AM2 or no

[Tsuwamono]

I just read a thread in the CPU Overclocking board that AM3 will be out in 2007. My plan before reading this was upgrading to AM2 around november... and upgrade my whole PC then(look at my specs and see why) So my question is. Should i just stick with my 2gb DDR and Abit KN8 mobo and upgrade my CPU with the 800$ i was planning on spending on AM2 and then keep that stuff until AM3? or should i jump on board the AM2 bandwagon and upgrade my MOBO, CPU and RAM to AM2 specs?

Keep in mind im a gamer and an AMD die hard so dont bother spaming this thread with useless intel jargen.

Ideas?

Best regards
Tsuwamono

 

[iamtrout]

"useless intel jargen"

Ok, I've been using AMD exclusively for 7 years, but even I know when Intel's coming out with something better. If you'd bothered to read ANYTHING on AM2 (like on Anandtech...) , you'd know that it is nothing more than a switch to DDR2. That's it. Little or no performance increase over current 939. You're basically replacing your mobo, CPU, and RAM for what will ultimately amount to a RAM upgrade.

 

[Tsuwamono]

ok so, you think i should upgrade via getting a faster processor on the current 939 platform then. Im thinking about the AMD 4800 X2. Should be a good upgrade if im not doing the AM2 thing.

By the way, i did read everything about conroe and i know that the AM2 is only a memory upgrade. I just prefer AMD since they seem to be better for gaming. Im looking for facts here to help me decide what to do not opinion but thanks anyway, it did help my decision slightly.

 

[dBTelos]

As mensioned above, and proved in a couple AnandTech AM2 articles, the new socket as of now is ultimitely a downgrade. I'm not recommending that you make the move to Intel either. I wouldn't buy a AM2 based system until it has been reviewed and benchmarked on the final release by a number of hardware sites.

 

[iamtrout]

Originally posted by: Tsuwamono
By the way, i did read everything about conroe and i know that the AM2 is only a memory upgrade. I just prefer AMD since they seem to be better for gaming. Im looking for facts here to help me decide what to do not opinion but thanks anyway, it did help my decision slightly.

http://www.anandtech.com/tradeshows/showdoc.aspx?i=2713&p=2

http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=4843&page=3

http://www.hothardware.com/viewarticle.aspx

We AMD people chose AMD because they have always been better than anything Intel has been able to throw out since the Athlon days. I take this to mean that we are the ones who think performance is paramount, the ones who can filter out the marketing and the BS. And now there will most likely be a switch in the performance crown and some of you are still going "AMD pwns!" Why? Because AMD's AMD? I guess that's it. I mean, it certainly can't be because AMD is better performing because in this instance it certainly isn't the case...

 

[Henny]

Conroe will do everything better. However if you're blindly loyal to AMD then wait till '07.

AM2 is essentially nothing from a performance improvement standpoint.

 

[Ultralight]

Here is the question: What can you current system not do that a new processor would allow it to? Looking at your rig I'd go with a better video card and possibly PSU unless that also gives you all you need right now. If you are a gamer then the video card, IMO, is the greater need here.

That all being said, with the question kept in mind, why not wait to see what AM3 has to offer. I think it will be a much wiser expenditure of money in the long haul.

 

[aniruddha23]

Originally posted by: Ultralight
Here is the question: What can you current system not do that a new processor would allow it to? Looking at your rig I'd go with a better video card and possibly PSU unless that also gives you all you need right now. If you are a gamer then the video card, IMO, is the greater need here.

That all being said, with the question kept in mind, why not wait to see what AM3 has to offer. I think it will be a much wiser expenditure of money in the long haul.

Totally agree. Since ur such a huge AMD fanboy just wait out till AM3. if u cant wait cross over to teh Dark side when conroe is out. I am not a big intel fan either but u have to give credit where due. They really seem to have come out with better architecture and technology this time around.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: Henny
Conroe will do everything better. However if you're blindly loyal to AMD then wait till '07.

