AMD Sempron Processor 3100+ & ECS NFORCE3-A Motherboard for $80 at Outpost.com

[TheRealDeal]

Hope this is not a repost:

AMD Sempron Processor 3100+ & ECS NFORCE3-A Motherboard for $80 + Shipping

Good Luck!

Specs:

* Tray CPU w/ Enhanced Virus Protection
* NVIDIA nForceTM3 250
* Supports AGP8X & DDR400
* 6 Channel Audio

 

[cheetoden]

Not bad. Newegg has the motherboard for $54 shipped and the cheapest cpu from pricewatch is $80 shipped.

 

[kmmatney]

I would call this HOT for a budget system. The Sempron 3100+ is a desirable model with 256K cache, and the motherboard has an NVidia chipset. SOme reported problems with the LAN on this motherboard, but don't install NVidia firewall and it should be fine.

Note: It is an AGP motherboard

 

[sandwiches99]

Any way of finding out if the Sempron is 64-bit before ordering?

 

[Zap]

Here's my review on the motherboard.

Some people have gotten the older Paris core (130nm, no 64 bit) and some have gotten Palermos (90nm, possibly 64 bit but not guaranteed). The combo that I purchased was a Paris. Even so it's a killer deal, just not quite as good as if it were a Palermo of any kind.

 

[cKGunslinger]

Sorry to stray OT, but how does the Sempron line compare to the XP line? Is it worth the upgrade from a ~XP 2500+, considering you're not gaining PCIe?

 

[avash]

Same question as cKGunslinger because I've been debating as to whether to get this or an Athlon XP 2500+ for my NF7-S 2.0.

 

[leigh6]

Sell your nf7-s and get this. Will end up costing $35.00 for the upgrade at the most.

Can probably get $45.00 shipped for the NF7 v2 on these boards. (Maybe a little more).

Cost on a Barton 2500 will be $50.00 on these boards.

The Outpost combo is $98.00 after shipping. (You need a HSF) so add an additional $12.00 so total is $110.00

You get $35.00 after shipping for the nf7. Final cost is $75.00 less the $50.00 you didnt spend on the Barton.

So this setup is $25.00 more.

EDIT: Oh yea, forgot you can sell off the cpu you are running now. Guaranteed to get $25.00 for it now matter what it is!!

SO THIS UPGRADE IS THE SAME COST AS YOU BUYING THE BARTON!!! NO BRAINER!!!

 

[Zap]

Depends on how much the Barton CPU will cost ya. Personally I'd do as leigh6 suggested. This $90 combo (plus a cheap HSF, not my auction BTW) is an easy OC to 2.25GHz and at that speed will outperform any overclocked Barton, plus re-use all your old parts. Sell your old CPU/mobo and this will be one cheap upgrade.

 

[avash]

What RAM for the Sempron 3100+, PC3200 (DDR400) right?

I just realized that my NF7S v2.0 mobo is running on mixed memory (256MBx2 PC2700 & 512MBx1 PC3200) so I guess I'll sell of the two 256MB chips with the mobo, keep the 512MB PC3200 chip and add another 512MB PC3200 for about $40 or so. Still not bad. I can re-use my Radeon 8500 AGP card on the ECS NFORCE3-a mobo.

Originally posted by: leigh6

EDIT: Oh yea, forgot you can sell off the cpu you are running now. Guaranteed to get $25.00 for it now matter what it is!!

hehe, I have an Athlon 900MHz processor ... $25 for it huh?

 

[stelleg151]

Just as a side note, if you are willing to do some overclocking, and want PCIe upgrade I would recommend the Sempy 2500+ and a Biostar TForce6100 board. They are microatx, if thats a problem for you, but they OC like mad and have onboard video, which is always a welcome addition. Total for that combo comes out to about 125.

 

[leigh6]

Originally posted by: avash
What RAM for the Sempron 3100+, PC3200 (DDR400) right?

I just realized that my NF7S v2.0 mobo is running on mixed memory (256MBx2 PC2700 & 512MBx1 PC3200) so I guess I'll sell of the two 256MB chips with the mobo, keep the 512MB PC3200 chip and add another 512MB PC3200 for about $40 or so. Still not bad. I can re-use my Radeon 8500 AGP card on the ECS NFORCE3-a mobo.

