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Better bang for the buck?

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November 7, 2006 8:50:41 PM

I want to upgrade my desktop system, but I want to waste my 400 euros most performance efficient. My system is overclocked now and that will be the case with my new rig, whatever it will be.

My overclocked desktop configuration is this:
Asus A8N5X(with BIOS of A8N-E) s939 nForce4 PCIe HTT @1040MHz (270MHz x 4)
Athlon64 3200+ (Venice E6) @2.7GHz (270MHz x 10) @1.5v
2x512MB A-DATA Vitesta DDR500 CL3 4-4-7 @450MHz CL2 3-3-6 CR1 @3.0v
Inno3D GeForce 6600 128bit DDR2 PCIe GPU/VRAM: 350/700MHz @545/840MHz
2xMaxtor 160GB 7200RPM 8MB SATA
Creative Labs Audigy 2 6.1
PSU Deluxe quiet 420W contiunous 120mm FAN
Cooler Master Vortex? all cooper 90mm FAN

I can sell my mainboard for 60 euros, CPU for 60 euros and RAM for 110 euros.

My dillema is should I sell my mainboard, CPU and RAM and get a C2D, a good OC mainboard and 2GB of DDR2-800 CL5 or should I upgrade my CPU and buy additional 1 GB(2x512MB) A-DATA Vitesta DDR-500.
I was thinking about the Opteron 170 and the Opteron 175 because I will overclock my system. The Opteron 175 will cost me 200 euros(or 140 if I sell my old A64) and the 2x512MB sticks of A-DATA DDR500 will cost me 130 euros. So, if I stick at s939 I will have to spend around 270 euros.

I was wondering if I sell my old stuff, what performance can get from a overclocked C2D system(OC-ing mainboard, CPU, 2GB of DDR2-800) for 500 euros and for 650 euros.

So what do you guys think? What is the best beng for my bucks?

Thank you for your advices.

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November 7, 2006 9:37:54 PM

Well, selling computer parts to buy newer ones generally isn't super cost-efficient, so sitting on what you have would be better. Buy an X2 4800+ and that 2x512MB RAM and go for it. It will be a lot cheaper than a new board + all new RAM + new CPU rather than just some RAM + new CPU.

If you got an E6300, most people can get stable clocks up to about 2.5-2.6 GHz or so. Yes, some get 3GHz or so, but I highly doubt that's very stable. An E6300 at 2.6 GHz will perform about like an AMD at 2.8-2.9 GHz, so an X2 4800+ clocked up to 2.8 or 2.9 GHz (2.8 is very doable, but that's about it) will perform like an OC'd E6300. Not overclocked, the 4800+ will wipe the floor with the E6300, so consider that too.
November 7, 2006 10:13:02 PM

If you can stay below the 300 Euros mark, go for it; I agree with Mu_Engineer.
If not, well you know better than me... I'd go with a good (read C2Q ready) MB, 1GB of DDR2 >533MHz & an E6300; you'll be able to keep everything else you've got & upgrade later on, gradually. Downside: That'll be up to 500 Euros...

My two cents (0,02 Euros) :wink:


Cheers!
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November 8, 2006 9:08:09 AM

MU_enginer & Joset, thanks for your advices.
The 4800+ is around 280 euros. Compared to the Opteron 175 it is has 9% higher clock, but it is 40% more expencive. Also, the Opteron should be more OC-able and stable, but there is no general rule for OC-ing.
I am looking after articles about OC-ed Opteron 170/175. I am not in hurry, so I have time to explore. If either can reach 2.6GHz-2.7GHz stable I'll be happy :) 
November 8, 2006 10:44:01 AM

270 euros to upgrade from one to two 2.7GHz cores (each with 512 -> 1MB cache) and from 1 to 2GB of RAM - that isn't bad at all, and you'll notice performance improvements both in single and multitasking activities. But the 939 socket is also a dead end, and while your RAM won't devalue much, your Opteron CPU will over time.

