Please help me decide which CPU to buy!

  • Thread starter Thread starter rehsani
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rehsani

Hi folks,

I'm a new subscriber and really enjoy the wealth of knowledge
available here from all of the users. I need some help from all you
gurus to help me decide which AMD Athlon 64 CPU is best for me.

I'm currently ordering parts for my new system and so far have decided
on an Antec P180 case with an ASUS A8N-SLI Deluxe mobo and 1 gig of
memory. I will also get either one Geforce 6600 or 6800 video card for
now. This will be my home computer used for web browsing, email, music
(MP3 conversion and burning), etc., and gaming. I don't consider
myself a hardcore gamer but I do enjoy playing my HL2, FarCry, etc.
several times a week and I will be getting Doom3 as well.

Based on my budget I am looking at 3200+, 3500+, and 3700+. The price
of the 3800+ is really too high for me but if you think there is a
significant advantage perhaps I can look at that. I've done a lot of
online research and frankly I am more confused now than I was before I
started! With all the differences in clock speed, L2 cache size, and
platform (Venice, San Diego, etc.) there seems to be no clear front
runner! Where is sweet spot or the biggest bang for the buck?

I would appreciate any advice you folks can give me.
 
I have been using a 3700+ San Diego for almost 5 months now, When it first
came out I paid $335 for it at Newegg and today it is $269.00. Overclocks
great with Retail HSF. I am running at 2.64 GHz / 11 X 240 at 1.4 V. I'm
sure it will go higher but haven't tried to see how high it will go yet.
 
I have been using a 3700+ San Diego for almost 5 months now, When it first
came out I paid $335 for it at Newegg and today it is $269.00. Overclocks
great with Retail HSF. I am running at 2.64 GHz / 11 X 240 at 1.4 V. I'm
sure it will go higher but haven't tried to see how high it will go yet.
news:[email protected]...
Click to expand...

I wonder why you don't hear much at all about the 3700+. There is
almost no review of it on the web. Is it because the price/benefit is
out of whack? Is it because it is San Diego and not Venice? What's
the difference anyway?
 
I wonder why you don't hear much at all about the 3700+. There is
almost no review of it on the web. Is it because the price/benefit is
out of whack? Is it because it is San Diego and not Venice? What's
the difference anyway?
Click to expand...
Probably because the San Diego cores are more expensive so more people buy
the Venice core, as the added benefit of having 1 Meg of L2 cache doesn't
warrant the extra price for most people. I didn't care about the extra $50
extra over the 3500+ so I bought the 3700+ San Diego. The San Diego has
meg. 1 of L2 cache instead of 512K like the Venice. At $269 it is good bang
for the buck and it overclocks great. If you don't want 1 Meg of L2 cache
then buy the 3000+, 3200+ or 3500+ Venice. The 3000+ is only $146 which is
probably the best bang for the buck but you will have to OC it a lot more.
Also, I'm running mine at stock voltage.
 
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