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Sharky Extreme : Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
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Monthly Value Gaming System Buyer's Guide |
May 2006 Value Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 2By Vince Freeman May 20, 2006
Current Cost: $187 The AMD processor component has gone through many revisions in our Value Guide, from Socket 754 to 939 and at many different clock speeds, and this month is no different. Well maybe it is, as we're really taking back an upgrade we recommended a while ago, but were forced to rescind when the budget got too tight. The 2.0 GHz Athlon 64 3200+ we chose last time out is replaced with the 2.2 GHz Athlon 64 3500+. Socket 939 is the de facto standard for current AMD systems, and continued to look long and hard at the Athlon 64 X2 dual core models. Unfortunately, our budget conked out well before we reached the entry-level Athlon 64 X2 3800+, and it is single core for least another guide. The Athlon 64 3500+ is clocked at 2.2 GHz, includes 512K L2 cache, and supports the 939-pin CPU package. At $187, it is right at the edge of our AMD processor budget, and brings us an exceptional price-performance ratio for the class. To help maximize our budget, we've chosen 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 always an option. The Athlon 64 3500+ might potentially be the last single core model we see in this guide. For any meaningful upgrade, we'd have to head straight for the Athlon 64 3800+ or 4000+, while we feel the comparably priced Athlon 64 X2 3800+ and 4200+ would be a better upgrade.
The Athlon 64 3500+ brings us up a bit from the entry-level and closer to the mainstream AMD processors (single core), and by utilizing Socket 939, we've removed any potential upgrade issues that plagued us when selecting the Socket 754 platform. This ensures that buyers can easily move to a higher-end Athlon 64 X2 dual core in the future, once prices drop.
Current Cost: $203 Once Intel dropped the hammer on Pentium D prices, it was a no-brainer that we would be including one in the Value Guide. The key was choosing exactly which model, and while the inexpensive 2.66 GHz Pentium D 805 was attractive, this is really only an option if you intend on overclocking to the hilt. As there are many different user types reading this guide, we never base a selection on overclocking alone, and have decided to move up to the 2.8 GHz Pentium D 920. It does cost a bit more than the Pentium D 805, but in terms of architecture, performance, thermals, and power requirements, the Pentium D 900 series is a noted improvement over the older Pentium D 800 line.
The Pentium D 920 is a dual core processor that features a 65nm Presler core and an upgraded 2x2MB L2 cache configuration. This processor has a clock speed of 2.8 GHz, runs on the 800 MHz bus, and supports the LGA775 socket. This design offers the best of the current Intel lineup, and offers lower power consumption and thermal output than a comparable Pentium D 800 model. The 65nm core also helps in overclocking, and as it is the lowest-clocked CPU in the Pentium D 900 line, this opens up the door to some potentially high overclocks, commonly in the 3.2 GHz to 3.5 GHz range, or higher. The Retail vs. OEM argument also comes down to price, just as it did with the AMD Athlon 64 3500+ 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. Pentium D models are still priced higher than our AMD processors, so any method of cost savings is a good thing.
Current Cost: $0 The Athlon 64 3500+ retail box 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 our Pentium D 920 translates into the Retail model being the top method of maximizing our system budget. When it comes to Pentium D 900 series processors, it is very difficult to even find an OEM model, so in this case, we'd be wasting money by choosing a 3rd-party cooler. The retail HSF provides more than adequate cooling for our Pentium D 920, and the installation is simple enough.
The retail Pentium D coolers have passed our tests even using 2.8-3.4 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 solid stability at base clock speeds, and have a bit extra left over for moderate overclocking.
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