Problem choosing Athlon for box build. - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

billege · 06-15-2004, 10:27 AM

I'm building a box for my wife, budget $500 approx. Only need box hardware.

I'm stuck on choosing the proc though. I know I want an athlon, but there are some difficult choices to make. I know that socket 939 will be the AMD standard for a while, but right now it's brand new and very pricey, so I guess that's out.

I'm looking at these three options, and I'm stuck:

AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Clawhammer (1mb L2) 2.0Ghz for $270.

AMD Athlon 64 2800+ Newcastle (512k L2) 1.8Ghz for $173.

AMD Athlon XP 3000+ Barton (512k L2) 2.16 Ghz for $146.

Now, the 3000+ is running a slightly higher clock than the 3200+ 64, but the speed rating AMD gives is higher. Is the 64 really quicker? Quicker enough to be worth $124 more? Is the 2800+ Athlon 64 actually slower than an Athlon XP with a higher speed rating? Suck if it is. I don't have any 64 bit software, so I need speed for the cash.

I really want to keep the upgrade path open as long as possible, so the idea of an Athlon 64 seems to me like a better choice, over the Athlon XP. Or, is AMD going to move quick enough with the socket 939 chips that I might as well go cheap now on an XP, and upgrade to the 939 when the time comes, two-three years from now. OR, will there be good socket 754 Athlon 64s around then?

I dunno. But I can't choose the mobo until I get the proc figured out.

Hmmm......

Lasereth · 06-15-2004, 10:38 AM

Well, AMD is releasing a whole slew of new Socket A processors in the future that are supposedly competition for Intel's new "extreme" Celerons (they have a ton of cache and a 533 FSB...may actually be formidable). Socket A still has a lot of life in it. Any Athlon XP with a Barton core (starting with the 2500+) will last for years right now. Even if the Bartons get outdated (which will take at least two years), AMD is making new Socket A processors. Buying a Socket A motherboard wouldn't be a bad idea. A Barton 2500+ is $80 now...a fucking steal for the speed and power.

If the computer isn't for gaming, then an Athlon 64 is really overkill until the prices go down. Sure, they're fast, but no faster than an Athlon XP if your wife isn't a hardcore gamer. I wouldn't put money into Socket 754, 939, or 940 if she's not gonna game it up. Socket A has plenty of speedy processors available that'll last for a long time.

My suggest: Abit NF7-S 2.0 with an Athlon XP 2500-3200+. All of those can be bought really cheap and will be plenty fast for years to come (especially if there's not gonna be any hardcore gaming on the PC).

PS: I haven't seen any benchmark results with the Athlon 64 2800+. I imagine that it's not much faster than an Athlon XP of the same rating.

-Lasereth

06-15-2004, 10:27 AM	#1 (permalink)
billege Watcher Location: Ohio	Problem choosing Athlon for box build. I'm building a box for my wife, budget $500 approx. Only need box hardware. I'm stuck on choosing the proc though. I know I want an athlon, but there are some difficult choices to make. I know that socket 939 will be the AMD standard for a while, but right now it's brand new and very pricey, so I guess that's out. I'm looking at these three options, and I'm stuck: AMD Athlon 64 3200+ Clawhammer (1mb L2) 2.0Ghz for $270. AMD Athlon 64 2800+ Newcastle (512k L2) 1.8Ghz for $173. AMD Athlon XP 3000+ Barton (512k L2) 2.16 Ghz for $146. Now, the 3000+ is running a slightly higher clock than the 3200+ 64, but the speed rating AMD gives is higher. Is the 64 really quicker? Quicker enough to be worth $124 more? Is the 2800+ Athlon 64 actually slower than an Athlon XP with a higher speed rating? Suck if it is. I don't have any 64 bit software, so I need speed for the cash. I really want to keep the upgrade path open as long as possible, so the idea of an Athlon 64 seems to me like a better choice, over the Athlon XP. Or, is AMD going to move quick enough with the socket 939 chips that I might as well go cheap now on an XP, and upgrade to the 939 when the time comes, two-three years from now. OR, will there be good socket 754 Athlon 64s around then? I dunno. But I can't choose the mobo until I get the proc figured out. Hmmm...... __________________ I can sum up the clash of religion in one sentence: "My Invisible Friend is better than your Invisible Friend."

06-15-2004, 10:38 AM	#2 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	Well, AMD is releasing a whole slew of new Socket A processors in the future that are supposedly competition for Intel's new "extreme" Celerons (they have a ton of cache and a 533 FSB...may actually be formidable). Socket A still has a lot of life in it. Any Athlon XP with a Barton core (starting with the 2500+) will last for years right now. Even if the Bartons get outdated (which will take at least two years), AMD is making new Socket A processors. Buying a Socket A motherboard wouldn't be a bad idea. A Barton 2500+ is $80 now...a fucking steal for the speed and power. If the computer isn't for gaming, then an Athlon 64 is really overkill until the prices go down. Sure, they're fast, but no faster than an Athlon XP if your wife isn't a hardcore gamer. I wouldn't put money into Socket 754, 939, or 940 if she's not gonna game it up. Socket A has plenty of speedy processors available that'll last for a long time. My suggest: Abit NF7-S 2.0 with an Athlon XP 2500-3200+. All of those can be bought really cheap and will be plenty fast for years to come (especially if there's not gonna be any hardcore gaming on the PC). PS: I haven't seen any benchmark results with the Athlon 64 2800+. I imagine that it's not much faster than an Athlon XP of the same rating. -Lasereth __________________ "A Darwinian attacks his theory, seeking to find flaws. An ID believer defends his theory, seeking to conceal flaws." -Roger Ebert