[Warpy]

I have to upgrade a friends PC and he wants to know... which CPU is best for the $$ vs performance (this is for gaming)

AMD ATHLON 64 3800+ (2.4GHZ, HYPERTRANSPORT, 64BIT, 512K CACHE SOCKET939

Or

AMD ATHLON 64FX - FX53 (2.4GHZ, 1MB CACHE, HYPERTRANSPORT, 64BIT, SOCKET939

[Shinjikun]

Originally Posted by Funky Monkey

I have to upgrade a friends PC and he wants to know... which CPU is best (this is for gaming)

AMD ATHLON 64 3800+ (2.4GHZ, HYPERTRANSPORT, 64BIT, 512K CACHE SOCKET939

Or

AMD ATHLON 64FX - FX53 (2.4GHZ, 1MB CACHE, HYPERTRANSPORT, 64BIT, SOCKET939

The FX53 due to it's increased onboard cache.

[Drakon]

Originally Posted by Shinjikun

The FX53 due to it's increased onboard cache.

hmmm, rn't the FX53 cpu's really expensive? i guess if ur friend can afford a FX53, then that would be a better choice, i think...

[Shinjikun]

Originally Posted by Drakon

hmmm, rn't the FX53 cpu's really expensive? i guess if ur friend can afford a FX53, then that would be a better choice, i think...

The FX53 is insanely expensive but he asked which performs better.

Edit: Oh yea I just noticed the $$... in that case the normal Athlon 64 would be excellent w/o breaking the bank.

[The_Neon_Cowboy]

FX's are over priced

[dipstick]

Well if he's gonna spend $650 on a 3800+ he might as well throw in another $200 and go for the FX. But to be honest the 3500+ at only $350 is a far better value and can OC to 3800+ spec without the slightest effort.

[Warpy]

Originally Posted by dipstick

Well if he's gonna spend $650 on a 3800+ he might as well throw in another $200 and go for the FX. But to be honest the 3500+ at only $350 is a far better value and can OC to 3800+ spec without the slightest effort.

Hmmmmm.... interesting, so maybe the 3500+ is a better way to go then? What are your thoughts neon?

Thats the thing, the FX-53 is a very $$$ cpu, so is it worth the bang for the buck?

[Judas]

just make sure the cpu has dual memory controller and see if you can get 1mb cache..... and a 939 pin chip.... only thing i would go for..

[Drakon]

Originally Posted by Judas

just make sure the cpu has dual memory controller and see if you can get 1mb cache..... and a 939 pin chip.... only thing i would go for..

the cpu's come with dual memory controllers? or is that a feature of the mobo?

[dipstick]

Originally Posted by Drakon

the cpu's come with dual memory controllers? or is that a feature of the mobo?

All Athlon 64s have the memory controller onboard so the mobo has nothing to do with it anymore(the main reason all boards perform about the same). If you have two or four mem sticks dual channel is possible on all 939 and 940 pin cpus/mobos. The 754s are single channel only, no matter what mobo you get for them

But funky, if he really wants the FX and can wait a few weeks the FX-55 is about to come out and it should(hopefully) drive the price down on the current FX-53. I think it was worth the price but for price/performance nothing beats the 3500+

[Drakon]

The 754s are single channel only, no matter what mobo you get for them

Hmmm, so r the 754 chips compatible with 939 mobos or they only work with a 754 mobo?

[dipstick]

No, each cpu only works in its own socket. The three different cores -754, 939, and 940- all require separate boards.

[No_Style]

I'll echo dipstick's advice. Either go for the 3500+ now, or wait for 3800+ to drop down in price.

But let's throw this into the mix: 3400+. It's a single channel chip with double the amount of cache of the 3500+.

Tech Report's Review comparing both 3400+ and 3500+

I'd go for the 3500+~.. Just cuz it's on a newer core.

[Matth]

There are a few convertible 754/939 motherboards, but it's usually a very clumsy expansion slot arrangement.

