Which CPU to pair with a GF4 Ti4600?

[DevilsAdvocate]

Need to know which Intel and AMD CPU's will help me get the most bang out of this card

 

[BFG10K]

The faster the better of course.

 

[InsaneMorphius]

Hey there DA!

If you do any sort of OCing, my suggestion would be the 1.8a as this CPU will most likely do 2.4GHz easily

Good luck bro

 

[AnAndAustin]

Well AMD AthlonXP don't o/c much but still give the best 'bang for buck' and are very well priced, the XP rating for gaming is often slightly pescemistic if anything so is a good guide. If you want to o/c XP1900+ or XP2400+ and up are the ones to go for.

P4A/B (512k cache) do o/c very well, 1.8ghz @ 400FSB -> 2.4ghz @ 533FSB is nearly always easily achieved, the 2.0ghz 400FSB also tends to o/c very well. The 533FSB give a very good speed boost even without o/c'ing but you may find the mobo or FSB speed the limiting factor rather than the CPU! The P4A 2.5ghz 400FSB is also meant to o/c well (HardOCP). If you go P4 you really don't need the over-priced RIMM so that means the cost diff only comes down to CPU+HSF as mobo and RAM costs are pretty much the same! See what the prices are like, as BFG10K says the faster the better, as all GF4TI really make the most of every mhz of CPU power which isn't so for GF3 or Rad8500.

 

[rbV5]

Well AMD AthlonXP don't o/c much but still give the best 'bang for buck' and are very well priced, the XP rating for gaming is often slightly pescemistic if anything so is a good guide. If you want to o/c XP1900+ or XP2400+ and up are the ones to go for

Yea right, I get +400MHz without unlocking at stock voltage, Overclocking a $53 XP 1600+ will get you 2200+ without much effort..not too shabby if you ask me.

BFG10K has the right answer.

 

[AnAndAustin]

Yeah the XP1600+ (if you can find them esp with the right core) should hit XP2100+ to XP2200+ speeds BUT that is not guaranteed and a lot of SktA mobos can't handle the huge FSB increase needed. You could be very disappointed buying an XP1600+ if you only end up with XP1600+ to XP1800+ speeds considering even the true XP2000+ doesn't cost a whole lot more in the first place.

So when you look at XP o/c'ing you tend to find:

XP1800+ can reach XP2000+ to 2100+
XP1900+ " " XP2100+ to XP2200+
XP2000+ lucky to hit XP2100+
XP2100+ nothing more
XP2200+ nothing more
XP2400+ and up should do well if you can get hold of them

Then you look at actual clock speed and you see that on average you're looking at an increase of 133mhz (9%), wow that's a lot!

RATING SPEED MULTIPLIER
1600+ 1.40ghz 10.5x
1700+ 1.47ghz 11x
1800+ 1.53ghz 11.5x
1900+ 1.60ghz 12x
2000+ 1.67ghz 12.5x
2100+ 1.73ghz 13x
2200+ 1.80ghz 13.5x

Then looking at how P4 tend to o/c we see for CPUs like 1.8@400 and 2.0@400 33% is pretty easy while 40%+ isn't outrageous:

1.8ghz 400FSB should quite easily hit 2.4ghz and 533FSB while 2.6 isn't unheard of.
2.0ghz " " 2.67ghz & 533FSB while 2.8ghz " ".
2.5ghz " " 2.8ghz & 448FSB while 3ghz " ".

Then to some rough prices from pricewatch:

XP1600+ $54
XP1800+ $70
XP2000+ $90
XP2200+ $143
XP2400+ $197

P4 1.8ghz 400FSB $120
P4 2.0ghz 400FSB $145
P4 2.4ghz 533FSB $184
P4 2.5ghz 400FSB $256
P4 2.8ghz 533FSB $462

IMHO the P4's are the clear choice in terms of o/c'ing but as I said the XP still win out because they are both fast and cheap (once the availability of the top XPs comes up their prices will fall).

 

[rbV5]

Yeah the XP1600+ (if you can find them esp with the right core) should hit XP2100+ to XP2200+ speeds BUT that is not guaranteed

Who quarantees an overclock? Newegg has loads of XP 1600+ all with good steppings for $53 shipped.

Thanks for the overclocking lesson

, but BFG10K still has the right answer and XP 1600+ is the current best bang for the buck if you overclock.

 

[Deeko]

Athlon XP 1600+ if you want bang for your buck.

P4 2.8 if you want speed.

Basically, with a card near high end, the faster the CPU the better.

 

[rogue1979]

If you call GameVE on the phone they will tell you what kind of steppings are available for the XP1600+. The last three AGOIA-Y I have seen all hit a 166MHz fsb at default voltage. If you motherboard doesn't support this fsb speed, simply unlock the cpu. While no overclock is guaranteed, the 1600+ is as good as the chances can get.

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

I don't really overclock CPU's as I absolutely demand reliability. I can't afford a burned out CPU, mobo or anything else, since I have some sensitive, crucial data on my PC. If I lost it, my ass would be next

 

[InsaneMorphius]

DA,

In that case, how much cach you have to spend? That would be the determining factor!

 

[DevilsAdvocate]

Probably around $250 - $300 for mobo and CPU together.

 

[BaboonGuy]

Spend $150 on an Athlon XP 1600+ overclocked to 2100+ with an EpoX 8k5a2+ mobo and use your saved money to get an ATI Radeon 9700 Pro instead.