Best Bang for the Buck right now for Overclocking?

[Fun Guy]

Looking to build a nice P4 machine to do video editing, single hyperthreaded CPU. I've heard the Prescott runs really hot and doesn't shine until 3.5-3.6Ghz. I've also heard that the current 2.4Ghz Northwoods clock up to 3Ghz+ pretty easily. Is this true?

If so, let me know. Also, if you have suggestions for a MB and RAM for this combo, I would really appreciate it.

 

[elbosco]

Most 2.4Ghz Northwoods will overclock up to 3Ghz on stock cooling without breaking a sweat. Just make sure you invest in some quality ram to ensure a stable overclock. Crucial, Muskin, Corsair are great brands. For the motherboard, you can't go wrong with either an asus p4c800-e deluxe or abit ic7-g max 3.

I am running a P4c 2.6Ghz @ 3.33Ghz (256Mhz x 4; 1:1 ratio) on a Asus P4C800-E Deluxe and 1GB of Crucial Ballistix 3200 ram, all on stock cooling and works like a charm.

 

[Fun Guy]

Originally posted by: elbosco
Most 2.4Ghz Northwoods will overclock up to 3Ghz on stock cooling without breaking a sweat. Just make sure you invest in some quality ram to ensure a stable overclock. Crucial, Muskin, Corsair are great brands. For the motherboard, you can't go wrong with either an asus p4c800-e deluxe or abit ic7-g max 3.

I am running a P4c 2.6Ghz @ 3.33Ghz (256Mhz x 4; 1:1 ratio) on a Asus P4C800-E Deluxe and 1GB of Crucial Ballistix 3200 ram, all on stock cooling and works like a charm.

I can get the 2.4Ghz Retail Northwood for ~$145 at NewEgg, but if I'm willing to pay about $50 more, I have many more choices available to me (all 800Mhz FSB):

- 2.8Ghz Northwood OEM @ $194
- 2.8Ghz Northwood Retail @ $198
- 3.0Ghz Prescott OEM @ $179
- 3.0Ghz Prescott Retail @ $189
- 3.2Ghz Prescott OEM @ $213

Are any of these worth $50 more, considering the overclocking potential?

 

[elbosco]

I wouldn't consider the prescott as the costs outweigh the benefits. They're too hot and the extra cache does little to increase performace in many applications.

As for the northwood, it will offer more headroom for overclocking, but you'll have to decide if the extra ~5-10% performance is worth the 30% cost increase.

If I were you, I'd stick with the 2.4Ghz northwood and use the $50 towards better ram or mobo.

 

[Bateluer]

The A64 Winchesters aren't bad OC'ers either.

 

[Antoneo]

Hrmm, I'm looking at Intel's 2.4C as well. Do you guys think a decent overclock can be achieved using Corsair/mushkin value PC3200 ram?

 

[elbosco]

Originally posted by: Antoneo
Hrmm, I'm looking at Intel's 2.4C as well. Do you guys think a decent overclock can be achieved using Corsair/mushkin value PC3200 ram?

With a 1:1 ratio, probably not. But with a 5:4 or 3:2 setting, you show be fine with value ram.

 

[jiffylube1024]

Current best bang for the buck is the 3000+ Winchester Athlon64, no question. At 2.4-2.6 GHz, it throttles the P4 (no pun intended).

All current Northwood P4 C series chips should do 3.1+ Ghz, but for a little bit more the Athlon64 is a beast when overclocked.


I've got a 2.8C @ 3.3 Ghz (and I love it - hyperthreading kicks @ss 🙂), but Athlon64 on a cheap NF3 board is the current sweet spot for price/performance IMO.

 

[Duvie]

Actually the 2.4c's time has come and passed....NOw most wont be happy with 3.3ghz that the 2.4 should be able to offer with some vcore boost.....

My athlon64 3000+ was 139.00 dollars (may not find this anymore) and then 140 for the msi neo2 board (ciould save a bit with the epox mobo)...I hit 2.6-2.7ghz or about equivalent to a 4200+ rating. Beats my P4 3.5 in quite a few things and by big margins...

 

[Fingers]

Is the machine gonna be used strictly for video editing or will this be more or less your everyday computer. If the latter AMD may be the way to go as the new wichesters are great overclockers and are great performers.

If you are set on intel I would get the "3.0Ghz Prescott OEM @ $179" as it is the cheapest upgrade you were interested in and still have a lot of room to overclock to. Even though it is a prescott and gets hot some good aftermarket cooling will be able to get that thing up to 3.9Ghz easily.

 

[ts3433]

I would recommend an A64 Winchester as well; with 2.6 GHz an easy target, they beat pretty much everything else for most purposes. After all, 2.6 GHz is 4000+/FX-55 territory.