new AMD system...suggestions please

O

Osurak

Veteran XV
I'm currently running a p4 1.8ghz with 512MB of PC2100 DDR on a soyo board. I built this system back in my senior year of high school (2002) so I'm thinking it may be time to upgrade.

I was looking around at components on newegg, and came up with this as a tentative list of parts. What do you guys think? I only really need a CPU, RAM, and a new motherboard (obviously)...I'll worry about a new video card later (running a 9500pro currently)

CPU: AMD 64 3400+
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=19-103-484&DEPA=0

RAM: Corsair XMS Extreme Memory Speed Series 184 Pin 512MB DDR PC-3200 - OEM (probably will grab 2 of these)
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewproductdesc.asp?description=20-145-416&DEPA=1

Motherboard: ASUS "K8V-X" VIA K8T800 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 754 CPU-RETAIL
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=13-131-513&depa=0

Pricing out the system, it comes out to about $520, which is fine (got some extra money kicking around after Christmas :) )

I've been out of the hardware loop for a while now, so I'm open to any and all suggestions (from reading the forums, the most prevalent suggestion seemed to be to avoid Intel like the plague.) Also, are there any new hardware developments looming just over the horizon that I should plan ahead for?

Thoughts/opinions?
 
Same ram, but slightly cheaper. 2x512 = 1mb (because it's in a dual pack)
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-145-450&depa=1

This chip has a 1mb L2 cache, meaning it's that much faster. Also, it's a DTR, which means it runs at a lower v-core. It's also $5 cheaper (because it's not retail), but you wont be getting that shitty retail fan:
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-442&depa=0

And as for the ASUS board, good stuff. :) I personally bought a DFI, but I was taking a chance with it because I had never heard of them before (but apparently highly reguarded in the #tech channel). But then again, they also have Wo with them, a guy whom used to do alot of develpment for Abit, and I <3 Abit. So that is totally up to you. :)
 
i suggest going to socket 939, its not much more expensive at all and you will see a big performance increase.

this is my suggestion:

CPU: AMD 64 3500+
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-463&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE

RAM: Dual kit of Mushkin PC3200
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-310&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE

Mobo: Abit AV8
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-181&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE

total comes out to around 570

thats my .02
 
I also suggest socket 939. It supports dual-channel memory, and will allow for future CPU up-grades. (S754 is being discountinued)
 
BlankEmail said:
i suggest going to socket 939, its not much more expensive at all and you will see a big performance increase.

this is my suggestion:

CPU: AMD 64 3500+
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-463&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE

RAM: Dual kit of Mushkin PC3200
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-310&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE

Mobo: Abit AV8
http://www.newegg.com/app/viewProductDesc.asp?description=13-127-181&catalog=23&manufactory=BROWSE

total comes out to around 570

thats my .02
Click to expand...

Bump up the ram to
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=20-146-370&depa=1

and drop down the cpu to a
http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-502&depa=1

would be better bang for the buck
 
BlankEmail said:
thats more expensive for less performance

im sorry but for 30 bucks, the 3500+ gives you a lot more performance than spending 40 for a little bit better ram...

you really dont know what your talking about do you?
Click to expand...


you really don’t have to worry about performance when his ram is going to be his bottle neck.

and 200mhz is not going to make much of a performance different anyways better ram will help out a lot if he is a gamer. I would get 2-2-2 as well and spend the extra $50 or so

Fucking Member :ftard:
 
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Coolguy said:
you really don’t have to worry about performance when his ram is going to be his bottle neck.

and 200mhz is not going to make much of a performance different anyways better ram will help out a lot if he is a gamer. I would get 2-2-2 as well and spend the extra $50 or so

Fucking Member :ftard:
Click to expand...



:lol: 200 mhz is the ONLY difference in the processors too! wow you sure are smart!!!
 
BlankEmail said:
:lol: 200 mhz is the ONLY difference in the processors too! wow you sure are smart!!!
Click to expand...

Unless I'm missing something, 200mhz is the only difference and bumbign up that ram would give a better performing system vs the other combo.
 
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-K-Crypt said:
Unless I'm missing something, 200mhz is the only difference and bumbign up that ram would give a better performing system vs the other combo.
Click to expand...


yeah, the core of the processor. look at some benchmarks if you want, but the 3500+ would make more of a difference than that ram would
 
Uhh no RAM timings but CAS latency make hardly any difference and CL doesn't make much. The only reason you'd want impressive RAM is if you're going to oc. Otherwise it's a complete waste of money.

RAM timings certainly don't bottleneck anything.
 
Sigh.

1) The motherboards listed thus far don't even support DDR2 which is 240-pin.
2) CAS latency does not make a huge difference. The other timings make even less of a difference. If anything, CAS 2.5 is a good tradeoff for price/value between CAS 2.0 and CAS 3.
3) Athlons are not memory bandwidth starved like Pentiums are.
4) The processors have different cores.
 
wow thats wasn’t directed at me for a 1st :heart:

I didnt even check to see if that board supports dd2.

I have the 2-2-2 2700 ram and I was able to overclock that shit to 407mzh or a little past 3200 ram. This was on my amd XP chip(haven’t been able to oc on my 64 yet) I have also noticed in games like Americas Army, Battle Field, Tribes V, CS; when a map switches I am always the 1st or 2nd person in the server. I dont know if this is due to my raptor 10,000rpm drive or my ram or both. But I would learn more to my ram cause a lot of people have raptors.
 
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iNVAR said:
Sigh.

1) The motherboards listed thus far don't even support DDR2 which is 240-pin.
2) CAS latency does not make a huge difference. The other timings make even less of a difference. If anything, CAS 2.5 is a good tradeoff for price/value between CAS 2.0 and CAS 3.
3) Athlons are not memory bandwidth starved like Pentiums are.
4) The processors have different cores.
Click to expand...

so.... my point exactly! :)

and since when were there amd boards that supported ddr2
 
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Coolguy said:
wow thats wasn’t directed at me for a 1st :heart:

I didnt even check to see if that board supports dd2.

I have the 2-2-2 2700 ram and I was able to overclock that shit to 407mzh or a little past 3200 ram. This was on my amd XP chip(haven’t been able to oc on my 64 yet) I have also noticed in games like Americas Army, Battle Field, Tribes V, CS; when a map switches I am always the 1st or 2nd person in the server. I dont know if this is due to my raptor 10,000rpm drive or my ram or both. But I would learn more to my ram cause a lot of people have raptors.
Click to expand...
Just because I don't quote you or put your name in it doesn't mean it's not directed at you.

If you think your game loaded up significantly faster because it was CAS 2 and you had a 7MHz overclock over PC3200 (400MHz, although it's really only 200MHz double-pumped) I don't know what to tell you. It's MOST LIKELY due to your hard drive, because a lot of people DON'T have raptors. A lot of people have 7200 RPM drives.
 
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