A single Socket did for everything from Duron and Thunderbird to XP and Barton.

Now AMD need THREE sockets?

[No_Style]

It's whack:

Socket 940 - Athlon FX and Opteron
Socket 939 - Athlon 64 and Athlon FX
Socket 754 - Athlon 64 and Sempron

Also throw in the fact that there's NewCastle and ClawHammer cores, different cores having 512 KB vs 1024 KB of cache, single and dual channel memory controllers. Talk about consumer friendly!

[CDsDontBurn]

Originally Posted by No_Style

It's whack:

Socket 940 - Athlon FX and Opteron
Socket 939 - Athlon 64 and Athlon FX
Socket 754 - Athlon 64 and Sempron

Also throw in the fact that there's NewCastle and ClawHammer cores, different cores having 512 KB vs 1024 KB of cache, single and dual channel memory controllers. Talk about consumer friendly!

it's no better than intel. Celeron, Celeron D, p4 A,B,C,E each chip could only work in certain boards, and 3 different sockets for the chip (423, 478, 775)

[Drakon]

Originally Posted by No_Style

It's whack:

Socket 940 - Athlon FX and Opteron
Socket 939 - Athlon 64 and Athlon FX
Socket 754 - Athlon 64 and Sempron

Also throw in the fact that there's NewCastle and ClawHammer cores, different cores having 512 KB vs 1024 KB of cache, single and dual channel memory controllers. Talk about consumer friendly!

Ain't that the truth... Yesterday i was going crazy reading up on the cores and their mobos while checking the prices and availability on newegg. Geeze, can't they just stick to one core at a time?

[dipstick]

Btw, just as a heads up it appears that there are very nicely priced 939 pin 3200+ cpus being sold. At $190 it seems like a great deal and should OC nicely since its made on the 90nm core
http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merch...ory_Code=AMD64

[Drakon]

hmmmm, interesting... i wonder how it performs to the others...

[Warpy]

Thanks ppl.

[Geminiwave]

onboard cache means very little on A64s now. THG did some benchies and found that it makes little difference. Dual memory controllers on the other hand make a HUGEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE difference.

[dipstick]

Definitely not always true. If you look at reviews of the 3500+ it is extremely close and sometimes slower than the 3400+ which is single channel but has 1MB L2

[Gardinen]

Well I would still go with the 3500+ because of the Socket 939.

[Geminiwave]

Originally Posted by Gardinen

Well I would still go with the 3500+ because of the Socket 939.

I agree on one hand...its nice that its upgradable. Teh dual channel is good too.

but honestly most people dont upgrade their CPU. They upgrae their mobo AND CPU (and then RAM too if its old)

so i mean if you get the 3400+ you arent ruining yourself really.

the 3500+ is welcome power though.

[Gardinen]

Originally Posted by Geminiwave

I agree on one hand...its nice that its upgradable. Teh dual channel is good too.

but honestly most people dont upgrade their CPU. They upgrae their mobo AND CPU (and then RAM too if its old)

so i mean if you get the 3400+ you arent ruining yourself really.

the 3500+ is welcome power though.

That's true. Although I have upgraded just the CPU twice in my lifetime on the same mobo. But the double memory controllers is really nice. And I don't like the idea of having old technique in my computer .

But either A64 is great so....

[CDsDontBurn]

i've decided that my next upgrade will be no lower than a 3400. But as the socket 939 chips are becoming more widely available and coming down in price, i'm thinking that i might get a 3500 instead. When i do go to upgrade though, and if they're reasonably priced, i might go with a 3800.

[Gardinen]

Originally Posted by Pac-Man

i've decided that my next upgrade will be no lower than a 3400. But as the socket 939 chips are becoming more widely available and coming down in price, i'm thinking that i might get a 3500 instead. When i do go to upgrade though, and if they're reasonably priced, i might go with a 3800.

Getting slow with your P4 3.7Ghz ?