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AMD64 Processor choices

M

mr_pollock

n00b
Joined
Jan 16, 2004
Messages
34
Well, I'm currently deciding between a few different AMD 64 processors.

I'm not worried about getting one that is going to offer the most upgrade capabilities, because I probably won't be upgrading for a while. Anyway, these are the processors I'm deciding between:


AMD Athlon 64 3000+, 512KB L2 Cache, Socket 939 64-bit Processor - Retail
$156.00

AMD Athlon 64 3000+, 512KB L2 Cache, Socket 754 64-bit Processor - Retail
$149.00

AMD Athlon 64 2800+, 512KB L2 Cache, Socket 754 64-bit Processor - Retail
$127.00

Obviously, I'd like to get the Socket 939, but if I'm not going to be seeing a big improvement in performance over the 2800+, I don't see the point.

Also... I'm not big on the overclocking scene. If I'm able to do some minor overclocking using the retail HSF, that would be cool.

In terms of motherboards, I'm looking at:

GIGABYTE "GA-K8NS Ultra-939" NVIDIA nForce3 ULTRA Chipset Motherboard For AMD Socket 939 CPU -RETAIL
$105.00

And for Socket 754...

CHAINTECH nForce3 250 Chipset Motherboard for AMD Socket 754 Athlon 64 CPU, Model "VNF3-250" -RETAIL
$72.00

I'm strapped for cash at the moment so I'm going to have to buy the rest of the stuff in steps.

I'm talking about RAM and a PSU (unless a 350W PSU that came with a Soyo Barebones for Socket A will power this AMD64 and a 9800 Pro, which I highly doubt).

I'll end up getting an Antec PSU (400W or more) or something else. What are some other good names in power supplies that might not cost as much as Antec?

RAM would have to be a Dual Channel Kit of 512MBx2, but I need some recommendations.

Well, thanks in advance!
 
get teh 939 3000+ you can get a 90nm one on newegg

and the GA baord is good
 
Get a 939 3000+ or 3200+ Winchester and pair it with an MSI Neo2 Platinum. That's the best bang for the buck right now.
 
Didn't really want to spend that much on a motherboard (the MSI Neo2 Platinum) when I can get the Gigabyte board for 30 bucks cheaper.

Any suggestions for RAM and PSU?

Let's just assume I'm going with the Socket 939 3000+

Also, will the retail heatsink/fan be fine for this?
 
mr_pollock said:
Didn't really want to spend that much on a motherboard (the MSI Neo2 Platinum) when I can get the Gigabyte board for 30 bucks cheaper.

Any suggestions for RAM and PSU?

Let's just assume I'm going with the Socket 939 3000+

Also, will the retail heatsink/fan be fine for this?
Click to expand...

The Gigabyte board will not run DDR400 dual channel which would be the main reason for going 939 since they have dual memory controllers on-chip.

For RAM I'd say the minumum for cheap would be possibly Corsair or Kingston Value Series. The best would be OCZ Platinum EL Rev2. For PSU I'd go with at least 400w from Antec, Enermax or Forton.
 
mr_pollock said:
Didn't really want to spend that much on a motherboard (the MSI Neo2 Platinum) when I can get the Gigabyte board for 30 bucks cheaper.

Any suggestions for RAM and PSU?

Let's just assume I'm going with the Socket 939 3000+

Also, will the retail heatsink/fan be fine for this?
Click to expand...
My advise- don't touch that Gigabyte board. It can't even run DDR400 with two dimm slots filled :) Gigabyte still insists it can do just that (although, it can't), and if you actually contact them on the phone, or forums, they will promptly blame it on AMD and say it's a problem related to the on-die memory controller, and, of course, AMD will deny everything. So Gigabyte continues pretending their boards work properly, and you're supposed to continue pretending they aren't going out of business.
 
Well BOOOO to Gigabyte.

Thanks for the heads up.

Okay, so is there another board I should be looking at that doesn't cost quite as much as the MSI Neo2 Platinum? Should I be considering any VIA boards or should I stick with nForce3?

As for the RAM, how does this sound?

Mushkin Dual Pack 184-Pin 1GB(512MBx2) DDR PC-3200 (2.5-3-3) - Retail
$157.00

or


Corsair Value Select (Dual Pack) 184 Pin 512MBx2 DDR PC-3200 (2.5) - OEM
$155.00

Either of those should be fine.

Thanks for the suggestion on the PSU Sanitarium.
 
Amen to that Gigabyte board. That thing is the most horrible piece of machinery I've seen. Have one at the shop that I haven't gotten to POST in a week. It's gotta be the DDR issue though, thanks for the heads up.
 
mr_pollock said:
Thermaltake PSUs any good?
Click to expand...
They're okay... nothing special. OCZ power supplies are REALLY good.. they rival the PC Power&Coolin 510Deluxe... hehe.
 
iddqd said:
They're okay... nothing special. OCZ power supplies are REALLY good.. they rival the PC Power&Coolin 510Deluxe... hehe.
Click to expand...

