from intel to amd

[badsektor]

thanks guys for all the advice.

by the way which is more durable, a p43.2 or an AMD 3800 64???

im still kinda thinking on going to AMD for my procs. will heating be a problem on AMD procs??

 

[Kenny]

Hey. I think the 3800+ will last longer because its closer to the top of the trechnology tree, although I THINK (ie i`m not sure) that at the moment, the Pentium 3.2 with a good motherboard, when overclocked will give overall better performance in 2D apps.

I`ve heard stories that AMD procs generate more heat than Intel ones because of the CPU design, although "average" temp values for new Intels suggest that theres a lot of heat involved. If my CPU was runnin at 50C, i`d be unhappy. I know its not a dangerous speed, but i`m used to seeing low thirties on my temp readouts. For every 10C temp increase, the transistors life is halved.(approx)

 

[Kenny]

Hey Alf- I think the 64 bit processor will be faster. 64 Bit processing for Apps (assuming the software is 64 bit, and even if it isnt now, it will be) plus 754 or 939 Pin mobos are newer than Socket A boards. So even if there isnt much of a difference between the 3200`s in terms of speed, the mobo they`re connected to will make a difference.

-> if you`re thinking of upgrading to a 939 Pin setup, i`d recommend the 3500+ proc instead. Theres only £30 difference between the two.

 

[kristel]

Alf - Kenny is right. An A64 3200+ is much faster than an XP3200+ in all benchmarks and real world tests, often by quite a large margin.

I'm also not sure where the heat problem ideas started for the A64 line? They are much cooler as a family than the 90nm P4s.

 

[badsektor]

hmmm, more info.

so XP is like the celeron version on intel chips. am i correct on this??

these are the parts that i already have right now

Xaser3 tower(from my old setup).
the ones that i bought from a couple of respectable pc shops:
Albatron 6800 Ultra
Crucial3200 1GB
Audigy 2 5.1
HEC 475W dual fan PSU
Coolviva cooler to replace the one on my 6800

all in all it already cost me 830$.

im still thinking about buying the A8N-SLI mobo and either a 64 3800+ or the 64 3200+
well i've also visited the AMD site just recently and i saw a 64 4000+ with a 1MB L2 cache.

well its not availeable yet from where iam. should i wait for it or should i go for either of the 64 3800+ or 3200+

will a 512 difference on L2 cache make that much of a difference??

can anyone send me a link with a benchmark between P43.2G and a 64 3800+

thanks.

 

[muckshifter]

so XP is like the Celeron version on Intel chips. am I correct on this??

Nope ... the 'Duron' was ... however, AMD were very clever in dropping that 'badge' name and have replaced it with the 'Sempron' but, don't get to confused as, that is NOT a re-badge Duron, but a re-badge Athlon T'bird/T'bred.

Keep the market interested and you'll sell your product.



Stick with the knowledge that Intel does not have a 64bit chip ... yet.

 

[muckshifter]

On-board cache is very important to the 'speed' of a CPU ... more is better, especially L1.

L2 cache used to be your RAM that you stuck on the motherboard that was until they figured out a way to incorporate it into the CPU.

L1 cache is very important as, is as much L2 cache, but very expensive.

Don't be sucked into the idea that 1MB cache will make the CPU twice as fast as one with 512 cache ... those numbers have never worked in reality.

There was always a "sweet spot" that once achieved was the limit one needed, and then adding more was just a waste. This is quickly being proved incorrect. XP will thank you and use all you can throw at it, you may not "see" much difference in performance of a particular piece of software, but XP will find things a lot easier to do.

The same can be said for a CPU with 1MB cache.

 

[badsektor]

thanks mucks. i just ordered meself a 64 3800+. cost me 350$. i'll probably read more about AMD mobo on the net . i really don't know a lot about AMD and mobos. but after reading your post. i think i'm gonna settle for a mobo with just 1PCI-e slot on it with lots of L1 cache and at least supports DDR2 and SATA.

i'll go back to the ASUS site for more info on AMD mobos. any other mobo manufacturers in mind, im open for suggestions .

whew im really getting excited by all this coz its my first time to use an AMD system.

thanks

 

[muckshifter]

I wouldn't bother trying to find AMD and DDR2 in one ... it will not exist.

Official standpoint on DDR2 of Sunnyvale, California-based AMD was said numerous times during various meetings as well as at CeBIT 2004 and was also published at AnandTech recently: “AMD will support DDR2 when it makes sense. This means: when DDR2-667 is introduced and performance advances enough to overcome the DDR2 latency penalty and when the DDR2 price premium fades.”

In an attempt to provide high memory system bandwidth for its processors while sustaining low memory latencies, AMD is expected to revamp its memory controller to support memory at speeds beyond conventional 400MHz DDR SDRAM.

This indeed has been achieved especially with the 939pin package.

Companies like OCZ Technology and Corsair have been making DDR memory modules at speeds of 500MHz for more than a year now and are now ramping production of 550MHz DDR as well as 600MHz DDR SDRAM devices. OCZ’s CEO Ryan Petersen recently also expressed very positive attitude towards DDR SDRAM at speeds of 650MHz or higher.

Again, they are out there.

MSI are a favourite with me ... just as reliable and as durable as any. I choose MSI but if I cannot get the one I'm after, Asus will be my second choice. Others here may have a difference of opinion.