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Buy FX-55 now or wait for nForce 4?

S

SkyBum

Senior member
I've decided to put an FX-55 into the new system I'm building. I've also decided that with nForce 4 boards just around the corner that I'll wait for them to hit retail before buying a mobo.

My question is, should I buy the FX-55 Monarch Computers now ($859), or wait and buy it with whichever nForce 4 board I choose?

I would assume that if I end up waiting 4 or so weeks for the mobo, that the availability of of FX-55 will increase, and that by then the price will have dropped somewhat. On the other hand, demand for the chip could go through the roof and prices will actually rise as availability shrinks.

What do you think? Should I grab this CPU now while I know I can find it in stock or should I wait till nForce 4 boards hit retail and hope it's price drops a bit? (at the moment it's priced above sug. retail). From what I've heard, the FX-53 was difficult to find for awhile.

I just don't want to find myself in the same position as when the new ATI GPUs came out and not be able to find this processor when I am ready for it.
 
just wait a couple weeks. nforce 4 should be out then. from what i've heard, they started shipping some nforce 4 mobos this morning.
 
Originally posted by: SkyBum
I've decided to put an FX-55 into the new system I'm building. I've also decided that with nForce 4 boards just around the corner that I'll wait for them to hit retail before buying a mobo.

My question is, should I buy the FX-55 Monarch Computers now ($859), or wait and buy it with whichever nForce 4 board I choose?

I would assume that if I end up waiting 4 or so weeks for the mobo, that the availability of of FX-55 will increase, and that by then the price will have dropped somewhat. On the other hand, demand for the chip could go through the roof and prices will actually rise as availability shrinks.

What do you think? Should I grab this CPU now while I know I can find it in stock or should I wait till nForce 4 boards hit retail and hope it's price drops a bit? (at the moment it's priced above sug. retail). From what I've heard, the FX-53 was difficult to find for awhile.

I just don't want to find myself in the same position as when the new ATI GPUs came out and not be able to find this processor when I am ready for it.
Click to expand...

Demand for a $859 chip will not go through the roof. 🙂

Wait...you'll be glad you did.
 
Heh, I guess its not so much that I'm worried about demand, but availability. Are these chips going to be available in decent quantities or will they be difficult to find?

I sense that you're right though, I should wait.

Thanks.
 
Woot! Drool 55!!

Wait. No good 939 out right now. IE no Asus, No Abit, No DFI NF3.

They are waiting for NF4, so should you IMO. The chipset enhancements, the SLI, and PCIe are well worth waiting a few weeks.

 
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 just want to get this over so I can stop worring about it and get my game back on. 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) and with a little luck, ATI x800 PE will be available by then. :beer:

I'm about all waited out here. 🙂
 
I'm DEFINITELY waiting for nForce 4 Zebo, thats the only thing holding me up right now. I'm very interested to see what comes of it.

Realistically, how long do you think it will be before any of the major players you mentioned will be shipping NF4 boards into the retail channels?
 
Nice looking board Zebo, what are you planning to put on it?

Also, any idea what that shiny gold connection on the back is for?
 
"Also, any idea what that shiny gold connection on the back is for?"

If I had to guess, I would say it's a WiFi antenna. That little metal cover just to the right of it is where the wireless circuitry is located. I'm not 100% sure, but that's probably what it is.

SLIM
 
Hmm, SkyBum did it occure to you that
3500 + 2 PCI-E Geforce 6800 GT cards will simply kill FX-55 + X800 PE?.
I mean that's all the beauty of this nf4 chipset especially if you are into
heavy gaming as stated.
 
Originally posted by: DangerMouse
Hmm, SkyBum did it occure to you that
3500 + 2 PCI-E Geforce 6800 GT cards will simply kill FX-55 + X800 PE?.
I mean that's all the beauty of this nf4 chipset especially if you are into
heavy gaming as stated.
Click to expand...

That's a hell of a point. :beer:
 
Originally posted by: DangerMouse
Hmm, SkyBum did it occure to you that
3500 + 2 PCI-E Geforce 6800 GT cards will simply kill FX-55 + X800 PE?.
I mean that's all the beauty of this nf4 chipset especially if you are into
heavy gaming as stated.
Click to expand...

I stopping telling people about value unless they ask. All they do is get upset w/ me for being a dream stealer.
 
Personally I think I am going to get a FX55 w/ a 939 SLI w/ 2 6800's 😀

Maybe I am over-doing it but I am running on a pretty ancient system right now (Athlon Thunderbird 1200 w/ 512 RAM + GeForce 4 4400 TI.
 
Originally posted by: Zebo
Originally posted by: DangerMouse
Hmm, SkyBum did it occure to you that
3500 + 2 PCI-E Geforce 6800 GT cards will simply kill FX-55 + X800 PE?.
I mean that's all the beauty of this nf4 chipset especially if you are into
heavy gaming as stated.
Click to expand...

I stopping telling people about value unless they ask. All they do is get upset w/ me for being a dream stealer.
Click to expand...

hahahah
 
Hmmnnn....that IS a hell of a point.

Actually I was planning to go with 3500 90nm before I decided to go all out on this rig. I've got some money to burn so value is taking a second place to performance this time around.

Also, based on past experience, I've used each of my systems for very close to 3 years before upgrading/replacing. While the FX-55 does not represent great value, I doubt that I'll be regretting it 2-3 years from now. Some told me that I was wasting my money when I built my Via 266 socket a / 1800+ / 8500DV system but it managed to just barely get me through the last year or so and now I am about to reap the rewards of 939, NF4, X800/6800 video performance. Had I scrimped on that system, I'd likely have upgraded a year or more ago and I'd have missed some great tech. in the meantime. I'm trying to build something here that will still be kicking in a few years...

