PNY P-PNY133-PB Processor Upgrade for 486 Based Systems

Rating:
Summary: Pricy for What You Are Getting
Review: I had bought this awhile back for my old 486. I was expecting a major increase in performance, but I didn't see it that much. They said it would run at Pentium performance, but a true Pentium 60 can outrun it because of its better architecture. The cpu used in this, the AMD 5x86 133MHz isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer any way. A 486 25 or 33mhz bus speed can't keep up with the cpu. That letz-go guy ahead of me said to get more memory. Now you see, once you buy this cpu and more memory (which is difficult to find and expensive to buy), you'll be spending well over $150 dollars. Now who wants to upgrade something that will still be 3 or 4 years out of date, can't run most modern software, and can't use modern hardware. You can buy a brand new, 600Mhz or faster computer for around $400. After which you'll certainly be glad that you had done so, trust me.

Rating:
Summary: Pricy for What You Are Getting
Review: I had bought this awhile back for my old 486. I was expecting a major increase in performance, but I didn't see it that much. They said it would run at Pentium performance, but a true Pentium 60 can outrun it because of its better architecture. The cpu used in this, the AMD 5x86 133MHz isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer any way. A 486 25 or 33mhz bus speed can't keep up with the cpu. That letz-go guy ahead of me said to get more memory. Now you see, once you buy this cpu and more memory (which is difficult to find and expensive to buy), you'll be spending well over $150 dollars. Now who wants to upgrade something that will still be 3 or 4 years out of date, can't run most modern software, and can't use modern hardware. You can buy a brand new, 600Mhz or faster computer for around $400. After which you'll certainly be glad that you had done so, trust me.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT!
Review: I have an older computer and unlike the person above, I am only 15, and I will be in college before I get enough money for a brand new one.

This part works great, it boosts your PC so that it will run the newer games and it also keeps your computer from freezing. I have found it most helpful on the internet, because if lets by 486 run my new 56k modem. Most 486 processors will work with a 56k modem, but it will only allow you to run it between 28k or 33k. K stand for kilobytes which means how much infomation you can send and recieve.

Another great thing about this processor is it is simple to install. I am a computer whiz but I have found this extremely easy, which is as easy as Plug&Play which means you pop it in and you computer recognizes it and installs it.

TIP:

Once you buy this, I suggest you upgrade your RAM which is how much memory your computer has to run programs, not store them which you would need a hardrive for.

I upgraded mine by 64mb and I have found it extremely outstanding and has litterally paid for itself. I can have more windows open without worry that they will crash or lockup.

Again, RAM is plug and play which you follow the easy instructions and slide them in the correct slot and turn your computer on and there it is!

I am leaving my e-mail address so you may contact me if you need help! Anytime!

[e-mail]

Rating:
Summary: Skip the CPU Upgrade and just buy a new PC!
Review: I wouldn't buy a CPU upgrade for a 486 CPU because when you install it you will still be outdated because you'd only get up to 133MHz of speed, and now they have 800MHz and faster CPU's out. So why waste your money on this and just put it towards a brand new computer. You'll be glad that you did!

Rating:
Summary: Skip the CPU Upgrade and just buy a new PC!
Review: I wouldn't buy a CPU upgrade for a 486 CPU because when you install it you will still be outdated because you'd only get up to 133MHz of speed, and now they have 800MHz and faster CPU's out. So why waste your money on this and just put it towards a brand new computer. You'll be glad that you did!

Rating:
Summary: Amazon has lost touch with the marketplace
Review: Previous reviewers were accurate in that [amt.] is way too much for a very limited upgrade for obsolete 486's. But the QuickChip is one way to get a small performance increase out of an old clunker if you can't afford a used Pentium 233MMX machine for a couple of hundred dollars or so. Unfortunately, Amazon has lost touch with quality, value, reality and the marketplace in this instance, not a usual attribute for them. Amazon currently charges [amt.] and [amt.] for PNY QuickChips to upgrade 486's and early Pentiums whereas TigerDirect sells them for [amt.] and [amt.] respectively. Tiger's price reflects the value far more accurately, especially when you consider that PNY no longer produces these upgrade chips due to lack of market interest. There may have been a time, 3 or 4 years ago, when the current Amazon price would have offered value. Technology has made the usual rapid advances since then. Now I fear that they will simply end up writing down current inventory to $$ZERO due to lack of demand at their asking price. When Amazon's price equals Tiger, I will buy from them since Amazon's shipping charges are more reasonable. Meanwhile Tiger gets my business as the demand for these upgrades slowly dwindles down to nothing. I'll wager Amazon's... will be too chicken to face the truthful reality of this review and post this update.

Rating:
Summary: Amazon has lost touch with the marketplace
Review: Previous reviewers were accurate in that [amt.] is way too much for a very limited upgrade for obsolete 486's. But the QuickChip is one way to get a small performance increase out of an old clunker if you can't afford a used Pentium 233MMX machine for a couple of hundred dollars or so. Unfortunately, Amazon has lost touch with quality, value, reality and the marketplace in this instance, not a usual attribute for them. Amazon currently charges [amt.] and [amt.] for PNY QuickChips to upgrade 486's and early Pentiums whereas TigerDirect sells them for [amt.] and [amt.] respectively. Tiger's price reflects the value far more accurately, especially when you consider that PNY no longer produces these upgrade chips due to lack of market interest. There may have been a time, 3 or 4 years ago, when the current Amazon price would have offered value. Technology has made the usual rapid advances since then. Now I fear that they will simply end up writing down current inventory to $$ZERO due to lack of demand at their asking price. When Amazon's price equals Tiger, I will buy from them since Amazon's shipping charges are more reasonable. Meanwhile Tiger gets my business as the demand for these upgrades slowly dwindles down to nothing. I'll wager Amazon's... will be too chicken to face the truthful reality of this review and post this update.

Rating:
Summary: Buy this only if you have no other choice
Review: This part will allow your 486 to run faster but it is based on the ancient AMD5x86 which is one of the worst CPU cores ever. It has dozens of bugs AMD has abandoned and will never fix. If you run mostly DOS programs you will probably be fine. If you run Windows 3.1 then you are just asking for trouble. Don't even think about puting Win95 (or above) on this thing. As a rule of thumb this CPU will run slower than a Pentium 60Mhz.

For a better value search around for the cheapest Celeron or K6-2 based system you can find. I have seen complete systems with 15" monitors for $400 new in stores. Try www.pricewatch.com and search around - you can find refurbished systems for even less (offer friends $100-$200 for an old Pentium or Pentium II and I bet you find a taker and a PC that actually can run newer software).

You won't be sorry.