Should I buy an E4300?

[SickBeast]

Hey guys,

I'm thinking about upgrading and would appreciate some advice.

Here is my current rig:

- Asus 8800GTS 320MB @ 648 / 985
- Opteron 144 @ 2.7ghz
- Asus A8N-E motherboard
- 2GB DDR1 400
- 250GB WD HDD
- Dell 2405FWP 24" monitor (1920x1200)

The 4300 is $140 at a local shop, and I think I can get an ok motherboard for under $100. Memory is so cheap now that I think I can get 2GB worth for $150 or so. In total I would spend $400. Is it worth it? Will I notice a huge difference over my current CPU, in games especially? Really my rig is mainly for gaming at this point. Thanks!

 

[myocardia]

There's no way I would do it. While a C2D is ~20-25% faster clock for clock than an A64, floating point has always been the A64's specialty. The performance difference clock for clock with FP is close enough that you'd have a hard time being able to tell the difference, I would think, especially with the 320 MB GTS, since it struggles with some games at 1920.

 

[f4phantom2500]

you can easily get 2gb for $100, and that's good ram. you might be able to sell off your ddr ram and opteron for cash, and that motherboard, idk though. if i were you i would just wait, the longer you wait the cheaper things are gonna get. your opteron is still good for most games.

 

[SickBeast]

Thanks for the replies.

I was under the impression that a C2D would crush my current CPU, especially overclocked.

Maybe I'll just wait for Barcelona.

 

[lyssword]

or get a dual-core? depending on the games you play, dual core x3800 could improve your fps. And it's 80-90$ at newegg

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: lyssword
or get a dual-core? depending on the games you play, dual core x3800 could improve your fps. And it's 80-90$ at newegg

My concern is that I hear most of the 3800's hit only 2.5/2.6ghz, and at that speed my single 2.7ghz core will probably be faster in games.

Plus, it's not worth $90 to gain a few percent. I want to get a massive improvement if I upgrade.

 

[the Chase]

For a massive improvement while still not breaking the bank, I'd go with the 6420 CPU and DFI 965-S motherboard and OC the transistors right off the chip. $190 or so for the CPU and $140-$150 for the motherboard. A little more expensive but much better results.

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: the Chase
For a massive improvement while still not breaking the bank, I'd go with the 6420 CPU and DFI 965-S motherboard and OC the transistors right off the chip. $190 or so for the CPU and $140-$150 for the motherboard. A little more expensive but much better results.

How is the 6420 so different from the 4300?

 

[yacoub]

4MB cache instead of 2MB (which has little real-world gaming performance difference), a lower multiplier (which means you'd have to push your motherboard's FSB farther to reach the same clockspeed as the E4300), and a default 1066MHz bus instead of 800MHz on the E4300, but that's tied to the fsb so it really doesn't matter a whole lot.

So overall you'd be spending more money for little real world improvement. You can OC the E4300 farther faster because it runs at a 9x multiplier (E6420 is 8x, 6320 is 7x, E4400 is 10x)

I'd select the E4400 and just about any motherboard will allow you to OC the fsb enough to get it over 3.0GHz. Or the E4300 and any of the more overclock-oriented motherboards, or an E6420 and a superior overclocking board.

 

[SickBeast]

Thanks everyone, especially yacoub.

Do you think the 4300 would give me a good boost over my current rig if I can OC to 3.0ghz or more?

 

[s1rwilliam]

i have a e4300 on a gigabyte ds3... 3.0ghz on stock cooler no vcore adjustments. Destroys my p4 and I love it

 

[MikeyLSU]

Originally posted by: s1rwilliam
i have a e4300 on a gigabyte ds3... 3.0ghz on stock cooler no vcore adjustments. Destroys my p4 and I love it

what are your temps, and what are you using to get them?

 

[Puffnstuff]

If you're going to buy a new mb and ram then by all means go c2d. I had an opty 175 and moved to the e6400 and yes it is faster.

 

[harpoon84]

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Thanks everyone, especially yacoub.

Do you think the 4300 would give me a good boost over my current rig if I can OC to 3.0ghz or more?

In multithreaded games it could, but I think at 1920x1200 you are more GPU limited than CPU limited.

How is your current system running games anyway?

 

[AnotherGuy]

Id say Ebay ur gts 320 and get at least the gts 640 or even better wait for R600 10 more days... and get a card with at least 512mb ram...
Since u already have ur opty at 2.7 an e4300 at 3.0ghz will not be a huge difference in gaming.... itd be like having ur opty running at 3.5ghz... yes i know it sounds better but better results ud see if u got a better vidcard for those high resolutions ur monitor needs. Barcelona is a few months away and Penryn is on the way I dont think its a good time for ur rig to be upgraded... if u want to see huge results.

Or if u have to upgrade then wait 2 more weeks until P35 motherboards come out n then get ur e4300 that way u can upgrade to Penryn later when it comes out.... I almost forgot about this option....which is what im choosing btw

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: AnotherGuy
Id say Ebay ur gts 320 and get at least the gts 640 or even better wait for R600 10 more days... and get a card with at least 512mb ram...
Since u already have ur opty at 2.7 an e4300 at 3.0ghz will not be a huge difference in gaming.... itd be like having ur opty running at 3.5ghz... yes i know it sounds better but better results ud see if u got a better vidcard for those high resolutions ur monitor needs. Barcelona is a few months away and Penryn is on the way I dont think its a good time for ur rig to be upgraded... if u want to see huge results.

Or if u have to upgrade then wait 2 more weeks until P35 motherboards come out n then get ur e4300 that way u can upgrade to Penryn later when it comes out.... I almost forgot about this option....which is what im choosing btw

You really don't know what you're talking about in terms of the GTS. My videocard runs *every* game out there at 1920x1200, most of them with 4XAA. HL2:E1 runs with 8XAA enabled at 60+FPS with everything at max, just as an example.

