maximum e4300 performance on a budget

[magreen]

Ok, I have a challenge for you guys.

Now that the e4300 is available on Newegg, let's see how fast a system you guys can build for how cheap. Keep in mind, it's got a 9x multiplier... it's effectively like an E6600 with 2MB cache (and maybe a slightly lower top speed, or maybe not). That means you can OC to 3.0 GHz with DDR2 667 memory running within spec!

So I want to know who can build the fastest system for the cheapest price. I'm talking maybe a 945P motherboard, budget ram, undervolting the CPU to save on the HSF, whatever it takes to keep the price down and the OC up.

Looking forward to seeing what you guys can put together!
(and no, I don't have an objective way to measure whether a 3.0 GHz system for $400 beats a 3.4GHz system for $450 or vice-versa, but I'm open to suggestions)

 

[BladeVenom]

Lets see the price of the E4300s drop first.

 

[Cheex]

How soon will it drop?

 

[brandonr23]

does newegg pricematch themselves?? like, if the price drops within say... 30 days, will they refund the difference like Amazon does?

 

[tersome]

I'm not feeling the E4300 thing... the performance in the Anandtech review is a little off. I haven't seen any stellar OCs with the E4300 either. Most of them seem on the low side.

Are people really too cheap to drop the extra $30 for an E6400?

 

[tcG]

Originally posted by: tersome
I'm not feeling the E4300 thing... the performance in the Anandtech review is a little off. I haven't seen any stellar OCs with the E4300 either. Most of them seem on the low side.

Are people really too cheap to drop the extra $30 for an E6400?

Agreed.

 

[MustangSVT]

Originally posted by: tersome
I'm not feeling the E4300 thing... the performance in the Anandtech review is a little off. I haven't seen any stellar OCs with the E4300 either. Most of them seem on the low side.

Are people really too cheap to drop the extra $30 for an E6400?

Im trying to decide between that and 3800+ x2 .

yeah I'm that cheap, and I read that 6400's mobo and memory will cost much more.

 

[Markfw]

The motherboards aren't much more than the 3800, and the memory isn;t much more. Its about performance. You get any C2D to 3.2, and its twice the speed of an X2@2.5 OC'ed, but only costs a little more.

I do have an X2 3800 for sale and motherboard, and memory, etc....

 

[Lonyo]

Originally posted by: tersome
I'm not feeling the E4300 thing... the performance in the Anandtech review is a little off. I haven't seen any stellar OCs with the E4300 either. Most of them seem on the low side.

Are people really too cheap to drop the extra $30 for an E6400?

Except it's not an extra $30.
It's $30 + probably a bit more for RAM, and a bit more again for a mobo to hit higher FSB speeds.
And if you are on a tight budget, then $30 + a bit + a bit more adds up.

 

[tersome]

Originally posted by: Lonyo
Except it's not an extra $30.
It's $30 + probably a bit more for RAM, and a bit more again for a mobo to hit higher FSB speeds.
And if you are on a tight budget, then $30 + a bit + a bit more adds up.

A 650i mobo would allow you to use any speed ram you'd want and still achieve decent clocks, but the only one out right now, the P5N-E SLI, IMHO sucks.

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: Lonyo

Originally posted by: tersome
I'm not feeling the E4300 thing... the performance in the Anandtech review is a little off. I haven't seen any stellar OCs with the E4300 either. Most of them seem on the low side.

Are people really too cheap to drop the extra $30 for an E6400?

Except it's not an extra $30.
It's $30 + probably a bit more for RAM, and a bit more again for a mobo to hit higher FSB speeds.
And if you are on a tight budget, then $30 + a bit + a bit more adds up.

This is likely incorrect and a bit of an exaggeration. Current OCs on the E6300 and E6400's where the E4300 will hit in same range is still 3.3-3.5ghz range.

Whether you use the E4300 or not the 9x multi is still going to need 378fsb to get 3.4ghz meaning you will need PC6400 800ddr2....Either case I think you need PC6400 memory to get the average result OC...

