AMD Sempron 3100+ overclocking

[KDH]

Having looked at the link in the news (http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu...n-3100-oc.html), I'm curious if this is a one off, one stepping/whatever, or a general trend in sempron's?

[Rave]

They've done pretty well, but with a decent board and cooler I'd expect most Semprons (and A64s for that matter) to reach 2.4GHz without much difficulty. YMMV obv.

I don't think the Sempron 3100 is very good value when you can get an A64 2800 for only a few pounds more.

Rich :¬)

[StormPC]

The Sempron 3100+ will slap the A64 2800+ silly when overclocked and running 32 bit benchmarks. I think they are a great value as long as you know you won't be running 64 bit on it ever! They're ok to play with but not a longterm option unless you have no interest in Windows XP x64 Edition.

I have been playing with x64 Edition and it FLIES!!! People need to be thinking about 64 bit because it is here now.

[Rave]

The Sempron 3100+ will slap the A64 2800+ silly when overclocked and running 32 bit benchmarks.

Right, so an overclocked processor will beat one that's running 30% slower. Good job stating the obvious there.

There's no reason why the A64 2800 shouldn't OC just as well as a Sempron 3100, since they're essentially the same silicon.

Rich :¬)

[Swafe]

hes got a point - but the 3100+ has been proved on that site at nearly 2.6ghz - and ive not seen a 2800+ (1.8ghz) anywhere near (thats a 800mhz overclock)

[StormPC]

hes got a point - but the 3100+ has been proved on that site at nearly 2.6ghz - and ive not seen a 2800+ (1.8ghz) anywhere near (thats a 800mhz overclock)

You are 100% correct. Rave has obviously not done much overclocking or he would know that the 2800+ will be lucky to get within 300MHz of the 3100+ Sempron. The lower A64 models don't overclock well at all compared to the 3400+ and 3700+ chips. That's why they are cheaper.

Like I said, the 3100+ Sempron is a good chip for the money but it is not 64 bit so it is not able to run Windows XP x64 Edition which is the newest Windows XP version. 64 bit is the future officially, but I have been running my FX-53, A8V and X800 XT on it at full speed with drivers and everything for about 2 months. You thought the A64 was fast in 32 bit mode? Just wait until you are using a 64 bit system running in 64 bit mode! Geeeeeeeeez it's fast!!!

[Rave]

You are 100% correct. Rave has obviously not done much overclocking

I did my first overclock in 1993. I've never owned a system that wasn't overclocked, as it happens. Still, easy to make assumptions about people who disagree with you eh?

or he would know that the 2800+ will be lucky to get within 300MHz of the 3100+ Sempron. The lower A64 models don't overclock well at all compared to the 3400+ and 3700+ chips. That's why they are cheaper.

Right, so the A64 2800 is cheap because it won't overclock well, whereas the old XP1700 JIUHBs that went from 1.47 to 2.4+GHz were cheap because....?

I can't afford an A64 system to try overclocking it as it happens, but I know full well that there's no reason why the 2800 shouldn't go as high as any other 130nm A64 on the right board. Find me someone who knows what they're doing and has tested a couple of 2800s on a decent NForce3 250 board and I'll believe you. Google couldn't find me anyone who'd done a proper OC on a 2800, with either good or bad results.

Rich :¬)

[StormPC]

No I didn't say that. The Sempron is cheaper and overclocks better so that is obviously not accurate. I said that one reason the 2800+ is cheaper (than the 3400+ for example) is that it's not as high quality as the faster chips which is a reason they do not overclock as well. Nice attempt to put words in my mouth though.

I've built over 230 Opteron, A64 and FX systems since a year ago last September, so you see I CAN afford them. I have tested every AMD64 chip and motherboard that comes to market and will continue to do so.

You keep saying there's no reason...blahblahblah...Exactly WHAT are you basing that on?

How's this for a reason...BECAUSE THE 3100+ IS A HIGHER QUALITY CPU??? I have been running an FX-53 for several months now (my benching and gaming rigs) but I have had trouble running them higher than 2880MHz 3D bench stable at 1.85v. I just benched a new FX-53 last Monday night and it hits 3150MHz bench stable at 1.72v. Everything but the chip remained the same.

You do understand that there are different qualities of chips right MR Overclocker since 1993? When you say stuff like this it is very difficult for me to respect you, which the forum rules state I must do.

Peace man!

[kushtibari]

I actually bought a 3100 so I can give you MY reasons for buying it. I was swapping over to a 754 based system and wanted something to 'experiment' with due to the difference between socket A and 754. As I was experimenting I didn't want to pay a fortune on a chip that I might knacker by accident. Read the reviews and thought the Sempron was the best chip to buy new (didn't want to get a 2nd hand chip that had already been flogged). I was influenced by the fact that my last two chips had been a 1700juihb and a XP-M2500 so quite enjoy getting 'value for money' and thought that the sempron with its 1.4v default voltage may be a good 'clocker'. I am very pleased with it and now intend to run it for a few months. At the moment running an XFX6800GT with the DFI board and 1gb of 3200 ballistix which will do me fine as a sytem for quite a while. I'll make a swap to a 64 bit cpu and then in 12 months do a mobo/cpu upgrade. I would have considered a 2800 due to cost but couldn't see any signs of anyone clocking one as high as the Semprons.

