AMD 754 vs 939 Advice?

[Zerohm]

I'm currently shopping parts for a budget gaming AMD system.

The 3700+ seems like a great deal (found a mobo/512 RAM bundle for $270) and a beast with 1 MB of cache. I don't mind the 1.6G FSB but I have concerns about going with the older, hotter socket 754 and I've heard of problems maxing out the RAM and RAM not running at 400 MHz.

Any warnings and/or suggestions?

 

[cfrage]

What chipset is the mobo using? Dunno if you want PCIe 16x support or not, but I believe nForce 4-4x chipset would be a good choice there. Someone correct me if I'm wrong. Thinkin somthing like http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16813123255

 

[Peter]

The S754 3700+ is _the_ bang-for-buck choice currently. You won't have an upgrade path, but then, the $100 you save over an identically specced S939 processor is enough for your next mainboard come upgrade time again.

A good PCIE board to combine it with is the ECS NForce4-A754. Be sure to pair it with a 24-pin ATX power supply.

 

[Superguy]

I'd think that going for the 939 would be the better choice. At least that way you have more of an upgrade path.

You'll be stuck with Semprons in the future, so I'd pony up a little more now to have some flexibility and have a more future proof system.

 

[cfrage]

^agreed... I've got a friend with a 754 system and he's already looking to upgrade to 939.

 

[Fallengod]

939 id say. Although the 754 3400+ is a damn bang 4 buck. Still, socket 939 better upgradability as well as dual-channel mode for memory.

 

[grooge]

Originally posted by: cfrage
^agreed... I've got a friend with a 754 system and he's already looking to upgrade to 939.

I had a 754 3000+ and make the mistake going to a 3000+ 939... Now slower in some apps because the 200 MHz loss...

 

[grooge]

Originally posted by: modempower
939 id say. Although the 754 3400+ is a damn bang 4 buck. Still, socket 939 better upgradability as well as dual-channel mode for memory.

Apart from doubling the memory bandwidth, dual channel, for AMD64 do not add that much compared to single channel.

Since I'm always upgrading motherboard AND cpu, I would get a 3400+ or 3700+ over any 939 slower than the 4000+ anytime. The raw MHz that those chip has makeup for dual channel anytime over their 939 equivalent.

So, if one want stable fast stock computer, socket 754 is certainly a more than viable option. A 3700+, with its specs comparable to the 4000+ 939, will lead you to your next upgrade to newer core cpu and motherboard

 

[Shenkoa]

Originally posted by: Zerohm
I'm currently shopping parts for a budget gaming AMD system.

The 3700+ seems like a great deal (found a mobo/512 RAM bundle for $270) and a beast with 1 MB of cache. I don't mind the 1.6G FSB but I have concerns about going with the older, hotter socket 754 and I've heard of problems maxing out the RAM and RAM not running at 400 MHz.

Any warnings and/or suggestions?

Buy a venice and OC it to high heaven. Best bang for buck IMO!

 

[Zerohm]

Thanks for the inputs all.

This is definitely an attempt at a budget gaming system. If I'm willing to put up with a rebate or two, here is how I add it up.

AMD 3700+ 2.4G 754
Asus K8V SE Deluxe
512MB PC 3200 Bundle 380-110=$270

1 GB PC 3200 $100
Case and PS $75
Biggest HD I can find $75
GeForce 6600 Gt $200

A nice rig for $720, totally not upgradeable other than RAM and Video Card, but that's all I've ever upgraded anyway.

 

[maverick2604]

where did you get that cpu + mobo + mem bundle? newegg?

 

[Superguy]

Here's what I would go with on a budget:

Venice 3000+ 939: $146
Epox EP-9NPA+ Nforce 4 Ultra: $105
Corsair XMS 2 x 512MB (1GB total) PC3200 2-3-3-6: $123

Sapphire X800 GTO2 (hackable to minimum X850 XT 16 pipe card): $229
Case and PS $75
Biggest HD I can find $75

Total: $753

Overclock the proceessor and you have a much better system IMO for about the same money.

The hacked GTO2 (I've done this ... it works) destroyed my 6600GT in performance.

 

[grooge]

Originally posted by: Zerohm
Thanks for the inputs all.

This is definitely an attempt at a budget gaming system. If I'm willing to put up with a rebate or two, here is how I add it up.

AMD 3700+ 2.4G 754
Asus K8V SE Deluxe
512MB PC 3200 Bundle 380-110=$270

1 GB PC 3200 $100
Case and PS $75
Biggest HD I can find $75
GeForce 6600 Gt $200

A nice rig for $720, totally not upgradeable other than RAM and Video Card, but that's all I've ever upgraded anyway.

Don't let this deal goes by. This will be a really fast system to go for a while and later, get a faster video card if you fell the need because your CPU will be up to the task for a while...

 

[imported_i2k]

I just bought the ASUS mobo and the 3700 no complaints from here just make sure your psu is up to it

 

[classy]

Originally posted by: Superguy
I'd think that going for the 939 would be the better choice. At least that way you have more of an upgrade path.

You'll be stuck with Semprons in the future, so I'd pony up a little more now to have some flexibility and have a more future proof system.

Yea you wanna do 939. It wil provide some good gaming for a while though, but 939 will provide a bit more flexibility.

 

[Superguy]

Also note that with my suggestions, you're ready for a future upgrade as you already have PCI-Express graphics card.

AGP isn't going to be around forever, and I'd count on less and less decent cards being made for AGP. PCI-Express would give you more options for the future.

Plus if you decide to upgrade in the future, you could at least keep the video card.