Originally posted by: leigh6

EDIT: Oh yea, forgot you can sell off the cpu you are running now. Guaranteed to get $25.00 for it now matter what it is!!

hehe, I have an Athlon 900MHz processor ... $25 for it huh?

opps, I lied. And yes you can run that memory on the board. There is no dual channel on Socket 754 so adding ram will be easy.

 

[OCNewbie]

Originally posted by: stelleg151
Just as a side note, if you are willing to do some overclocking, and want PCIe upgrade I would recommend the Sempy 2500+ and a Biostar TForce6100 board. They are microatx, if thats a problem for you, but they OC like mad and have onboard video, which is always a welcome addition. Total for that combo comes out to about 125.

Sorry to go off topic, but what's the difference between these 2 boards?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813138268

&

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813138266

 

[stelleg151]

The first one has a nice bios and prettier colours. Actually there may be some hardware difference, but I think I saw somewhere that someone had a succesful flash from the bottom one to the top one. Anyways I would play it safe and get the top one, especially after those reviews.

 

[Zap]

They share the same PCB design, chipset and I've even heard that both have the same overclocking options in BIOS. The Tforce version is the "official" overclocker and has better capacitors.

 

[BurningDog]

Is the CPU in the combo retail or OEM?

 

[StudioAudience]

I think it's OEM, doesnt' come w/ a hsf.

 

[avash]

Thanks OP, I ordered one. Going to go to Staples and pick up a 512MB DDr400 chip later this week for $40 AR.

Still need a HS, think I'll order the one Zap suggested earlier
HS on Ebay

 

[pharmd24]

This combo is 64bit enabled! (I am running Kubuntu amd64 now and had cpuz on winxp identify it as 64bit) It has 2 memory slots. and does not come with a hsf. The cpu has a Paris core (130nm not 90nm) it did 250x9 with 5.1% increase in volts. The HTT does not go above 250 in the bios. It seems to like the TCCD 256x2 pqi memory I have in it. I have been very pleased with my cpu/mb .

Hope that help fill in some of the questions. I had to study up on the combo a few days before I just said the heck with it and orded.

edit for correcting the multiplyer - I have 11 on the brain from my 3500+ and 3200+754

 

[Zap]

That's interesting. I wasn't aware of any Paris core being x86-64 enabled.

 

[yukit]

Originally posted by: Zap
That's interesting. I wasn't aware of any Paris core being x86-64 enabled.

Interesting indeed.
I checked at Fry's today. The CPU was definitely Paris, SDA3100AIP3AX.

I should pick it up anyways. I probably don't care if it can run 64-bit on this system since it will be built as HTPC with MCE 2005.

 

[Powermoloch]

I love 3100+ sempron paris, apparently I own one right now w/ my first rig (whhoot). It is very stable @ 230 mhz 1:1 FSB. And it's been at it for almost a year now, just wow at the deal

maybe my 6600 agp has a new home after all lol.

 

[buzzsaw13]

I picked up a combo at Fry's B&M

 

[rchiu]

Originally posted by: pharmd24
This combo is 64bit enabled! (I am running Kubuntu amd64 now and had cpuz on winxp identify it as 64bit) It has 2 memory slots. and does not come with a hsf. The cpu has a Paris core (130nm not 90nm) it did 250x11with 5.1% increase in volts. The HTT does not go above 250 in the bios. It seems to like the TCCD 256x2 pqi memory I have in it. I have been very pleased with my cpu/mb .

Hope that help fill in some of the questions. I had to study up on the combo a few days before I just said the heck with it and orded.

I thought Sempron 3100+ has a multiplier of 9? We can run it at a higher muliplier? If that's true, this is a really HOT deal.

 

[Zap]

Alright, wait, the guy has a Paris core CPU that supposedly does not do 64 bit and has a fixed 9X multiplier (AFAIK no Cool and Quiet on the Paris but I could be wrong).

So he says that his Paris core does support 64 bit and multiplier adjustments?