[Rave]

No I didn't say that. The Sempron is cheaper and overclocks better so that is obviously not accurate.

Well, you keep making bald statements like 'the Sempron overclocks better' without any proof. Provide me with a link that shows that on average Sempron 3100s OC better than A64 2800s and I will believe you. As far as I can see your contention is based purely on hearsay and one Xbit labs article. Proof, please.

I've built over 230 Opteron, A64 and FX systems since a year ago last September, so you see I CAN afford them. I have tested every AMD64 chip and motherboard that comes to market and will continue to do so.

Bully for you mate. Did you keep a database of the maximum overclock of all those processors to back up your concusions?

You keep saying there's no reason...blahblahblah...Exactly WHAT are you basing that on?

How's this for a reason...BECAUSE THE 3100+ IS A HIGHER QUALITY CPU???

Right, so they're built on the same process and ship running at the same speed, but one is better than the other? Explain, please.

I have been running an FX-53 for several months now (my benching and gaming rigs) but I have had trouble running them higher than 2880MHz 3D bench stable at 1.85v. I just benched a new FX-53 last Monday night and it hits 3150MHz bench stable at 1.72v. Everything but the chip remained the same.

You do understand that there are different qualities of chips right MR Overclocker since 1993? When you say stuff like this it is very difficult for me to respect you, which the forum rules state I must do.

Touche; there you go accusing me of putting words in your mouth and then you go and obviously put words in mine. Of course I understand that not all chips are created equal, but what is equally obvious is that just because a chip is higher up the range, or a 'better' stepping, or bought from a leprechaun, does not mean it will OC further than a 'lesser' chip. Case in point: I have here a Duron 1.4 (cost £22) which modded to an XP and then overclocked a bit further than my previous XP2000 (cost £40). Both are Tbred-Bs packed within a couple of weeks of each other.

An A64 2800 could easily OC further than an A64 3200; it's a lottery. Until you can provide proof that Sempron 3100s consistently OC better than A64 2800s, I stick by my recommendation. Lets see it please.

Rich :¬)

[StormPC]

I stick by my recommendation. Lets see it please.

Rich :¬)

Even though you admit you don't have the money to buy an A64 and have never tested one? Do you also recommend movies to people that you have never seen? Cars you have never driven?

You're VERY hard to take seriously. By the way, I know a bit about overclocking A64s. (See sig...)

[Rave]

Even though you admit you don't have the money to buy an A64 and have never tested one? Do you also recommend movies to people that you have never seen? Cars you have never driven?

No, but I might offer them facts about those cars which I know to be true. Lets put it another way: if you drive a BMW M3 and I drive a Toyota MR2, does that automatically mean that you're a better driver than me, or know more about cars? No, it proves nothing except that you have more money than me. If you have a Hasselblad and I have a Mamiya, does that make you a better photographer? No. I used to work in a camera shop; did the fact that I didn't own 99% of the cameras in there disqualify me from selling them to people?

You're VERY hard to take seriously.

I don't particularly need you to take me seriously, since you have the money to blow on top of the line gear anyway. I don't take you seriously because despite me repeatedly asking for you to show us facts to back up your assertion that A64s don't OC as well as Semprons, you just keep insulting me and claiming to be a know-it-all because you own a fast rig yourself.

By the way, I know a bit about overclocking A64s. (See sig...)

So you've proved that you know how to install a phase change cooler and operate a bios.

Rich :¬)

[BAcon]

iv seen a few peeps with 2800 clock them to 2.4+ghz on air (retail cooler infact with 1.65v), thats a large OC dont ya think

Im with Rave im afraid

I mean who would serioulsly choose a sempron over a A64 2800 anyway, its illogical, then you have to look at the motherboards in question for each chip, were they on the same board??

also did you phase change cool every chip?

The semprons... arent they just rereleased thoroughbreds with half cache etc??

[space_onion]

i'm with rave.

[Rave]

Thanks for the vote of confidence people.

The semprons... arent they just rereleased thoroughbreds with half cache etc??

Yes, they're all Socket A Tbreds, apart from the 3100 which is a cut down Newcastle. It uses the K8 (A64) architecture but only supports 32 bit operation, and only has 256k cache.

It's a perfectly good chip, if it was £20 cheaper I'd be a lot happier to recommend it, but as the A64 2800 is only a few quid more expensive, it makes a lot more sense at the moment.

Rich :¬)

[Hottentot]

If the Semprons go 90nm and the A64 don't and 90nm can overclock more than 130nm then maybe the Semprons will be the CPU to get. Its too early to tell.
Its certainly not worth arguing over at the moment.