4200+X2 or Opteron 170

[CraigSlice]

So, untill today i was going to get the 4200+X2 (getting half for christmas so i figured mine as well get this for 200 instead of a 3800+X2 for 150orwhatever) But then someone mentioned gettings a Opteron 170. Both are dualcore and 64bit, 4200+ is .2 ghz faster but 170 has 1mb more L2 Cache.

So, i really have never oc'ed before and if i did oc, it wouldnt be anything cwazy. So, for both around 400 bucks, which is the way to go? I do mostly game (and i have still decided on dualcore inhopes more games take advantage of it). Can i easily OC a opteron 170 to 2.2ghz or more without it getting too hot and needing superduper fan (might get one anyways)

Opnions?

BTW rest of my system
Mobo: DFI LANPARTY UT nF4 Ultra-D
Videocard: eVga 7800gt
Ram: 2x 1gig Corsair ValueSelect
PSU: 450w Antec smartpower

 

[Topweasel]

If your not going to over clock get the 4200. The cache increase is nice but will have little affect on games a noticeable but very small difference on encoding and photoshoping.

 

[Cynicist]

But since you are going to overclock, albeit slightly, choose the opteron 170.

(and to answer your question, yes)

 

[CraigSlice]

So, if i do OC a little, am i able to stick with stickfan? or do i need one of those crazy 40-50buck fans? Or is there a decent one that i should jsut get rightaway anyways? Also, what is a safelimit to OC a 170? i was thinking between 2.2-2.4, nothing to much, unless its safe to go higer.

Also my case is the SonataII

 

[harobikes333]

all CPUs are NOT created equal And no if you just oc just a tad you don't need more than stock. donno about 2.4 though

 

[CraigSlice]

What about to 2.2ghz? Im just not sure what the safe limit is with stock cooler. If 2.2ghz is safe with stock cooler, would i be better off with that? same speed as 4200+ then.

 

[harobikes333]

I'm currently putting together parts for mine as you can see in my sig

and here too: http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview...adid=1755511&STARTPAGE=3&enterthread=y

so ya I would think that would be ok with a stock cooler but don't hold me against it

 

[Gatt]

Just for the record, as it gives you something to think about, I've had my 4200+ OC'd to 2.43x ghz on stock cooling and voltages with only a few degrees increase in temps.

So, you can OC the 4200+ fairly well. I can honestly run my 4200+ as a 4600+ easily...

 

[CraigSlice]

I think im going to go with the 4200+, i wont have to OC it has much and everything, if i do decide to oc it at all, thanks for the info

 

[Hacp]

ya don't oc at all. It voids your warrentyh

 

[fbrdphreak]

Originally posted by: Topweasel
If your not going to over clock get the 4200. The cache increase is nice but will have little affect on games a noticeable but very small difference on encoding and photoshoping.

Actually its a bit more noticeable than you would think. In the AT article Part II on Yonah, they used a "2GHz A64 X2 w/1MB cache," i.e. an Opty 170 (why they didn't call it that I don't know...)

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2648&p=11

The 2.0GHz w/1MB L2 beats the 2.2GHz 512KB L2. Interesting results in that article!

 

[Gatt]

Um, I'm seeing the Opty perhaps at a 1% score above the 4200+ on the benchmarks it wins, and those seem to be GPU limited by virtue of the fact that almost all of the systems are within like 1% of each other there.

But when you look at the benches with a wider margin of difference, like Quake 4, the 4200+ is well above the Opty...

 

[the Chase]

Originally posted by: fbrdphreak

Originally posted by: Topweasel
If your not going to over clock get the 4200. The cache increase is nice but will have little affect on games a noticeable but very small difference on encoding and photoshoping.

Actually its a bit more noticeable than you would think. In the AT article Part II on Yonah, they used a "2GHz A64 X2 w/1MB cache," i.e. an Opty 170 (why they didn't call it that I don't know...)

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2648&p=11

The 2.0GHz w/1MB L2 beats the 2.2GHz 512KB L2. Interesting results in that article!

They didn't call it that because it was probably the FX-60 they have downclocked to 2.0GHz but under NDA on it so can't say that's what they were using!!(Total speculation on my part).