In terms of the CPU thanks very much for the info.

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: harpoon84

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Thanks everyone, especially yacoub.

Do you think the 4300 would give me a good boost over my current rig if I can OC to 3.0ghz or more?

In multithreaded games it could, but I think at 1920x1200 you are more GPU limited than CPU limited.

How is your current system running games anyway?

Very nicely, but it occasionally feels CPU bound. I attribute the dips in my FPS to the CPU.

 

[harpoon84]

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: harpoon84

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Thanks everyone, especially yacoub.

Do you think the 4300 would give me a good boost over my current rig if I can OC to 3.0ghz or more?

In multithreaded games it could, but I think at 1920x1200 you are more GPU limited than CPU limited.

How is your current system running games anyway?

Very nicely, but it occasionally feels CPU bound. I attribute the dips in my FPS to the CPU.

Well, there is an easy way to test if this is the case. Lower the resolution or AA/AF in game and see if performance improves. If performance remains the same (especially in the places where you are suspecting you are CPU bound) then it may very well be a CPU bottleneck.

I would be wary of running too high AA/AF on a 8800GTS 320MB, it may very well run out of video memory, which would have a big effect on framerates.

 

[SickBeast]

Originally posted by: harpoon84

Originally posted by: SickBeast

Originally posted by: harpoon84

Originally posted by: SickBeast
Thanks everyone, especially yacoub.

Do you think the 4300 would give me a good boost over my current rig if I can OC to 3.0ghz or more?

In multithreaded games it could, but I think at 1920x1200 you are more GPU limited than CPU limited.

How is your current system running games anyway?

Very nicely, but it occasionally feels CPU bound. I attribute the dips in my FPS to the CPU.

Well, there is an easy way to test if this is the case. Lower the resolution or AA/AF in game and see if performance improves. If performance remains the same (especially in the places where you are suspecting you are CPU bound) then it may very well be a CPU bottleneck.

I would be wary of running too high AA/AF on a 8800GTS 320MB, it may very well run out of video memory, which would have a big effect on framerates.

That's generally true, however there seems to be a general misconception that this card can't run games at 1920x1200...in reality it manhandles them at that res. I run most games at 4XAA or else AA disabled, but in some games like HL2:E1 I can run with 8XAA with very little performance hit.

 

[apoppin]

i *just* upgraded ...

my IC7 took a dump Monday night [PCI slots non functional] ... i ordered Wednesday night from NewEgg ... got the package from UPS this afternoon and finished the build and loading Win a couple hours ago and ran tests and OC'ing

from NewEgg, the e4300 is $114.50 shipped ... Corsair xms 2x1GB PC 6400 is 109 after MIR, shipped ... and i paid $25 for an ASrock open Box MB which i needed to keep my new AGP x1950p/512

or $260 shipped ... about $35 more than i will get for my P4 and PC3500

it OC's nicely to 2.66G - which i *believe* is a limitation of my MB [without a voltage mod] - and runs COOL

HOWEVER, i believe my 2nd Core is not enabled [limitation of Win2K?] and i *only* get 10K in 3DMark05 ... not much over the 9K i got with my P4

of course, my MB also limits my PC6400 to PC5400 speeds ... so that is a small factor

but the install ran smoothly and i have all new stuff ... with a new 'opening' for a GTS or HD 2900XT that was impossible before

 

[betasub]

Originally posted by: apoppin
HOWEVER, i believe my 2nd Core is not enabled [limitation of Win2K?] and i *only* get 10K in 3DMark05 ... not much over the 9K i got with my P4

Check in Device Manager if your Computer is registered as ACPI Uni- or Multi- processor PC. Win2K will recognise your second core just fine if you select ACPI Multi-processor PC.

3dMark05 default benchmark isn't designed to measure differences between CPUs: it is a 3D-benchmark, after all. It's much more sensitive to changes in your graphics card. Your results on the CPU tests shold have improved though, even it appears only to be from 2fps to 3fps

 

[apoppin]

what do you know ... reinstalling the ACPI driver now shows TWO cpus in Task Manager Performance ... no ned to reinstall Win



05 does measure the CPU pretty specifically ... the CPU tests have improved ...
--just not so dramatically over my P4 EE

 

[s1rwilliam]

Originally posted by: MikeyLSU

Originally posted by: s1rwilliam
i have a e4300 on a gigabyte ds3... 3.0ghz on stock cooler no vcore adjustments. Destroys my p4 and I love it

what are your temps, and what are you using to get them?

My temps are 20 idle and 45-50 at load using orthos. Im using speed fan to get them, i checked easy tune (which came with my mobo) that the temps were right and they were.

 

[MikeyLSU]

Originally posted by: s1rwilliam

My temps are 20 idle and 45-50 at load using orthos. Im using speed fan to get them, i checked easy tune (which came with my mobo) that the temps were right and they were.

That is my problem.
Easy Tune is saying I idle at 30C,
Core Temp .94 is saying 38C,
Core Temp .95 is saying 54C,
TAT is saying 55C
and Speed Fan is saying 39C

That is all at idle
I don't know what to trust at all. If I go by Core Temp/SpeedFan/Easy Tune, I can OC a good bit more which I want to do.

If I go by Core Temp .95/TAT, I should lower my OC.

 

[apoppin]

i am using TAT ... temps for both cores show in the mid/upper 30C

but the 2nd core is grayed out ... so
CPU-0 is fine ... CPU-1 has no workload

i guess i will try to reinstall Win overtop itself ... update the BIOS ... the latest VIA drivers [they only have 5.07a on the ASrock site]

the usual ...