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Thread: Which Opteron to go for....

  1. #1
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    Which Opteron to go for....

    Hey all,

    despite spending FAR too much on presents this Christmas, I cant help but want to treat myself to something, and it appears that its time to get rid of the old "Best value ever" CPU/Mobo combo that I have - see sig - and get the next one, which seems to be the Opterons.

    Now, I've done a bit of OCing on my current system, but I hear A64 OCing is a whole new ball game, which i will need to read up on. However, i want to get an opty quick before they become scarce/expensive/stepping become worse, and am trying to decide which one to get, which is a toss up between a 144 and 146.

    Now I know that they both clock well regardless of which stepping atm, and that the main diff is the multi on them, with 144=9x and 146=10x. I am hoping to transition my system in parts, so i was wondering if my memory would hold me back. It does me fine (though i only run it at 400) but i wouldnt want it to bottle any potential OC.

    If it is fine, then would the mobo be the next most important factor? As the OC depends on the HTT, which can be limited by certain boards right? I was hoping to get an Asrock Dual 939 board, so I could use my AGP card for now, but I read somewhere that this would only let you raise HTT to 270-ish... Does anyone know if this is true...If it is, then I'll plump for the 146...

    Feeling fairly confused at the mo!!! So would appreciate any thoughts and comments from all you smart people!!!

    Cheers Jonny

  2. #2
    HEXUS.bouncer Jonny's Avatar
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    What prices do you have on the two?
    You can always put a divider on that RAM, which didn't seem to affect my performance any significant amount.
    You should be able to find reviews on all the 939 motherboards you could possibly want to buy, and the reviewers will hav found the max stable HTT on them all.
    A quick google reveals this.
    It shows the ASRock to go all the way up to 304, dropping to 242 if you use a 12x multiplier (which you won't). This is quite good performance, but you can see the other 939 boards available and research them a little more.
    Is it really worth getting a dual motherboard, or would you be best saving a little more for a new GPU and getting a decent PCI-E board?

  3. #3
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    • jonathan_phang's system
      • Motherboard:
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      • CPU:
      • i7 930 @ 4.2 ghz (200x21)
      • Memory:
      • 12GB Corsair XMS3 1600
      • Storage:
      • Crucial M4 128GB SSD + Misc Data Drive
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    Prices

    146 Retail (£130) = In stock RL
    144 OEM (£117) = In stock RL

    146 OEM (£105) = No stock in scan
    144 OEM (£93) = No stock in scan

    I dont really have that much time to do the perfect OC, so i was thinking a 146. 144 is undoubtedly better value, but relies on having better top notch parts right? I was thinking the dual board, so i could use my GPU until i can get a decent PCIe card. Otherwise the CPu will be sitting doing nothing until i get the money...

    But i want to get one soon, before they get too scarce. Not sure when Scan are getting them back in and Rl are in Watford where i live so i could go pick one up tomorrow...

    Hmmmm... Choices....

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    Moderator DavidM's Avatar
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    Not forgetting that some CPUs are on offer on TodayOnly of course

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    • jonathan_phang's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Rampage III Extreme
      • CPU:
      • i7 930 @ 4.2 ghz (200x21)
      • Memory:
      • 12GB Corsair XMS3 1600
      • Storage:
      • Crucial M4 128GB SSD + Misc Data Drive
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GTX 1080 FTW
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX850 Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec 300
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Asus PB278Q (27" 2560x1440)
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 100mb
    Gah!!! Just to make things even more difficult!!!!

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    • [DW]Cougho's system
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    honestly go for the cheapest.

    Multi's are hardly important now as A64's receive almost no penalty from using a RAM divider. In fact even at 1:1 with the HTT in effect your still using a divider as the memory controller runs at the same speed the CPU does.

  7. #7
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    • jonathan_phang's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Rampage III Extreme
      • CPU:
      • i7 930 @ 4.2 ghz (200x21)
      • Memory:
      • 12GB Corsair XMS3 1600
      • Storage:
      • Crucial M4 128GB SSD + Misc Data Drive
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GTX 1080 FTW
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX850 Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec 300
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Asus PB278Q (27" 2560x1440)
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 100mb
    I think that funds are a bit low, so i may just get the CPU now...and buy parts when i can afford them. Does anyone think this is worth it? Shall i just wait, or will AMD somehow put an end to all of this?

    Also @ DavidM - the 144 OEM (LN12619) which retails at £90, what stepping does the current batch you've got have? If its half decent, I think you can have another happy customer tomorrow...

    @Cougho - I as you can see above, i think that you are right. Mind you, I'm new to A64 OCing and I guess i need to read more about it to know the ins and outs of it before i start. But its kind of A64 multi x HTT = CPU speed, then run a divider, so that my ram isnt running over spec. Man I am going to search for a good guide!!

