Which processor?

a2jfreaka2jfreak Houston, TX Member
edited May 2006 in Hardware
I'm looking at these processors and don't know the differences between the various cores ( Venus and San Diego). I know I want 1MB of L2, 2.0GHz or 2.2GHz. No need for O/C, but if $10 or $20 extra almost guarantees the chip will O/C well then I might get it just for the chance to O/C in the future.

mtgoat suggested the MSI K8N NEO4-F but he suggested that when I had said I did not care about O/C'ing. If I do O/C in the future, will that board be just fine, or should a different board be purchased? Also, should I get DDR400 or DDR500? If I don't O/C will the higher latency of DDR500 hold the chip back or if I do O/C will the extra bandwidth of DDR500 out-pace the DDR400 at a lower latency? (Did I word that correctly?)

Comments

  • i0esign
    edited May 2006
    I just read this article General Keebler posted, read it first.

    http://www.short-media.com/forum/showthread.php?t=45465

    I love AMD stuff and I use the 3700+, I have OCed it to 2910 mhz.

    The 146 is good too. The Optys that start with 2 are for socket 940.

    That Mobo is good but if you are going to OC DFI LanParty very good. Actually I am building a new system with a Jetway GT4 SLI mobo(supposed to OC very good and only $79) We will see this weekend.

    For memory try to get memory that uses Samsung TCCD chips. Geil, G-Skill and Mushkin used it. Its DDR 400 but EASILY goes to 600. Its not too easy to find but if you look you will find it. Its the absolute BEST.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    They are all about the same. I had a 3700 and loved it. I'm now totally sold on dual core for efficiency in folding. The Asus A8N SLI Premium is on an even par with the DFI LP boards. I have run both of them!

    The MSI board I linked in your other thread will not OC very well. It goes OK but limits out around 240'ish.

    EDIT:
    $10.00 can get you a 30:1 chance at a great board here.
  • a2jfreaka2jfreak Houston, TX Member
    edited May 2006
    One is an Opteron chip . . . aren't those unlocked? If so, I could O/C by upping the multiplier and stay at 200 and not worry about the board's ability to get to 250, right? The HT on the Opteron is listed as 1000 and the HT of the A64s are listed as 2000, will that make much difference?

    Can you suggest a board that WOULD get to 250 and still be inexpensive and stable ($100 range).
    mtgoat wrote:
    The MSI board I linked in your other thread will not OC very well. It goes OK but limits out around 240'ish.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    Only the top of the line chips are upward unlocked. Any of these would likely work.
  • lemonlimelemonlime Canada Member
    edited May 2006
    Whats your price range a2jfreak? We can probably make some better suggestions knowing that :)
  • a2jfreaka2jfreak Houston, TX Member
    edited May 2006
    I was looking at the ECS KN1 Extreme. I know ECS used to make a very stable product. Not very O/C friendly but I'm not going to let overclockability be the main factor because this system might never be overclocked. However, I haven't kept up w/ the market like I used to so perhaps ECS is no longer very stable, or perhaps ECS is now very O/C-friendly. I just don't know.

    I'm considering the Sparkle ATX-400PA, will that be enough for an A64 system? What about if I go to a low-end A64X2?

    As for the price-range on the whole system (not including the O/S) I was hoping to be around $500 but it looks like it will be close to $800, possibly higher, especially if I do get a low-end A64X2. Been quite a while since I last built a system and at that time I only upgraded from an AXP 1700+ (2.3GHz) to a Mobile-AXP 1800+ Barton (2.5GHz) and spent (if memory serves correctly) $100. Now the "cheapo" chips are considerably more expensive than that. Would my Barton @ 2.5GHz out-perform an A64 @ 1.8GHz or 2.0GHz? (generally speaking, not in isolated cases).
    lemonlime wrote:
    Whats your price range a2jfreak? We can probably make some better suggestions knowing that :)
  • i0esign
    edited May 2006
    First: What do you want to do with your comp? (really want to do, not what you think others want you to do)

    Second: Budget(what you really want to spend)

    Third: stuff you have so far.

