Buy FX-55 now or wait for nForce 4?

[Rudee]

Originally posted by: exdeath
That was a nice ramble... lol

Anyhow, controller interface aside, if you simple compare a single Raptor WD740 and a Cheetah X15, the raptor actually has a higher sustained transfer rate! Cheetah seek time of 3.9ms vs the raptors 4.5ms is close enough, but I would say the X15 uses 2.5" platters and the raptor uses 3.5" platters? Don't quote me on that!

Check out storagereview.com and compare. The raptor was put up against several enterprise grade SCSI drives and it spanked for the most part. Price no object, the Raptor came out on top, even when compared to 15K SCSI drives!!!

SCSI is still better for severe mutlitasking (ie: multiple users) due mostly to its command queueing. NCQ is built into SATA but its kinda broken right now, lacking support in controllers even though the drives have it. SATA II should address that and enable NCQ and allow SATA to compete with SCSI in a multiuser environment as well!

Anyhow, I only know the Raptors are faster due to benchmarking. Had someone swapped raptors in place of my X15s without me knowing, I wouldn't notice! Thats saying alot about SATA (mostly the Raptor though) that the system feels for all intents and purposes like a SCSI system

Note: I do have to mention my Cheetahs are the original 18.4 GB version, I know the new 15k.4 and what not are much faster. However the articles on storage review DO use the newer versions of the X15 and the raptor is at least AS fast or faster than any currently available SCSI drive, spindle speed aside.

Of course I should point out 15K RPM of the X15 isnt for lineal transfer rate, its for low rotational latency combined with 2.5" platters making it still probably the fastest drive for random seeking even though the raptor is essentially right there...

enough rambling By all means keeping using a b*tching SCSI system Just keeping you informed that SCSI doesn't mean the end of the line anymore like it used to. I learned that lesson the hard way

Thanks for pointing out the WD740. Picked one up earlier today, benchmarked it, and indeed, it's one fast harddisk.

 

[Gerbil333]

Originally posted by: SkyBum
I figure 3-4 weeks for nForce 4s to hit, a week or so more for benchmarkers to ascertain a clear winner, another week to build it (1st time build here)......

A week to build? Are you expecting things to go wrong? I think most people here can physically assemble a computer in under an hour, set the BIOS and install XP Pro in another 30 minutes (XP should actually install in around 10min on an FX-55), and load drivers and important apps in about 2 hours. That's 3.5 hours to build a computer. Even when I built my first computer I don't think it took more than twice that amount of time

 

[SkyBum]

A week to build? Are you expecting things to go wrong?

Nah it prolly won't take all that long but at the time I wrote that I was planning on assembling a custom watercooling setup. Since then I've been looking at the Koolance Exos Al and I think Im gonna go with that instead.

 

[imported_NoGodForMe]

Originally posted by: Gerbil333

Originally posted by: SkyBum
I figure 3-4 weeks for nForce 4s to hit, a week or so more for benchmarkers to ascertain a clear winner, another week to build it (1st time build here)......

A week to build? Are you expecting things to go wrong? I think most people here can physically assemble a computer in under an hour, set the BIOS and install XP Pro in another 30 minutes (XP should actually install in around 10min on an FX-55), and load drivers and important apps in about 2 hours. That's 3.5 hours to build a computer. Even when I built my first computer I don't think it took more than twice that amount of time

Some might be able to do what you're saying, but in my case, it took a month. Look at my web site, I started on 09/23/04 and it has only been this weekend where I've finally figured out all the bugs. Plus I have to send bad memory back. To run memtest and prime95, takes days if you let it run. I had to re-install the OS many times going from SP2 to SP1 and back trying to get my tape drive working. Yes, many won't have a scsi setup with a tape drive, but could easily get bad memory. At times, I just took a few days away from the machine while I played on my old one.

Technically, I had my machine up and running in 3 days. But because of the bad memory, windows was crashing, I installed a water cooler, tested the memory, and did the OS switch many times.

http://www.nogodforme.com/MyBabyTera.htm

 

[exdeath]

I hear that....

I ordered my FX53, K8N Neo2, 1024 MB Cosair XLPT, and an eVGA 6800 Ultra on 7/31.

Random blue screens, reboots, etc.

Either the ram or mainboard was bad (actually the original board was a Gigabyte K8NSNXP-939)

Had to exchange both right about the time my shiny new 6800 Ultra came.

Finally got it all back together and the bluescreens go away and memtest is fine, but now games and benchmarks lock up for several seconds, only to resume and 'catch up' to the current frame, over and over... great now the 6800 Ultra has to go back...

Finally got the card exchanged, and so far everything is ok... one month after the original order (ie: the entire month of August wasted basically... so much for Doom 3)

Upgraded the CPU to a FX-55 the day it came out and everything is ok and it has been running 2.8 on air since ...

Only problem now is that I have run through the first levels of Doom 3, Far Cry, etc, so many times just benchmarking my system for proper hardware class performance and burn in stability during that time...