One consideration I've had though is to go 3500 90nm now, and upgrade to FX later once they are shipping at 90nm. Tough choice - with all this money burning a hole in my bank account. Probably a good thing NF4 boards are not here yet as that will give me a bit more time to consider my options....

Damn you though for making me actually consider nVidia cards (I've been ATI all the way) but you make a damn fine point, no doubt about that!

Thanks for the input.
 
Originally posted by: SkyBum
Hmmnnn....that IS a hell of a point.

Actually I was planning to go with 3500 90nm before I decided to go all out on this rig. I've got some money to burn so value is taking a second place to performance this time around.

Also, based on past experience, I've used each of my systems for very close to 3 years before upgrading/replacing. While the FX-55 does not represent great value, I doubt that I'll be regretting it 2-3 years from now. Some told me that I was wasting my money when I built my Via 266 socket a / 1800+ / 8500DV system but it managed to just barely get me through the last year or so and now I am about to reap the rewards of 939, NF4, X800/6800 video performance. Had I scrimped on that system, I'd likely have upgraded a year or more ago and I'd have missed some great tech. in the meantime. I'm trying to build something here that will still be kicking in a few years...

One consideration I've had though is to go 3500 90nm now, and upgrade to FX later once they are shipping at 90nm. Tough choice - with all this money burning a hole in my bank account. Probably a good thing NF4 boards are not here yet as that will give me a bit more time to consider my options....

Damn you though for making me actually consider nVidia cards (I've been ATI all the way) but you make a damn fine point, no doubt about that!

Thanks for the input.
Click to expand...

Dual core is on the horizon. It may be accelerated because Intel just abandoned their attempt to reach 4.0Ghz with their P4 architecture.
 
I'm building now. Since i already have the graphics card-- a Gainward 6800 golden sample-- and it isn't PCIe. I would be nice to build a SLI system, but i will save that for the next upgrade\new build in a year or so. In the meantime I ordered a FX-55 from GameVE.com ($877) and an MSI K8N Neo2 MoBo with a Gigabyte of OCZ PC3200 Platinum EL Rev2, (Etc.).
Since I am using a P3 300 laptop now and can't play any games or do anything fun with it at all, the new system will be alot of fun and maybe it would have been better to wait, but here we go, anyway.

I wanted to use a Thermalright SLK 948U cooler with a Vantec fan, but can't find one anywhere --- What other coolers would you all reccommend for the FX-55? :moon:

Best,
Walter.
 
Originally posted by: wjh
I wanted to use a Thermalright SLK 948U cooler with a Vantec fan, but can't find one anywhere --- What other coolers would you all reccommend for the FX-55? :moon:
Click to expand...
Build the system with the stock heat sink and fan. Then buy a Koolance Exos AL. The cooler is $200, the water block is $50, and then you need a special adapter bracket for the FX53/55 that you get on the Koolance site for $6.95. Or you can bend the clips in the box like I did.
It runs quiet, and keeps the temps low. The parts can be found on Newegg.


 
SkyBum,

If I could offer you a bit of advice?

The new 90nm chips offer a great value, but they also offer great overclockability. If you buy a 3200+ or 3500+ for $250, or $350 respectively, and you throw $175 probably on a DFI LanParty nForce 4 SLI, then you can use the money that you saved on the FX-55 to buy two GeForce 6800 Ultra PCIe cards and run them in SLI.

If you overclock the 90nm Athlon 64 to near FX-55 speed, which has been said time and time again to be very easy, you could absolutely dominate the machine you were thinking of building.

FX-55 = $900
nForce 4 Ultra = $150
x800 XT PE = $500
Total = $1550

3500+ @2.6GHz = $350
nforce 4 SLI = $175
2x 6800 Ultra = $1000
Total = $1525

Guess which system would win a race 😀
 
Bleh...

Everyone lists the 3500+ and automatically assumes EVERYONE will get lucky and get a chip that can do 2.6 Ghz. It's just not a sure thing. Keep that in mind before recommending an overclocked 3500+ over the stock FX-55.

Or how about this:

http://members.cox.net/~exdeath/fx55.jpg

On air, stock heatsink and fan from the FX53 (smaller, no heatpipes)

nForce 4 SLI wont be soon enough for me 🙂

 
Originally posted by: exdeath
Bleh...

Everyone lists the 3500+ and automatically assumes EVERYONE will get lucky and get a chip that can do 2.6 Ghz. It's just not a sure thing. Keep that in mind before recommending an overclocked 3500+ over the stock FX-55.

Or how about this:

http://members.cox.net/~exdeath/fx55.jpg

On air, stock heatsink and fan from the FX53 (smaller, no heatpipes)

nForce 4 SLI wont be soon enough for me 🙂
Click to expand...

Hater! 😀

I hope you are not bitter because you paid $XXX more. But I can care less about people buying FX instead of A64s. Whatever floats their boat.
 
Nah, not bitter or a hatter 🙂

I'm happy to get 2.8 Ghz out of the FX 55 (haven't tried for 3.0 yet, not with this cooler I'm not...)

And if all else fails, I still get at LEAST 2.6 Ghz.

The extra cost to me was worth making sure I didn't get stuck with 2.2 Ghz and then wanting to spend even MORE money to get something faster anyway because of a randomly non OC'able CPU.

But yeah, whatever floats your boat; I can afford it and proud to do my part for the economy 😉
 
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