k6-3 400 or k6-2 450?

[Joeschmoe]

If you read my last post, you understand my situation:

I can run my k6-2 at 450 (maybe faster if I can find 83 Mhz fsb).
OR
I can buy one of the last remaining k6-III 400 chips and run it at 66 Mhz fsb. These things are going for ike $75-$100 (ridiculous!)

When I run timedemos I have reason to believe that I am completely CPU limited. The fps does not change from 640 x 480 to 1024x768 in quake2 demo2.dm2 (I get about 30 with my tnt2 m64 32 MB PCI).

I know that the FPU on the k6-III still blows chunks but the extra cache looks to give a good boost at 100 Mhz fsb based on the reviews here at Anandtech.

Because of limits of the powerleap adapter I am using, I can't run at anything faster than 400 Mhz on the K6-III

Thanks for the input. I realize that the best way to solve this problem is to buy a new case/mobo/cpu/ram but I am only a poor college student.

--James

 

[LongTimePCUser]

The K6-3 400 is about 20% faster than the K6-2 400.

 

[Rapha]

Are you using the 3Dknow patches ? http://www.3dnow.net/
K6-III is faster than K6-2 but especially for general computing (integer).
Of course, the full speed L2 is perfect for a 66Mhz FSB upgrade but spending 100$ for that ? Only if you can't change the legacy 66Mhz mobo.
The second problem is the TNT2 M64 PCI : it's a PCI card and the M64 is less performant than the original TNT2.
Finally, 30 FPS is not so bad with your configuration.

 

[Tominator]

If you need an adaptor to run the chip, just start from scratch! You'll get better, much better, performance from an equivelent celery.

$120 bucks should get you a decent BX board and a 466 or so Celery. If you need to use the EDO Simms you now have, look for a LX board in slot 1. Most will do let you use a 533 Celeron.

I would not spend $100 on a K6-3, no way.

 

[Hyper99]

For some reason K6-3 stand between K6-2 and Celeron
like a middle man
That is true a K6-3 400 is like K6 2 450
Due to the same poor architecture it uses
Celeron o/c to 800 or 850 is in par with duron 650-700
Either way you go you can't go wrong

 

[Joeschmoe]

I feel like a moron! I had no idea that LX boards could use SIMMS! I will be looking into that...Could save me for a few months anyway...
Wouldn't there be a significant memory bottleneck though?
You are right on about the k6-3 being a ripoff.

Thanks!
Later,
James

 

[Joeschmoe]

440LX mobos DO NOT use SIMMS...
At least none that I found.

 

[Quickfingerz]

I have a LX Board that uses SIMM's. Wish it used DIMMS though. I bought it during the transition phase.

 

[Joeschmoe]

hmmm I'll look harder. How is your performance with simms?

 

[Tominator]

I've put together several comps using SOYO SY6-KL boards. They have 2 SIMM slots and 3 DIMM. I've also seen a board on closeout somewhere that only had 4 SIMM slots! For $25! I should've bought a couple... The SOYOs are LX boards and I'm almost certain the other is also.


Quickfingerz I might be interested in that board if you want to part with it.

Joeschmoe I've got my last SOYO LX board running with 64mb 60ns EDO. A PII 233 OC'd to 300mhz. A 3DFX Velocity 100 with the second TMU enabled and V3 2000/3000 drivers running at 143mhz, which is default for the Velocity. Unreal Tournament runs pretty good! Slight slowdown when you watch very close, but it does OK. Playable and getting about 30fps at 800X600 on a 13inch monitor. Sorry, but I don't have the time to run some 'real' benchmarks. I should really try a DIMM and OC the Velocity!