Socket A, 754, 939, or 940??? What should I get?

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ForForToo

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• Jan 12, 2005

• #1

Earlier today I was convinced that I was going to get an ABIT AN7 and an Athlon XP Mobile 2600+, but somebody suggested I should future proof with an A64 system.

I'm going to spend roughly $200.00 on the Mobo/CPU combo one way or the other. What will give me the most bang for the buck?

I see 754 is pretty cheap, but is it worth going that route?

What are the best boards for 754? CPU steppings?

What is AMD sticking with 939 or 940?

Are there any Mobo/CPU combo's that will be around $200.00?

 

The VTech

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• Jan 12, 2005

• #2

Socket A if you are going for a $200 budget. A Socket 939 will be $200 by itself.

Get a Athlon 2600+ Mobile or 2500+ Barton Socket A and then get an Abit nforce II motherboard.

 

OP

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ForForToo

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However, I'm seeing that Socket 754 can be even cheaper.

What are THE definitive overclocking motherboards for Socket 754? Or maybe I don't need the best overclocking board if I'm going with 754?

How about for Socket 939/940?

 

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ForForToo

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Any help would be greatly appreciated. I need to build like 7 computers, and this one final decision is the only thing holding me up. I like to, "have all my ducks in a row" when I start building. I'm really stressing out over this and need to get it over with.

Thank you for any help you may offer.

 

The VTech

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• Jan 12, 2005

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s754 is going away this year and is the reason for the cheap prices, but I doubt the cheap price will stay. IF you can build them using a s754 setup go for it.

Abit, Epox, MSI and Asus all make good boards. I like the Nforce chipsets over the VIA 4-1 nightmares but each person is different.

www.newegg.com has a lot to look at and compare for your needs.

I personally think it will almost all be s939 except for server applications that would use s940

 

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ForForToo

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I'm putting off my decision until tomorrow. A Socket 939 processor is $155.00, and I saw this Mobo at Newegg

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-128-274&depa=1

Should that do just fine? I don't mind spending the extra $40-$50, even $60 is not out of the question, I just need to know what I'm going to go with.

 

David

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• Jan 12, 2005

• #7

Socket A and 754 will soon die out. Socket 939 will be AMDs desktop socket and 940 the socket for server CPU such as the AMD Opteron CPUs.

I would recommend, where possible, going for a Socket 939 setup. Otherwise next time you come to upgrade your CPU you will have to upgrade the board again then anyway. A 3000+ Winchester and a suitable S939 board is probably your best bet.

If you wanted to go Socket A I would recommened an AMD XP-M2500+ or XP-M2600+ and an Abit NF-7 board for overclocking. Combined with some good PC3200 RAM speeds of 2.2 to 2.6GHz are the norm.

 

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ForForToo

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Which board would you suggest? Would the Gigabyte I linked to be suitable?

 

David

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• #9

ForForToo said:

Which board would you suggest? Would the Gigabyte I linked to be suitable?

Click to expand...

MSI K8N NEO2 seems to be the overclockers choice, although I havent built an A64 rig myself yet.

 

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ForForToo

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www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-469&depa=1

Is this the one you're talking about?

Or do you need this to do serious overclocking?

www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-130-468&depa=1

Will any Socket 939 3000+ processor do?

 

Last edited: Jan 12, 2005

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ForForToo

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Is ONLY the N-Force 3 Ultra chipset worth bothering with?

In that case will ANY of these work?

www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=property&DEPA=1
Or is the VIA chipset pretty good too? Check out these.

www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduct.asp?submit=property&DEPA=1

 

Last edited: Jan 12, 2005

David

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• Jan 12, 2005

• #12

ForForToo said:

Will any Socket 939 3000+ processor do?

Click to expand...

Get a 90nm "Winchester" CPU if possible.

 

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ForForToo

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www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-499&depa=1

Like that?

 

OP

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ForForToo

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BTW, I'm posting those links as text WITHOUT the http://, but it comes out as a hyperlink anyway. In case this is not permitted, I apologize, but I see it done all the time on this forum anyway. I don't remember seeing anything about it either. If I shouldn't, please let me know.

 

David

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• #15

ForForToo said:

www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-499&depa=1

Like that?

Click to expand...

Yes

ForForToo said:

BTW, I'm posting those links as text WITHOUT the http://, but it comes out as a hyperlink anyway. In case this is not permitted, I apologize, but I see it done all the time on this forum anyway. I don't remember seeing anything about it either. If I shouldn't, please let me know.

Click to expand...

Its OK.