Question about the AM2

[flan]

I wanted to get the AMD X2 4400+ Dual Core for a custom built PC I am about to build. But I started reading up on the AM2 which come out later this month and was wondering if I should wait. I read up on it a little and say that the 4400+ Dual Core AM2 was about the same price as the X2. I was wondering how big the performace boost is on the new AM2. And should I get that or wait for it to come out and get the X2 since it will be cheaper?

 

[jaguarskx]

AM2 will cost more than S939.

AM2 will only offer marginal performance boost over S939 if you use DDR 800 with it.

You may need to wait for Conroe to come out for S939 to drop.

Buying AM2 may be a little more expensive, but you will be ready for AMD's next generation CPU when it comes out next in summer 2007.

 

[7H4_D00D3]

That's true.

If you go AM2 it's kinda like an "I promise you AMD, I'll love you forever "
That is based on the latest data available on that subject. For now, AM2 doesn't provide many advantage over S939 (about possibly 10%), but it will provide you for an upgrade path to the future generation of AMD's products (be it new manufacturing process or microarchitechture).
It's not a bad choice to go AM2, just that it's more expensive than 939 and you can still get a decent rig for a lower price.

Most people can say "no way, that is whacked!!! go for core!!!". If you don't mind considering an Intel chip, you can wait and see what will happen, if you want a new pc ASAP then ask yourself Do I really want to pay 10-20% more for an AM2 processor 10% better than it's S939 counterpart?
IF Yes THEN
Go for AM2 and you won't regret it
ELSE
Go for S939

Why did I say that going AM2 is a love promise? 'cause you'll get more performance out of the next year micros, or at least much more than that with the recent tech.

Hoping for the 65nm AM2 benchies......(I'll wait sleepong all the way to xmas)

 

[bombasschicken]

939 prices will probably depend on the demand. If there's still a demand for them, the prices will be good, but if everyone gets AM2 or Conroe, then 939 prices will probably be higher, since no one wants them.

why would the prices go up? is my concept of supply and demand that poor? wouldnt it be the other way around? high supply + low demand = low price ~~ low supply + high depands = high price. am i right? or just going crazy?

 

[K8MAN]

From the looks of things right now AM2 is exactly what socket F will be. It will set up the foundation for the paltform in which the QC K8L will fit into nicely. It will not however give us much more performance unless you are running your RAM above 1ghz.

 

[K8MAN]

I just hope that DDR2 and DDR3 actually are pin compatible as that would be such a nice upgrade path. AM2 K8 with DDR2 first, then K8L with the same memory initially and then RAM replacement and QC K8L in 08, all on the same motherboard.

 

[K8MAN]

And then Asrock would make a Mobo that supported 754 with a 939/AM2 upgrade slot that supported DDR, DDR2, AND DDR3 with only 4 DIMMS

 

[K8MAN]

We better stop posting these crazy idea's or else they'll end up on the inquirer's front page.

 

[mdd1963]

" I was wondering how big the performace boost is on the new AM2. "

That part is relatively easy to calculate, based on the preliminary benchmarks released the past few months...

Take any socket 939 rig, lower the multiplier by 1 to make it 200 MHz slower, and you have an equivalent AM2 rig equipped with more expensive DDR2/800!

Sad, really....

 

[mdd1963]

"AM2 K8 with DDR2 first, then K8L with the same memory initially and then RAM replacement and QC K8L in 08, all on the same motherboard.
"

Who wants to use the same mainboard waiting on a 1H2008 product while $200 Conroes clocked 500 Mhz slower are decimating us in all applications/ benchmarks for 2 years while waiting?

 

[7H4_D00D3]

" I was wondering how big the performace boost is on the new AM2. "

That part is relatively easy to calculate, based on the preliminary benchmarks released the past few months...

Take any socket 939 rig, lower the multiplier by 1 to make it 200 MHz slower, and you have an equivalent AM2 rig equipped with more expensive DDR2/800!

Sad, really....

Not that bad, for the most aprt of the time it was like that S939 being equal to AM2 or better, but last time I checked (don't remember were, sorry ) the latest revision got 10% better performance in some tests, and avg bout 7%, so it's not as crappy as you say

About your second post, true on the keeping the same mobo for 1K years...it's not precisely the best but it works, and are you sure that Conroes will be @ 200$ there?

I know the wait will be long and the path hard, but I can't wait til the day that "conroes" get beaten by products of the same gen from AMD just like netburst was a total loss for intel, that way all the ppl with the "conroe syndrom" will calm down.

That last paragraph pretty much is flame-in-a-can, so plz deal with it properly and don't start another stupid flame war

Do I hate Intel? Nah, I'm a hardcore AMD fan? nay, but I'm upset because lamb-people, they do as their masters say. When the first conroe results came suddenly an Intel fanboy explosion happened (were there was one now were 15), just like the "Where can I get a D805?" threads, do you notice how such topics increased in the last week due to the 4.1Ghz P4D article?

I bet someone faked benchies saying X processor beats Y processor and X costs X/5 $ and a lot of people will start looking for that X processor....that's sad, but true

 

[K8MAN]

"AM2 K8 with DDR2 first, then K8L with the same memory initially and then RAM replacement and QC K8L in 08, all on the same motherboard.
"

Who wants to use the same mainboard waiting on a 1H2008 product while $200 Conroes clocked 500 Mhz slower are decimating us in all applications/ benchmarks for 2 years while waiting?

Maybe the same people who bought P4's these past 3 years

 

[ltcommander_data]

There's actually been whisperings of an AM3 platform for desktop that is supposed to support DDR3.

http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=30617

Whether it's just The Inquirer's imagination remains to be seem, but HKEPC has also been dropping references to it.

http://www.hkepc.com/bbs/news.php?tid=574791&starttime=0&endtime=0

 

[K8MAN]

I believe AM3 will only come if DDR3 ends up being a different pin layout. As of right now they can make it work with with the current DDR2 pin layout.

 

[theaxemaster]

A note on RAM prices:

Sure, if you compare cheap DDR to cheap DDR2, DDR2 is actually a little less (assuming ddr2-667 vs. ddr-400). If you buy performance ram, the costs switch the other way. That's because there hasn't really been a strong performance market for DDR2 yet, but I think with AM2 it will make it stronger and prices should go down in that sector.

So in the long run, upgrading will be cheaper. It just depends on if you like to stick to an upgrade path for a while, or don't mind switching between architectures/brands, changing out most of the system.

 

[KarmaKiller]

I think that it´s pretty pointless to go with AM2 now.
It´s most expensive than S939, and it doesn´t provide an important performance gain; plus, the FX-62/4 it´s announced on December, and the FX-60 (if you´re not a hardcore user) should provide a good upgrade path from a 3700+/X2 3800+.
If I had the money, I would just go for an Intel 975X BadAxe motherboard that will support the Conroe. But since I don´t have the money, I´ll stick with my S939 and my 3000+ until next year maybe, and then go dual core.