I am trying to decide on which CPU would
be the better upgrade.
I am currently using a Cyrix6x86L PR200+, with 96Megs of EDO RAM, under
Win98. I will be upgrading my 4Meg video card to a 24Meg one. The only
problem I have with the Cyrix chip is the compatibility with games.
For a lot of the games, extra drivers are needed or in some cases they
will not install at all, because the CPU is not a Pentium. I can live with
this if there is a noticeable performance difference between the
Pentium-233MMX and Cyrix-300MII. As both run at 233MHz. I use my computer
mostly for gaming.
For Pentium compatibility, nobody beats
Intel--they invented it. Though Cyrix has, in the past, been on top of
fixes and patches to ensure its CPU's worked with all the latest games and
software, its troubled management of late puts such continued support in
an uncertain light. Upgrading to the latest MII-433 would be double the
speed of a Pentium-233MMX. But potential compatibility issues would make
this a risky choice.
For gaming, the Intel Pentium is king unless you can afford an Athlon
system from AMD. Your Socket-7 upgrade solutions are limited in the
Pentium line, however. If your motherboard can directly support (or
indirectly, through a PowerLeap converter or
similar) an AMD K6-III, you could achieve at least three times the
performance of the fastest Pentium MMX. Check the CPU
Comparator to see the difference.
The CPU
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