From AMD "fan" to INTEL "fan" in one night.

lordmaximus · Jul 7, 2003

I went from a AMD fan to a INTEL fan overnight. Bought my new stuff took it home and started building. First problem i ran into, Power supply was not compatable. So I got a universal one and put that into my case and everything was fine again, one thing i did find was that i didnt realy have to fiddle with the bios to get the system working ok, unlike an AMD were you have to check and double check for the system to work right. I then did some benchies and found with the same graphics card i was scoring a nice big fat margin from the AMD. So if you looking to do an upgrade then then i suggest the intel road even if you have a AMD now. Even the low end intels do well against the sort of top end AMD's

K, enough of the history lesson, were to go from here. Is it worth me to upgrade my Ti 4200 to a better card or spend my cash on faster P4?

PS: my current P4 is a 2.4 GHZ (800 FSB)

ChipDeath · Jul 7, 2003

Even the low end intels do well against the sort of top end

They do! but the Wallets of low-end Intel users do considerably worse than those of low-end AMD system owners

Is it worth me to upgrade my Ti 4200 to a better card or spend my cash on faster P4?

If you cannot play a particular game now at settings that you like, then yes. Otherwise, wait until that situation arises - prices fall constantly, especially in the gfx card market. I own a Ti4600, and There's no game I have a problem with, unless I'm running 8xAniso and 4xAA or something stupid, and I can live without those for a while...

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$hit Happens. I just wish it would happen to someone else for a change.

Mephistopheles · Jul 7, 2003

If you cannot play a particular game now at settings that you like, then yes.

Excellent logic. Don't just upgrade because you want to, or you'll wind up frustrated...

ChipDeath · Jul 7, 2003

Yeah, I'm waiting to see how full DX9 Games run on my Ti4600 before considering an upgrade, but I suspect I'll wait for the next generation of cards (e.g. DX10 cards) and then either buy one of those, or a (suddendly hugely cheaper) DX9 card then - depending on Doom4 and Half-life 3

perhaps

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$hit Happens. I just wish it would happen to someone else for a change.

TheRod · Jul 7, 2003

I'm not a "FANBOY"... But why do you say, you have to mess with the BIOS with AMD??? I built a couple of AMD systems ranging from DURON 850 to Athlon XP 1800+ (OC to 2400+) and I never had to mess with the BIOS. Everything is always going well!

I don't say that Intel is crappy! I think AMD are good for the price en low-end, because they are easily overclockable and pretty stable with nForce2 chipsets boards.

On the other end... Intel has the fastest chip right now and they always have solid platform and support.

Have a good day!

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Would you buy a GPS enabled soap bar?Edited by TheRod on 07/07/03 10:32 AM.

tombance · Jul 7, 2003

I agree. Intel Systems are usually more 'User-Friendly' but I've never had to tweak the BIOS in order to get an athlon system to work.

<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k1=5467618 " target="_new">Almost Breaking 12k!!</A>

ChipDeath · Jul 7, 2003

Just look at the number of posts where people say I've just installed my Barton 2500+ and it says 1100Mhz? Have I been ripped off? and then say you never have to touch the BIOS... :tongue:

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$hit Happens. I just wish it would happen to someone else for a change.

cdpage · Jul 7, 2003

this is true a freind of mine had a similar problem, i believe the FSB was set to half for some reason.

ASUS P4S8X - P4 2.4B - 2 x 512M DDR333 - ATI 9500 Pro(Sapphire) - WD 80G HD (8M Buffer) - SAMSUNG SV0844D 8G HD - LG 16X DVD - Yamaha F1 CDRW - Iomega Zip 250 int.

TheRod · Jul 7, 2003

Humm...

OK! Basically, you say, that updating your BIOS is a "problem" with AMD... It's not a problem. For example, When I bought my A7N8X board... Barton were not on the market. So I updated my BIOS, so now my board detects Barton core correctly.

It's not messing with the BIOS... The problem it's updating it. On Intel platorm the same situation can happen.

To avoid this kind of issue, it would be great to have a "unknow hardware" feature in the BIOS that would tell the OS to launch/suggest a BIOS update to support the new hardware.

But, basically the "Barton" not detected is not a problem. It's even good! It proves that AMD continue to supply new products to it's "old" platorm. You don'y necessarly need to buy a new motherboard to get better performances with new CPUs. You only need to update the BIOS. AND THIS IS GREAT!

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Would you buy a GPS enabled soap bar?

TheRod · Jul 7, 2003

Another good system builder!

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Would you buy a GPS enabled soap bar?

xeenrecoil · Jul 7, 2003

heya lordmaximus;

Your shiney new p 2.4c is a god you wont have to upgrade it for awhile.

I would work on more memory if you only have 2x256, slapping in another 2x512 will REALLY give you a boost in gaming performance, as the newest games comming out are recommending 768MB of memory for optimal gaming performance.

Now some may say adding another 1GB of memory is over-kill, but i say thats blasphemy you can never have too much memory, and we are needing more and more all the time, as new programs and games come out, get ya some nice Crucial memory and you will be a happy man.

However if you already have 1GB of memory then the obvious place to go is replacing your video card.
Go out and get ya a nice new GeForce FX 5900, or a Radeon 9800, and you will be in heaven.

XeeN

ChipDeath · Jul 7, 2003

Quite often it defaults to 100Mhz. I have no problem with this myself, as I would fiddle with settings in the BIOS anyway, regardless of P4/AMD.

That said though, they've always worked straight away, just not at the correct speed... almost like it goes straight into 'safe mode'.