AM2 is essentially nothing from a performance improvement standpoint.

It's possible AMD could still be the best bang for buck.
Since the launch of the Athlon, the only significant time period Intel was faster than AMD was the Northwood C, but AMD was still much cheaper. That was when a $100 AMD chip could be overclocked to perform as well as a $300 Pentium 4.
Now then, it is possible Conroe could have a clean sweep of that as well, but AMD has always been about bang for buck for most people (along with overclocking) and not about being the absolute fastest.

 

[skooma]

Originally posted by: Henny
Conroe will do everything better. However if you're blindly loyal to AMD then wait till '07.

AM2 is essentially nothing from a performance improvement standpoint.

That about sums it up :beer:

 

[stevty2889]

The only thing I would worry about upgrading in your current rig is get a better power supply(thermaltake has weak 12v rails). For gaming get a better video card, or if you primaraly do other things, such as video encoding or photoshop, upgrade to a dual core. If all you do is browse the internet and check e-mail, while running microsoft office, your current system is already plenty enough.

 

[Henny]

Originally posted by: Fox5

Originally posted by: Henny
Conroe will do everything better. However if you're blindly loyal to AMD then wait till '07.

AM2 is essentially nothing from a performance improvement standpoint.

It's possible AMD could still be the best bang for buck.
Since the launch of the Athlon, the only significant time period Intel was faster than AMD was the Northwood C, but AMD was still much cheaper. That was when a $100 AMD chip could be overclocked to perform as well as a $300 Pentium 4.
Now then, it is possible Conroe could have a clean sweep of that as well, but AMD has always been about bang for buck for most people (along with overclocking) and not about being the absolute fastest.

Yes, everything is possible but FX-62 is targeted at $1200 and X2 5000+ is at about $700. Conroe E6700 will be about $530. Conroe E6700 is about neck and neck with AMD at half the price and E6700 will perform about 40% better then 5000+ at the same price.

Now AMD can always slash price to create a better value proposition but it'll cost them dearly since they don't even have 65nm technology yet nor will they for several more quarters.

Also keep in mind that Dual Cores require more silicon capacity then single cores and AMD capacity is already stretched pretty thin and their financials aren't that strong.

Hector has some real challenges over the next few years assuming Intel executes on these new CPU's.

 

[kyparrish]

939 fo' life! (Or until Conroe gets cheaper )

 

[DaveSimmons]

Why upgrade the CPU, motherboard, RAM at all? For what applications?

For gaming the only upgrade you need is a Radeon X1900XT or nv 7900 GT, the CPU is fine as-is.

 

[Tsuwamono]

My CPU is a AMD 64 3000+. Its really not that great. Also to clearify im not blindly staying with AMD just because its AMD. Im staying with AMD because its easier then upgrading EVERYTHING. And besides im sure AM3 will beat conroe anyway. So im just going to wait, stick with my CPU upgrade for alittle more speed and then ill see what the numbers on AM3 are. If conroe still beats it i might switch over. If conroe doesnt present a significant increase in performance over the AM3 platform then im still going to stick with AMD. If conroe is better then ill go with it but the whole idea of this article was to figure out if i should do a complete system overhaul or just upgrade my CPU. It appears thats what im going to do. And Dave... Im not going to spend 700$ on a graphics card right before Direct X 10 comes out... ill wait for that before i empty my bank account on a GPU.

Thank you everyone for your help. I have decided to go with a Dual Core AMD Athlon until 2007 when i shall have the money for a complete overhaul which is when i will decide between AM3 and Conroe. Thank you again.

Regards,
Tsu.

 

[Tsuwamono]

Originally posted by: stevty2889
The only thing I would worry about upgrading in your current rig is get a better power supply(thermaltake has weak 12v rails). For gaming get a better video card, or if you primaraly do other things, such as video encoding or photoshop, upgrade to a dual core. If all you do is browse the internet and check e-mail, while running microsoft office, your current system is already plenty enough.

