POLL! <$400 upgrade... 805 vs. AM2

[bluemax]

My current rig:

Sempron 2800+ mobile with noisy fan.
ECS uATX mobo w/ 2DDR & AGP
2x 512MB DDR400 (OCZ Value)
Flaky Radeon 8500LE

I would really like to go dual-core because of the speed in switching around several different applications like browser windows and office apps. The CPU upgrade is needed because my music software needs more power - this software is Pentium4 optimized and will soon be supporting multiple processors in the next upgrade patch.

I could save money and get all new technology with AM2, however. The 6100 IGP is close to the 6200AGP for performance.... enough to run Railroad Tycoon3 at medium settings which is tolerable.... hey, I'm on a very tight budget here.


I'm open to ideas on how to get the most for my money... I can spend as much as $400-ish. I'd love the X2-3800+ but it's simply too expensive at $330.

There's a great sale on with 1GB DDR2 667 for only $85 Canadian... even if it's only 533, it's still a great price! That could give me the excuse to buy all new RAM and leave DDR behind me.

I would like the option of PCI-e16 rather than AGP, but 775 boards with decent IGP are rare. A cheap 775 board with DDR2 and a cheap PCI-e16 card is an option.... the 6200TC is on sale for a lousy $40.


Feel free to make suggestions. If you choose "other" I'd like to hear what you propose.

Oh.... no. Conroe is NOT an option. 1) the wait is already killing me, 2) availability will apparently suck at first, driving prices up, 3) mobo prices will be high (i945 anyone?) 4) I WANT IT NOW!!! AIEEEE!!

 

[imported_fx]

Just go with AM2 setup (futureproof)

AMD64 AM2 3200+
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16819103637

Biostar TForce6100 AM2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16813138027

OCZ Gold 2GB (2x1GB) DDR2 800 (PC26400) RAM w/ $30 Mail-in Rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?item=N82E16820227030

Total: $400

 

[bluemax]

I'm starting to lean that way...... but I lose the dual-core processor. I suppose I won't miss it too much... if it'll switch between several programs much faster than this Sempron will.

 

[imported_fx]

Are you saying that Sempron is much faster than AMD AM2 3200+? AM2 3200+ is faster than Sempron by performance and even if you want to "switch between several programs".

 

[dguy6789]

Dual core is greater than single core any day of the week. The only reason anyone should ever get a single core for a new system nowadays is if they cannot afford the cheapest dual core. If ANY dual core is within your price range, getting a non dual core solution is quite rediculous.

 

[potato28]

AM2. You can buy a dual core later.

 

[dguy6789]

If it is the 775, then chances are, with a bios update, the user could upgrade to Conroe in time.

 

[stevty2889]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
If it is the 775, then chances are, with a bios update, the user could upgrade to Conroe in time.

Only if they get a 965x chipset board, or the Intel 975x badaxe board(which he won't do if he wants to re-use his DDR) and hope he gets one with the newest revision, since only the newest revision will support conroe..775 has been used for a long time, but when new CPU's came out they don't neccessarily work on the old LGA775 boards..for example, there are no 915/925 chipset boards that support dual cores, there are boards that support the 8xx series but not the 9xx series, there are boards that support the 5xx series prescotts but not the 6xx..

To the OP, if you are going to be running SMP aware progams, then get the 805. If you aren't running anything that will take advantage of the dual core, might as well get the A64. If you plan to overclock, you'll gernaly need more expensive cooing and a beefy power supply to get a good OC out of the 805.

 

[bluemax]

Originally posted by: stevty2889

Originally posted by: dguy6789
If it is the 775, then chances are, with a bios update, the user could upgrade to Conroe in time.

Only if they get a 965x chipset board, or the Intel 975x badaxe board(which he won't do if he wants to re-use his DDR)
To the OP, if you are going to be running SMP aware progams, then get the 805. If you aren't running anything that will take advantage of the dual core, might as well get the A64. If you plan to overclock, you'll gernaly need more expensive cooing and a beefy power supply to get a good OC out of the 805.

Well I do a fair bit of multitasking and that's where the dual-core might help. No SMP software yet.... BTW, would you believe the i865 chipset is being used for dual-cores a LOT... right up to the most modern 9xx series - some even claim possible Conroe support. Weird...

I noticed they're starting to do blowout sales on 939 stuff already! Could be a great time to snag an A64 939 combo and reuse the old RAM.

*siiigh* Dual core or no? Dual core or no....

 

[fredhe12]

Have you considered ebay for the X2? I think you'll find it much cheaper than $330. Get dual core if you can - but make it X2. Otherwise, it will nag you if you go w/ single core.

 

[stevty2889]

Originally posted by: bluemax

Originally posted by: stevty2889

Originally posted by: dguy6789
If it is the 775, then chances are, with a bios update, the user could upgrade to Conroe in time.

