Mac said:
Paul:
Hmmm, I was hoping I could get by with a more modest X2 4000+ upgrade and
still see a significant improvement over my P4. If I were building a
system from scratch for myself I would have gone with a little higher end
components but I seem to be stuck with this one. Not a bad system, I know
some people don't like the ECS boards but I don't overclock or game so my
needs are modest.
It really depends on your definition of what is an upgrade.
My old rule of thumb, was to avoid spending money, until the
new hardware would be twice as fast.
Remember that, in the worst case, one of the two cores on the
dual core can be idle. Instead of trusting the 4000+ rating,
which is if both cores are contributing, you should take the
clock rate and single core performance, as a guide.
For example, here is an X2 4000+, two cores at 2.1GHz, 2x512KB cache.
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=60
If I then select a single core processor, running at 2.1Ghz, with
a single 512KB cache, I get somewhere between a 3200+ to a 3500+
rating. That would be a better estimate, for comparison against
the P4, for all the software cases where the second core is
not helping. Thus, your upgrade, is 3300/2530 = 1.30x in
pathological software situations.
http://products.amd.com/en-us/DesktopCPUDetail.aspx?id=113
If you go with a 6000+, using some rough rules, 3000 x 1.5 = 4500
(1.5 representing the higher IPC on Athlon64 versus P4),
and 4500/2530 = 1.78x comparing single core operation. Now,
that is closer to double, which would justify spending money
on it. (To prevent "sidegrades", I aim for a doubling, but I
haven't always managed to achieve that. I went from a P4 1.8
to a P4 2.8 for example. I seldom buy the most expensive option.
The difference now, is the price war makes moving upscale,
that much easier. The price war will not last, and the Inquirer
mentioned the war may be over.)
The other option, is to go with a 5000+ "black box", with
unlocked multiplier. Some of those give amazing overclocks
for the money. To get some benefit from this type of
processor, check the BIOS to see if there is a multiplier
setting. Or use a tool like RMClock in Windows, to
crank it to 3GHz. You don't need an unlocked multiplier to
overclock, if you have access to a setting for the processor
clock (>200Mhz). The unlocked multiplier helps in cases where
a multiplier option is all you have to work with. And some of
the tools that change the multiplier while in Windows, can
also be used, even if the BIOS is not cooperating. If a board
supports Cool N' Quiet, the hardware has to support multiplier
changes and programmable VID as well, so Vcore can also be
adjusted in software, even if the BIOS lacks an option.
You could even buy one of these processors, and save the overclocking
options for a "rainy day". (I used to do that - for example,
I only overclocked my Celeron 300 to 450, near the end of its
days. Even though that overclock was a slam-dunk - just a single
dip switch change to make it work.)
AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Brisbane 2.6GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache Socket AM2 65W Black Edition
(Unlocked multiplier. No cooler! Buy the cooler separately.) $130
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16819103194
Paul
