on a quick search of your model number. It includes exactly what I was thinking, ie. a list of supported processors for your motherboard. Unless you want to fork out for a new motherboard as well (which is a real option, and increases your processor options massively, but with your budget it may not be feasible, and has knock on effects like possibly needing a different power supply), those are your choices. Looks like the Core2Duo E6700 is the best performance you have available compatibility wise, here's a list of Google prices, and the specs. Tbh, it's only a .66GHz increase on your current processor, a noticeable change but possibly not one you'd be willing to shell out $100-200 on, and I'm not sure how much it'd help with your current complaints. I run on a 2GHz dual core as well, much as it's a Mac so things won't be exactly comparable (and tbh I have no idea how the HD-PVR performs on Windows in terms of using system resources), and to be fair my Mini is running on 1GB of RAM (IMO if you want increased performance then you should be looking at getting up to 4GB as one of your first ports of call alongside a new processor, as opposed to a possibility). But I have no hope of doing anything else whilst capturing on it using my HD-PVR, even using Safari is painfully slow.

If you're willing to shell out for a new motherboard as well as processor then your options would be wide open and you could definitely get the performance you want. But that would potentially be a lot more, even aside from paying a decent amount for a higher end motherboard (and possibly power supply), you'd end up spending more than above on the processor itself as well. I could well see it ranging up to $500 ish if you we're looking significantly above where you currently are (when I used to have fun building Windows machines, processor and graphics cards were by far the two most expensive items if I was looking at performance), so it may not be an option tbh. Though you'd probably want to consider selling the old ones (or even if you just buy a processor upgrade, you might as well sell the old one) on ebay or something, recoup $100+ as a rough guess (though hopefully a little closer to $200).

 

I use an intel core 2 quad thats 2.33GHz, with 4GB RAM and I've managed to play Crysis on full graphics along with having sony vegas 9 and AP CS3 without lag on this. Anyway I've always found that a good place to go for instant advice is you're local computer repair shop (if you have one) theres one just down the road from my house called simplyfixit, the guy in there was able to help me through all this stuff.

 

I'd definitely go for the RAM whatever. Further poking around implies that you've currently got 2 sticks of 1GB DDR2 PC2-5300 memory in there, shove the same in again and you might be pretty surprised with what it does considering the rough cost.

Wow dude, that family look pretty damn happy. I definitely want in on that product/service.

 

Lol I never noticed the family I just got up there website the copied the link

 

Upgrading from 2GB to 4GB of RAM will help, though once past 4GB, the difference won't be much unless you are doing some goddamn serious computing. Most computers dont even need 4GB. A processor upgrade will be the only thing to really influence video rendering time etc as all that effects that is how fast the processor can push the process through.