    I guess it means i can spend a bit more time thinking about what mobo/PSU/HSF to get, and do all the relevant research.

  8. #8
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    • [DW]Cougho's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Crosshair VI Hero
      • CPU:
      • AMD Ryzen 3600 @ 4.3 1900 FLCK
      • Memory:
      • 16GB Team Group DDR4 @ 3800 C16
      • Storage:
      • 512GB Samsung 870 EVO NVME & 1TB Samsung 850 Evo
      • Graphics card(s):
      • Gigabyte GTX1070 G1 Gaming
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    buy now.

    AMD have already halted the flow of Opterons to E-tailors as they can see people are just buying them rather than their £500+ FX chips.

  9. #9
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    • jonathan_phang's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Rampage III Extreme
      • CPU:
      • i7 930 @ 4.2 ghz (200x21)
      • Memory:
      • 12GB Corsair XMS3 1600
      • Storage:
      • Crucial M4 128GB SSD + Misc Data Drive
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GTX 1080 FTW
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX850 Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec 300
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Asus PB278Q (27" 2560x1440)
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 100mb
    Yep, as i read somewhere else - if i can get an answer back from DavidM, i think that i will plump for their 144 OEM - After reading the review of the asrock dual, along with a few others, that seems a decent, budget choice, that will still let me do a decent OC - though i think a new PSu will be needed as i have a (cough) generic one atm...

    On a tangent, I've noticed that A64 seem to have metal covers on the top - to protect the die being crsuhed i presume - so i was wondering, where do you apply the thermal paste? just to the bottom of the HSF? I've done many an AthlonXP but this looks a bit odd!

  10. #10
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    Anyone know if the Zalman CNPS9500 is compatible with the afore mentioned ASRock Dual board? I can’t see it on Zalman’s list, which either means it’s not or the list is not up to date.

    What cooling are you looking at Jonathan_Phang?
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    I have this board paired with a Opteron 146... all of the 'official' ASrock Bios's limit you to 272'ish FSB. OCW do some custom bios versions which will allow you to go upto 300 (OCW Bios1) BUT in my case tried this but could'nt really get it stable, so backtracked and am happy running it at 270 FSB with my memory on a divider, I am reasonably happy with the temps (use Speenfan to monitor).

    I would recommend the 146 depending on the stepping (nearly all can get upto 2.6Ghz). Motherboard is fine. You will need a CPU cooler, all I did with mine was follow the instructions on the Arctic Silver 5 web site and yes the HSF goes onto the metal cover of the CPU.

    With Cooling bear in mind that this Motherboard does NOT come with a metal/plastic backplate. So choose what you know others have used successfully before.. (forum reading )

    I got in early and got the retail version of the Opteron 146 with HSF which is what I'm using.

    Hope that helps.
    Last edited by farooqm; 27-12-2005 at 08:41 PM.
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    I've got a retail 146 and DualSata. Am getting some TwinMOS RAM tomorrow and will see how far I can get my 146. Would you recommend OCW Beta 1 or 2?





  13. #13
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    • jonathan_phang's system
      • Motherboard:
      • Asus Rampage III Extreme
      • CPU:
      • i7 930 @ 4.2 ghz (200x21)
      • Memory:
      • 12GB Corsair XMS3 1600
      • Storage:
      • Crucial M4 128GB SSD + Misc Data Drive
      • Graphics card(s):
      • EVGA GTX 1080 FTW
      • PSU:
      • Corsair HX850 Modular
      • Case:
      • Antec 300
      • Operating System:
      • Windows 7 x64
      • Monitor(s):
      • Asus PB278Q (27" 2560x1440)
      • Internet:
      • Virgin Media 100mb
    @Farooq - thats exactly why i wasnt sure to go for the 146 or 144 in conjunction with this board. If i cant get it stable over 270 then i wont be getting the full potential of the chip.

    I guess I could get the 144, forget about the Asrock for now and then get a full PCIe one when i can get a GPU as well. Or if I DO get the board, then I can get the 146 Retail Boxed (CACJE 0546BPMW stepping) for £130....

    ooooooo....Well, this choice is going to keep me going until i have to go back to work....

    @Anders - not sure yet, will flcik back through my old CustomPC issues, look on the web, then probably just get a thermalright whatever. But definitely air, not water or phase.

  14. #14
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    OCW Beta 1, generally 146's clock better than the 144's (x10 multi on 146).
    Even later when you get your PCIe board you will still getter better Mhz with the 146 from what I've read on this and other forums.

    Google the steppings you can get hold of. There are plenty that have tried the various stepping and reported what they got and with which motherboard.
    Last edited by farooqm; 27-12-2005 at 10:11 PM.
    'All days should be weekends...i'd never complain then'

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    I was looking at the Opteron 165 before I got bought a new computer for Christmas. Full of dual core goodness

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