Budget minded gamer

[Orpo]

Hi Guys,
I'm on a tight budget and would like to take advantage of the sweet deals on the AMD 3800+ (single core). I wondering, with the 3800 being about 50% less than the 3800 dual core, should I just buy the single core?
I basically do nothing other on my computer than play WOW @ 1920X1600.
From benchmarks I've seen the single core actually outperforms the dual by a significant amount.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=237&chart=68&model2=245

 

[-=Antimatter=-]

Wait for price drops later this month to bring the dual cores down below current single-core prices. Then enjoy yourself!

 

[cornelious0_0]

Hi Guys,
I'm on a tight budget and would like to take advantage of the sweet deals on the AMD 3800+ (single core). I wondering, with the 3800 being about 50% less than the 3800 dual core, should I just buy the single core?
I basically do nothing other on my computer than play WOW @ 1920X1600.
From benchmarks I've seen the single core actually outperforms the dual by a significant amount.

http://www23.tomshardware.com/cpu.html?modelx=33&model1=237&chart=68&model2=245

In games that (still, for some reason) may not take advantage of dual core processors, single core chips ARE often times faster, but I also (along with many/most other [H] members) don't trust Toms any more then I/we trust the Inq.

Aside from that, if you can sit tight for those price drops you should still be in good shape...just depends how patient you think you are.

 

[Orpo]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
I am patient... but I guess it comes down to, I play WOW at high rez, thats basically all I do with my PC. Does Dual-Core provide any advantages that might be worth the still significant price difference?

 

[quadnad]

Thanks for the feedback guys.
I am patient... but I guess it comes down to, I play WOW at high rez, thats basically all I do with my PC. Does Dual-Core provide any advantages that might be worth the still significant price difference?

lol, if you only do one thing with your PC then you'd go against the whole allure of dual core: multitasking. The ability to do a jillion things at once, encode/decode video nice and quick...

If all you do is WoW, then it'd be wasted.

 

[cornelious0_0]

As it was just said...if ALL you're going to be doing with your computer is one thing...then it should (theoretically) be quite simple to find the hardware that does that one specific task the best.

If in that particular game there are not large/any gains from certain hardware advancements (dual core CPU's in this example) then there really shouldn't be a direct need for it.

In the case of dual core cpu's...even if a specific game didn't make use of them, I'd probly still go for it, as general system performance may see a boost (again, depending on what you do day to do aside from gaming)...and it's been shown that it is possible that a game could adopt certain technology/features in the future.

In the end it's up to you, it would be cheaper and make a lot more sense right NOW to go single core...but if dual core prices are dropping that much I'd probly wait it out, because aside from that, you very well could start to see benefits down the road, whether it be with/in this one specific game, or with future OS's and/or software/game updates.

 

[mikeczyz]

hey, when are these price cuts due to take place?

my brother is thinking of buying a new pc for gaming and is looking at a 3800+ single core as there's a significant (150 dollar) tariff to get the dual core.

However, for games that do recognize a dual core, how significant is the performance boost?
Are most new games being written for a dual core? If he goes single core and then gets a top of the line gpu (x1900xt) will he be set for the next generation of games?

Thanks,
Mike

 

[Vengance_01]

Wait for Conroe, amd will drop there prices accrossed the board inculding the X2's and FX line as well.

 

[mikeczyz]

and conroe is due when? end of this month, right?

thanks again,
mike

 

[Vengance_01]

Yea, I think once Intel launches the chip, that we see the price cuts

 

[quadnad]

mhmmm....

 

[mikeczyz]

good link,

now, for the performance issues regarding dual core vs. single....anyone wanna chime in?

 

[444]

1.5 times the performance is a conservative estimate for things that support dualcore. But it probably varies from application to application.

 

[cornelious0_0]

1.5 times the performance is a conservative estimate for things that support dualcore. But it probably varies from application to application.

I'd personally wait until the end of the month or so for Conroe. There are a few 975X boards that support 'em already, and there have been a small number of 965 boards surfacing that gaurantee Conroe support. Even if you were to go for a midranged Conroe chip in the $300 price range...AMD doesn't have a single thing to compete with it.

Hold out a little longer, conroe WILL make the wait worthwhile, I know I'd be kicking myself if I spent any decent amount of cash on a gaming A64 system and then Conroe was out less then a month later.

 

[mikeczyz]

are there any links to benchmarks and game framerate tests which compare conroe to current technology?

thanks,
mike

 

[guhh]

"If all you do is WoW, then it'd be wasted."

beat me to it. thanks for posting
dual core actually causes one (or two) games to perform erratically - grand theft auto san andreas, for example. have to disable one of the cores to prevent the game from crashing

 

[cornelious0_0]

are there any links to benchmarks and game framerate tests which compare conroe to current technology?

thanks,
mike

Not much, considering Conroe hasn't been officially released...but hit up XS and you'll find numerous threads in the Overclocking and 3D forums containing Conroe overclocks/benches. Try to find an AM2 rig hitting those kinds of numbers...I dare you.