AMD64 v. Sempron

[ryanbatc]

Hi, my friend bought an HP AMD64-bit system, containing the 3300+ CPU in it. It has a FSB of 800 mhz I believe and it claims to be 64-bit. Now I was afraid becaus I am confused about the new sempron chip being kinda like the duron aka the "value" line. Is this HP computer 3300+ sempron or truly 64-bit ready normal AMD line? Heres the link to the computer @ Best Buy

Thank you for any help regarding my confusion!

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

I have never heard of a 3300 and especially the semprons only have 32 bit support as of now...AFAIK.

I would look into that a bit more...sounds fishy

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

Although the 256L2 cache is clearly Sempron so I find this a bit odd. Perhaps the newer Semprons have 64 bit support but that doesn't show up on the roadmaps anywhere. I am open if someone will show me my error though

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

http://www.kickassamd.com/modules/news/article.php?storyid=299

I am still looking into the 64 bit thing...Should be an awesome overclocking CPU with great gameplay for the money

 

[ryanbatc]

"roadmaps anywhere..." no kiddin - i searched far and wide for answers, toms, here, there , everywhere. I dont get it. I dont even see a 3300 out there - AT ALL! But they claim its 64 bit...and sempron IS NOT 64 bit correct????

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

As far as I know it is NOT, only the 3100 is listed on AMD's site. I will be honest though that should be a rockin little cpu for gaming. 12X multiplier and less L2 cached to get in the way of overclocking. I bet it hits 2.6 easy. I have seen benches where it is 1-3 % difference between A64 with 512 cache and these.

If it is 64 bit compatible that is even sweeter but I will be honest that I don't think until numerous apps come out 64 bit is still dead although the official windows release should be in April ... WinHec? Whatever the big event at the time should be when they roll it out. Could be Cebit...I don't go to any of them so it really doesn't matter to me.

 

[ts3433]

This has been covered before. The A64 3300+ is a weird OEM-only chip (S754, 2.4GHz, 256K L2). It is indeed an A64.

 

[ryanbatc]

Ok weird as in, somehow HP aquires this OEM chip from AMD simply for HP machines? Strange - its like eskimos sipping cola on a nice warm beach in Hawaii

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

LOL

I think it is a matter of time before you see them for sale...maybe I am wrong. Many times you hear it is OEM only but then they show up. I will be grabbing one for sure.

 

[n7]

Originally posted by: ts3433
This has been covered before. The A64 3300+ is a weird OEM-only chip (S754, 2.4GHz, 256K L2). It is indeed an A64.

Thankyou.

The core is Paris in case you wondered.

 

[BlindBartimaeus]

Also if this were NOT the case why would there be new bios updates to recognize the CPU? I can't remember where I read it but they seen the new updates to recognize the 3300 and if it were OEM only...I don't think this would happen. It still may take a month but I think we will eventually see them.

 

[Jeff7181]

HP and eMachines seem to get all the reject processors from AMD. It may be an Athlon-64 that failed testing with 512k cache, but passed with 256k enabled, so they sold it cheap to HP and didn't bother disabling it's 64-bit capabilities so they didn't have to sell it at Sempron prices.

 

[ryanbatc]

Actually i read in the AMD forums that indeed it failed 512 testing. So will there be a huge loss of performance from the CPU cause of this?

 

[Vette73]

Originally posted by: ryanbatc
Actually i read in the AMD forums that indeed it failed 512 testing. So will there be a huge loss of performance from the CPU cause of this?

No.

AMD's chips don;t need as much cache to perform well.

 

[Calin]

As long as you use 32-bit programs, the reduction in cache will not be a millstone to the performance. Also, there are many programs that does not perform much better going from 256 to 512 k cache. However, if you plan to use the processor for heavy workloads and/or 64bit applications, this reduction in cache might have some effect.
As an owner of Duron 600MHz, I think 256Kb cache are enough