Wich CPU?

[alwinp]

To relation of my bottleneck issue with the card i have, it seems my next step would be to upgrade my CPU
and this has to happen fast if i still want to enjoy this card before it gets an old piece, wich would made this a useless investment.

Anyway, i have 2 options

Either i can upgrade my current CPU (Amd x2 4600+) and replace it with a 6000+ one
The good thing is that it has a default clock speed of 3.1 ghz, although the cash memory worries me (2x 512)
This board is really cheap and it would also spare me the money for buying an intell based motherboard (option 2)

An exerpienced friend however adviced me to wait and spend money on a C2Q6600.
Along with a gigabyte motherboard that runs at 1333 or 1666 mzh
- EP35-DS4
- EP35-DS3

the only difference between both is the mhz, wich allows it (according to the one who adviced me) that with the DS4 you can overclock it to almost 3.4ghz core speed.

However, the total price would varry to arround 300 euro.
wich is 200 euro more then the 6000+ AMD cpu.

The intell would give me a bigger cash memory (2x4096) and would be overclockable up to 3.0 - 3.4ghz
But the price is tagged quite high

The amd one has lower cash memormy but a higher core speed by default and also saves me the trouble of buying a new motherboard.


Wich one would you suggest.

 

[megamanx00]

Even though the 6000+ has a higher core speed it will often be out preformed by the Q6600. Still, if you don't have the need for a new motherboard I think you should just upgrade your CPU and begin saving for a whole new system. I recommend getting the 3.0GHz Windsor 6000+ though over the 3.1GHz Brisbane 6000+, since the Windsor core will generally preform better even at a slightly lower speed.

 

[alwinp]

yeah, i had that one in mind
According to revieuws the brisbane tends to have high temperature's at idle position.

Well my system is fairly up to date except my CPU.

 

[hellwig]

I would also recommend upgrading just the CPU. If your motherboard allows you to adjust the clock multiplier of the CPU, I would recommend a cheaper black-edition 5400+ BE. It's base is 2.8GHz but if you increase the multiplier by only 1 or 2 it will match/beat the 6000+ in speed.

Don't worry about the cache (thought the Windsor 6000+ does have 2x1024k while the Brisbane has, as you mentioned, only 2x512k). The reason the Intel has 2x4096k is the use of the Front-Side Bus to transfer data to/from memory. AMD uses much smaller caches becase the processor has a dedicated connection to the memory. In general, the difference in cache sizes will not be noticeable between AMD processors, and the Intel has a performance advantage over AMD because of the architecture, not the cache.

 

[alwinp]

My mobo dousn't allow me to change multiplier or FSB.
its an Asus m2n-e motherboard

 

[alwinp]

Buming this thread:

I just saw there's also an AMD x2 6400+
Running at a clock speed of 3.2ghz with 2x1024 cache

Its about 15/20€ more, but i think its definatly worth it, no?

 

[yipsl]

When are you buying? You might want to look at Deneb prices and compare performance to Q6600. They should be out for AM2+ upgrades in December, with AM3 versions out in January (but DDR3 memory is a bit pricey).

The Kentsfield's a good CPU, but a faster Intel Core 2's an option too. Decide on your CPU price, motherboard price and look at all the options. I just wouldn't go with another Athlon X2 since Core 2 performance is higher, and if you wait a month for Deneb, you'll see great improvements there.

As far as it goes, my Toliman triple core 8750 beats the fastest Athlon X2's in most applications and many games. That CPU is only $129 right now at Newegg. It compares well in some applications to newer Wolfdale cores at that price range (mainly apps that use more than 2 cores):

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core2duo-e7300-pdc-e5200_6.html#sect0

 

[alwinp]

well, the thing is.

I could wait for deneb, but I don't think they would fit my current mainboard for one since they are 45nm, and secondly, how much would they be priced anyway.

The AMD x2 is just a go go, I don't need anything else to get it running while deneb or intell would require a new mobo, increasing my price with atleast another 100euro.

 

[alwinp]

I just stumbled accross this article.

http://www.techspot.com/news/31769-amd-deneb-cpus-to-start-at-300.html

If that will indeed become the price then take this option out

 

[alwinp]

So, should i go for the 6400+?

i'll probably have to add another 15€ for a decent CPU cooler, but thats fine with me. it'll still be alot less compared to an intell processor excluding the costs needed for a decent mobo to support it

 

[kubes]

What's the other specs of your computer? GPU, MB, RAM, ect. I am curious to know how much of a bottleneck you have reguarding the cpu.