AM2: 3800+ X2 vs 4200+ X2

Which CPU should I get?

  • 3800+ X2

    Votes: 25 49.0%

  • 4200+ X2 for $40 more

    Votes: 26 51.0%
  • Total voters
    51
  • Poll closed .
R

Roman79

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Oct 2, 2000
Messages
1,393
Any sense spending an extra $40 on the 4200+ if I'm going to overclock anyway?

Also do I really need PC2-6400 or could I get by with PC2-5300? Thanks.
 
If you're looking to overclock it makes the most sense to go with the budget model, otherwise you're defeating the purpose of overclocking.
 
quadnad said:
If you're looking to overclock it makes the most sense to go with the budget model, otherwise you're defeating the purpose of overclocking.
Click to expand...

Well that's true, but I was thinking I might get a higher o/c with the 4200 since I'd already be up an extra 200MHz. But is it worth $40?
 
84 views and only 7 votes? Come on people! You can't expect me to make this decision for myself :p
 
Roman79 said:
Well that's true, but I was thinking I might get a higher o/c with the 4200 since I'd already be up an extra 200MHz. But is it worth $40?
Click to expand...

Thats not the case. The benefit of going with the 4200 is that it's got a higher multiplier, but to be honest it's not going to take much of an HT speed to get beyond your proc's max speed. Just because it's binned at a higher speed doesn't mean it'll reach a higher OC, usually it means that you're just closer to the proc's max speed. Check out this thread for some info on the steppings....it's far more important to get a decent stepping than deciding between 200mhz.

There is a thread somewhere either in this forum or the overclocking forum that is from a guy who made it to 2.5 on stock volts and to 2.8 at 1.55 with an x2 3800 from Newegg. He bought it very recently.
 
Its all bout luck with the overclocking. I'll say this though. i ge 2.8ghz on air @ 1.55v with my brand new 0622 x2 3800. it gets up to 53c, so i'm sure some water cooling (come tuesday) will push this higher. I feel 2.9 is possible, which is approaching where most of these chips top out at. It also does 2.6ghz @ stock voltage and ~48c load.

I say, base your decision on your motherboards ability to raise fsb, and your rams ability to run as high as possible without a divider.
 
I may be wrong but it seems to me that by this time AMD has the manufacturing process for the x2's figured out.
It is the same situation as when Intel released the Northwood c's.
Pretty much all of the processers will reach the same top speed.
The top end will probably go a little higher than the low end, but not much.
It is safe to assume that any x2 can be overclocked to 2.4 - 2.6 ghz or higher.
YMMV
The higher end chips just have a higher multi, which doesn't really matter too much with the A64.
 
Boy you guys are killing me :D 11 votes for the X2 3800 and 11 for the X2 4200.

Well I just ordered my CPU.....at the last minute (literally) I noticed an X2 3800+ EE (65W) show up on NCIX so I ordered that instead. Hopefully it will work out.

EDIT: incidently it was the same price as the X2 4200+
 
Hope it works out for ya

As quadnad said the high multiplier is your main gain for the 4200. Overall top end OC point is going to virtually wash out. Shoot some guys 3800's are out OCing other guys 4200's. Luck of the draw still plays a part
 
3800+ if you are going to overclock, 4200+ if you are NOT going to overclock...
 
I voted 4200+ but it really depends on a few different things.

For me I wanted to set up my system with a 10% overclock and 1:1 ram divider with low latency ram. I also demand a 100% stable system no matter how hard I push it. To get that I went with a an asus mobo and corsair 3500LL pro ram. (yeah I'm talking about 939)

This gives me a 220 mhz clock on the 2 gb of ram at 2,2,3,6 1t, and 2420 on the cpu. I also use an external water cooler for the cpu. I keep all the voltages at stock and the system stays very cool.

This gives me gaming performace a little above where a good x2 4800+ cpu would normally run on stock settings and decent ram.

However, if you're going to clock your htt well past those speeds, then you might as well get the 3800+ because you can easily beat a 220 mhz overclock with a higher htt and using a ram divider. But keep in mind that just pushing higher cpu speeds does not always mean better performance. I wanted to have a well balanced system overall so I didn't focus on hugh overclocks as much as fast timings and a stable system.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top