Only if they get a 965x chipset board, or the Intel 975x badaxe board(which he won't do if he wants to re-use his DDR)
To the OP, if you are going to be running SMP aware progams, then get the 805. If you aren't running anything that will take advantage of the dual core, might as well get the A64. If you plan to overclock, you'll gernaly need more expensive cooing and a beefy power supply to get a good OC out of the 805.

Well I do a fair bit of multitasking and that's where the dual-core might help. No SMP software yet.... BTW, would you believe the i865 chipset is being used for dual-cores a LOT... right up to the most modern 9xx series - some even claim possible Conroe support. Weird...

I noticed they're starting to do blowout sales on 939 stuff already! Could be a great time to snag an A64 939 combo and reuse the old RAM.

*siiigh* Dual core or no? Dual core or no....

There are a few 865 chipset boards that support the 9xx series, I have my 920 on a P5P800-SE, but only specific revisions of the board work. There is at least 1 865 chipset board that will support conroe as well, but only a specific revision, which may not even be available yet. When you buy the board, it's a bit tricky to know what revision you have until you already bought it and open the box, so you are taking chances in that regard. The 965 chipset boards on the other hand, are guranteed to work with Conroe.

 

[bluemax]

Originally posted by: stevty2889
The 965 chipset boards on the other hand, are guranteed to work with Conroe.

Yep. And remember the price of i945 boards when they came out? Ka-CHING!

I'm on too tight of a budget.... Conroe and its board is just not an option.

 

[dguy6789]

There is a law of computing that states once you go dual, you never go back. Anyone who has ever used a dual core will tell you that the choice between non dual core and dual core is a complete no brainer. Deciding between getting a dual core or a single core is like: On one hand, I have lots of money, on the other hand, I have less money, hard choice...

There is nothing that even an Athlon 64 FX57 can do that a Pentium D 805 cannot do. They both will do the same things, but the FX57 would do them faster. However, there is a whole wide array of things you can do on even the slowest dual core that you could never dream of doing on an FX57. Try encoding a large DVD file and play a game at the same time. With the FX57, either both applications will be slow(if they have the same priority) or one application will be moderately slow while the other will get next to nothing done(If a difference in priority settings). With the Pentium D 805(or any dual core), both applications will have their own entire cpu to work on and both will run at absolute full speed and be completely independant of the other task. You can swap out games and encoding for pretty much any cpu intensive task and get the same result. Burning discs/Extracting/Compressing, virus scanning, software installation, ect.... We have not even begun to speak of SMP enabled applications. Quake 4 is a game that has gains near 100% from SMP systems. Photoshop also shows impressive gains from SMP. New programs are comming out all the time to support and take advantage of dual core. WinRAR supports it(As a result, an improvement beyond 50% in extraction times is often achieved), UT2007 will have it, many future games will have it.

I could go on more and more and more about how awesome dual core processors are. Just ask ANYONE who has actually used one on a regular basis.

 

[bamacre]

I'd definitely go Pent D.

Right now is the worst time to buy AM2 as DDR2-800 prices are a killer. Besides that, the performance is not much more than skt939.

 

[skooma]

If your budget is 400ish then I'd be trying to save that ram. Hos close to 400 does "ish" equal?

I'd be shopping for a x2 3800 or opty 165 on the FS/FT and find a decent mobo. Not a plug because I won't ship to canada anyway P) but I'm selling a x2 for ~250, depending if this local will take it or I need to ship.

 

[bluemax]

bump

 

[alimoalem]

how long can u wait? this link states how AMD will have price cuts on its X2s on july 24 to counter intel's price cuts on the 23rd. 35-50% off AM2, 20-30% X2. i would wait if i were u but if u can't, i'm not sure then

 

[bluemax]

Originally posted by: alimoalem
how long can u wait? this link states how AMD will have price cuts on its X2s on july 24 to counter intel's price cuts on the 23rd. 35-50% off AM2, 20-30% X2. i would wait if i were u but if u can't, i'm not sure then

For 50% off a 3800+ X2 I CAN WAIT! Best part about that is I can still use my existing DDR and have it all for a great price! Why go Intel 805 with all that heat when I can have an affordable X2? No contest!!

 

[fire400]

Originally posted by: dguy6789
Dual core is greater than single core any day of the week. The only reason anyone should ever get a single core for a new system nowadays is if they cannot afford the cheapest dual core. If ANY dual core is within your price range, getting a non dual core solution is quite rediculous.

I'll probably agree with this guy, without a doubt. If you can invest in a good board with decent cooling, you can jack up an 805 and hit 3.6 - 4.3 GHz, 4.5 and 4.7 if you're extreme.

930 on 5 GHz is you're extreme.

need good memory if you're going to OC

The AMD 3200 is not the best multitasker, but it does pretty well in games.