6600GT AGP vs. 6800nu

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: stelleg151

Originally posted by: nitromullet

Originally posted by: stelleg151
I am having similar dilemma, except wondering about waiting for nforce4 and going 6600gt PCIe, or getting 939 AGP now and getting 6800nu. An OC'ed 6600gt does very well against a 6800nu, and with allll that upgradability a big part of my brain tells me to wait for NForce4, as does my wallet that says 190 is a lot cheaper than 270. (<-- Pricewatch prices)

You consider this option? Instead of going A64 socket 939, go with an A64 socket 754, save a few bucks and move up to a 6800GT AGP.

The price difference between an A64 3400+ (s754) and an A64 3500+ (s939) is about $50 on newegg, the price difference between the A64 3200+ for these sockets is almost $80 for the retail version, and the socket 754 motherboards are generally cheaper as well. It depends on what type of upgrader you are. If you plan on upgrading the rig piece-by-piece over time, you might want to wait for nForce4, if you just want a fast rig at a good price now that will be replaced in its entirety next time around, socket 754 might be the better option. A 6800GT would outperform a 6800 even if the 6800 was in the overall faster computer, and it completely destroys the 6600GT.

Yeah, I thought long and hard about 754, and just decided 939 was the way I wanted to go. A big more cash, but significantly better performance at oc. Average OC that I am seeing with 754 is from 2.4-2.5, which is approx equal to 939 2.2. So an 3000+ at 2.6 on 939 = approx 2.8 on 754, so I feel it is worth the extra money. Also, I prefer quality CPU speed to graphics, because you can turn your graphics down.

more performance? how? dont tell me dual channel is noticeably faster... because it isn't.

 

[sbuckler]

Originally posted by: CraigRT

more performance? how? dont tell me dual channel is noticeably faster... because it isn't.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuch...oc.aspx?i=2249&amp;p=9

 

[sbuckler]

This is a really interesting article:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articl...display/doom3-cpu.html

It shows that when the going gets tough, and you get your min frame rate moments in a game that cpu cache, and memory performance become more important then anything else. A pentium 4 560 outperforms an A64 3800+, and P4 3.4EE outperforms anything. Basically when less is happening the cpu is having to hunt around main memory less and the A64 512kb cache is working well (meaning the short pipeline of the A64 trounces the neverending P4 pipeline). However as more stuff starts to happen more memory is accessed, the small 512kb cache starts missing more and more, and more instructions need to come direct from main memory. Here the larger 1mb/2mb cache of the P4E/P4EE and faster double buffered memory of P4/939 A64's become the key factors.