Most ram should give you 10%....meaning that DDR2 800 stuff can get you 880 or 440fsb....8x440 = 3.52ghz...

10% on the PC5300 is 733ddr2 or 366fsb or 3.294ghz...

Otherwise if you want below average OC you are right. I think it really is at the moment a 30 dollar savings.

 

[magreen]

From AT's article:

Although the E4300 still only has a 2MB L2 cache, when overclocked to over 3.3GHz you end up with a chip that's faster than Intel's Core 2 Extreme X6800 - at only $163. The E4300 gets even better in Q2 when its price will drop from $163 to $133, making it even more of a bargain.

It's going to be more than $30 difference on the chip... $163 in Q1 and then $133 in Q2 for the e4300.

Originally posted by: Duvie
Most ram should give you 10%....meaning that DDR2 800 stuff can get you 880 or 440fsb....8x440 = 3.52ghz...

Most maybe, but I wouldn't bet on budget DDR2 800 ram giving you 10%. That was before the DDR2 shortage. Now even in premium overclocking RAM modules they substitute cheaper chips for the scarce Micron D9 (link). And in budget stuff, I don't think they allow much overhead at all... some people complain that some value DDR2 800 won't always even run at spec. (I suspect the reason is manufacturers know at least 50% of users are going to say "I don't overclock or know anything about ratios but it runs great in my C2D!" and they're actually underclocking their memory at DDR2 533. Just take a look at the Newegg reviews for budget CL5 DDR2 800 to see what I mean.)

So if you're on budget ram, you might be stuck at 3.2 with your E6400 and 2.8 with your E6300.

But for 3.2 on an e4300 we're in the 350 FSB range, so we can talk about cheaper motherboards than the 965 boards, and maybe DDR2 667 memory. So there could be real savings.

 

[StopSign]

I don't know if "budget" boards can even get you to 333 FSB.

 

[magreen]

I don't know for sure, but I've seen various Newegg reviewers claiming 340 to 362 FSB's on a GA-945P-S3 with E6300 and E6400 CPU's.

 

[cnhoff]

If i compare a a E6400 and XMS2 DDR2-800 combo to a E4300 XMS2 DDR2-667 combo i am more in the 80 euro range which is over 100$.

And 3.3-3.4 Ghz with the E4300 is not too shabby and not something every E6400 system is likely to achieve.

 

[Markfw]

Originally posted by: StopSign
I don't know if "budget" boards can even get you to 333 FSB.

I have 3 S3 board, all at 480 fsb or higher. Duvie has 2, both over 333.

 

[Smartazz]

I'm deciding between the E6300 and the E4300, my RAM can only overclock to 840MHZ, should I pay a little more for the E4300?

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Markfw900

Originally posted by: StopSign
I don't know if "budget" boards can even get you to 333 FSB.

I have 3 S3 board, all at 480 fsb or higher. Duvie has 2, both over 333.

$110 isn't "budget".

 

[Markfw]

Well some people say thats budget, where $200-250 is spendy. Only a moron would buy a $50 board to OC.

Your opinion of budget isn;t the only opinion, and thats what it is, so I am not wrong, you just don't have the same opinion.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Markfw900
Well some people say thats budget, where $200-250 is spendy. Only a moron would buy a $50 board to OC.

"Budget" is understood to mean the cheapest possible. If you're going to call the S3 a budget board then the P5B Deluxe is mainstream. :thumbsup:

 

[Duvie]

Well I am not suprised he didn't get this right either...


Bottom line the only 2 chipsets that truly support C2D's that remotely OC well and they are the 975x or 965p chipset....A quick pricewatch search shows that the cheapest is 98 for the 965p and the 115 for the 975x.

Budget is not always some specific price point as it is the low end of the current prices for that platform....


The OP stated MAXIMUM E4300 performance on a budget. Which seems to me he is stating getting the highest cpu OC without other items limiting it. I think and most agree this is likely to be in the 3.3-3.5ghz range. that means you need boards capable of 367-389fsb.....That pretty much rules out all of the 945p...meaning you have 965p or 975x.....The i650's and I680s are even more expensive and the i580 chips were veryt poor OCer...

