64bit Athlon- the major differences

[Zak33]

OK...I admit it...I've had to give up

I just can't get my head around the multitude of Athlon 64bit beasts.

So...who can help?

I wanna know:

Pin Quantity
Cache size
Chip Names
Memory styles( dual, single, ECC etc)
Chipsets that support them.
Cores

Cos I am LOST. Bemused. What came first?Clawhammer? FX? Which one's did waht? Which one used my standard PC3200, and which insisted on ECC? Why do we have one more pin all of a sudden on one chip?

A spread sheet OR other graph would be cool. I cant :blush: even suss it from reading the Hexus reviews, and I am on the verge of and upgrade.

Forget what you consider Value or not...I'll look up prices later...but what does what is doing me in

Thanks for help guys...it cant just be me

[Zak33]

oh I just found we have LOST a pin (940 to 939) I know its got better, and I dont care WHAT the pin was for, BUT the compatability is essential (or lack of it)

[Zak33]

this is helping a bit
http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews...JsX3BhZ2U9Mg==

[Lee H]

Right What you wanna know ?

The socket 754 CPU's all have a hypertransport system that runs @ 1600 Mhz.
The socket 939 CPU's all have a hypertransport system that runs @ 2000 Mhz.

Codenames
Clawhammer - socket 754 - 1 Mb Cache supports DDR 400 and ECC
Newcastle - Socket 939 - 512 Kb Cache supports DDR 400 and ECC
Sledgehammer(939) -1 Mb Cache supports DDR 400 and ECC
sledgehammer(940) - 1 Mb Cache - supports EEC and Registered memory only

Hope this helps

[Zak33]

and this one for 939
http://www.hexus.net/content/reviews...JsX3BhZ2U9Mg==

[Zak33]

that DOES help matey....now chipsets ...which ones run Dual Memory, and which single?

[Zak33]

Is a Newcastle a budget version or a CLawhammer cos of the cache...and are they using the same mobo

[Stoo]

Basically, yes

if you looks at this review.. http://www.hexus.co.uk/content/revie...JsX3BhZ2U9NQ==
you'll see that there is very little difference between the A64 3800+ and the FX53 Clawhammer chip, the odd couple fps on most tests if you're lucky..
Both run at the same frequency, use the same memory, both are on 939 pin packages, the only difference is that the A64 has half the cache.
Oh, and the price will be a bit different

[Zak33]

ok...and when looking on various web sites, they all name them differently (as always) so how does Jo Blow from Idaho spot the right info?

Whats an FX-53...is it the Clawhammer core? and therefore the non Fx-53 is a Newcastle?

[Lee H]

Heres the specs for the 3 main chipsets that are out there at the present time

ALi M1687
North bridge M1687
South bridge M1563
Interconnect HyperTransport 1.6GB/s
AGP 8x Yes
System speed, 16-bit 800MHz up & down
Memory speed & Max memory DDR 266/333/400
Serial ATA RAID .
USB 2.0 6
Network 10/100

nForce3 150
North bridge nForce3 150
South bridge
Interconnect StreamThru
AGP 8x Yes
System speed, 16-bit 600MHz 8-bit up 800MHz 16-bit down
Memory speed & Max memory DDR 266/333/400 & 4MB
Serial ATA 4 ports (Pro 250) only
RAID 0 & 1
USB 2.0 6
Network 10/100/1000

. Via K8T800
North bridge K8T800
South bridge VT8237
Interconnect V-Link 533MB/s
AGP 8x Yes
System speed, 16-bit 800MHz up & down
Memory speed &
Max memory DDR 266/333/400
& 4MB
Serial ATA 2 ports
RAID SATA 0 & 1
USB 2.0 8
Network Via Gigabit

[Stoo]

ok...and when looking on various web sites, they all name them differently (as always) so how does Jo Blow from Idaho spot the right info?

Whats an FX-53...is it the Clawhammer core? and therefore the non Fx-53 is a Newcastle?

yup, FX53 = clawhammer, A64 = newcastle

[Zak33]

I can see the following:

Athlon 64's with varying ratings (2800, 3000, 3400 etc) with 754 pins (NEWCASTLE?)
Athlon 64's 3500 and 3800's with 939 pin (still NEWCASTLE?)
Athlon FX-53 with no speed rating (is there only 1 FX model at a time? cos the FX51 was 2200 mghz...is this the 2400 mghx one Hexus reviewed) (CLAWHAMMER)

[Stoo]

correct

Anything mentioning Athlon 64 is newcastle, anything FX etc is Clawhammer

It'll get easier once 754 and 940 die off

[Zak33]

and I can see Clawhammer 3200 with 1mb cache, on 754 pin cpu's
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=52507

for less dough than 512kb cache Newcastles rated at 3200 as well
http://www.ebuyer.com/customer/produ...duct_uid=62704

ok the cheaper one is back ordered for 98 days, but you get ma point are the Clawhammer 754's old stock, cack core or what?

[Stoo]

Of course, it is going to get a little more confusing when the Sempron's arrive, because those are basically cut down A64's without the 64bit extensions (The new Durons basically)..

[Stoo]

yup, that 754 clawhammer is basically an ebuyer screwup