Worth it for me to build AMD system...? (intel guy)

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Jan 24, 2002
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I won an AMD 3400+ processor when I won a trip to Seattle... It's the 64 bit processor, but to be honest with ya I don't really keep up with AMD... I build lots of intel systems. In fact all my systems in my house are Intel...

If I don't decide to build it using this processor and decided to sell it what would I be looking at to get out of it?

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-427&depa=1
Just found that on newegg..the model on my chip is actually: ADA3400AEP5AR

Thanks,
-Nigel
 
If you haven't tried AMD yet, you don't know what your missing.

That A64 will cruise like nothing you've ever seen an intel processor do.

Plus, AMD systems are much cheaper.
 
You could just spend $150 max and get a motherboard for the chip. Then just take everything else out of one of your intel machines.

Try it out and if you don't like it sell both.

Like most reviews say. The A64 is very fast, but even Kyle here says that multi-tasking with a P4 and HT is smoother then with any other cpu.

/shrug

To each his own really. I have never noticed a problem multi-tasking, but I have never tried a P4 w/ HT.
 
I'll give a lil bit of background on the A64 Proc and the other ones on the market

Alright, first of all it is Socket 754, and if I am not mistaken is the fastest proc on this socket while the FX series and Socket 939 are better.

Now, onto the processor itself. It is a very good one and will not let you down. AMD Athlon XP Processors were working in a 32 bit architecture doing 9 IPC (Instructions Per Cycle) while the Intel's doing 6. The A64 line does 12 IPCs on a 64 bit architecture, able to also simulate 32 bit at 99.9% efficiency. Putting in the fact that these do quite a bit more work than the AXP, a 3200 A64 would beat an AXP. I am not going start comparing these to the Intel Processors because both of them win in their own ways. Intel seems to do a better job on Bandwitdth hungry applications (Video Editing) while AMD has focussed on doing number Crunchers (Games) better. Either way you look at it, this is a great processor and will not let you down. If you do put this in a system, expect to be blown away.
 
Well, I don't know about the cheaper side of AMD systems when you're talking about A64 processors, but then again he has the processor so in a way his system will be much cheaper since he doesn't need to buy that part of it. If I were you, I'd give it a go. Worst case scenario is you find out you don't care for it or need it or whatever. Resell values on whole or even parted out A-64 systems on these forums appears to be pretty good. You could most likely recoup your investment in the motherboard, ram, and whatever else you bought for it if you decided to sell it. Just be careful to get the Registered PC3200 ram and a Socket 754 motherboard (seems that VIA and Nforce3 offerings are pretty close to the same performance), Grab a quality motherboard with a decent feature set and you should be ready to play with the "Dark Side". Be careful though, the "Dark Side" is very powerful and can easily entangle you in it. Make sure you have friends that will pull you out of its grasp lest you leave Intel forever for the power of an AMD.
 
CVNet1 said:
...Just be careful to get the Registered PC3200 ram ...


The A64 chips DO NOT need Registered RAM.

Opterons Need Registered. I know the first FX chips needed it as well, so I am sure even the new FX chips need it as well.
 
There a good boards for the AMD 64 chips ranging from $90 on up, so putting the system together wouldn't cost you much as you can swap everything else in your Intel system into the A64 mobo.

Only thing I should add if you do build it, makes sure your putting good ram in it as the A64 mobos can be a bit finicky with cheap/low cost ram.

I have two 512 meg sticks of Geil (non Golden Dragon) PC3200 ram that ran perfectly in my Athlon XP +2600 system, but when putting BOTH sticks in my AOpen AK86-L (A64 mobo) it wouldn't run the 400mhz bus speed, but would only run stable at 333mhz. It could run ONE stick at 400, but not both.

I ended up getting some Corsair Value Select ram and it runs at 400 with two sticks of 512 PC3200 just fine. I was going to get some better ram than that, but I'll wait till ram prices come back down.

I have an Athlon 64 +3200 system and the only difference between that and the +3400 is 200mhz. It's easily the fastest desktop system that I have ever used and that includes plenty of P4 computers I use at work. I have done some multi-tasking with the P4's and it really doesn't "feel" like they are any better at it than an A64.

If some the benchmarking I've seen under some 64 bit Linux systems are any indicator, Intel going to be in a world of hurt when comparing their 32 bit processors to AMD when Windows 64 comes out.

In other words, build a system around that chip. I think you'll be pretty happy with it.
 
Dekar12 said:
The A64 chips DO NOT need Registered RAM.

Opterons Need Registered. I know the first FX chips needed it as well, so I am sure even the new FX chips need it as well.

no...

Socket 754 and 939 cpu's DO NOT NEED REGISTERED RAM!!!!!!! - this includes ALL the processors for those boards meaning the FX's no longer require registered ram UNLESS you get a socket 940 FX.
 
Grim Incarnation said:
I'll give a lil bit of background on the A64 Proc and the other ones on the market

Alright, first of all it is Socket 754, and if I am not mistaken is the fastest proc on this socket while the FX series and Socket 939 are better.

no...

the 3700+ is the fastest 754cpu and the socket 939 chips aren't all that better, it's almost a draw.
 
Also something you all forgot. The A64 CPU's have buffer overflow protection. If a buffer overflow occurs the CPU makes the current memory read only in a XP SP2 enviornment. So, a virus can't write itself to memory and be executed.
 
The only thing keeping me from buying an amd 64 system is their motherboard situation. When nvidia comes out with a proven platform and intergrated soundstorm southbridge, believe me it's on, a64 rocks in games and that's really the only place i need such cpu power.
 