If you dont get a minimum 965p at that 96-97 dollars you risk a very likely outcome of the motherboard hitting the limit before the cpu taps out.

 

[HeroOfPellinor]

Originally posted by: Duvie
Bottom line the only 2 chipsets that truly support C2D's that remotely OC well and they are the 975x or 965p chipset.

Those may be budget OCing boards, but they aren't "budget" boards. The 945 and P4M800 chipsets are under $50 and run C2D and maybe OC a little.

If you're going to get an S3 then why not pay another $20 and get the DS3? If the DS3 then why not another $30 for the P5B Deluxe? If You're going to spend $180 on the P5B Deluxe then why not another $20 for a 680i?

So we have $50 for the cheapest boards and $200 for the most expenseve.....let's split the difference of $150 and say that $125 is mainstream....that's puts the S3 right there.

 

[Markfw]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Markfw900
Well some people say thats budget, where $200-250 is spendy. Only a moron would buy a $50 board to OC.

"Budget" is understood to mean the cheapest possible. If you're going to call the S3 a budget board then the P5B Deluxe is mainstream. :thumbsup:

Understood by you, but not the rest of the world. Its an opinion. Per the dictionary, the only definition that applies is "Appropriate for a restricted budget; inexpensive", and that DOESN'T say "the cheapest".

And he wants to OC, and those $50 boards WON'T, so they are not eligible at all, thus the S3 IS a budget OC'ing board even by your own admission.

 

[Duvie]

Originally posted by: HeroOfPellinor

Originally posted by: Duvie
Bottom line the only 2 chipsets that truly support C2D's that remotely OC well and they are the 975x or 965p chipset.

Those may be budget OCing boards, but they aren't "budget" boards. The 945 and P4M800 chipsets are under $50 and run C2D and maybe OC a little.

If you're going to get an S3 then why not pay another $20 and get the DS3? If the DS3 then why not another $30 for the P5B Deluxe? If You're going to spend $180 on the P5B Deluxe then why not another $20 for a 680i?

So we have $50 for the cheapest boards and $200 for the most expenseve.....let's split the difference of $150 and say that $125 is mainstream....that's puts the S3 right there.

HEY!!!! THE OP SAYS HE WANTS TO OC. SO BUDGET OCING BOARDS IS THE AGENDA!!!


I think he is wrong to think he will get much out of a 945p mobo. I have heard issues getting them much past 333fsb. So if he is happy getting 3ghz only then he isn't getting "maximum performance".....

To get maximum performance means to get the E4300 to 3.3-3.5ghz. He will not get there on a 945p mobo.

 

[VooDooAddict]

I like the e6400. It's the top speed grade of the 2mb chips. So even if it can run 3.0Ghz ... if only 2mb of cache is certified ... it's an e6400.
It seems like those edges are always the best place to do overclocking bang for the $$.
The e4x00 series will be nice for this once we see some price drops. Right now I'd rather use the e6300 and e6400 because they have a more proven record.

RAM is still the killer on non-gaming system cost right now ... only coming in a close second to Video when building a gaming rig. Power Supply costs are going up too. Used to be able to use much cheaper Power supply units.

e6300/e6400 - $185
Gigabyte S3 (or DS3) - $105
(Optional Northbridge cooler $20)
AS 5/ AS Ceramic - $5
Any Decent Heat Pipe Cooler. - $40 - $60
Any 2GB Kit of DDR2-800 - $225
Good Active PFC Power Supply 380W-480W - $70-$90
(User Choice of Case / DVD / Vid / HD)
Above can get 3.0 - 3.2Ghz unless you are very unlucky.

The e4300 alone isn't going to drop the cost of the above setup by much. Unless it really does allow use of much cheaper motherboards and it works with the stock HSF at safe temps. If...
- E4300 can save @ $50
- Going with a 945P or P4M800 based motherboard can save $40-$50
- Sticking with stock HSF unit save you another $40
- Go with DDR-667 and save $15-$20
... Then you are looking at major savings that can stay in ones pocket ... or go to improve another component.