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Sharky Extreme : Monthly High-end Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
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Monthly High-end Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
November 2005 High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 2By Ryan "Speedy" Wissman November 30, 2005
Current Cost: $535 This month we are moving our Intel platform to the Pentium D 840 (3.2GHz) dual core processor. Last month we shifted the AMD system into the Athlon 64 X2 dual core world, and this month we find Intel there as well, but with some reluctance. While the majority of today's games are designed for a single-threaded environment, multithreading is here to stay and many of the next generation games will be programmed with that in mind. Even standard and SLI video card drivers will be utilizing these dual core processors, and this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as games are concerned. Consequently, we took this into consideration when adding a new Pentium D processor to the Intel system mix. While single-threaded performance suffers when compared with Intel's highest-end single core processors, we firmly believe dual core is the future, especially when an ultra high-end video card still carries the majority of the 3D gaming weight.
The Pentium D 840 (3.2GHz) LGA775 is a dual core processor that runs at 3.2GHz, and is Intel's fastest dual core processor outside of the Extreme Edition 840 model. The Pentium D 840's Smithfield core features 2MB of L2 cache (1MB per chip), 800MHz FSB, SSE3, full 64-bit support (EM64T), and Execute Disable Bit support. In Windows XP, this feature enables hardware DEP (Data Execution Prevention) which prevents malicious code from running by performing additional checks on system memory. The chip is manufactured on a 90nm process and can be found at various stores online for about $535.
We prefer to use retail processors when possible as they come with a free heatsink and fan as well as a much beefier warranty. Such is the case with the retail Pentium D 840 3.2GHz. The retail version of this processor ships with a relatively good HSF (although this month we are using our own high performance unit), and a much better 3-year warranty, making it worth the few extra dollars in our book. Those who wish to maintain optimum single-threaded performance should consider the Pentium 4 670 (3.8 GHz) LGA775. This processor has a feature set very similar to its dual core brethren, but forgoes the secondary core for a much higher clock speed. In single-threaded applications, this translates into higher performance. However, we feel that the ability to multi-task seamlessly, such as playing a high-end 3D game while encoding a video and/or running a virus scan cannot be understated which is why the Pentium D 840 remains our main selection.
Current Cost: $497 In the near future, multithreading will be the name of the game, and high-end single-core processors slowly fade out of existence. The Athlon 64 X2 4400+ (2.2 GHz) with its 1MB of L2 cache offers single-threaded performance exceeding a 2.2 GHz Athlon 64 FX equivalent, and offers exceptional multithreaded performance. Dual core does not offer much of a boost as far as games are concerned right now, though upcoming video card drivers will support dual core processors and traditional multithreaded applications experience a huge overall performance jump with the addition of a second Athlon 64 core. As we found last month, the Athlon 64 X2 4400+ continues to offer one of the best price to performance ratios in the Athlon 64 X2 processor line, and is perfectly suited for our budget. The cores on the AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ Toledo are very similar to that of the Athlon 64 FX, and include a 1MB L2 cache that translates into a total of 2MB of L2 per processor. The Athlon 64 X2 4400+ is clocked at 2.2GHz which correlates closely to the Athlon 64 FX-51, but the addition of a second core translates into a rather significant performance advantage for multithreaded applications. As multithreaded applications and games become more prevalent, the Athlon 64 X2 will really be given a chance to show off its true power, but for now, we can still enjoy its excellent single threaded performance in today's games. Currently, the Athlon 64 X2 4400+ is available for about $497 online.
The Athlon 64 X2 4400+ is extremely strong in multithreaded applications, but is certainly no slouch when it comes to single-threaded performance either. However, for those of you who need the utmost in single-threaded performance, the Athlon 64 FX-55 will outperform the dual core Athlon 64 X2 4400+, but at over $800, it comes in at a significant price premium. In fact, there is really no $500 single core AMD processor that offers a noticeable performance improvement compared to the Athlon 64 X2 4400+.
Current Cost: $63 With today's high-end processors creating enormous amounts of heat, its effective transference and dissipation has become a major concern for enthusiasts. While water-cooling is always a tempting option, we prefer to use the safer and more cost effective air-cooling method. This month we have a few extra dollars so we are recommending the Thermalright XP-90C heatsink over the one included in Intel's retail package. This all-copper heatsink is one of the most impressive we have ever seen, and is more than enough to effectively cool the Pentium D 840.
The Thermalright XP-90C is universally compatible with a number of CPUs including the AMD Athlon XP, 64, X2 and 64 FX CPUs, as well as Intel Pentium 4/D/Celeron Socket 478 processors and LGA775 models using the Thermalright LGA775 RM mounting hardware. The solid copper construction allows this heatsink to cool our hot running Intel Pentium D; it also makes it extremely heavy, and at 690g requires special care when mounting. The heatsink has support for 92mm fans, and we recommend something such as the Vantec Stealth 92mm for its combination of good performance and quiet db level. This heatsink is available online for about $63, which includes a Vantec Stealth fan.
Current Cost: $63 Like the Intel Pentium D, the Athlon 64 X2 4400+ is a dual core processor that outputs massive amounts of heat. While the bundled retail heatsink is certainly nothing to sneeze at, we have a few extra dollars left over this month in our budget so its makes sense to include a more powerful aftermarket heatsink. The Thermalright XP-90C is an all-copper heatsink that can run circles around similar aluminum-based units, and greatly outperforms the included retail HSF.
The Thermalright XP-90C is one of the best heatsinks in this price range, so it should come as no surprise that we are recommending it for both our Intel and AMD system. The heatsink has support for 92mm fans, and we recommend the Vantec Stealth 92mm. This Vantec fan offers the best performance at sane noise levels. The Thermalright XP-90C and Vantec Stealth 92mm fan are available online for about $63.
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