Upgrade options for my 939?

[LokutusofBorg]

Chaintech VNF4 Ultra
2GB value ram (4 sticks so running at 333 in my board)
7800GT
3200+ single core

Looking at the 939 options left over at Newegg I'm having a hard time deciding what to spring for to give my system one last breath of life to last me several more months or more. I don't get much into overclocking, as I've been burned the few times I've tried it. So just looking for something good at stock speeds.

Is $50 worth it to go from the X2 4600+ to the Opteron 180? The Opteron does have the 1MB cache, and I do some programming on my box sometimes and DVD encoding once or twice a week. But mostly I play EQ2 and run several other programs at the same time (Excel, VOIP, browser, etc.).

Thanks.

 

[Clinth]

I'd go for the opt if you mulit task, but if your strapped for cash the 4600 will make you happy. if you can spare it go for it, if not buy food, take the Girlfriend out for a drink.

Clinth

 

[Nickel020]

If you're not overclocking, I'd say the extra cache isn't worth $50. You should take a look at some benchmarks comparing 512KB to 1MB cache models though.

 

[tallman45]

The difference is actually less than $50. 4600+ is sans fan and is 90 day vs 3 yr warranty

The 180 comes with a very nice Heatpipe/Fan combo cooler. If you are using a stock AMD cooler from the 3200+, then the heatpipe is a significant improvement.

But then again if you are going to spend $269, may as well get the FX60 at $299. It will have a higher resale value later on and to OC that all you need to do is change the Multiplier

 

[BoboKatt]

it's kinda funny but I had pretty much the same system as you to start a while back. The 3200+ runs at 2000mhz base and at the time I upgraded to an X2-3800+, which also ran at that stock speed. Difference was of course, the dual core.

I loved my X2-3800+ and still have it at my gf's apartment. When I did upgrade from that I went for an X2-4800+. It is simply awesome. You don't OC but I do and that 4800+ easily ran at 2800Mhz effective all day long. As others said, the extra cache is not HUGE but nice to have. I mean honestly for $50 why not? However after looking further heck as someone else said go for the FX-60. Even if you don't OC, it is worth more if you do end up selling -- plus the added feature of not being locked at one multiplier is nice to play with.

I played EQ1 and 2 for ever -- still do. Newer hardware to this day does not show much of an improvement on EQ1 (except getting 2 GIGs or RAM or more) but for EQ2 obviously it does and did for me. Your video card still is good, you got the 2 GIGs or RAM so maybe a nice large 500GB drive SATA. If you are using an older smallish drive, getting a nice fast new one makes a nice difference as well.

I still say the biggest difference of all is going to a nice 22? or larger LCD monitor . Best upgrade of my life!

 

[nerp]

There are still many options for 939 owners. Tigerdirect has FX-60s for about $350, which is an incredible price considering what they cost a year and a half ago. Plus, you're at single core, so you have plenty of room to upgrade. You have time. 939 has plenty of life remaining.

 

[Boyo]

I would follow the other's advice and go for the FX-60. THe price is so low, why not?

 

[f4phantom2500]

Of the two, for performance reasons, I'd say the X2 4600 since you're running stock, assuming you have an adequate cooler already. However, since you're running stock, it might be beneficial to get the Opteron, because, since it's retail, you'd get a nice 3 year warranty. Also the nice cooler doesn't hurt either. I don't think it's a better idea to get the FX-60, as you would have no warranty (the tigerdirect one is OEM, and I can't find that $300 one that tallman was talking about), would spend so much more money on it, would still have to buy a better cooler, and you wouldn't be getting much more performance at stock over that Opteron. However, you could just up the multiplier on the FX-60, but that's not 100% guaranteed to be stable and if you have no intentions of overclocking at all then it doesn't matter anyway. Besides, I could be wrong but I don't think the argument of the FX-60 having a higher resell value is totally true, because if you end up with an Opteron 170 that can tap 3GHz or higher on the stock cooler with low volts it would sell pretty well I would think, and considering you would have spent ~$100 less on the Opteron in the first place I think you would come out with more money in the end.

 

[m1ldslide1]

I'd go opteron 170 or 175. The extra cache doesn't make much difference in most apps, but it does make a difference in oblivion so one could *maybe* speculate that future games will make more use of it. But realistically a 175 would perform similarly to a 4600 at stock, but if you're thinking resale then I'd say the opteron will be the only one you'll have a chance at selling.

Plus you get a really nice heatpipe cooler with it and a long warranty, as others have mentioned.

 

[johnh123]

Why not get the x2 4400 they've got there with 1mbx2 cache, for $179? Isn't that a better deal than the 4600?

 

[Warrior1986]

Originally posted by: johnh123
Why not get the x2 4400 they've got there with 1mbx2 cache, for $179? Isn't that a better deal than the 4600?

Agreed. That's what I did. More L2 and also run way cooler. Newegg FTW!!!

 

[catalysts17az]

i am very happy with my Opteron's 170 and 165. you can always over clock them to FX 60 speeds if not faster. Another thing is that they are way cheaper than the FX 60. while it is true you would get a better resale with the FX-60, in the end you should just keep your system because with this kind of power you will not let it go for another 2 to 3 years. Who in 3 yrs is going to give you a great price for a used and very old dual core system? No one, so save your money and pick up something that you will be happy with. IMHO go with the Denmark 170.

 

[aelfwyne]

I've got the Opty 170, overclocked to 2.9ghz on a DFI LanParty... I see no reason for an upgrade for at least two years, myself.... wait until the nextgen quadcores are out into the lower price range.... I'm sure I can hold out - I had the previous Athlon64 3500+ single core for over 2 years before I upgraded to this, and really hadn't had any shortage of CPU...