sorry - amd vs p4 thread - buyer needs serious help with choices
sorry to post yet another AMD vs Pentium 4 thread but I am genuinely confused and need a hand with some serious choices.
Yesterday I managed to fry my lovely unlocked AthlonXP 3000+, 5900 ultra and A7N8X mobo , but having paniced about how I was gonna afford to replace it I phoned my insurance company and Im covered - theyll pay out for a new cpu, mobo and gpu on an old for new - my rig was top o the range when I insured it so I'll get top o the range this time.
Now for replacement choices:
GPU - 256mb ATI Radeon 9800 XT (or should I get the pro? which is better?)- no question they're the best there is (tho what make would you guys suggest? sapphire?)
but when it comes to cpu im stuck - my exact choices are -
Pentium 4 3.2ghz Northwood Extreme Edition (altho confusingly this appears to also come in a 3.4ghz version available HERE - is this real? it costs more but if it is 3.4 then this is my pentium contender for my next cpu)
or
AMD Athlon64 FX51 2.2ghz
I will overclock whatever cpu I get - which will overclock for best results on AIR cooling only? I use my cpu for gaming and high performance applications - and I'll admit Im a slave to benchmarking and tweaking to the max. However I'll also admit I know NOTHING about Pentiums or how to OC them - iv always owned amd. So my main questions are -
Which is the best? ie - fastest, will give best results in games and benchmarks? bearing in mind I intend to OC - so this comparison had to be at OC'd speeds (say FX51@ 2.4 and p4@ 3.6ish). Money is not an issue here.
Which will OC best? and more importantly OC the coolest? i dont wana boiler in my pc!! (iv heard the new athlon64s get very hot - and im not even gonna go near prescott)
For each choice which is the best Motherboard (as I need a new one of them too) to go with em thats good for OCing? I wanted sata, raid etc.. and know nothing about pentium mobos at all, and very little about the new amd mobos either
Can I use dual FX's on an Opteron board? thatd be a bad *** system?!
Iv heard the FX51 requires registered RAM - my ram isnt and I CANNOT afford to replace it, and im not trying to claim for it either before anyone suggests it - if this is the case then FX51 is a no go (unless the Athlon64 3200 (or 3400+ - is this out yet?) doesnt require registered ram and is better than a p4 3.2/3.4ee @3.6ghz or above?)
What heatsinks do I use for em? For the Pentium4 id definately go with a Thermalright SP94 combined with my 120mm delta (190cfm) - would this be up for the job? And what is the best choice for an FX51 or other AMD64?
As you can see im very confused and need some serious responses to help me choose my replacement rig - sorry for starting what appears to be another amd vs pentium thread - i did read the others but they all seemed to be arguments with no real decision - i need a buyers guide to each chip, its corresponding mobo and which'll be best for me. At the mo im thinking P4 3.4ghz (if its real - can anyone confirm my link to it is genuine?), but im so unsure. I want the best!!!
Thanks guys
Tornado Guy
sorry to post yet another AMD vs Pentium 4 thread but I am genuinely confused and need a hand with some serious choices.
Yesterday I managed to fry my lovely unlocked AthlonXP 3000+, 5900 ultra and A7N8X mobo , but having paniced about how I was gonna afford to replace it I phoned my insurance company and Im covered - theyll pay out for a new cpu, mobo and gpu on an old for new - my rig was top o the range when I insured it so I'll get top o the range this time.
Now for replacement choices:
GPU - 256mb ATI Radeon 9800 XT (or should I get the pro? which is better?)- no question they're the best there is (tho what make would you guys suggest? sapphire?)
but when it comes to cpu im stuck - my exact choices are -
Pentium 4 3.2ghz Northwood Extreme Edition (altho confusingly this appears to also come in a 3.4ghz version available HERE - is this real? it costs more but if it is 3.4 then this is my pentium contender for my next cpu)
or
AMD Athlon64 FX51 2.2ghz
I will overclock whatever cpu I get - which will overclock for best results on AIR cooling only? I use my cpu for gaming and high performance applications - and I'll admit Im a slave to benchmarking and tweaking to the max. However I'll also admit I know NOTHING about Pentiums or how to OC them - iv always owned amd. So my main questions are -
Which is the best? ie - fastest, will give best results in games and benchmarks? bearing in mind I intend to OC - so this comparison had to be at OC'd speeds (say FX51@ 2.4 and p4@ 3.6ish). Money is not an issue here.
Which will OC best? and more importantly OC the coolest? i dont wana boiler in my pc!! (iv heard the new athlon64s get very hot - and im not even gonna go near prescott)
For each choice which is the best Motherboard (as I need a new one of them too) to go with em thats good for OCing? I wanted sata, raid etc.. and know nothing about pentium mobos at all, and very little about the new amd mobos either
Can I use dual FX's on an Opteron board? thatd be a bad *** system?!
Iv heard the FX51 requires registered RAM - my ram isnt and I CANNOT afford to replace it, and im not trying to claim for it either before anyone suggests it - if this is the case then FX51 is a no go (unless the Athlon64 3200 (or 3400+ - is this out yet?) doesnt require registered ram and is better than a p4 3.2/3.4ee @3.6ghz or above?)
What heatsinks do I use for em? For the Pentium4 id definately go with a Thermalright SP94 combined with my 120mm delta (190cfm) - would this be up for the job? And what is the best choice for an FX51 or other AMD64?
As you can see im very confused and need some serious responses to help me choose my replacement rig - sorry for starting what appears to be another amd vs pentium thread - i did read the others but they all seemed to be arguments with no real decision - i need a buyers guide to each chip, its corresponding mobo and which'll be best for me. At the mo im thinking P4 3.4ghz (if its real - can anyone confirm my link to it is genuine?), but im so unsure. I want the best!!!
Thanks guys
Tornado Guy