Should I overclock?/ Do I need to?

[cmp1223]

I'm still really up in the air on wether i should buy a retail Athlon 3000 Barton w/ stock HSF and be done with it, or a mobile 2600+ and a volcano 12 (or another HSF in the $40 range). Both work out to about $140. I have never overclocked but am tempted at the idea. Here are my main questions:

Do i really need to overclock? The most processor intense thing i do is games, and even then a 3000 should last for a quite a while right? Doesn't the video card do most of the work anyway?

Stability? Can a overclocked 2600 run for years? Really, my mom will get this when i go to college and she will probably use it for years. I hear about processors failing some Prime test in so many hours, does that mean is ceases to work or overheats or something?

I only stand to gain about 400mhz right? A stock 3000 is 2.1ghz, and i probably wouldn;t want to push the mobile too far, and the median i gather is about 2.5ghz. I guess this is a significant difference, just not sure if i need it, or will need it. Also, the 3000 is 333FSB while the mobile is only 266. I guess the FSB can be bumped up, but that bumps everything up so i'm even more hesitant to do that.
What do you guys think?

 

[cmp1223]

In case it matters, here is what i'll be pairing the CPU with:

Antec Sonata case with 380watt TRUEpower

512mbx2 Mushkin basic Cas2.5 Pc-3200

EDIT (mispelled) Abit NF7-S rev2 mobo

 

[Twista]

Athlon 3000
i think amd xp 2500+ most likly can get up to 3200+

 

[grepcomputers]

I'm pretty sure oc'ing decreases processor life, epsecially if you increase the core voltage. I ran a P4 1.6A @ 2.1 for about 2 years (increased vcore from 1.5 to 1.575) and then it started showing signs of instability.

Personally, I'd go with the 3000@333fsb, as the bus speed increase will net you some performance gains. More bus speed is always a good thing (IMHO) ;-)

cheers...

 

[Boztech]

I think in your particular case the 3000+ will suffice. The advantage of overclocking would be the benefit of the higher FSB (200+) which certainly helps framerates in games, however being that you aren't an overclocking enthusiast and you plan on handing this machine over to your mother, you should stick with what's reliable and moreover, under warranty. No AXP-M is ever gauranteed to hit 200 fsb particularly on your motherboard with the memory you have.

I'm sure you're mother will appreciate not having to listen to a Tornado fan as well. 😉

 

[moretoys]

I couldn't find an AF7 mobo on the Abit site? what is it? or did you mean nf7-s?

Overclocking is a hobby imho. do it if your interested & spent some time researching how & the risks based on the severity of overclocking. Most people really only gain a few framerates or seconds in what they are doing. Mind you there are options for significant performance improvements for less money, like the hardware you are looking at.
As for tangable gains, look for results people post based on what you do. Use that to help you decide. (170 fps or 190 doesn't mean much to me personnaly)

I think if you are concerned with ensuring a processor last for years, you shouldn't do anything in overclocking. Others will disagree, and the only reason I say this is it can be an addiction. how far can I go for the least money 🙂 or with what I can afford.
That said, a failure in PRIME only indicates the processor is running faster at the set voltage than it can run reliably. It is overheating that normally kills processors (or faulty hardware), not errors in calculations. if you get an error in PRIME, you need to reduce the speed, or up the voltage to make the processor operate 100% accurately.

For the board I think you have, upping the FSB or changing the multiplier is independant of the other buses (agp, pci) so upping the speed does not overclock the rest of the components unless you purposely overclock, say, a video card.

I currently have a barton 2500+ running at 3200+ speeds (2.21 Ghz) with 1.71 volts core. Will it run for years? Your guess is as good as mine. It runs between 46-56 degrees celcius depending on load. Why did I overclock? because I can, because I get the performance of a processor significantly more expensive now (or at least when I did it), and because I figure by the time the processor fails, or if it fails, I can get a replacement likely that is faster for around $50, if socket A is still sold. (or just replace the whole thing)
So you need to figure out if the 'risk' of overclocking is worth trying it. I don't see it as a huge risk if you read, take small steps & take time to validate things are running in spec.
Good Luck!

 

[cmp1223]

thank for he replies thus far. moretoys, yes i meant the Nf7-s. also, can you explain this statement:

"Mind you there are options for significant performance improvements for less money, like the hardware you are looking at"

i'm not sure what you're reffering to: overclocking for better performance?, or are there better components for a similar price?

 

[moretoys]

I just mean the mobo you have with a mobile processor has potential to operating faster than a 3200+ from what I've read. I personnaly would look at getting one if I could justify it, but I can't with what I get for performance from my current OC setup.
Meaning for me, I would get the mobile because I would want to try to overclock it to see what it will do, not because I expect it to really run that much faster than the 3000+ option you mentioned, but it might.
If your trying to base the decision of what to buy on strictly performance, do some reading on what the real difference between your options is for the software you are running. And understand the risks of not getting an OC like others post. As I said, I personnaly wouldn't buy a processor to OC just to get a few FPS in a game, I would cause it is a hobby. I think if you want the hobby, get a mobile, if you simply want a computer, get the 3000+.
Hope this helps...