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Sharky Extreme : Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
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Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
March Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 2By Vince Freeman March 17, 2004ProcessorsAMD CPU: Athlon XP 2800+ (2.08 GHz) Barton Retail
Current Cost: $121 This month we're sticking with the Athlon XP 2800+, although due to reader input and a desire to shave a few dollars off the cost, we're switching to the retail model. This gives us a standard heatsink-fan unit, a longer warranty, and a lower price, which covers off all the appropriate bases. The Athlon XP 2800+ is really as high as we can go at this time, as the price shoots up considerably at the Athlon XP 3000+ level, making it tough to rationalize the extra expense. The 2800+ is more than fast enough, and we're not prepared to tone down some other components by $60, just to get an extra 80 MHz in core speed. The Athlon XP 2800+ may also be the last entry-level stop for a little while, and it looks like the Athlon 64 3000+ might be the next value CPU of choice. The Athlon XP 2800+ is also a pretty fair overclocking option, as the core still has a lot of headroom. Then again, as over 2 GHz, you don't need to rely on overclocking for high performance right out of the box. The Athlon XP 2800+ is a super performer at default speeds, and it should be no problem to hit Athlon XP 3000+ or higher clock speeds when overclocked. The Athlon XP 2800+ also has an exceptional price-to-performance ratio, and could be the best overall value in the entire AMD line. The choice of going with the Retail model is a judgment call based on our budget, but if you have a killer 3rd-party HSF unit in mind, then going the OEM route is always an option.
Also keep in mind the value-oriented Athlon XP 2500+, which also includes the Barton core, and is one of the top overclocking CPUs on the market. If you are on a very tight budget, this is one way to save a few bucks, and still get a nice performer that can easily match the 2800+ in overclocking. There's also no reason to go with either the Athlon XP 2600+ or 2700+, as these feature the older core with only 256K of L2 cache.
Current Cost: $165
The pricing logjam continues with the Pentium 4-2.4 to 2.8 GHz (533 MHz) models, while there is still a noticeable premium associated with the 800 MHz variants. This makes running up the 533 MHz ladder the best buy for a value system, as we can get a 2.8 GHz Pentium 4 for the same price as a Pentium 4-2.4 GHz (800). There's no question which is faster, as the 800 MHz versions compete anywhere from 150 to 200 MHz higher than the comparable 533 MHz Pentium 4 processors. We'd still like to make use of the 800 MHz FSB, but it will be up to Intel to lower prices, before that happens. The retail price also dropped slightly this month, giving us a few dollars to play with in the Guide. It's pretty tight throughout the 2.8 GHz and lower Pentium 4 speeds, and there's really not a lot of room to maneuver or to save any significant cash. The higher price on the Intel side does require a few concessions in other areas of our system configuration, but we're still pretty satisfied with overall gaming performance. In terms of the Retail vs. OEM models, the Retail package makes the most sense, as not only do you receive a nearly-free heatsink-fan and full 3-year Intel warranty, but also a sealed, totally untested CPU. These entry-level Pentium 4 models are priced higher than corresponding AMD CPUs, so any related cost savings are definitely a good thing.
Current Cost: $0 The Retail Athlon XP 2800+ includes a bundled heatsink-fan, and for both budget and ease-of-use considerations, we're going to make use of it. This provides us with a few extra dollars in the bank, and makes sure that we have a consistent and user-friendly HSF option. Of course, this is simply a recommendation, and those with a particular 3rd-party HSF unit in mind should certainly go that route, even though it may go a bit over our $1K budget.
Current Cost: $0 The street prices of the Pentium 4 2.4 to 2.8 GHz models makes going Retail almost a requirement. The price difference between the Pentium 4 OEM and Retail CPU models is almost nonexistent, and with the included Intel heatsink-fan, you will save money compared to an OEM + 3rd-party heatsink-fan combo. The bundled HSF provides excellent cooling for our Pentium 2.8 GHz, and given the extremely tight pricing structure at the Pentium 4-2.4C to 2.8 GHz level, the retail package allows us to stay within budget. The retail Pentium 4 coolers have passed our tests even at 3.4 GHz, and we have no problem at all recommending these for our value gaming system. These retail coolers provide rock solid stability at base clock speeds, and even have a bit extra left over for moderate overclocking.
Overall value is the best reason to spend a bit more for an Intel retail processor, but a nice side-benefit to the Intel retail cooler is its incredibly quiet operation, and inside a sealed case, the ambient noise levels of the Intel cooling fan can be close to unnoticeable. These are also very easy to install and do not require any motherboard modifications or CPU socket adjustments.
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