AMD CPUs worth it?...

[Stoo]

Well, if you include the new sockets, AMD are only one behind, and the main point of it was... umm.. what was the point exactly?

[retroborg]

no, socket 754 is single channel & 939 is dual.
However, dual channel will give you under a 10% performance improvement - it's not like a P4.


Well, it would be the most expensive buy
It depends what you want to use your system for & your plans on future upgrades. The socket 754 3700+ with it's 1 Mb cache will beat every 939 except the FX-53 in games/3D - but that is probably the most powerful processor that socket 754 will ever get whilst 939 will continue to get more powerful releases.

worth a read http://tech-report.com/reviews/2004q...0/index.x?pg=1

Yes, but the non FX Athlon 64 CPUs, have a single channel memory controller, so if you put it on a socket 939, it wont take advantage of the dual channel capabilities of the 939 port.

Isn't that right?

[jamadaia]

IMHO AMD are worth it, and with the A64 price cuts, they are now 100% worth it.
You can a NF3 or VIA pro board for £65 and a 3500+ for about £150.
CAnt complain man thats some serious power there

[Lee H]

If your gonna get the socket 939 and was thinking of getting the FX chip - don't.

The A64 3800+ is cheaper and 9/10 performs just as well as the FX 939. Just think of the extra ram and goodies you could put the excess left over towards, and the 3800+ is a totally kick arse CPU ( I've seen them been tested at work - omg they fly )

Now all we need is socket 939 with dual PCI express x 16 so I can build my uber SLI rig and I'll be happy, hopefully with a bit of luck it should be done before xmas

[BUFF]

Yes, but the non FX Athlon 64 CPUs, have a single channel memory controller, so if you put it on a socket 939, it wont take advantage of the dual channel capabilities of the 939 port.

Isn't that right?

No - all socket 939 have dual channel

[8bit]

754 Athlon 64
939 Athlon 64
So these 2 CPUs, Only support single-channel memory.
The best buy would be a 939 Athlon 64 FX CPU, with a lot of dual-channel unregistered memory.


But for the Intel CPUs?

No the 939 has dual channel, the 754s have only single. Like someone said, cant see that making a huge difference tho...

Personally I'm going for a 3500 on an Asus A8V Deluxe mobo. The 3500 is around £240 and the 3800 is around £445 (prices according to www.aria.co.uk) so for the extra 200MHz in the 3800 you're not far off twice the price. Clearly this is not good value! The FX-53 in socket 939 configuration is around £586 and it runs at the same speeds as the 3800 so 3500 looks quite tempting to anyone in my position (i.e. have good gfx card, ram, hdd etc just need more up to date CPU and mobo).

Socket 754 is already in some consumer brand machines such as Tiny and Time etc and I think that's probably where it's aimed, at the "make the customer think he's got a fantastic machine so he can boast about it" market (the cynic in me gets out sometimes, sorry!) The 939s appeal more to the gaming market, they are the best gaming chips around right now, in a capable package that supports most current high end peripherals and components.

As for intel, I've been bitten by them before (anyone else remember support for the slot-type PIIIs disappearing almost overnight?) and I simply refuse to pay their premiums on what is essentially still based on a 1980s architecture. Pentium has had it's day, it's time to move on and I (as I'm sure many have said and will continue to say) say AMD are leading intel at their own game.

Sorry, I can be a bit opinionated first thing in the morning!

[Stoo]

first thing?

I've got to say, the 3500+ on a 939 board seems the best way to go at the moment.. if only Hexus would post the review of the Shuttle SN95G5...