New CPU and Mobo, or just new CPU? Opinions please

[jpcording]

Hey All,

With about $250 to spend, I'm considering 2 upgrade paths:

1. Keep my Socket 754 Via KV8 Pro (Abit) mobo and install a AMD64 3700+ (Clawhammer, 800 MHz FSB, 2.4 GHz 1 MB L2 cache), replacing a AMD64 3000+ (Newcastle, FSB Integrated into chip, 2.0 GHz, 512 Kb L2 cache).

or

2. For the same money, purchase a Socket 939 mobo and AMD64 3000+ (Venice, Integrated FSB, 1.8 GHz, 512 Kb L2 cache).

Note that the new Mobo with be AGP -- not all that impressed with PCI Express, and happy with my Gigabyte 6600GT.

Leaning toward path 1, with paired with a gig of Corsair RAM (PC3200), but will the dual channel on the Socket 939 make up for the lower cache and clock speed?

Thanks in advance for your feedback.

 

[Hacp]

Dual channel will provide a performance boost of around 100 MHZ. I'd go with the 3400+ instead of the 3700+. Just a 512KB difference in cache, which doesn't matter that much.It will maybe provide an extra 100 MHZ difference. Or maybe you shouldn't upgrade at all. The 3000 newcastle is pretty fast as it is.

 

[Bucks]

2

 

[Hacp]

Originally posted by: Bucks
2

Do you realize that if he goes with option number 2, he will see a 100 mhz performance boost at most for 250 dollars?
EDIT:Actually, he will see almost no increase at all since the 3000+ newcastle is 2.0 GHZ and the 3000+ Venice is 1.8 GHZ. Performance will be about the same.

 

[albumleaf]

how about overclock your system 100mhz and save yourself some cash.

 

[Topweasel]

Venice is more easily overclocked (up to 2.8 in some cases) and Upgrading to 939 gives him an huge amount of upgrade options in the future. Venice also add SSE3 according to Anandtech allows him to run his memory fast then DDR400 without overclocking and allows the use of 4 double sided dimms at full speed. In the future he could upgrade his mobo and vid without touching the Proc or upgrade the Proc without touching the Vid or mobo. He could even throw a X2 in if he wanted.

 

[Navid]

Why spend money and upgrade and still stay with AGP? Are you in denial that PCI express is going to be the new standard? Or, do you think that there will be another standard coming after PCI express and you want to skip PCI express?

I am just curious. I am not being a wise !@#! I am in the same boat. I have an AGP motherboard. My plan is that my next upgrade will be to a PCI express motherboard. But, I would like to know (learn) if my thinking is wrong.

I know that if you go PCI express, you will have to shell out for a new graphics card too. But, why not ride what you have until it has done enough service for you and until your graphics card does not cut it for you anymore? Then, upgrade the motherboard and graphics card at the same time.

Thanks,

Navid

 

[Hacp]

Maybe he might not want to overclock? Hes is after all pondering upgrading a 3000+ Newcastle. Yes, 939 might give him more upgrade features, but is he going to be upgrading heavily? Shelling out 250 to get the same performance and then later shelling out more money to upgrade to dual core is pretty expensive. Might as well just get a new pc if he wants to upgrade that much. Also, as far as we know, ATI is planning on an AGP next gen card.
He wants to upgrade so he can see a performance boost. Not so he can see 0 performance boost and have to option of spending even more money in the future for performance gains. And yes, he will be allowed to run the memory async, but that requires a hefty investment in high quality low latency ram, and even more money on the DFI lan party motherboard. All this for almost no benefit at all? Also, yes you can run 4 sticks of ram at DDR 400 with the venice, but running at 2 gb has very few benefits today, and he can always upgrade to two stick of 1gb in the future when DDR prices are cheaper than today, or replace one stick of 512 with a stick of 1 gb to minimize costs.

 

[Valkerie]

Get the 64 3000

This should satisfy your needs. It's not all about the GHz when it comes to AMD.

 

[Hacp]

Valkerie, are you suggesting that he upgrade to see no performance gains? Looking at the benchmarks, the newcastle 3000+ is similar in performance to the venice 3000 running in dual channel. Yes, it is not all about GHZ when it comes to AMD, you actually have to look at the numbers, and the numbers show that the upgrade is not logical unless he plans to upgrade the hell out of his machine.

 

[imported_rod]

I would leave the MoBo upgrade until you're ready to go PCI-E. If you're going to stick with AGP, dont bother upgrading the MoBo - it's not really worth it.

RoD

 

[Hacp]

By the way, your processor is fine. I wonder why you'd want to upgrade. Just save your money as wait for M2.

 

[theMan]

you should just upgrade to thet 3400 s754. i think that you will feel unsatisfied getting a platform that is outdated when you buy it. the next time you upgrade will have to be huge.

best thing to do, is just see how long you can live with your current system, or overclock it like crazy, and get some more money.

 

[jpcording]

Thanks for all the opinions folks. The reason why this whole issue came up is that I'm planning an overall upgrade path that includes foundational things like a new PSU, some improved CPU cooling, higher quality RAM, etc., and I have about $250 left in my buget. How best to spend that $250 is what's at issue for me. I thought about making the jump to 939, PCI-E, etc. but when you look at the price/performace ratio, the dollars just don't buy much in that direction.

I know PCI-E is the new standard, but in order for me to get significant performance gains out of it, I'd have to spend much more on a mobo and a new GPU, not to mention two of them for SLI. The price/performance numbers just don't add up. If I was building a system from the ground up I'd go for it, but otherwise, I don't see the necessary gains.

Max settings and 3DMarks are not a top priority, as long as I can play the games I want to at a reasonable framerate. Looking at my system following the PSU, RAM and cooling upgrades, the processor seems to be the bottleneck. I thought the 800MHZ FSB, larger L2 cache, and 400 MHz clock speed increases would be the way to go. This also brings me out as far as S754 will go, and represents the best performance gain for the money.

Based on your comments Hacp, I'm nixing option 2 and either buying the Clawhammer or saving the money. Thanks for your wisdom.

 

[Valkerie]

oops I didin't read

I think I meant, keep your CPU if it's 3K+ and nothing more

 

[shoRunner]

option 3 save money. so you can upgrade to nf4

 

[keeleysam]

2 and sell what you have now

 

[Hacp]

I would suggest against the clawhammer and buy the newcastle. Same processor, but the clawhammer has 512 more mb of cache. Difference isnt worth the extra 50 dollars. By the way, I highly doubt that your CPU is the bottleneck, especially if your running with the 6600GT. If you had the 6800GT, then I would consider getting a 3400+ or 3700+, but your CPU right now matches just fine with your GPU. By the way, if you feel adventerous, try overclocking 200 mhz or so. It will defenetly give you a performance increase, and will save you 250 dollars. I would suggset that you just save your money and do with what you have until socket M2 comes along.

 

[tfinch2]

What do you use the machine for?