AMD 64 cores?

[mikesimo77]

I'm looking at Athlon 64's right now. I'm specifically looking at the 3000, the 3200, and the 3500. With each of these there seems to be several cores. The Venice, the Winchester, and the Claw Hammer. What's the difference? There seems to be some very slight price variation. Other than that does one hold any advantages over another? Thanks.

 

[dunklegend]

The Venice adds SSE3 instruction set to the winchester core plus it has a lower voltage, and it's better for overclocking.

If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one thath will go wrong first will be the one that will do the most possible damage

 

[Hatphones]

you must be mistaken, there is no clawhammer core for those parts. this is how it breaks down:

3000+ (1.8ghz)- winchester, venice
3200+ (2.0ghz)- winchester, venice
3500+ (2.2ghz)- newcastle, winchester, venice

if you see a retailer advertise differently (aka calling the 3200+ a "clawhammer" core, which would have 1mb of cache instead of 512 for the newcastle, winchester, and venice), it is a mistake or an outright lie. also, the venice is the best choice at each speed, because it IS the best core for overclocking and has a better memory controller (4 sticks at ddr400 instead of ddr333). good luck with your system!

There is no patch for human stupidity

 

[endyen]

The mobile clawhammers may still be available. There were clawhammers @ 3200,maybe some retailers still list them. Why post to tell someone they are wrong, if maybe they aren't?

 

[fishmahn]

To add even more: Hatphones described the socket 939 CPUs to you. There is a clawhammer set (3000+, 3200+ & I think 3500 - but don't quote me) but they are for socket 754. Unless money is a big issue, you want the 939's.

Mike.

 

[Hatphones]

you're right, i did forget that he could have been talking about the s754 or mobile parts. my bad. since there is no s754 or mobile 3500+, i assumed all of the models he was talking about were the 939 models. this model number scheme is starting to piss me off.

There is no patch for human stupidity

 

[johnnyinternet]

so how does the ranking go in terms of performance?
clawhammer
newcastle
vinice
winchester
let me know i am a bit confused and i know much less about cpu's than gpu's. i will also be buying one in the next month and it would help a lot.

 

[fishmahn]

At the same clock rate (not PR rating):

Newcastle, Winchester, Venice, Clawhammer, San Diego.

At the same PR Rating:

Clawhammer, San Diego, Newcastle, Winchester, Venice.

(could be some debate on the Hammer and SD - they have 1mb cache, the others all have 512k)

In reality there is very little performance difference between Newcastle, Winchester & Venice, but get the venice if you can, winchester 2nd. They run cooler and have better overclock potential if that's your thing. (not that a Newcastle is hot or can't OC either)

Mike.

 

[johnnyinternet]

what was PR rating, sorry i have been drinking. yes i know it is not noon yet. so go for clawhammer and san diego if i can cause of the 1mb cache?

 

[fishmahn]

PR Rating = the 3000+, 3400+, etc. that AMD Names their chips.

Only get the 1mb cache if you're overclocking a lot and/or have no price limits. The cache doesn't add much performance (depending on the app of course), but usually costs the next step up. As in: The old 754 socket (don't know an example in 939 so you get the old example) had a Newcastle 3200+ that ran at 2.2ghz and a clawhammer 3200+ that ran at 2.0 ghz. The Newcastle performed better in most cases, but since they both could OC to about 2.6ghz, the clawhammer was a better buy for OCing because of the cache (meaning it was a little faster with both at 2.6ghz.

If you're not Overclocking, I'ld go for a Venice core first, debatable between San Diego & Winchester second. Reason: 200mhz of speed in the Venice & Winchester more than make up for the extra cache.

Mike.

 

[johnnyinternet]

thanks man you cleared up a lot for me, the money i save on this gets me a better vid card. you made my day.

 

[P4Man]

> believe Opterons used to called something-Hammer too.

Slegdehammer.

OT: I still find claw- and sledgehammer the best codenames for cpu's I've heard by *far*.

So much better than "willamette" (sounds like Irish wiskey to me) or "Dempsey" (a mix between dumb and clumsy),.. of current intel code names, only Dimona sounds more or less okay (though a bit cliche).. and oh well, Yonah could be worse I guess, even though it reminds me of some Bible figure.. But Tukwilla ? Can you say that without looking like an idiot ? Poulson ?? LMAO, try and pronounce that without spitting all over the person in front of you !

The worst code name ever however, has got to be "Smithfield". that just sounds soooooo incredibly cheap... whats next, joesixpackton ? It makes Duron sound like an exquisite high end product. Second place goes to Montecito, which no one can pronounce correctly, altough I have to admit it looks good in print

Historically, AMD isn't that much better..Thunderbird was cliché, but okay though, it least it sounded like something strong and powerfull. But Palomino falls in the same category as Monticeto.. they even rhyme Worse, after T-bird, as if it where a spelling mistake, we got T-bred.. (well no one knew how to spell Thoroughbred so..). And after Tea-bred we got *Applebred*.. WTF is all that, English breakfast ?

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my wife. =