I have Sempron 3100 Socket 754. Is it worth upgrading to the highest chip?

[JEDI]

1) what is the highest socket 754 chip? (mobo=nForce3A)

2) is it worth upgrading to it from a 3100? (a new A64 or core2 system will require new memory.)

 

[myocardia]

Why not just try overclocking your 3100? They overclock nicely.

 

[Stumps]

Originally posted by: myocardia
Why not just try overclocking your 3100? They overclock nicely.

:thumbsup:

the 3100+ regularly can reach 2.6-2.7ghz on air, I recently got hold of one and using water cooling I got a tad over 2.9ghz...it's a wee bit quicker than my A64@2.87ghz.

 

[Arkaign]

I'd say go for an Athlon 64 3400+ S754. The extra cache makes a huge difference in many things, and it's not an arm and a leg

http://cgi.ebay.com/AMD-Athlon-64-3400-...10QQcategoryZ80139QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Then sell your Sempy for $35 or so Run the 3400+ @ 4000+ levels easily .. good stuff!

 

[formulav8]

I would also go with a 3400+ if your Sempron doesn't give you what you want. You should get a nice and solid 20%-25% and maybe a touch more between the extra 600mhz and Double L2 Cache. Probably your best bet.



JAson

 

[catalysts17az]

go with the 3200. its brand new and @ newegg for about 53 bones. here is the link:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103035

Just reuse your old heat sink unless you plan to overclock ant if your motherboard allows you too. but if you can and you do i recommen the zalman 7700 or 7000 both made of copper. Here is the link to the 7700.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16835118017

Have fun and use artic silver 5 for the thermal grease however i recently ordered the zalman 9700 which came with thermal grease not sure its something new there doing with all the zalmans or just the 9700. and i dont know if the thermal grease is any good or just as good or better than artic silver 5, but if it comes with the heat sink i guess go for it. i didnt use it because i still have some AS5 with me.

Good Luck! and yes it is worth upgrading since were only talking 53 bones!

 

[JEDI]

How much faster is the A64 3200 compared to a Sempron 3100?

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Stumps
the 3100+ regularly can reach 2.6-2.7ghz on air

I don't think they can get anywhere close to that "regularly" unless they were the E3 or E6 stepping.

Originally posted by: JEDI
How much faster is the A64 3200 compared to a Sempron 3100?

Double the cache and 200 true MHz more, so that would be about 400MHz in AMD + numbers, but only on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Originally posted by: myocardia
Why not just try overclocking your 3100? They overclock nicely.

Yes they do, even the CG and D0 steppings, though closer to 2.2-2.5GHz.

Originally posted by: Arkaign
I'd say go for an Athlon 64 3400+ S754.

http://cgi.ebay.com/AMD-Athlon-64-3400-...10QQcategoryZ80139QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wow, $105 shipped. I've noticed that these things have been going for around $80-$100+ on Ebay.

Hey Jedi, if you want one I've got a spare... I'll even beat that $105 shipped, haha.

Originally posted by: JEDI
1) what is the highest socket 754 chip? (mobo=nForce3A)

2) is it worth upgrading to it from a 3100? (a new A64 or core2 system will require new memory.)

2) Maybe, depends on whether you can afford the faster chip and want the "easy" upgrade.

1) Fastest desktop socket 754 chip is the 3700+, which was 2.4GHz with 1MB cache. It was only made as a CG core - oldest 130nm. IIRC AMD made a mobile DTR A64 (not Turion) that was a 90nm San Diego core with 1MB cache at 2.6GHz for socket 754. Not all boards supported the mobile and DTR chips.

I think the 3400+ would be a good choice if you were to upgrade at all. The one I have is a Venice core which means it runs cooler and can on average overclock better than the older Newcastle cores.

 

[Arkaign]

Originally posted by: Zap

Originally posted by: Stumps
the 3100+ regularly can reach 2.6-2.7ghz on air

I don't think they can get anywhere close to that "regularly" unless they were the E3 or E6 stepping.

Originally posted by: JEDI
How much faster is the A64 3200 compared to a Sempron 3100?

Double the cache and 200 true MHz more, so that would be about 400MHz in AMD + numbers, but only on Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Originally posted by: myocardia
Why not just try overclocking your 3100? They overclock nicely.

Yes they do, even the CG and D0 steppings, though closer to 2.2-2.5GHz.

Originally posted by: Arkaign
I'd say go for an Athlon 64 3400+ S754.

http://cgi.ebay.com/AMD-Athlon-64-3400-...10QQcategoryZ80139QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Wow, $105 shipped. I've noticed that these things have been going for around $80-$100+ on Ebay.

Hey Jedi, if you want one I've got a spare... I'll even beat that $105 shipped, haha.

Originally posted by: JEDI
1) what is the highest socket 754 chip? (mobo=nForce3A)

2) is it worth upgrading to it from a 3100? (a new A64 or core2 system will require new memory.)

2) Maybe, depends on whether you can afford the faster chip and want the "easy" upgrade.

1) Fastest desktop socket 754 chip is the 3700+, which was 2.4GHz with 1MB cache. It was only made as a CG core - oldest 130nm. IIRC AMD made a mobile DTR A64 (not Turion) that was a 90nm San Diego core with 1MB cache at 2.6GHz for socket 754. Not all boards supported the mobile and DTR chips.

I think the 3400+ would be a good choice if you were to upgrade at all. The one I have is a Venice core which means it runs cooler and can on average overclock better than the older Newcastle cores.

^^^^

Truth

 

[VirtualLarry]

What about selling the Sempy + Socket 754 mobo, and picking up a cheap S939 mobo + CPU instead? More OC'ing headroom, greater performance. Might be an issue if you're using a Nforce3 + AGP card though.

 

[f4phantom2500]

Originally posted by: JEDI
How much faster is the A64 3200 compared to a Sempron 3100?

It depends on what you do. Unless you game or do encoding or something like that the extra cache won't really come into play, but in tasks where cache is a factor the jump from 256k l2 cache to 512 would be greater than the jump from 512 to 1m. The extra speed isn't really a huge deal, if I were you I would try OCing the Sempron first to see if it'll be fast enough for you with the higher clock speed. If you can tap 2.6GHz plus on it it should outperform the 3200 in most tasks just because it's so much faster. However a 3200 might OC well too, but if you can get your Sempron chuggin' that fast and it's fast enough for you then why even bother upgrading now? OTOH you can probably find a 754 Athlon for ~$30 in the fs/ft forum. But, again, I would OC first, if no good then upgrade to an Athlon that'll OC well, 512k cache would be fine. Try to get a Venice if you do upgrade (preferrably the 3400 but the 3000 would be great too).