Tough upgrading options.

[fullgrip]

Hi value carver dudes!

I'll finally upgrade but only mobo and proc and I really want to avoid the 2T command rate crap so...

Considering I don't give a damn about the future-proof factor nor PCI-E and considering my 2.5-4-4-8 FSB210 capable PC3200 1Gb Corsair ValueSelect Dual Channel, I ask the value squeezers:

Which one of these combinations of cpu with OC goal plus mobo will be PERFORM better ?

a) 3000@3400 venice + Gigabyte GA-K8NSC (nForce3 939)
b) 3000@3400 winchester + Gigabyte GA-K8NSC (nForce3 939)
c) 3000@3400 venice + Epox 9NDA3J (nForce3 939)
d) 3000@3400 winchester + Epox 9NDA3J (nForce3 939)
e) 3400@stock clawhammer + Asus K7S-MX (SIS760GX 754)

It's in order of preference -- since I can't imagine which can lead to 2T memory bandwith decreases and also there isn't a single K8NSC mobo review to clarify anything.

And before you guys ask, I will flash'em to latest bios from start and those are my only upgrade options plus I intend to keep my AGP GPU and my ValueSelect mem.

Tricky choices huh?
So which you guys choose?
Know of any other mem incompatibility besides 2T slowness?
Any additional thoughts?

 

[sangyup81]

Epox + Venice

 

[CheesePoofs]

first off, 2T really isn't that slow. My friend is running it on his A64 system, his memory is weird and he hasn't gotten around to replacing it. The only reason you'd have to run 2T would be if you had four sticks of ram in a chip other than a venice. The venice can handle 4 sticks of ram.

I'd recomend getting a venice with the Epox board.

 

[fullgrip]

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
first off, 2T really isn't that slow. My friend is running it on his A64 system, his memory is weird and he hasn't gotten around to replacing it. The only reason you'd have to run 2T would be if you had four sticks of ram in a chip other than a venice. The venice can handle 4 sticks of ram.
I'd recomend getting a venice with the Epox board.

yeah the 4-dimms-friendly-aspect is for me the major improvment in venice

but please read this, it's on the 1T superiority:

In 3DS Max 5.1, we gained 3% of performance
In Medieval War, Comanche we also gained 3%
In Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, we gained 5.5%
In WinRAR and Plasma, the performance advantage was no less than 9%!
source: here some guy made some pretty convincing benchmarks on cmd rate, pls comment

 

[aka1nas]

Originally posted by: fullgrip

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
first off, 2T really isn't that slow. My friend is running it on his A64 system, his memory is weird and he hasn't gotten around to replacing it. The only reason you'd have to run 2T would be if you had four sticks of ram in a chip other than a venice. The venice can handle 4 sticks of ram.
I'd recomend getting a venice with the Epox board.

yeah the 4-dimms-friendly-aspect is for me the major improvment in venice

but please read this, it's on the 1T superiority:

In 3DS Max 5.1, we gained 3% of performance
In Medieval War, Comanche we also gained 3%
In Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory, we gained 5.5%
In WinRAR and Plasma, the performance advantage was no less than 9%!
source: here some guy made some pretty convincing benchmarks on cmd rate, pls comment

Exactly, that isn't enough of a performance difference to be excited about. Other than winrar, the other benchmarks were barely faster enough to even call statistically significant.

Oh and I am pretty sure that even venice can't officially do 1t with 4 sticks unless they are single-sided. it can run them at 200Mhz though, which the winnie couldn't officially do.

 

[fullgrip]

You might be right dude, though some times a 5% of mem bandwith decrease may represent a few extra animation lag shutters in a CS:S hot combat scene, which may lead to death.

Sure you may say this 5% will not do a linear decrease on the overall system performance but then some may say if we give credit to many insignificant tunes, together they may pose significant... mostly in value squeezed systems...

 

[bjc112]

Originally posted by: sangyup81
Epox + Venice

Out of what is listed, def. the Epox + Venice.

 

[imported_Starman]

Originally posted by: CheesePoofs
The only reason you'd have to run 2T would be if you had four sticks of ram in a chip other than a venice. The venice can handle 4 sticks of ram.

The RAM must be single-sided (which nobody uses) in order for all 4 DIMMs to operate at full speed without any problems. The only aspect of Venice that fixes something useful is that now you're able to run RAM at DDR400 speeds (where before it would drop the max speed to DDR333). You still face a lowered command rate, and it's not a lovely penalty to absorb.

 

[The Green Bean]

Originally posted by: bjc112

Originally posted by: sangyup81
Epox + Venice

Out of what is listed, def. the Epox + Venice.

:thumbsup:

I have the same mobo, OCs like a beast (HT)...only problem is the vdimm doesnt go above 2.8

 

[bjc112]

Originally posted by: hatim

Originally posted by: bjc112

Originally posted by: sangyup81
Epox + Venice

Out of what is listed, def. the Epox + Venice.

:thumbsup:

I have the same mobo, OCs like a beast (HT)...only problem is the vdimm doesnt go above 2.8

Meh.. Not TOO bad..

Unless you have some VX that takes hella voltage (3.0 + ) I wouldn't worry..

My neo2 does 2.85, and I hear it undervolts slighty from some, and overvolts to 2.9 on others..

2.85 is all I really need though..