 |
Sharky Extreme : Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
|
 |
 - Most Active Threads - Technical Support - CPUs & Overclocking  RSS feed Sitemap |
 |
Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
July Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 2By Vince Freeman July 19, 2005
Current Cost: $215 Over the past year or so, the AMD processor component has been a popular one to upgrade. The Athlon 64 had enjoyed a healthy new release schedule that led to the Athlon 64 3000+ joining our value team. It was quickly replaced by the Athlon 64 3200+, and then in early 2005, we upgraded to the powerful Athlon 64 3400+. This 2.4 GHz powerhouse is a serious performer in this class, and offers performance exceeding that of the Athlon 64 3500+ and even challenges the Athlon 64 3800+. The only issue is its Socket 754 format, but until Socket 939 starts dropping in price, we're sticking with the value-priced Athlon 64 3400+, a 512K Newcastle processor that runs at a blazing 2.4 GHz clock speed. The Athlon 64 3400+ is clocked on par with the 2.4 GHz Athlon 3700+ (1-MB, 754-pin) and 3800+ (512K, 939-pin) CPUs, and it is fair to assume that the performance of the Athlon 64 3400+ far exceeds its model number. This processor is an exceptional deal right now, and is actually priced quite close to the 2.2 GHz Athlon 64 3200+. To help maximize our budget, we've gone with the Retail model and its nearly-free heatsink-fan, but if you have a killer 3rd-party HSF unit in mind, then buying an OEM CPU is certainly an option.
The Athlon 64 3400+ positions us very high on the AMD processor scale, and this CPU has a very low price relative to its overall performance. In terms of pure gaming speed, this model is more in line with the Athlon 64 3700+, and can easily spank the Athlon 64 3500+. The only issue with this move is that its Socket 754 platform severely undercuts our future upgrade opportunities, as the Athlon 64 3700+ is just a bit faster, and for a viable upgrade, we would have to move to Socket 939, and go with at least an Athlon 64 4000+ to get any real performance boost. Then again, with a 2.4 GHz Athlon 64 right now, the 2.2 GHz Athlon 64 X2 4200+ or 4400+ dual core models would be the absolute least we'd consider for an upgrade and those are both priced at over $500.
Current Cost: $214 We have now solidified our Intel system configuration around the new LGA 775/Socket T CPU package, and gone with the Pentium 4 5xx series as the processor of choice. LGA 775 represents a total shift away from Socket 478, and not only provides us with a lower-cost processor, but also gives us a more current platform base as well. The LGA 775 Pentium 4 models have noticeably lower retail prices than a same-speed Socket 478 model, and this allows us to save a few dollars and basically move up to a higher clocked model, in this case from 3.0 GHz to 3.2 GHz. The native PCI Express support provides a better upgrade path, and value is also high, as there are some great deals on mainstream PCIe video cards. This gives us more hardware for the dollar than the Socket 478/AGP platform, and allows Intel to catch up to AMD in terms of price-performance.
The Pentium 4 540 features the basic Prescott core architecture, with a 1-MB L2 cache, an 800 MHz front-side bus, Hyper-Threading, and support for dual-channel DDR400 (or DDR2-533) memory speeds. The higher-speed Prescott models can run hot, but the LGA 775 design allows more real estate for CPU coolers and better cooling performance overall. At 3.2 GHz and using dual-channel DDR400, the Pentium 4 offers serious performance for our value gaming system, while allowing at least some overclocking and tweaking headroom for the hardcore enthusiasts. The Retail vs. OEM argument also comes down to price, just as it did with the AMD Athlon 64 processor. The Intel Retail package makes the most sense, as not only do you get a nearly-free heatsink-fan and full 3-year Intel warranty, but also a sealed, totally untested CPU. Most Pentium 4 models are still priced higher than corresponding AMD CPUs, so any method of cost savings is a good thing.
Current Cost: $0 The Retail Athlon 64 3400+ includes a bundled heatsink-fan, and for both budgetary and ease-of-use considerations, we chose to go in this direction. The retail model is slightly more expensive than the OEM processor, but you receive a nearly-free HSF and an extended product warranty to boot. Of course, this is simply a recommendation, and those with a particular 3rd-party HSF unit in mind should certainly go the OEM route, even though it may go a bit over our $1K budget.
Current Cost: $0 The current street price of the Pentium 4 processors translates into the Retail model being the top method of maximizing our system budget. When it comes to Pentium 4 LGA 775 models, the price difference between the OEM and Retail CPU models is nonexistent, and with the bundled Intel heatsink-fan, this amounts to a savings compared to an OEM CPU + 3rd-party heatsink-fan combo. The retail HSF provides more than adequate cooling for our Pentium 4 540, and the retail package allows us to stay within budget. These Intel heatsink-fan units are also very easy to install and do not require any motherboard modifications or CPU socket adjustments.
The retail Pentium 4 coolers have passed our tests even using 3.6-3.8 GHz models, and we have no problem at all recommending these for our value gaming system. These Intel retail coolers may not qualify as hardcore, but still provide rock solid stability at base clock speeds, and have a bit extra left over for moderate overclocking.
|
Comment and Contribute