[Unresearched theory]
I guess the main reason is that AMD don't put ID strings in the chips, so the BIOS knows nothing apart from the multiplier the chip should be. e.g. if the multiplier was 11, it could be:
11*133 = 1466 = XP1700+
11*166 = 1833 = XP2500+ (If Barton)
11*200 = 2200 = XP3200+ (near enough...)
...
So it has no idea, and just picks good ol' safe 100Mhz.
[/Unresearched Theory]

Actually... whilst looking at these numbers, I know the XP3200 is supposed to be 2.25Ghz - how the hell can that be got with a 200Mhz FSB? You'd need a 11.25 multiplier! I am confused

?...

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$hit Happens. I just wish it would happen to someone else for a change.

ChipDeath · Jul 7, 2003

Basically, you say, that updating your BIOS is a "problem" with AMD...

Not really... I'm just saying that they often won't default to the correct settings. I don't think that's a problem at all, as I would always visit the BIOS to check/tweak if I was building a system anyway. It's only a problem when people don't have enough knowledge before they build a system from scratch, or upgrade a processor - either way it's the fault of the person for not doing enough research first. 'Twas merely a bit of a tongue-in cheek comment....

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$hit Happens. I just wish it would happen to someone else for a change.

Tommunist · Jul 7, 2003

you know you can like both amd and intel and thats okay right?

"Don't question it!!!" - Err

ChipDeath · Jul 7, 2003

*Thunderous Voice*
SPEAK NOT SUCH BLASPHEMOUS WORDS, MORTAL!!
*/Thunderous Voice*
:lol:

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$hit Happens. I just wish it would happen to someone else for a change.

cdpage · Jul 7, 2003

________________________________________

you can never have too much memory,...?
________________________________________

Uh...what about in the case of the new G5... Freaking 8GB of RAM...you ever going to use all that?

what could you possibly use that for? (perhaps a REALY fast temp hard drive?)

ASUS P4S8X - P4 2.4B - 2 x 512M DDR333 - ATI 9500 Pro(Sapphire) - WD 80G HD (8M Buffer) - SAMSUNG SV0844D 8G HD - LG 16X DVD - Yamaha F1 CDRW - Iomega Zip 250 int.

Tommunist · Jul 7, 2003

my bad - i'd hate to cause some sort of rip in the fabric of space and time....

"Don't question it!!!" - Err

TheMASK · Jul 7, 2003

I went from a AMD fan to a INTEL fan overnight.

The title wud have read "I went from a INTEL fan to AMD fan" if u were upgrading from a PIII 1GHz to a 2500+ Barton and A7N8X

If it was not for C, we wud be using BASI, PASAL & OBOL

shadus · Jul 7, 2003

A P4 2.4c is a pretty beefy chip if you have less than a 4200 I would seriously recommend either going up to 4800SE (That's a 4200 with 8x AGP-- might as well, doesnt hurt anything.), 5600 Ultra, or a Radeon 9700NP.

Shadus

Tommunist · Jul 7, 2003

I was thinking the same thing - what amd proc was the previous machine running on?

"Don't question it!!!" - Err

Mephistopheles · Jul 8, 2003

I don't know exactly about that, TheMask. See, it was not only the performance that impressed him. Granted, upgrades are always cool (*sigh*) but he did upgrade to a rather beefy chip there indeed. The 2.4C is somwhere in between the 2.53B and 2.66B, and sometimes even performs on par with the 2.8B. Plus, HT is a nice feature.

TheMASK · Jul 8, 2003

hey the chip sure is a awesome performer. No second thots about that. But i read in another post by "lordmaximus" that he upgraded from a XP 2200+ (or was it 2000+) to this set up that he has now. that is why i said upgrading from a PIII 1GHz to a 2500+ Barton wud be a quantum leap(right??). now what do u say

...

me says: If it was not for C, we wud be using BASI, PASAL & OBOL
slvr_phoenix says: But I'd still be using Python.

Mephistopheles · Jul 8, 2003

Ah, well, I see your point, anyway...

Anyway, funny how people use the word "quantum". Quantum means very, really very small. Star Trek now has Quantum Torpedoes (are they small?...). A "real" quantum leap would be from a 1.7 Willie to a 1.8 Willie. That's "quantum". But I'm just being pedantic here... Sorry...

Anyway... I kinda needed a "quantum" leap myself here... I'm a little fed up with my P3 550Mhz... It stutters MP3 as I surf the NET and edit a Word Document and that just plain irritates me to death...

TheMASK · Jul 8, 2003

Pedantic u said??? Well, look up in the dictionary.

quantum as per the Oxford dictionary means - a) a required or allowed amount b) a share or portion

And look down, quantum leap (also, quantum jump) means - a sudden increase or advance

Now go get ur "quantum leap"

me says: If it was not for C, we wud be using BASI, PASAL & OBOL
slvr_phoenix says: But I'd still be using Python.

eden · Jul 8, 2003

EDIT: Didn't read this thread entirely, but just read Mephisto's last one. Crap, I just repeated what he said! Oh well, read just the fact that Slvr did rant once about it!

Funny thing, Slvr ranted about Quantum Leap and had a point. Quantum is something extremely small. So, why's a quantum leap so big?

--
<A HREF="http://www.lochel.com/THGC/html/news.html" target="_new">Join the Tom's Hardware Guide Community Photo album, send us your pics!</A>Edited by Eden on 07/08/03 04:56 PM.

From AMD "fan" to INTEL "fan" in one night.

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