What chip should i keep/use? Opt 146 or X2 4400

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mchlhotrod

Weaksauce
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Jan 5, 2006
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The Opteron 146 (cab2e 0604epaw) runs on my Asrock 939dual sata mobo at a max of 2.75GHz on roughly 1.48 volts (bad voltage regulation on this motherboard. I set it at the max of 1.45 and it fluctuates anywhere from 1.47 to 1.50). Reports of people constantly reaching 3+ GHz with this chip at or around 1.5-1.55 volts.

The X2 4400 (CCBWE 0517MPMW) runs on same mobo at a max of about 2.45 GHz on 1.4 v olts (mobo set to 1.350 max). Ater that i cant boot into windows, it starts to load and then a black screen. Even though the person i got it from stated it would run higher (closer to 2.7) and a little research on this stepping shows people having good success with it. This leads me to my next question... I think my power supply is holding me back (my motherboard is too with the limited voltage adjustments) but i get random lock ups even when i have everything running prime95, memtest stable. Like i said the cpu voltage fluctuates alot probaly as much as .05 volts. Next post will be my voltages on my X2 4400 system. Please give me your knowledge.
 
This is my voltage values for the X2 4400 system, i forgot to mention the power supply. It's a PC Power and Cooling 510 non-sli and is about 3+ years old. When i do the PSU calculator it says my computer should have a PSU that can push about 630 watts.
PCP&C Power Supply 510 watt 3+ years old
Voltage Values:
CPU Core 1.34 V
+3.3 V 3.38 V
+5 V 5.21 V
+12 V 12.46 V
+5 V Standby 5.14 V
 
anyone have any input? do those voltages look normal to you, arent they on the high side? Would that make a difference in the stability of the computer?
 
I'm not sure the higher numbers would necessarily affect the stability like the low voltages would. That's not a very good OC on a 4400+. You could try a different PSU, but I'd just as soon blame the mobo. What kind of temps are you getting?
 
Thanks for your reply. Well my temps are 41c idle and 48c load in a warm room about 78 degrees. But i heard that voltage flucuation will freeze up the computer. I might just bite the bullet and get a real mans motherboard like one of the DFI's, since i have an OCZ 600w Powerstream coming in tommorow. But i am right in thinking that the chip should be doing alot better than that right?
Oh and back on topic which chip should i keep the one that does really high GHz or the dual core?
 
Onboard voltage sensors are generally grossly inaccurate. It's probably much more steady than the sensor reports. You should keep whichever one appeals to your habits. Realize that the difference when multitasking between dual and single core is much more noticeable than 2.75 vs 2.45ghz in, say, gaming.
 
mchlhotrod said:
Thanks for your reply. Well my temps are 41c idle and 48c load in a warm room about 78 degrees. But i heard that voltage flucuation will freeze up the computer. I might just bite the bullet and get a real mans motherboard like one of the DFI's, since i have an OCZ 600w Powerstream coming in tommorow. But i am right in thinking that the chip should be doing alot better than that right?
Oh and back on topic which chip should i keep the one that does really high GHz or the dual core?
Click to expand...

Just keep in mind that the 4400+ (depending on build) seems to like/want more juice than single core A64's, the dual core Opterons or the 512mb cache X2's.

My E6 4400+ (need to pop the sucker out to see the other build data) won't do a thing above 2.5 at stock voltage, on two different motherboards. I can run it all day long at 2.7 at 1.475v- 1.5v, and 2.8 at 1.55. At 1.5 to 1.55v my idle is in the low 40's (in the 30's if I want to run my CPU fan at high speed), and load hits 55c after a lot of stress testing, this in a x1900xt Crossfire rig...lose one of the video cards and my idles drop a couple degrees and so does load.

But getting back to your question, I'd keep the 4400+. Dual core, 2x 1mb cache, it'll stomp the single core Opty in a lot of ways, even at lower clocks.

Feel free to experiment with higher voltages up to 1.55v (if you can set them), keep the load temps near or below 55c you are fine, and that should net you closer to the 2.7 speeds.

I also wouldn't sweat the fluctuating vCore voltages, that is fairly common to see with many 939 boards hardware monitoring, and generally NOT a PSU problem.
 
I would guess that its your power supply (or motherboard) if you get random lockups, hopefully it's just your PSU cause it should at least hit 2.6Ghz, unless it's a complete dud in which I would try to return :eek:
 
Thanks guys. I'm going to try the Vcore mod for this motherboard to get 1.55 volts to the chip. I think im set, I'll let you know what i reach after i do the mod.
 
Good luck, I think voltage is all that's holding you back with the X2.
 
I was pretty much in the exact same situtation... I have a 146 that maxed out the Asrock at stock volts. I went with a DFI Ultra D. It allows me to OC a few mhz higher but that is about it. I can't say yet if I think it was money well spent.
 
well i did the vcore mod and now im running 1.5 volts to it and have it running stable at 2.6 which im happy with. Probaly would do 2.7 but im comfortable right here. Thanks for all the input guys.

P.S. be on the look out in the for sale/trade forum for the opteron 146 i'll be selling :)
 
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