Can't decide on AMD 64, please help!

Ok this is my final AMD 64 thread. Decided iam going to get one in the next few weeks, as long as i don't hear a price drop is around the corner.

Anyways, decision time. I will be keeping this CPU/board for a long time, most likely 18months easy, more likely 2 years, so it's got to last me.

I dunno wether to go with a 754 like a 3000+ and o/c it, or get a nice 939 3500+ and o/c it a little. Ive had some very good and disapointing times with overclocking 2 Athlon XP's, and i know not all overclocks are the same, so id be a little hasty to get the 3000.

Now the future is in the 939 i have read, do AMD plan to keep this socket alive as long as Socket A??????

Im mainly leaning towards 939 for the future, and Dual channel. It will be used 99% of the time for gaming, and doing a bit of net surfing and burning DvD's, etc.

I have seen a 3500+ for £232, which seems quite good, but i don't know if it comes with a fan. Is it worth getting a betetr sink???

Also what motherboard. The MSI Neo Plat 2 seems the best from what ive seen.

Cheers.

939 will probably be "discontinued" in a few months for the dual-core processors. I doubt that 939's will actually disappear, as 754 haven't come close to doing so either yet. The 3000+ and 3500+ should both hit around 2.6GHz, and you probably won't be able to see any difference between the two. The dual channel is worth maybe about 100MHz extra. Depends on how much that's worth for you. If you're planning to keep it for 18 months, though, I'd go for the gusto.

Opinons please.

I find the 754 to be a very good platform as long as you get the clawhammer 1m CPU, if you are going to buy N/C then I would go with the 939. But for the money a 1m 754 would IMO be best. It will take you down the road just as far as the 939.

The MSI mobo I would have to say go around, but all this is just MHO.

99% gaming? Well check this out then. As you can see, 754 Athlon 64 is almost as good as the same speed Athlon 64 FX, and a tad faster then a 939 Athlon64 at the same speed. I wouldn't "waste" my hard earn $$ on the 939. But that's my opinion, others will disagree, but in the end they're wrong.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2149&p=7

Yeah i think ive seen enough that 939 is a bit of a rip off really.

Ok so im probly gonna go with 754, which one to get? and what mobo? The MSI Neo Plat or whatever it's called?

Read a lot on these forums saying the CG stepping is good for overclocking, how do i tell what one is.

Im from UK, so no US sites please.

This is a 2400mhz clawhammer with 512mb l2 or so it says, im confused???

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/ProductInfo.asp?WebProductID=93613

CGs are Newcastle, not Clawhammer. But theres two types of Newcastle.. 512 L2 versions of the clawhammer, and 512 L2 of the new Newcastle core.

If it's a clawhammer core, the processor part number will end in AP.

If it's a Newcastle core, it will end in AX.

For example, look at spazzmattah's avatar. His processor part number is ADA2800AEP4AX. That means it's a Newcastle core CG.

The link you gave is a clawhammer CO, which makes it an -AP. Go for a CG instead.

LOL i don't understand.

So CG's end in AX. No sites seem to list the steppings

EDIT: Found this, has AX in the code, what you reckon?

http://www.dabs.com/uk/channels/components/processors/productView.htm?quicklinx=36T3

3400+ ADA3400AXBOX

You can get Clawhammers that are CG. Mine just came in Friday. A 1MB cache 3400+ CG rev.

See this. A ADA3400AEP5AR.

Oh ok i see.

Ive found a 3200 on Ebay, and this is the info on it:

ADA3200AEP5AR
CAABC 0416SPMW
9543755D4D290

I take it from that chart in the link, it's a Clawhammer 1MB CG then? Worth bidding on?

Stuff Ebay, lol.

Been doing loads of looking around the sites i know, and im been toting up prices for a 3200+ and a 3400+ with a MSI Neo Plat.

I can grab the 3200+ and mobo for around £221 + shipping, or i can grab the 3400+ for £270.

Is it worth going for the 3400+ over the 3200+ One's at 2.2ghz one's at 2.4ghz, and they both say AX box, so they are CG retail newcastle cores i presume???

I will want to overclock using stock sink, and id want a big increase over me barton, i don't mind paying the extra for the 3400 as long as it will o/c better.

IMO, if the choice is limited to NC, a true 3000+ NC is sufficient for overclocking on air/water, and save ~$125 over a 3400+ NC.

From the tabulation (post 2) of thie thread A64 Overclocking Result Collection,
most of the 3000+, 3200+ NewCastle can get to 2.40 - 2.55 GHz on air, some are even more.

The 3000+ NC, 3200+ NC, 3400+ NC are based on the same NewCastle core, the difference are
- they are rated at different frequencies of 2.0, 2.2 and 2.4 GHz respectively, and
- their max multiplier are 10, 11 and 12 respectively.

