Advice on athlon64s

[AnotherGuy]

Okay, this should be simple... I plan to build an athlon64 rig and keep it for about 2-3 years without upgrading it.
At first I was very impressed when i saw the Winchester 3000+(1.8ghz) be able to overclock to 2.5 or even 2.6Ghz and i said thats it, thats what im getting. Now that i start rethinking it, I see plp already have a great mobo like DFI Lanparty nForce3 paired with a 3000+ (754) at 2.0Ghz OCed to 2.4Ghz with Corsair Value RAM. So here is my question...

What should i do... go with 754 route and spend only $160 for a 3000+ retail, and $127 DFI Lanparty nForce3 250gb Total = $287 plus shipping..

or go with 939 route and get a 3000+ for $175, at least a $40 Fan,Heatsink and termal compound, and a mobo that i am not even sure what to get, but about $140 (like MSI Neo2 plat) Total = $355 plus shipping ???

I think AMD is not going higher in speed (Ghz) anytime soon... so i figure.. in 2-3 years if i need to upgrade i think i will not be able to get a good upgrade neither with 939 sockets... cz till then new boards, chipsets and processors will come out... so why not just go for 754 route and save myself 60-70 bucks for 100-200Mhz difference... ?
What do u advise?

 

[Rhagz]

AMD64 3500+ socket 939 with the Winchester core.. MSI Neo2 Platium mobo.. about 450 for the pair, but with a decent HS/F you will hit 2.6Mhz with some luck. Blows away P4's at 4Ghz. Well, that is just one option (and the one I am currently building )

 

[AnotherGuy]

maybe it wasnt clear... Im on a budget, and trying to save 60-70 bucks... im definitly not spending 450 on the mobo combo...
as AT showed in their article... they could hit 2.6Ghz with the 3000+ 90nm (939).... so no reason for me to buy the more expensive 3500+ cpu... to hit the same top 2.6Ghz speed.
Anyone pls show me im wrong on my previous thread... cz i defintly like those little bastards 90nm cores

 

[Gioron]

The thing to remember is that the Anandtech article hit 2.6Ghz with only a 0.1V increase in voltage and using stock cooling. Most of the people who can overclock their socket 754s to 2.4Ghz will at least crank the voltage up and often use better heatsinks, if not watercooling. Anandtech's article wasn't about the limit for overclocking, it was just showing that it was easier on a 90nm core than on a 130nm core. Of course, I don't have any facts to back up this assertion, but go back to where you found people overclocking their 754 chips and see what voltage and heatsink they used.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Originally posted by: Gioron
The thing to remember is that the Anandtech article hit 2.6Ghz with only a 0.1V increase in voltage and using stock cooling. Most of the people who can overclock their socket 754s to 2.4Ghz will at least crank the voltage up and often use better heatsinks, if not watercooling. Anandtech's article wasn't about the limit for overclocking, it was just showing that it was easier on a 90nm core than on a 130nm core. Of course, I don't have any facts to back up this assertion, but go back to where you found people overclocking their 754 chips and see what voltage and heatsink they used.

I saw some members here... and also some reviews from newegg where plp just using Zalman fan/heatsinks and able to hit 2.4Ghz with a newcastle 3000+, dont know about voltage though...

 

[PhoenixOrion]

Consider the $60 as the "what if" safety net just in case your computing requirements change and demand more.

939 is definitely the way to go if you are considering a64 platform.

 

[Adn4n]

Anand also hit 2.4 with his 3200+ Clawhammer, I haven't been able to get close.

 

[imported_Computer MAn]

I have my 3000+ Newcastle at 2.4 with a Lanparty. But like they say you have to crank up the voltage I'm using a Zalman CNPS7000ALCU and running a vcore of 1.68 volts.

 

[iwantanewcomputer]

939 will get you about the performance of a 4000, 754 will be about a 3600 cause it only has single channel mem

the 939 platform has about an 11% increase in performance, and costs about 24% more. if you are on a budget, go 754. if you are willing to pay for a top-o-the-line, then 939.

i don't think 939 will look like a budget platform until we see the processors overclocking to 2.8GHz

 

[AnotherGuy]

i think all my confusion is because we dont have yet a solid good overclocking 939 nforce3 mobo...
Whats DFI waiting for?

 

[stelleg151]

Anandtech used a thermalright Silentboost 8 or something like that, not stock cooling.

 

[Kabob]

Monarch Computers has an OEM s939 3000+ for $160 shipped

And DFI is waiting for NF4 I believe. If you don't wanna wait ofr NF4 though, get the Soltek NF3 board. It's supposed to be pretty awesome (check out Anandtech's review of it)

 

[caz67]

If you are l;ooking for value for money with good performance, go with the A64 3500+

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: Computer MAn
I have my 3000+ Newcastle at 2.4 with a Lanparty. But like they say you have to crank up the voltage I'm using a Zalman CNPS7000ALCU and running a vcore of 1.68 volts.

my 3200+ NC was able to run 2475 on my Soltek board with a single bump in voltage and the stock HSF

 

[Kabob]

Originally posted by: caz67
If you are l;ooking for value for money with good performance, go with the A64 3500+

I wouldn't really call that "value." He can get an older 130nm 3500+ cheapish, but for a newer 90nm, he'll have to crank out more $$, and do that for a chip that does the same thing as the 3000+ (speed wise only)

I seriously think these 90nm 3000+'s have hit the sweet spot, ferocious overclockers at a great price. I'm considering going from a s754 3200+ to a s939 3000+ just for overclockability/upgradability...

What do you all think??

 

[The Sauce]

Originally posted by: AnotherGuy
maybe it wasnt clear... Im on a budget, and trying to save 60-70 bucks... im definitly not spending 450 on the mobo combo...
as AT showed in their article... they could hit 2.6Ghz with the 3000+ 90nm (939).... so no reason for me to buy the more expensive 3500+ cpu... to hit the same top 2.6Ghz speed.
Anyone pls show me im wrong on my previous thread... cz i defintly like those little bastards 90nm cores

JMHO, but in 2-3 years when you are looking back on this purchase and the longevity it got you, $60 bucks is going to look like peanuts. Spend a little more and get better stuff. That is a decision you will never regret. Cutting corners and getting a weaker system is a decision you will definitely regret down the road.

 

[AnotherGuy]

Well i think im just going to wait max till Christmas and wait for a price drop on the 939 3000+ or 3200+ 90nm parts... i think they r much more worthy than the 3500+ 90nm for their price.

Monarch sucks with all the daily price drops and raise on these parts... yesterday the 3000+ was $160 and the 3200+ was $200... today they $179 and $215 respectively... thats bs..

And what sux more... we dont even have a decent nf3 mobo to o/c these chips... i have read all articles on AT and i see each board has a downside on its own.

 

[Goi]

My 3200+ NC CG core runs 257x10 at 1.6V. I'd say the Winchesters should do the same.