X2 3800 vs. Opty 165 - Planning to OC, need expert advice!

dangerous_squid

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Feb 17, 2006
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Okay, I'm OCing, most likely on air. After as much research as possible I've come up with the following reasons to get one chip or the other:

X2 3800
- runs cooler w/o l2 cache
- about $30-40 cheaper
- new E4 060x chips OC avg 2.6-3.0
- 10x multi
- less likely to have cold bug(?)

Opteron 165
- l2 cache gives a few(?) % points adv
- better binned, less likely to overvolt and die(?)
- famous OCer should pull at least 2.6 stable(?)

My main concern is best performance, but very stable on air, I’m not going for world benching records. Please help me choose and correct me if I’m wrong in any part of the lists.

Also, what are good steppings and with which chip do I have the best chance of getting a good stepping if I order now? Thanks! :)
 

Kohlhagen

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Mar 15, 2006
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i have OCed the Opteron 165 to 2.8 GHZ off the stock cooler easily..
but i tried to OC my friends 3800+ X2 off a MSI Crossfire motherboard and couldnt get more than 2.45 ghz stable..

(off Crucial Ballistix 2-2-2-5) i think it was the cheap MSI crossfire motherboard that was holding it back..
 

xSunnYx

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Dec 31, 2005
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Go for the Opty imo

Got an Opty 170 @ 2600 (260x10) on 1.4 vCore (tried 2750, but temps got higher than 51C, so i passed on that 1)
 

apesoccer

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Jun 11, 2004
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X2 3800
- runs cooler w/o l2 cache
- about $30-40 cheaper
- new E4 060x chips OC avg 2.6-3.0
- 10x multi
- less likely to have cold bug(?)

Opteron 165
- L2 cache gives a few(?) % points adv
- better binned, less likely to overvolt and die(?)
- famous OCer should pull at least 2.6 stable(?)

Heads up...
-runs cooler w/o L2 cache...Sorry, it has a 2x512 l2 cache. It's just smaller...
-the new ones are E6, the old ones are E4; regular oc's are more likely between 2.4 - 2.6 1:1 and 2.5 - 2.8 using dividers, unless you really want to push them (with special cooling).
-cold bug is a myth...cold bug came about when people were trying to run too much voltage while at extreme temps...too much voltage being the key term there

-L2 2x1mb cache will give a 1-3% improvement in intensive tasks (over 2x512k cache)
-definately better binned, and typically can overclock to higher fsb on lower voltage then the equivilant x2 series (which doesn't exsist in this series since there isn't a 1.8ghz x2)
-Can overclock to 2.6, but not necessarily will.
-1.8ghz processor vs 2.0ghz X2 you're comparing (@ stock)

Motherboard, ram, psu and hsf are all issues that need to be addressed as well in an oc'd system.

Edit: Oops didn't answer your question...I'd pick the opti personally...but that's mostly because i've already oc'd a 3800 x2. It's pretty much a toss-up. Go opti for the prestige...heh. 3800 for the higher base clock...