help with processor choice and stepping

[raley]

Sorry if this has been asked before... I have a general grasp of most of the overclocking stuff and equipment but the specifics has me lost...

I am going to be building a new computer for my brother soon and am not sure whether it is going to be overclocked or not yet... but it could go either way...

I need some help picking the processor type and the stepping version... based on what newegg has for now, but I guess I could buy somewhere else if that would be best... but newegg has all of the other stuff that I need for the comp at the lowest average prices (I am pretty sure, could be wrong)

But anyway, here are my questions...

OVERCLOCKED:

Should I go for the 1.4 ghz 266 mhz fsb thunderbird or should I go for the XP 1600+ processor? Pro's and con's of each?

Also, if I do go for the 1.4 ghz 266 mhz fsb thunderbird, which one do I get from newegg?

AMD ATHLON THUNDERBIRD 1.4GHz 266MHz FSB Socket A PGA PROCESSOR-OEM Version (Requires fan that supports 1.4GHz processor Model#: A1400AMS3C $84.00

or the

AMD ATHLON THUNDERBIRD 1.4GHz 266MHz FSB SOCKET A PGA PROCESSOR-OEM Version Stepping AYHJA(Requires fan that supports 1.4GHz processor Model#: A1400/266OEM $101.00

big difference... same processor, which would be the better buy if overclocking?

NON-OVERCLOCKED: Basically, the same question, which processor of the 2 t-birds to order, or would the XP 1600+ be better? Thanks for all the help you can give me...

raley

 

[plague]

well a lot of people would tell you to get the tbird over an XP, because the differences are subtle. the XP will run cooler and it has SSE instructions. It would be a little faster, but not noticable in everyday use. I say, if it's not much more money, go for it.

If you decide on the tbird, I dont think it's worth an extra $16 for an AYHJA, and you dont know if it's a number or letter in the third line. but if you go for the $84 one, you know you wont get an AYHJA.

If it were up to me, I'd go with the XP.... in fact I did, I got and AGKGA Y, known to OC well, but I cant break 1650 with it. A lot of this is just left up to chance, unless you can talk to someone at the seller and ask them what stepping you will get, or go to a computer show and see if theyll let you look.

good luck building the system either way though.

edit: almost forgot... Welcome to the Forums!!!