Sorry for the double post. I forgot to mention that i wont be upgrading that stuff until mid summer. In the next month or so im buying the Ultra Xfinity 600 Watt Dual rail PSU. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[eddiebravo]

Originally posted by: Tsuwamono
Im not going to spend 700$ on a graphics card right before Direct X 10 comes out... ill wait for that before i empty my bank account on a GPU.



Regards,
Tsu.

when is a direct x 10 compatible card coming out??

 

[JonnyBlaze]

There are really people that wont buy something if its cheaper and better just because its intel? They probably would be better off not even using computers.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Tsuwamono
My CPU is a AMD 64 3000+. Its really not that great. Also to clearify im not blindly staying with AMD just because its AMD. Im staying with AMD because its easier then upgrading EVERYTHING. And besides im sure AM3 will beat conroe anyway. So im just going to wait, stick with my CPU upgrade for alittle more speed and then ill see what the numbers on AM3 are. If conroe still beats it i might switch over. If conroe doesnt present a significant increase in performance over the AM3 platform then im still going to stick with AMD. If conroe is better then ill go with it but the whole idea of this article was to figure out if i should do a complete system overhaul or just upgrade my CPU. It appears thats what im going to do. And Dave... Im not going to spend 700$ on a graphics card right before Direct X 10 comes out... ill wait for that before i empty my bank account on a GPU.

Thank you everyone for your help. I have decided to go with a Dual Core AMD Athlon until 2007 when i shall have the money for a complete overhaul which is when i will decide between AM3 and Conroe. Thank you again.

Regards,
Tsu.

$700?? Pretty sure you can get a X1900Xt for under $500, which would be an absolutely GIGANTIC improvement over your X300, and would make a much larger difference than any CPU upgrade. Why would you deny yourself months of pleasurable gaming to wait for DX10 parts that will not be released for a long while? Buy a new GPU now, then sell it and upgrade to DX10 when they are actually out.

 

[eddiebravo]

Originally posted by: JonnyBlaze
There are really people that wont buy something if its cheaper and better just because its intel? They probably would be better off not even using computers.

whats the deal with intel and hardware drm...is it going to be included with conroe? if so, thats all the reason i need to stick with amd.

 

[Jules]

USE THE DAMN SEARCH FUNCTION. Jesus.

 

[Tsuwamono]

first of all. you should read my posts guys. i said if it is better by only alittle bit then ill stick with AMD because i like the company but if they actually beat amd in price and performance by a noticable amount(not like 5fps in BF2 or something) then ill go with conroe. i just prefer AMD. and Keith, read my posts.. im canadian.. as in the people who live above the US with the health care and social programs. Remember that country?

Please people. READ POSTS BEFORE YOU SAY SOMETHING.

By the way keith. if you would have read other posts by me you would know that im buying an X800 GTO2 for now to hold me off until i can get a better card.

 

[essasin]

What I am going to do is buy a parts for a opty 165 rig in the for sale and trade thread when people dump it for a conroe.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: Tsuwamono
first of all. you should read my posts guys. i said if it is better by only alittle bit then ill stick with AMD because i like the company but if they actually beat amd in price and performance by a noticable amount(not like 5fps in BF2 or something) then ill go with conroe. i just prefer AMD. and Keith, read my posts.. im canadian.. as in the people who live above the US with the health care and social programs. Remember that country?

Please people. READ POSTS BEFORE YOU SAY SOMETHING.

By the way keith. if you would have read other posts by me you would know that im buying an X800 GTO2 for now to hold me off until i can get a better card.

Heh, sry...Go Canada!

 

[Tsuwamono]

lol np, sorry if i sounded pissed. i was not in a great mood and i was on the phone with a client who couldnt figure out how to use her dialup internet so i was getting alittle annoyed lol