P4 3.2E vs. Athlon 64 3000+ - Need Advice

Hey Folks,

I am debating on wether to buy a P4 3.2E processor on an MSI PT880-LSR mobo for $219 or an Athlon 64 3000+ with the mobo of my choice (although there is one for $279 on outpost which comes with an MSI K8N Neo-FSR board)

Intel: http://shop4.outpost.com/product/4159043

AMD: http://shop4.outpost.com/product/4153873

I've heard that the 3.2E's Prescott core runs extremely hot, so buying a new HSF and decent CPU compound boosts it to about the same price. What do you think I should do? One thing to note is that I already have a matched pair (2x 512 MB) of Corsair XMS PC3200 memory (I was planning on going the cheap road, but my $109 Athlon XP 2800+ on an ECS N2U which was dual channel kind of fell through when outpost cancelled that part of my order this morning, so I'm back at looking at the expensive gear)

Also, if you think the A64 is better, what mobo should I go for (are there any Dual Channel A64 mobos??)

I'm a college student, so I generally just type papers and play games on my computer (which is currently a P3 933MHz which I got in Jan '01...it just doesn't cut it anymore), although I'll be graduating and my job may require me to do more on my computer (GIS stuff that is)

Any advice would be extremely helpful!!
(or suggestions on something else)

-Chris

Get the AMD64 based system, AMD CPUs are much better in games than Intel counter part. And the AMD64 system is 64bit ready! This is a better choice in long term. For the mobo, if you want a fully loaded MB get the MSI K8N NEO Platinum or the Chaintech VNF3-250 if you don't need all the bell and whistles!!!

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A7N8X / <font color=green><b>AMD Sempron 2800+</b></font color=green>
Kingston DDR333 2x256Megs
<font color=red>Radeon 8500 128Megs</font color=red> @ C:275/M:290

i went from a 2.8B to 3.0E to 3.2E to A64 3400+. I'm happy with my new home atm. The Prescott is like a celeron compared to the A64 in Doom3. The heat is horrible, and the noisy Intel stock fan is unbearable. If you get a prescott, be sure to save some money for a good cpu cooler. Like i did, i spent $50 on a Zalman CNPS7000A which worked magnificently with the prescott. but still the prescott did not satisfy me with it's power in gaming.

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A64 3400+ Newcastle
1GB PC 4000 Kingston HyperX
Asus K8V basic Bios 1004
PNY Geforce 6800 GT 256MB DDR3
63,524 Aquamarks

yes, oh i should give you a link to my A3 score!
i wish THG gave more sig space.

<A HREF="http://arc.aquamark3.com/arc/arc_view.php?run=1489543964" target="_new">63,524</A> big 2000pts increase from Prescott 3.2E with same video card. I am happy. Cool n' quiet rocks to , something i overlooked.

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A64 3400+ Newcastle
1GB PC 4000 Kingston HyperX
Asus K8V basic Bios 1004
PNY Geforce 6800 GT 256MB DDR3
63,524 Aquamarks

*Faints*

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Epox 8RDA+ V1.1 w/ Custom NB HS
XP1700+ @200x10 (~2Ghz), 1.4 Vcore
2x256Mb Corsair PC3200LL/1x512Mb Corsair XMS PC4000 2.5-3-3-7
Sapphire 9800Pro (VGA Silencer Rev3) @418/742

Out of curiosity, would it be a decent idea to get an Athlon 64 3200+ DTR (Clawhammer core, CG version) chip, get a heat sink/fan that actually works on it (Thermalright SLK-948U, correct??) and a mobo that would run it? (Looks like the ASRock K8S8X is a nice one for the task, which has suddenly become rediculously hard to find, or the ASUS K8V/K8N mobo's, although the ASRock has a AGP/PCI lock)

It looks like I could overclock the thing well too if I wanted (which I am becoming more and more interrested in doing...since I've been reading about it and it doesn't seem too difficult [famous last words...])

Anyone have a thought on the matter?? (am I just acting foolish!?!?!?)

Lemme know y'all!!

-Kabob

The DTR A64s are not the OCer that the xp-ms were. This may change with the 90 nano chips that are coming available. Put a regular A64-3200+ on an Asus K8N-E Deluxe, and you should be able to get 4000+ perf out of it.

WOW, this is coming from the guy that told everyone that a64 are terrible buys and that prescots are much faster with there "sse3 support".
Well I'll at least give you respect now that you finally are no longer a fanboy and have fallen off the intel bandwagon.




Watch out for the <b><font color=red>bloody</font color=red></b> Fanboys!

AMD64 2800+ :: MSI Neo-Fis2r :: 512mb Kingmax ddr400 :: Sapphire 9800pro 128mb :: 10K WD Raptor

Addicted, finally.

A64 4000+?? There isn't such a thing... Are you suggesting I buy a slower chip and OC it and the memory to speeds which should be equivilent to a 4000+ (if it existed)