Go with 3200 or 3700

[danklumpp]

What would offer the best price for performance? I'm thinking of overclocking a 3200 to around 2.4 GHz, or should I get a 3700 with 1MB cache for $50 more and overclock it to 2.4 GHz also?

 

[Mogadon]

I'd just go with the 3200 out of those two.

If I were you though i'd go and find myself an opteron 146. The newer steppings are pretty good (not that the older ones aren't too), I have one at 2.9GHz.

 

[danklumpp]

Same Price ($170):

Athlon 3200
512 KB Cache
2 GHz

Opteron 144
1 MB Cache
1.8 GHz

Are the Opterons as good for gaming? I've also heard they overclock much better.

(I'm planning on overclocking to around 2.4 GHz, and the 144 should be able to hit it easily, so should I go with the 144 and get the 1 MB cache, or does the 3200 offer some performance difference in games that I'm not seeing?)

 

[Mogadon]

no differences except the cache and the 200MHz, as you're overclocking the opty's better for you.

The extra cache of the opty basically negates the extra 200MHz of the 3200 at stock anyway.

 

[danklumpp]

I've also heard some posts on the stock heatsink. Anyone have any experience with that? Should I get an aftermarket?

 

[Mogadon]

If you're short on cash you can wait until you've played with the stock HSF, though for the higher overclocks an aftermarket HSF will probably be necessary.

 

[starwars7]

I'll be upgrading from a stock Athlon XP Barton 3200+ to the 939 socket, do you guys think I would notice a significant difference by going to an OCed an opteron 146?

 

[evenmore1]

On monarchcomputer.com, they have great deals on opterons: $130 for 144 and $160 for 146

Get one fast!

 

[Mogadon]

Depends on what you do with it.

With CPU intensive applications or games you'll notice a big, big difference. With GPU intesive games and applications the difference will be much less, though I imagine you'll probably be moving to PCIe and a new graphics card too so that'll give you a noticeable boost (obviously depending on which video card you get but I imagine it will be substantially better than what you run now).

In short though - Yes, there will be a significant difference.

I recently came into possession of an opty 146, it's at 2.9GHz and it's rocking compared to what's in my sig.

 

[evenmore1]

Link

Choose one. Great deals

 

[firewolfsm]

I have a 144, due to the low mult. it was harder to OC but it did 2.68 at 1.55V, they are good.
currently running at 2.55 1.475V, much cooler and not much of a difference performance wise.

 

[starwars7]

I must have missed the deal, because i can't find those prices at Monarch any more

 

[splat00n]

just go with the 3700 thats what I ordered last night!

 

[F1shF4t]

single core a64'S run cool, u might as well stick an aluminium brick on it and it would work just as well
From what i heard the opties overclock better (the 144 version), but i would only go for one if u know ur board is a good overclocker, otherwise it would be just better to get te higher multi.

 

[coolpurplefan]

You run the risk of burning your processor if you overclock.