shameless newbie help! Sempron or athlon xp?

[imported_tkkidd]

Hello

I bought a an35 ultra awhile ago, but i never got around to building it.

Shuttle An 35 ultra currently supports

http://global.shuttle.com/Supp...sp?Item=AN35/N%20Ultra

Processor
AMD Sempron socket 462 2800+
AMD Sempron socket 462 2600+
AMD Sempron socket 462 2500+
AMD Sempron socket 462 2400+
AMD Sempron socket 462 2300+
AMD Sempron socket 462 2200+
AMD Athlon XP 2800+
AMD Athlon XP 2700+
AMD Athlon XP 2600+
AMD Athlon XP 2500+
AMD Athlon XP 2400+
AMD Athlon XP 2400+
AMD Athlon XP 2200+
AMD Athlon XP (Thorton) 2400+
AMD Athlon XP (Thorton) 2200+
AMD Athlon XP (Thorton) 2000+
AMD Athlon XP (Barton) 3200+
AMD Athlon XP (Barton) 3000+
AMD Athlon XP (Barton) 3000+
AMD Athlon XP (Barton) 2800+
AMD Athlon XP (Barton) 2600+
AMD Athlon XP (Barton) 2500+

and more.

I was gonna get a 2600+ barton but people say mobile xp are better.. then Sempron chip came out...

Those names mean nothing to me. I can install heat sink.. install hard drive..install os...partition...but I don't know the diffrence of those cpu. my computer knowlege is just above ignorance.

Usage of my computer:
I'm not a hard core gamer, nor over clocker. I just want a stable machine ( and yes I can't afford intel)

What should i buy ? What's best bang for the buck?

which ram should i buy ddr 400? Circuit City has a deal on the Kingston 512MB DDR PC3200 Module on Sale for $59.99 with free shipping
after $40 in rebates

should i get that??



where can i get the good reading on the overclocking and ram timing (the 2-2-2 thing...)

I just understood bit setting thing on dvd+r drive.

I would like to expend my knowlege on mb and overclocking..

please help. any comment or suggested reading will be greatly appeciated.

 

[ts3433]

Mobile XPs are generally suggested for overclocking or underclocking/undervolting (for fanless HTPC use). They're very easy to overclock and the only Socket A procs left that have unlocked multipliers. Just as with the old Barton 2500, 2.2GHz (3200+) is easy. You'll need to buy a separate cooler with one of these, but even a $14 Speeze FalconRock will do quite well (though I personally use a Zalman 3100, which I got for around $20).

As for RAM, get DDR400, overclocking or not, because you'll usually see it for the same price as lower speeds, but this can be carried over to another rig more easily. Get value RAM; latencies make little difference, and you probably won't be going over 200 or 215 FSB with an XP anyway (value RAM can handle this). If you don't want to muck around with rebates, spend an extra $10 on a 512MB stick of Corsair Value Select PC3200 from Newegg.

In general, I really wouldn't spend more than $100 for a Socket A processor these days, since A64s are so cheap.

 

[Assimilator1]

but I don't know the diffrence of those cpu.

This guide should tell you want you want to know

Basically all Bartons & Sempron 3000 have 512k L2 cache ,they run on 166 except some XP3000s & XP3200s 200FSB
All XP T'breds & skt A Semprons (except the 3000) have 256k L2 cache.
XP 2600 upwards run on 166FSB ,upto XP2400 run on 133FSB (& some XP2600s too)

Forgot about the XPMs ,they all run on 133FSB AFAIK but as mentioned they have unlocked multipliers so you can run them on any FSB .Oh & XPMs from 2400 upwards (I think thats right) are based on the Barton core.