Welps, as long as they're not going to die out on me or fry any of my stuff, they're fine.

Thanks for all the input everbody.

I may not have to buy anything (other than RAM) if it turns out that I didn't fry my motherboard and processor! Haha.

Also, would there be a chance that a motherboard would still work after it being hit by a screwdriver? I accidentally dropped it while installing the HSF... :(
 
if you didn't break anything off, it most probably will still work. God alone knows what kind of things happened to my boards, and they still work.
 
I have two Thermaltake 480W Xaser II PSU's and they run great. I think for the price, you can't beat these things. I have an Intel P4 3.40ghrz 775 chip, 4 case fans, an Ati Radeon 9800 Pro AIW, 6 Hard Drives, and 2 optical drives running in this machine, and it's rock solid stable.
 
iddqd said:
My advise- don't touch that Gigabyte board. It can't even run DDR400 with two dimm slots filled :) Gigabyte still insists it can do just that (although, it can't), and if you actually contact them on the phone, or forums, they will promptly blame it on AMD and say it's a problem related to the on-die memory controller, and, of course, AMD will deny everything. So Gigabyte continues pretending their boards work properly, and you're supposed to continue pretending they aren't going out of business.
Click to expand...

Maybe a shot in the dark, and maybe not related, but it seems Kingston comments that at least on two different (Asus A8V, and of Giga's mb) 939 motherboards the memory controller which is on-die (and AMD's "problem") can only run 4 banks of memory, therefore you can only run 2 Double Sided (2 x 2 banks) memory modules, or 4 Single Sided (1 x 4 banks) memory modules, but not 4 Double Sided (or 4 x 2 banks) memory modules.

In spite of this, based on Asus' documentation, A8V can be configured to run with 4 Double Sided memory modules.

So before jumping to conclusions, the questions are:
a) what is the maximum number of banks allowed by the on-die memory controller?
b) If the maximum (determined by the on-die memory controller) is 4 banks, why do mb manufacturers suggest 8?
c) If the maximum (determined by the on-die memory controller) is 8 banks, why do memory manufacturers suggest 4?

Anybody bored enough to start looking through AMD's documentation?
 
dryrye said:
Maybe a shot in the dark, and maybe not related, but it seems Kingston comments that at least on two different (Asus A8V, and of Giga's mb) 939 motherboards the memory controller which is on-die (and AMD's "problem") can only run 4 banks of memory, therefore you can only run 2 Double Sided (2 x 2 banks) memory modules, or 4 Single Sided (1 x 4 banks) memory modules, but not 4 Double Sided (or 4 x 2 banks) memory modules.
Click to expand...
Yes! 2x512 (4 banks total) is the norm for most A64 mobos... You could have more if you're lucky, and run it without reverting to DDR333 speeds. However, that Gigabyte mobo can't even handle 4 banks, even though it's advertised as it can (still is, by the way). Most users quickly discover that they can't operate 2x512, or 4x256--- either which, at DDR400, which is, IMO unacceptable.

So, basically, the board can't even handle 4 banks.
 
guidot said:
Amen to that Gigabyte board. That thing is the most horrible piece of machinery I've seen. Have one at the shop that I haven't gotten to POST in a week. It's gotta be the DDR issue though, thanks for the heads up.
Click to expand...


I got the k8nsn ultra or whatever, the uber nf3 board(200$), it would not post for me either, then, I pulled the proc and everything out, and put it back together, and it posted.

The bios does not like to save chnages, like clock settings, and ide controller settings.

Oh, btw, it is running 4gb of ram right now, 4x1gb, at ddr400;), and when it left here it was doing 2x256 mushkin pc3500, but my friend decided he needed 4gb of ram :confused:

And isn't each slot on the mobo considered 2 banks?
 
iddqd said:
Yes! 2x512 (4 banks total) is the norm for most A64 mobos... You could have more if you're lucky, and run it without reverting to DDR333 speeds. However, that Gigabyte mobo can't even handle 4 banks, even though it's advertised as it can (still is, by the way). Most users quickly discover that they can't operate 2x512, or 4x256--- either which, at DDR400, which is, IMO unacceptable.

So, basically, the board can't even handle 4 banks.
Click to expand...



Just so everyone knows, i have 2 sticks of double sided 512 mb sticks of ram on the GA-K8Ns Ultra 939, and its perfect at stock in Dual Channel
 
i just got a 939 3000+ and a k8n neo 2 plat. yesterday and its up n running great! i love it already easily overclocked to 9 x 220 right know and w/ cosair valueram for now, im planning to get a gig of ocz el plat. 3200 in a couple weeks. board has nice features and is easy to overclock. im using stock cooling for know and it seems to be fine.
good luck!
 
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