My son is building a new AM2 rig and whats to get the low end dual core and OC it. Which one is better for this? Looking at the 3600 0r 3800 dual cores.

With one simple google, you could have found that out easily. I'm not being an asshole, it's just for your sake later on. Anyways, brisbane = 65nm and window is 90nm, meaning more heat. Get brisbane. Less heat = more overclockability/temps/performance per watt etc.

I have a brisbane X2 3600 @ 2.85ghz

Thanks for the reply....What MB are you using for that 2.85 OC? And RAM? CPU cooler?

Rosewill z3 cooler (fans on both sides of it), comes with 1 92mm, but I bought a 2nd to push air into it also. (I would go with scythe 120MM cpu cooler if I had more money back when I bought this)

I also have a gigabyte M61P-S3 - I bought this one because this computer is only my temporary computer and Im getting another one soon along with a new video card, so I wouldn't recommend getting this. I'd probably go with a nvidia 570/590 based board (DFI is my favorite)

Patriot PC 6400 memory (ddr2 800) @ 935 4-4-4-12. I did 1040 @ 5-5-5-15 on this memory, but it makes me sad cuz it's all 2t and not 1t. It was pretty cheap when I bought it tho. I'd go with any cas 4 memory now amonger the larger brands, but do some research as to whether they can get 1t or 2t etc. I might be my motherboard, but I have OCZ pc8500 ram and those worked on 1t timings

go for the brisbane. its a better overclocker.

Go with the 65W EE version of the 3800 Windsor. Brisbane is 65nm, and it does run cooler, but its overclockability isn't significantly different from the Windsors. The worst thing about the Brisbane is that is has a higher cache latency, with the result that it performs slower than its Windsor counterpart (basically, 200 whatevers slower - like 4400 Brisbane=4200 Windsor).

Both the X2 3600 and the X2 3800 are good choices (I have an X2 3800 and love it)... but note there are two version of the X2 3600, one 2GHz w/ 2x256KB cache, and one 1.9GHz w/ 2x512KB cache. Since your son will be overclocking, if you decide to do with the X2 3600, its smarter to pick the higher cache version.

Good luck.

So is the Sythe Ninja still one of the top three best coolers out there for the price/performance?? Or could someone suggest one that is better...

Well, performance wise, the windsor is, but you'll get a higher oc with a 3600 and better cooling, but the performance difference is soooo small (1ns on the l2 cache), I'd say you should save the money and go with the 3600 instead

How old is your son, my guess is I'm probably not much older then him myself and could give him some pointers

the 3800+ x2 will do 2.6 or more (the speed yours is doing now)
set the fsb to 260
vcore upto 1.4 (depends on chip may need higher)
lower HTL to 4x (800/1600)
lower ram to 667 (333 or 166 what ever your mobo reports it as)
set ram to 1.9v
make sure you got an good cooler

or just get the 5600 X2 as that runs @ 2.8ghz and is only £50 more then the 3800+ X2 for it (it can do 3.1 easy 3.2 or more but need better cooling)

get an good cooler the TK A1 is intresting cooler (but fan is noisey when fan is at low RPM but it cools very well) but if you want quite + good cooling the Cooling master 64 pro (do not recommend AMD stock cooler on that cpu even thought it comes with the cpu)

For either of those cores, I doubt you'll need a voltage bump, windsor and brisbane cores tend to not like voltage as much as conroes, and I've reached 2.9ghz stable on stock voltage, but I can't get anything above that even with 1.5v

Hey Taco...My son is 19. Will get the 3600 brisbane $59. Probly the sythe.This will be his first OC. Dont know who's more excited me or him.Any recommendations on quality ram that can handle a little OCin (I do understand the divider deal but want Quality) as prices are so low now?

Yeah, this ram used to have a STEEP price on it, but is amazing with the current massive rebates it has, this should reach over 1200mhz, probably around the upper level of where you will get to

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6820148070

Edit: Darn, they used to be cheaper, they had a $100 rebate on them instead last week, but still an amazing deal