For example, between a 3000+ and a 3400+, the 3400+ has a higher frequency bias of 200 MHz ($125 more for less than 10% frequency bias at 2.4 GHz) than the 3000+. The frequency spread of a 3000+ can overlap that of 3400+. As yield of silicon chip matures, the statistical chance of a 3000+ reaching a 3400+ speed is increased.

The core seems to max out around 2.6 GHz on air/water. Max overclocking depends on many factors, components, cooling, skill. It becomes random in nature when the components are working above rated specification (plus some margin).

The 10x max multiplier for 3000+ should be more than enough for HTT and memory bus frequency overclocking. The 12x max multiplier for 3400+ does not offer any additional advantage for air/water overclocking.

E.g. for overclocking CPU to 2.4 - 2.6 GHz, it can be done with
HTT = 240 - 260 MHz with x10 or
HTT = 260 - 289 MHz with x9
Can cover memory of various speed, from 200 MHz (PC3200) to 289 MHz by using either 1:1 or 5:6 memory_FSB_ratio.

This x10 argument holds true for ClawHammer also such as a 3200+ CH.

hitechjb1 said:

Impact of CPU multiplier on memory divider flexibility
...
For example, refer to the memory_divider table below,
assume bios only has 1:1, 5:6, 2:3 memory_FSB_ratio
NC 2800+, max multiplier = 9, memory_divider available = 9, 11, 13.5
NC 3000+/CH 3200+, max multiplier = 10, memory_divider available = 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.5, 15
...

Click to expand...

How to choose memory divider and memory_FSB_ratio

Overclocking setting for various bus frequencies (post 8)

Relationship between CPU_memory_divider and CPU_multiplier, memory_FSB_ratio (post 60)

Thanks for your thoughs, but i think iam gonna go for the 3400. Money isn't much of a problem, might as well.

Id also feel better knowing it's 2.4ghz at stock, so 2.5/2.6 shud be easy, with my memory, as it's only PC3200, wud be worse with a 3000+.

Is there anything i should know about sitting the heatsink and CPU????

Used to Athlon XP's, is ther emuch difference????

Also is Arctic Ceramique still good? i got that.

The desktop 3000+/3200+/3400+ should come with an integrated heat spreader (IHS). Stock heat sink or better heat sink will be mounted on top of the IHS with thermal compound between the heat sink and the IHS.

Mobile A64's do not come with IHS.

Comments on Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS)


I have been using Artic Ceramique for my Tbred B 1700+ and mobile Barton, getting the latter to 2.6+ GHz stable and 2.7-2.8 GHz boot up with some benchmarks with Thermalright copper heat sink.

Cool, so ill keep it then.

Another thing.

Ive found a 3400+ 754 with 1MB L2 cache, for only 4quid more than a normal 3400. Worth getting, and will it overclock well, i,e CG???

If you have money to spend on a 3400+, a 3400+ CG ClawHammer is good too.

Make sure the part number is ADA3400AEP5AR.
3400+: ADA3400AEP5AR 1.5V (CG rev, F4Ah) <- ClawHammer, 1 MB L2, 2.2 GHz, x11

BTW, a 3400+ NewCastle, it is
3400+: ADA3400AEP4AX 1.5V (CG rev, FC0h) <- NewCastle, 512 KB L2, 2.4 GHz, x12

It just says this:
ADA3400BOX

I emailed the site, and a guy replied saying it's a 1MB Clawhammers, so that makes a CG for sure, cool?

he also said they don't know when there next stock is in.

Grov said:

It just says this:
ADA3400BOX

I emailed the site, and a guy replied saying it's a 1MB Clawhammers, so that makes a CG for sure, cool?

he also said they don't know when there next stock is in.

Click to expand...

Be careful, a 3400+ ClawHammer can be either a C0 or a CG:

3400+: ADA3400AEP5AP 1.5V (C0 rev, F48h) <- ClawHammer, 1 MB L2, 2.2 GHz, x11

3400+: ADA3400AEP5AR 1.5V (CG rev, F4Ah) <- ClawHammer, 1 MB L2, 2.2 GHz, x11

Look for the part number ending:
AP for C0
AR for CG.

940, 754, 939 CPU models and specifications (post 5)

Since you said money is not an issue, but still IMO for 754, a 3000+ NC would still make more sense for overclocking. Save the money for other parts or for eventual 939 upgrade.

To spend the amount of money for a 3400+, it opens up more options such as getting a 3500+ 939, a 939 system is compatible with faster and 90 nm 939 CPU in the future.

If you can wait, then a cheaper (lower PR) 939 with or without PCI-e motherboard (depends on video card need) would be the best overclocking option in the next few months.

Is there really going to be a difference between the 130nm process and 90nm process. I mean you suggest getting a low PR S939 CPU and maybe upgrading to a 90nm S939 CPU later down the road. It looks like all the 90nm process brings is a small performance gain, and a lot of heating problems.