Should I upgrade to AMD64 x2 3800+ from P4-2.4C?

[f13dfx]

Hi, I'm new to this forum. I'm looking to upgrading my processor to dual core, but cannot decide on whether I should go Intel or AMD. I'm on a limited budget, so I'm trying to get the best bang for my buck. Right now I am leaning towards the AMD Athlon 64 x2 3800+ since I want to keep the following:

- 1GB Kingston DDR Ram PC3200
- ATI Radeon 9800XT 256mb AGP Video Card
- Thermalright XP-120 Heavy Duty Heatsink

This is what I do most on a day-to-day basis:
- Run multiple Excel spreadsheets
- Browse the internet with mutiple IE browsers open
- Encode HDTV transport streams (.ts) to XViD
- Download HDTV files via NewsLeecher
- Serve video content from my PC to networked LinkPlayer2 to play on my Sony HDTV
- Watch satellite TV with my Twinhan DVB-S card
- Record HDTV transport streams with my R5000-HD PC recorder
- Output HDTV transport streams via my ATI Radeon to my Sony HDTV

Right now, my overclocked P4-2.4C to 3GHZ sometimes slows to a "crawl" when I am doing most of these tasks together.

I just want some of you to confirm whether or not I am doing the right thing by switching to an AMD64 X2 3800+. I also plan on using an ASUS A8V-Deluxe since it is only one of a very few motherboards that still support AGP and DDR Ram and have socket 939. I also plan on overclocking the CPU, but with stability in mind.

Thank you in advance!

 

[GuitarDaddy]

Sounds like a good plan! You will see a very nice all around performance increase, and a huge increase in multi-tasking performance.

The x2 3800+ is a little more expensive than the 820d Intel dual core, but it has much better performance, runs much cooler, uses less electricity, and overclocks better. The x2 is hands down the better choice IMO. I would also look at the s939 dual core opteron 165's that have just been released, basically the same chip as the x2 3800+ except with a larger L2 cache, better memory controller and potentially a higher overclocker, and a little cheaper than the x2 3800+

 

[f13dfx]

Thanks for the advice on the Opteron 165, but here in Canada the Opteron is about $150 CDN higher than the x2 3800+

 

[f13dfx]

One more thing about the Opteron 165. Will it work on the ASUS A8V Deluxe motherboard? Don't see anything on their specs that supports this, but since Opteron 165 is fairly new and it is the exact architecture as x2 3800+, I would think it would work.

 

[Snakexor]

i would get the msi neo2, perhaps the best o/cing nforce3 board, which supports agp and ddr1

 

[f13dfx]

Is this the one you are referring to?

MSI K8N NEO2-Platinum
NF3 Ultra Chipset S939
1AGP8x/4PCI/4DDR W/Sound GB-Lan SATA Raid IEEE 1394

 

[Snakexor]

yes sir

 

[Mogadon]

As you're on a budget you may want to consider the normal Neo2, it's the same as platinum only minus the second LAN port and firewire, it retails at about $75-80 so if you aren't going to use those extra features it makes sense to get it.

 

[biostud]

you could also consider getting the Asrock 939Dual-SATA2, which both have an AGP and PCIe slot, so you can get a PCIe card later on.

http://www.asrock.com.tw/product/product_939Dual-SATA2.htm

http://www.asrock.com.tw/support/CPU_Support/show.asp?Model=939Dual-SATA2

 

[f13dfx]

How do these boards compare to the ASUS A8V Deluxe in terms of stability and overclocking?

 

[Andres3605]

Neo2, excellent stability and above average overclocking, i have one with an Opteron 165 @ 2.5 stock volts.

 

[keidanny]

I switched from exactly the same setup. 2.4C + Kingston ram to my current rig (sig). Its a nice improvement in speed definately!

 

[biostud]

AT review of Asrock 939Dual-SATA2:
http://anandtech.com/mb/showdoc.aspx?i=2524&p=1

 

[johnnqq]

stick a gt or xl in there and you're fine for another year

 

[MrPickins]

I just replaced an AthlonXP barton @2.4 with a 3800+X2, and the difference is amazing.

I record a lot of .ts with my fusion5 tuner, and had problems doing any other kind of intensive tasks when I was recording or encoding. Now, not only am I encoding at twice the speed, I have the seti@boinc client running, and browsing the internet at the same time. And, the system still feels responsive, although a bit more ram might help me even more (1gig now, but itching to double it).

 

[Markfw]

The asrock has some repoorted issues and I don't think OC's as well as the neo2

 

[f13dfx]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
The asrock has some repoorted issues and I don't think OC's as well as the neo2

Hmmm....I just checked the review here and other than the cold boot issue which was fixed by a bios revision, there are no issues

What I really like is the option for either AGP or PCI Express. I spent a lot of dough for my ATI 9800XT and it will do fine right now since all I'm doing mostly is encoding recorded HD transport streams to either WMV-HD or XVID.

Also, the fact that the boards are manufactured by Asus, gives me a lot of comfort.

 

[Markfw]

Check the OC's, that where the problems seem to be, they don;t go as high, and other OC related issues. Not horrible, but I decided against due to what I saw. Very happy with the neo4-f. Not sure on my new vnf4-ultra, my new 3800+ barely does 2500.

 

[f13dfx]

Markfw900:

I just read the S939 mobo shootout here and it looks like the MSI K8N NEO2-Platinum NF3 Ultra is the one for me. It has the AGP slot for my ATI Radeon 9800XT and has very good overclocking potential.

 

[Markfw]

Yes I have a 4400+ in one of those two !!!!! Neo2 is fine, use the 1.9 bios IMO In fact thats the box I am currently typing from.

 

[f13dfx]

Damn....I just checked my Thermalright XP-120 Heatsink's mobo compatibility guide and it says that it's not compatible with the Neo2 because the caps get in the way. Guess I'm back to using the Asus A8V Deluxe

 

[alright]

Yes

 

[f13dfx]

Okay, thinking of ditching the XP-120 for an XP-90 Copper.

Which mobo should I get:
1. Asus A8V Deluxe
2. MSI K8N NEO2-Platinum NF3 Ultra
3. DFI LanParty UT nF3 Ultra-D

 

[MDE]

Look at the Epox 9NDA3J or 9NDA3+, mine overclocks well and is running my X2 3800+ @ 2.6GHz. I'm not sure about compatibility with the XP-120 though.

 

[f13dfx]

Got the ASRock S939 Dual Sata2 board instead

I'll post my overclocking results as soon as I get my Opteron 165 from Monarch.