[CPU] Some questions from a newbie...

[JColorado]

Hi everyone! Sorry that I come bearing so many questions that I probably ought to know... =( But I am here and willing to learn! =)

I've been reading some recent posts, and have questions based on them and some articles I read in the Guide...

1) What IS the temperature border for modern processors where it's starting to run "too hot"? I've heard people say that 52-55C is still pretty cool... at what point should one start to get worried?

2) I saw the article about how quickly Athlon processors overheat and breakdown if something wierd happens (such as a disconnected heat sink). However, the article seemed old. Is this still a concern with Athlon processors, or can I purchase them with confidence?

3) I looked on the Pricewatch.com that some of you have been mentioning, and saw that the XP and MP Athlon processors of the same mHz rating (or psuedo-mHz as the case may be) were priced drastically different... what makes the MP seemingly so much more expensive than the XP?

4) What would be a good specific heatsink/fan brand and model for someone who doesn't overclock his Athlon CPU but wants to make sure it stays nice and cool... just in case...? =)

Thank you so much for listening to my newbie rambling. =) I'm sure I'll have more, but for now I'll leave it at that. I'm impressed with the knowledge that all of you have!

-Jack Colorado

Hoping to learn something new, from those already in the know. =)

 

[Matisaro]

1: where the amd locks up and the p4 throttles
2: heatsinks VERY RARELY fall off, purchase with much confidence.
3: mp's requoire additional testing and are certified to run in dual systems, timing errors which do not affect single cpus can cause dual cpus to not function properly, also they come unlocked and are a bit of an overclockers item
4: the retail heatsink fan, dont waste money on additional cooling you do not need.

The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark

 

[lhgpoobaa]

mmm. u should make that your sig matty. bit big though lol

<b>My CPU cooler is so Massive it bends Space and Time! </b>

 

[JColorado]

Cool! =)

Thanks, sounds good to me! Hmm... so I should just make sure to watch for unexpected hangs, as that's possibly the CPU overheating then? Good deal. =) I think I'll go Athlon this time around then, it's much cheaper and sounds like it's not as risky as the articles made it sound. =) Thanks again for your help and advice! =)

Oh, one more quick question, this time about power supplies... I have a 300w PS, should this be sufficient to run an Athlon system without any power deficiency problems? Also, I've heard of some power supplied being "AMD approved" and such... that doesn't really matter right? Just curious. =) Thanks again!

-Jack Colorado

Hoping to learn something new, from those already in the know. =)

 

[Matisaro]

a 300w name brand psu should be fine, some iffy oem psus cant handle it, its a trial and error thing but if you get strange lockups replace the psu with a 350w enermax or something!

The Cash Left In My Pocket,The BEST Benchmark