At the very least, you could drop in an X2 when the prices come down down the road and get a lot more bang for your buck without having to overhaul your system again.

I think anything with AGP is dead-end at this point. You're going to pay now or later. I just think that paying a little more now (in this case, $30) will save a good bit more down the road with the flexibility.

 

[Zerohm]

Maverick

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications...m-details.asp?EdpNo=1600042&CatId=1734

Does anyone know of any Clawhammer to Venice comparison charts with Doom III fps and what not?

 

[Superguy]

I was just reading an article in MaxPC and it looked like going with dual channel memory helped about 10% in some games.

It helped a lot more in other apps, like photoshop and stuff. It will depend all on what you do.

Just checking the overclockers.com database, the average overclock on a 3000+ was 2480.

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

AMD 754 could be a viable platform. I'm getting a Sempron 2800+ (Palermo), using the leftover stock HSF from my old NC 3000+, a KV8 Pro for (hopefully) ~$30 :shocked: and still undecided on the graphics.

If I manage to get the KV8 Pro for $30 flat, then I'll stick around with AGP (I can use an old Ti4200 while waiting for people to sell their AGP 6x00s )

 

[CraigRT]

Originally posted by: WhoBeDaPlaya
AMD 754 could be a viable platform. I'm getting a Sempron 2800+ (Palermo), using the leftover stock HSF from my old NC 3000+, a KV8 Pro for (hopefully) ~$30 :shocked: and still undecided on the graphics.

If I manage to get the KV8 Pro for $30 flat, then I'll stick around with AGP (I can use an old Ti4200 while waiting for people to sell their AGP 6x00s )

They are already selling like crazy, the FS/FT is littered with them

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: Peter
The S754 3700+ is _the_ bang-for-buck choice currently. You won't have an upgrade path, but then, the $100 you save over an identically specced S939 processor is enough for your next mainboard come upgrade time again.

That's what I've been trying to tell people, but nobody around here listens. The s754 3700+ outperforms the s939 3500+ in pretty much everything except synthetic memory benchmarks, and costs less to boot. Plus, the motherboards might even cost less.

[*]Take the money for the s939 setup
[*]Buy the s754 setup
[*]Set aside the leftover money in a jar for the next upgrade
[*]Have a faster system now.

Was that so difficult? How many people around here spend more money on a slower s939 setup because they felt socket 754 "had no future?" How many of those people are going to be changing their motherboards regardless... after socket M2 comes out? Perhaps a new motherboard with dual "true" 16X PCIe (instead of current 8x8) and onboard SATA that has better support for non-HDD devices, Firewire 800, who knows what other improvements and tech advances between now and then?

I've said it before and I'll say it again, IMO more "average" people end up changing their motherboard AND CPU versus just changing their CPU. By "average" we aren't talking about the hardware junkie - in any case the hardware junkie wouldn't be posting here asking which one to get. The other thing is that many people asking these (very valid) questions have really long upgrade cycles. There's a thread around here with one person building a new socket 939 X2 system. His old system? A P3 733MHz.

The OP stated, "totally not upgradeable other than RAM and Video Card, but that's all I've ever upgraded anyway." What does almost everyone else say in this thread? "Socket 939, so you can upgrade CPU in the future." Are they just blind, or did they fail reading comprehension in grade school?

For the OP, here is my recommendation:

retail with HSF A64 3400+ s754 $120 (same clock speed as 3700+ for almost same performance for $40 less)
DFI nF4X Infinity socket 754 PCIe 16X $75 (PCIe for s754)
gigaram 1GB PC3500 CAS 2.5 $105 (single 1GB stick is the way to go)
"Case and PS $75
Biggest HD I can find $75"

Total... $450

If your budget was closer to $720, that leaves $270 for a PCIe video card, which is this )( close to $300 - a number I've seen in the Hot Deals forum for Geforce 7800GT cards.

 

[niggles]

I live in Canada and just checked the cheapest place I know of. It's only $20 canadian cheaper to go 754 over 939. Also I still have my AGP x800XL and don't feel like upgrading. The Asrock939 allows both PCI-E and AGP. I'm going with the Asrock and the 939

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: niggles
I live in Canada and just checked the cheapest place I know of. It's only $20 canadian cheaper to go 754 over 939. Also I still have my AGP x800XL and don't feel like upgrading. The Asrock939 allows both PCI-E and AGP. I'm going with the Asrock and the 939

The Asrock is a good reason to go s939.

Just because I don't think socket 754 deserves to be immediately written off as a choice doesn't mean I do not recommend socket 939 in the right situations. There's a thread similar to this one where I concluded that for the particular person socket 939 was a better choice.

 

[Zerohm]

Assuming the price difference is small enough to not really be a factor...

On one hand (754):
- The 3700+ is a beast, 1 MB of L2 Cache makes it competitive with FX chips, see Tom's.
- I don't upgrade CPUs, and this platform will last into the next gen RAM, Mobo, CPU architectures with just RAM and Video Card upgrades.

On the other hand (939):
- Venice cores consume nearly half the power, have better memory controllers (less problems maxing out RAM)
- 3200+ Venice is like $133 now
- The improvement from a 3200+ winchester to a 3700+ clawhammer in Doom III is like 87 to 92 fps.


Conclusion: I think I'm going to take the more power efficient Venice, not worry about using 4 sticks of RAM, and give up the 6 frames per second.

 

[SniperWulf]

with M2 coming soon, I'd say go 754. You can get a plenty fast CPU, a good MB with PCIe and save the rest of the cash for a RAM or Video card upgrade.