35 replies to this topic

[eniparadoxgma]

So, I'm a broke college student/parent that won't be upgrading to another socket for the next year or two. Right now I have a socket 939 Opty 148 (2.2 1mb L2) single core @ 2.8.

I'm thinking of upgrading to a dual core 939 to tide me over until I get the moolah together for a whole mobo/cpu/RAM upgrade. I'm debating getting a x2 4200 Toledo or Manchester (2.2 512k L2) @ 70 bucks or a Opty 175 (2.2 1mb L2) @ 155 bucks. Would there be THAT big of a difference between the two, or even between my single core and one of the two? I game a lot but I also multi-task a bit as well.

Keep in mind that I will be OC'ing and trying to get whatever I get to 2.8 to keep my RAM around DDR500ish (it's DDR512 right now).

If you choose the third option I'd appreciate input as to what alternative you have in mind.

Thanks.

[Camaro]

I chose the opty, an I think you should send me one too!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol
I think you like myself could use the bigger cache on the opty

[banj0]

I say grab the Toledo. Save the $85. Maybe put the saved cash, along with somethin' else, toward an X2900 or 8800.

[m.oreilly]

unless you have some multi threaded apps you need to run, i'd save the dough for your next big ticket thing/new rig stuff. a tall single core really is more usefull than a short dualy (unless you again need threaded apps blasting on your rig). imho.

[Tweak]

I'd probably have to stick with what ya got as well.

[eniparadoxgma]

m.oreilly, on Oct 19 2007, 05:11 PM, said:

a tall single core really is more usefull than a short dualy (unless you again need threaded apps blasting on your rig). imho.

You mean a dualy @ 2.6 < single @ 2.8 ?

And I do like to do a lot of things at once...

[m.oreilly]

well, unless your apps are thread aware, winders just shuffles it all around the cores, with nothing getting it's own, unless you set affinity. you might not have any issues stepping down the few hertz with what you are looking at. price is right. your call, bra

[hog]

I also don't think it would be worth it to spend 70$ on a x2 4200+: same frequency but less cache than what you've got. Okay you get a second core but so what? I'm not sure it would make that much of a difference. The Opty seems better, but you're better off saving that money for later or for getting a nice li'l 8800GTS.

My rig runs UT3 at max settings flawlessly so I don't see why your Opty @ 2,8 wouldn't. Do like me and wait for Phenom

[Roadrunner]

Save the dough for your next rig--
the difference in performance you'd get upgrading is small compared to building a new rig.

(But if you must do it-- go with the Opty)

[stormrosson]

I say grab an opty 170 and run it at 2.7-8 and save your bread for some workin girls or somethin!!!!!!!!!!!! really at this point you will notice little increase in normal use prolly a tad better in gaming............yeah wait for phenom or somethin with a major step up imho

[Camaro]

only real bad thing about piece meal upgrading, nothing is compatible with anything else now, you need new board ram and cpu socket and thats the easy part. lol
Too expensive to do an entire rig upgrade

[stormrosson]

yeah what Cam says, it's hard to find 939 boards , or at least any DFI LP Sli or at least Infinity Sli and these are the only boards that can run at 300+ bus speed and still be rock solid ;)ps the infinity series is a tad looser errrrrrr a bit less stable at 300 mhz and higher
than the LP, or Expert but they are all NF4 boards

Edited by stormrosson, 20 October 2007 - 04:05 AM.

[hog]

stormrosson, on Oct 20 2007, 12:01 AM, said:

yeah what Cam says, it's hard to find 939 boards , or at least any DFI LP Sli or at least Infinity Sli and these are the only boards that can run at 300+ bus speed and still be rock solid ;)ps the infinity series is a tad looser errrrrrr a bit less stable at 300 mhz and higher
than the LP, or Expert but they are all NF4 boards

To Infinity, and beyond!

[eniparadoxgma]

See, I thought there would be a nice performance boost from the 148 to the 175. At least when I'm doing things like ripping a movie, running Azureus, watching a movie, and moving files around or what not. You know, when I'm doing a bunch of crap at once I thought it we be a very noticeable difference. Or when I'm burning a DVD and trying to do other things. I also thought some games were becoming more multi-core aware (or whatever the terminology is).

So you guys think I would be alright with a single-core for up to 2 years from now?

Right now what I'm thinking is that if I can get a 175 for around 100 I'll jump on it. I think I can still get some money back ebaying this 148 too. Otherwise to heck with it for now. Thinking about it, I really don't want to go backwards in terms of L2 cache or risk not being able to get to 2.8 by going to a x2 because it might actually take away from my current performance and snappiness. However, the single-core aspect of my rig is really the weak point atm to me. I'm sticking with my AIW x1900 for awhile (damn thing cost too much to let go anytime soon and the performance is still fine with me) and my DDR512 is rockin. I'm thinking going to an affordable dual core that won't be a step back in single app performance will help keep me happy until I can get the G or so up to do a real upgrade to a new mobo, quad-core, and new RAM in the future.

At least that's what I'm thinking currently...

And thanks for the input, y'all. Feel free to keep it comin.