If I were you, I'd just upgrade the RAM for now and keep saving up until I can transition to a new platform. A single-core FX-55 with 2GB RAM is still a formidable system and should last you well into next year.
November 8, 2006 11:36:01 AM

Are you a gamer? Have you considered a new gpu? Maybe x1950pro...or are you waiting for mid-range DX10 cards to come out?
November 8, 2006 11:42:02 AM

Quote:
Are you a gamer? Have you considered a new gpu? Maybe x1950pro...or are you waiting for mid-range DX10 cards to come out?
No, I am not a gamer. My GeForce 6600 serves me well and is more than enough to run Vista smooth.
November 8, 2006 11:46:23 AM

I agree with wr, 939 is a dead end, if you were going to step up, then do so to a platform with some life in it... if you get a C2D system then you could make sure you get a quad-core compatible mobo which, given enough time you could make an upgrade again, whereas sticking with the 939 after you get the opty, its the end, no more, nadda...

I consider the future more so than the present... always better to have options open then closing everything off.
November 8, 2006 11:55:54 AM

Quote:
I agree with wr, 939 is a dead end, if you were going to step up, then do so to a platform with some life in it... if you get a C2D system then you could make sure you get a quad-core compatible mobo which, given enough time you could make an upgrade again, whereas sticking with the 939 after you get the opty, its the end, no more, nadda...

I consider the future more so than the present... always better to have options open then closing everything off.

If I get a new mainboard that can be upgraded, than the scenario will be the same as now. There will be faster CPUs and new mainboards with an upgrade path for future better CPUs and RAM. I can improve the performance of my desktop system sticking at my s939 mainboard and DDR RAM right now. And next year I can buy whole new system when there will be more options like 45nm C2 and K8L.
November 8, 2006 12:08:58 PM

so if ur not a gamer what r u then ? 8)


i guess quad is the way 2 go if u do alot of cpu intensive stuff but its so expensive ..
November 8, 2006 12:11:55 PM

I'm fairly certain the 45nm C2D will still be on the 775 platform, but then there is the 1333MHZ FSB issue... shrug

Depends on how often you plan to upgrade... if you're planning on getting a whole new system next year with 45nm, might as well keep what you have now and save, otherwise if you're just going small upgrades then get a better platform...
November 8, 2006 12:18:16 PM

Quote:
so if ur not a gamer what r u then ? 8)


i guess quad is the way 2 go if u do alot of cpu intensive stuff but its so expensive ..

I am a student. I don't want expencive stuff and right now I will see no benefit from any system with more than two cores. I plan to spend around 400 euros on upgrade.
I am using the folowing software: MS VS.NET 1/2, Mathcad, Mathlab, MS Office, MS Visio, Adobe Photoshop CS2, Corel DRAW 13.
November 8, 2006 12:28:52 PM

Whats the conversion rate from Euros to US $?
November 8, 2006 12:32:16 PM

yea but wouldnt it be better like using $160 on a 3800x2 that will perform much better than ur 3200+ ?



tho u could build a 6300 c2d but then u have 2 throw all ur money at it
November 8, 2006 12:37:48 PM

I think he means VS . net versions 1 and 2
November 8, 2006 12:40:57 PM

oops my bad, just caught the net part...

I assume Mathlab = Matlab... which is what I rarely use, Mathematica works fine for me...

Eh, all design work I do on lab computers and all programming I got MS Visual Studio 2005 for... Don't do any graphic work though...
November 8, 2006 12:46:40 PM

Dev C++, Visual Studio (All of them), Matlab, Photoshop CS2, Fireworks and Flash 8, and a couple of other high processor tools.
November 8, 2006 12:48:37 PM

Don't do much C/C++ anymore, I like Assembly more these days, think its more elegant than C++ and a lot less shiz to rmr, even though VS + MSDN helps a lot.

Also do some VHDL work for circuit design, but you will learn what that is young grasshopper...
November 8, 2006 1:54:39 PM

@Doughboy

Matlab != Mathlab
Mathlab is much more powerfull than Mathematica. I use Simulink from Mathlab 7 for modeling and experimenting.
VS.NET 1/2 = Visual Studio.NET 2003/Visual Studio.NET 2005
Sometimes I use VS 6 also.

In the old good DOS days I used inline ASM in Quick C & Turbo C/C++, but IMO today programming in ASM for x86 is pointless.

BTW, can any of you guys recomend any non-expencive C2D overclockable mainboard?
I have no OC expireince with C2D yet. :( 
!