SoundStorm looks dead to me. nForce3 Ultra does not have it. Even the lastest nForce2 Ultra 400Gb does not have it.
 
Bigjohns97 said:
The only thing keeping me from buying an amd 64 system is their motherboard situation. When nvidia comes out with a proven platform and intergrated soundstorm southbridge, believe me it's on, a64 rocks in games and that's really the only place i need such cpu power.

Yeah, I was waiting for an A64 soundstorm board too. I wanted to build an HTPC with hardware dolby encoding (and the "cool and quiet" business) but from the looks of it, I will probably kick down my A7N8X-E.
 
Yeah i just ordered an nf7-s and the mobile chip and i am going to wait for a good a64 solution, soundstorm is not dead they are just tweaking it, it will come out hopefully this summer or early fall and i bet it won't be intergrated. Hopefully by then we will have nforce 3 ultra with pci-e 16x slot andn 3 1x slots so we won't have to run pci and then soundstorm comes out with a pci-e card and i drop about 2k on a new pc !!!
 
Bigjohns97 said:
Yeah i just ordered an nf7-s and the mobile chip and i am going to wait for a good a64 solution, soundstorm is not dead they are just tweaking it, it will come out hopefully this summer or early fall and i bet it won't be intergrated. Hopefully by then we will have nforce 3 ultra with pci-e 16x slot andn 3 1x slots so we won't have to run pci and then soundstorm comes out with a pci-e card and i drop about 2k on a new pc !!!


Where is your source for all this info?

If you care follow link: http://forums.rojakpot.com/viewtopic.php?t=567
 
a standalone card would be sweet - though I'm not sure nVidia or mobo companies would want to cannibalize a "value driver" on thier premium boards. Soundstorm boards command a higher price that a standalone PCI-e card would void.

Do you think that they will wait for the replacement of the aging AC'97 codec? I know Intel is pushing some ""HD Audio" solution? 192kHZ, 24bit something-or-other

you are right - there is too much good technology on the horizon to upgrade now (DDR2, PCI-e, cheaper 939/754). Current Premium products are getting cheaper though...
 
NewShockerGuy said:
I won an AMD 3400+ processor when I won a trip to Seattle... It's the 64 bit processor, but to be honest with ya I don't really keep up with AMD... I build lots of intel systems. In fact all my systems in my house are Intel...

If I don't decide to build it using this processor and decided to sell it what would I be looking at to get out of it?

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProductDesc.asp?description=19-103-427&depa=1
Just found that on newegg..the model on my chip is actually: ADA3400AEP5AR

Thanks,
-Nigel

Hi Nigel - I dare you to build the AMD 3400+ system. ;) I truly believe that you would have a completely different outlook toward AMD after building it. You might just end up and not have a single Intel system anymore after a few weeks with the 64 bit AMD. I personally build quite a few systems on a regular basis and haven't built an Intel system in about two years now. It's funny to me that Intel outsells AMD 10 to 1 but in the enthusiast crowd it runs about 10 to 1 in AMD's favor. That alone ought to tell you something. :D
 
Thanks for all the great info and replies guys!

Now you guys got me thinking very hard about building this...heheh

Do AMD chips run hotter than Intel chips? I have a swiftech mx4000 for my p4 chip and want to probably go with the same version for this amd chip but have to get the specific one made for it since the brackets are different.... Should I use the stock heatsink and fan or no? Looks like the intel one...pretty dinky..lol

What would be the fastest ram I can use with this processor?

Thanks,
-Nigel
 
Well, it depends on what you do. Try the stock HSF, it might even work out for you. They've gotten better. If not, Zalman and Alpha make some pretty nice 754-compatible heatsinks. As for RAM, you can use any non-registered, non-bufferred, non-ECC, plain-old DDR RAM with the CPU. So, at the moment, the max is DDR533 I believe, and that should do you fine. However, with higher RAM speeds, you get higher latency, so I personally recommend a couple 512MB sticks of Corsair XMS PC3200 with the lowest stock latencies you can find. Fast, overclockable, reliable, at least for me.
 
Wow, you've got quite the opportunity here, lol. I'm thinking of building an AMD system myself, also only ever owning intel chips.

BTW, would new shocker happen to imply 2003 Smart Parts shocker? Where in PA ya at?
 
Yes, keep the chip, and buy an nForce 3 250 board for it! Don't touch VIA or SiS with a 10-foot clown pole, though. That chips is really good. I wish I had it, but me poor, can't afford nething better than a 3200... If you don't like it, you could always giveit to me ;)
 
pbXassassinX1524 said:
Wow, you've got quite the opportunity here, lol. I'm thinking of building an AMD system myself, also only ever owning intel chips.

BTW, would new shocker happen to imply 2003 Smart Parts shocker? Where in PA ya at?


lol,

Yeppers this was my first user name when I got a shocker turbo YEARS back... The new shockers are pretty nice, a lot better looking to the eye, but are still gas hogs...heheh I traded that for a cobra angel lcd...

I'm close to Pittsburgh PA.

-Nigel
 
if you play games alot, build that A64 system. I just went from 3.0C at 3.6Ghz to A64 3200+ and it is killing the P4 in benchmarks. I ran a shitload of benchmarks on ocforums.com, but I have to run them again because 3.0C was using ATI 4.4 Catalyst while A64 was using ATI 4.6.

Especially stock vs stock, the A64 smoked the 3.0C.

buy yourself a MSI K8N NEO motherboard, and X800XT (from selling your Intel stuff) and your completely set!

http://www.ocforums.com/showpost.php?p=2853712&postcount=25
(P4 is at 4.4 catalyst, A64 is at 4.6 catalyst in this test)
 
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