    The reviews on the ECS arent too good. And for PS try and get one with a 120mm fan on the bottom. I just bought a Silverstone 400 and for me its perfect.

    I can show you how to build a nice single or DUAL CORE mid system for $500-600.
  • a2jfreaka2jfreak Houston, TX Member
    edited May 2006
    It's not for me, it's for my mother and grandmother.
    What I want is to not have to rebuild them a computer in 3 years. I want to get them something that is majorly overkill so that it will last a while. Their current computer has lasted 8-10 years. I figure if $200 or $300 extra lets them have a few more years it's definitely worth it considering they won't have to upgrade as quickly and I won't have to spend the time putting it all together and installing all the software again. It's a win/win. :D

    $60 for a video card is plenty. They aren't gamers. They won't be gamers. And in 8-10 years I still think a 256MB Radeon or GeForce will be plenty for anything they want. $90 for 1GB of RAM should be fine (it's what I've had for the last few years and I stress my system 50x more than they do and I don't hurt for memory (of course, I'm not a gamer either except for the occassional Sim City 4 game)), but if not I can always take 20 minutes and upgrade to 2GB for them if that time comes. $85 for 250GB HD should be about 10x the HD they actually need now, so the 250 should last them quite a while. $40 for a DVD+/-RW. $65 for a case. Main things I want help on is the mobo, cpu and PS. I don't want to spend more than $100 on the mobo, but I would like firewire. I don't want to spend more than $235 on the CPU. I don't want to spend anything more than I have to on the PS.

    I like AMD. I prefer AMD. Call me a fanboy, but I want to get them an AMD system. Even if an Intel is cheaper, even if it's more bang for the buck, I like AMD.
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    DO NOT BUY THE ECS KN1 Extreme!!!

    I got one for a friend who insisted he had to have it and 3 boards later he went with the MSI board I linked to above. The ECS is a total P.O.S.
  • i0esign
    edited May 2006
    Ok here goes,
    you didnt say if you could use some of ur stuff so I will list 2 systems and if you can use your case or cdrw or ps.

    System 1:
    Mobo and cpu $80 NF3 and Semp 3100
    http://shop2.outpost.com/product/4705559?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

    Video Card $60, 256 mem, AGP, my last card and works well.
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814102342R

    Memory $76
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820231030

    HDD $59 (free shipping 8mb buffer 160 gigs)
    http://shop.store.yahoo.com/justdeals/gs3.html

    Personally I like CDRW's better than DVD's as they recognise the cd's much faster, and they are about $25

    PS $38-59, the first is more effecient(cheaper to run) Both are plenty for the system.
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817151021
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16817163110

    Thats about $338 for system1

    System2:

    Mobo $80 (very upgradeable SLI, socket939, 4 SATA2, very Overclockable.
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813153030

    CPU$111-235 (3000-3700 very OC friendly)
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103537
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103622

    Video Card $129 ( I dont care what anybody says "16 pipes and ACcooling" This card is a steal!
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814161132R

    Memory$125 (DDR 500 for OC)
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16820148009

    HDDs $100 for 2 (Sata2 set to raid0, I use 4 and they are excellent!)
    http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16822145082

    PS $81 Dual rail
    http://www.svc.com/sst-46f-41.html

    Thats $626 -750 for a good OCing system:celebrate
  • Mt_GoatMt_Goat Head Cheezy Knob Pflugerville (north of Austin) Icrontian
    edited May 2006
    a2
    Then go back to my original suggestion. Use the system I put together for Al_Capown with the MSI board. It is solid, fast, economical and you really couldn't bork that board if you tried. I lost count of how many I have done on that MSI board and they are all running great! Including the one I did for mystep-son who downloads anything with a url. ;)
  • a2jfreaka2jfreak Houston, TX Member
    edited May 2006
    I appreciate all of the help, guys.
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