I AM SO SICK OF THOSE GAMES and I cant even start a REAL campaign because I would have to play through that dreaded first level again ....

 

[imported_NoGodForMe]

Great post.
Yeah, I was playing thru Doom3 on Veteran on the P4 3.4c machine. I installed the game on the AMD FX53, and copied the save file over.
I play an hour each day, and finished this weekend. That way I didn't get burned out on it.

I was starting to get burned out on all the testing, and installing the OS so many times. I practically had the key presses memorized I did it so much. I've run 3DMark05 a hundred times. Now I know what it's like to be a game reviewer, hard work if you ask me.

Besides the memory I need to send back, the machine is stable and I'm starting to install utilities and little things. Feels good to boot the machine, and actually enjoy it, instead of trouble shooting.

 

[exdeath]

At least if you are a reviewer:

A) You didn't just spend $2000 of your on money on stuff that potentially doesn't work or may be difficult and time consuming to exchange due to short supply.

B) You get paid to do it.

C) You get first rate top notch support. Can't have a negative review now can we?

I wouldn't complain one bit if I had to trouble shoot a new SLI system that someone dropped off with me for a month that wasn't even out yet... but when I, as a consumer, am spending $1000+ for a completed, marketable product, I expect it to work as soon as I plug in. I don't appreciate these paper launches, premature hardware releases, and I certainly don't enjoy beta testing for nVidia/ATI free of charge after already having paid the MSRP for brand new hardware.

 

[Aries64]

Anyhow, controller interface aside, if you simple compare a single Raptor WD740 and a Cheetah X15, the raptor actually has a higher sustained transfer rate! Cheetah seek time of 3.9ms vs the raptors 4.5ms is close enough, but I would say the X15 uses 2.5" platters and the raptor uses 3.5" platters? Don't quote me on that!

Check out storagereview.com and compare. The raptor was put up against several enterprise grade SCSI drives and it spanked for the most part. Price no object, the Raptor came out on top, even when compared to 15K SCSI drives!!!

SCSI is still better for severe mutlitasking (ie: multiple users) due mostly to its command queueing. NCQ is built into SATA but its kinda broken right now, lacking support in controllers even though the drives have it. SATA II should address that and enable NCQ and allow SATA to compete with SCSI in a multiuser environment as well!

Anyhow, I only know the Raptors are faster due to benchmarking. Had someone swapped raptors in place of my X15s without me knowing, I wouldn't notice! Thats saying alot about SATA (mostly the Raptor though) that the system feels for all intents and purposes like a SCSI system

Note: I do have to mention my Cheetahs are the original 18.4 GB version, I know the new 15k.4 and what not are much faster. However the articles on storage review DO use the newer versions of the X15 and the raptor is at least AS fast or faster than any currently available SCSI drive, spindle speed aside.

Of course I should point out 15K RPM of the X15 isnt for lineal transfer rate, its for low rotational latency combined with 2.5" platters making it still probably the fastest drive for random seeking even though the raptor is essentially right there...

enough rambling By all means keeping using a b*tching SCSI system Just keeping you informed that SCSI doesn't mean the end of the line anymore like it used to. I learned that lesson the hard way

Hey exdeath,

Sorry for taking so long to post back to you - I didn't "subscribe" to this subject and just read through it again. Thanks for all the performance info - I am going to have to take a good long look at SATA (and of course Serial-Attached SCSI). I think that after using trouble-free SCSI for so many years and having built and used dual processor systems I have become "conditioned" to SCSI, so it is HARD to change my ways.

Thanks for the edification. I'm still jealous of your FX-55. I might have to get an FX-55. Theres' always the FX-57 (90nm? strained silicon?) on the horizon...

 

[ca1n]

sorry to bust into the thread but I was wondering what a fx53 used is worth? I bought a fx55 and have a 53 to get sell?

 

[exdeath]

Got my Exos AL installed, my first experience with water cooling:

http://members.cox.net/~exdeath/FX553.0.jpg

Running running 28C idle acording to the Exos AL display, SMB bus via on chip diode reports 51C at max load after hours of prime95. No errors in prime95 yet

 

[Malleable]

Hmmm. Noticed that over 1 month ago people were saying 1 month MAX on the Nforce4 boards. Well times up and I still dont see any expected dates.
Granted Im still waiting, but this is getting a little tiresome. PUT OUT already!

Mal

 

[imported_Mitchell]

" I dont know effee, I've been limping along on a terribly outdated system for so long, I don't think I have much more wait left in me. I LIVE to game and just like when my first system dropped below the bar for current games, here I am again, only 3 years later. I can't even remember the last time I loaded one up."

I had the same problem. I waited 3 months and nothing, new chips would come out but no new chipsets, no PCIe 6800's nothing. I finally gave up. I just got the NEO2 with a 55FX and a 6800Ultra, its fast!