Athlon Sweet Spot?

[Caoster]

I'm looking to get a new processor for a new machine I am building, and looking for spend between $200-$300ish dollars. I don't usually overclock, unless the processor can do it very easily and stabley, and even then I just do it a little bit.

I wasn't sure what processor would be the best for me. I was looking at the Athlon X2 3800 vs Athlon 64 4000s, but then I have also seen people with Opteron 165s and such on here.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[DrMrLordX]

I'd recommend dual-core if you can stomach the cost. You should be able to get an x2-3800+ in your price range, which would be a nice processor whether you overclock it or not.

You should be able to get a decent OC on it even without increasing vcore. Any overclocking you do without raising vcore is generally considered "safe" by the overclocking community. You may get temps a few degrees higher, but nothing serious. You can usually do this with the stock HSF and thermal pad too.

 

[KBTuning]

yeah just get a 3800 X2 and then oc it some... im running stock voltage on a 3000+ winchester, crappy oc'ing chip, and i have a 500MHz Oc on this badboy!

*EDIT* forgot to add that im still using quiet air cooling

 

[kyparrish]

X2 3800+ without a doubt

 

[robertk2012]

Opty and X2 explained

If your going to overclock I would got with the Opty 165.

 

[Doctorweir]

Welcome to ATF :beer:
X2 3800+ should fit your budget best...Opty 165 would also be nice but mandatory overclocking is involved and possibly more than $300...

 

[Caoster]

Then my next question is, does the extra meg of cache of the Opty 165 make a difference, over the X2 3800? The price difference seems to only be around 30-40 dollars.

 

[robertk2012]

It depends on the application. On average its probably worth about 100 mhz.

 

[dguy6789]

X2 3800+ would be the best bang for the buck in the upper end. In the mid end, it would be 3000/3200+.

 

[themusgrat]

3800 will be great if no OC. If OCing, get the Opty.

 

[richardrds]

Originally posted by: themusgrat
If OCing, get the Opty.

The OP has stated that he is not an extreem OCer and as such probably does not own an extreem OCing mobo like a DFI that is capable of high stable HTT's. In this case the 2.0G/10x multi of the X2 3800 is better suited for the OP then the 1.8G/9x Multi of the Oppty 165.

If he does not OC the X2 3800 performs better at stock then the Oppty 165 at stock.

If he does OC the 10x multi of the X2 3800 will allow him to reach the Safe/Easy Moderate OCing range for a AMD Dual core (2.3-2.5Ghz) with less stress on the mobo's HTT bus then if he useed the Opty 165 with its 9x multi.
X2 3800 OCed to 2.5Ghz = 10Multi x 250HTT
Oppty 165 OCed to 2.5Ghz = 9Muli x 278 HTT

So in my opinion the OP is probably better off going with the X2 3800 since he will probably run at stock, or a safe easy OC in the 2.2Ghz to 2.5Ghz range wich is just a max HTT of 250 HTT with the 10x multi of the X2 3800.

 

[kyparrish]

Originally posted by: richardrds

Originally posted by: themusgrat
If OCing, get the Opty.

The OP has stated that he is not an extreem OCer and as such probably does not own an extreem OCing mobo like a DFI that is capable of high stable HTT's. In this case the 2.0G/10x multi of the X2 3800 is better suited for the OP then the 1.8G/9x Multi of the Oppty 165.

If he does not OC the X2 3800 performs better at stock then the Oppty 165 at stock.

If he does OC the 10x multi of the X2 3800 will allow him to reach the Safe/Easy Moderate OCing range for a AMD Dual core (2.3-2.5Ghz) with less stress on the mobo's HTT bus then if he useed the Opty 165 with its 9x multi.
X2 3800 OCed to 2.5Ghz = 10Multi x 250HTT
Oppty 165 OCed to 2.5Ghz = 9Muli x 278 HTT

So in my opinion the OP is probably better off going with the X2 3800 since he will probably run at stock, or a safe easy OC in the 2.2Ghz to 2.5Ghz range wich is just a max HTT of 250 HTT with the 10x multi of the X2 3800.

Exactly.

My 3800+ has its sweet spot at 2.4ghz, with a 166 ram divider. The ram still runs at 200mhz, with the multi at 10, and the fsb at 240.

Nice, easy, smooth and cool. Free 4600+ speeds

 

[amt]

great thread guys, I'm tossing up between the same 2 chips. It seems if I've read this and similar threads correctly. If you can buy these chips for the same price (at the moment I can get an opty 165 for $12AUD more) in oem state the Athlon is better, if you going to overclock the opteron maybe better and I stress "maybe". Even overclocked they seem to be on par with each other. Is this a fair summation?

 

[DrMrLordX]

Pretty fair. The Opteron is better at the same clock speed, but in order to get the most out of an Opteron 165, you need a motherboard with high HTT speed limits and probably aftermarket cooling.

Casual overclockers will probably do better with the X2-3800+

 

[robertk2012]

Originally posted by: DrMrLordX
Pretty fair. The Opteron is better at the same clock speed, but in order to get the most out of an Opteron 165, you need a motherboard with high HTT speed limits and probably aftermarket cooling.

Casual overclockers will probably do better with the X2-3800+

Well a DFI Infinity board will give you all you need and for only about $70.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Fair enough, but the OP didn't sound like he wanted to mess with any aftermarket cooling. You just aren't going to top out a 165 on the stock HSF. Well, not likely to do so anyway.

 

[richardrds]

Originally posted by: DrMrLordX
Fair enough, but the OP didn't sound like he wanted to mess with any aftermarket cooling. You just aren't going to top out a 165 on the stock HSF. Well, not likely to do so anyway.

Great point!!! In order for the Optty to take advantage of a ubber mobo's high HTT potential and reach 2.6-3.0Ghz OC range would require not using the stock HSF.

On the other hand the X2 3800 will reach 2.3-2.5Ghz just fine with its stock HSF still keeping load temp under 60*C and only require a max HTT of 250Mhz from the mobo.

 

[ribbon13]

Opteron 165 includes a far nicer retail HSF, and 1MB L2 rocks.