Which A64 3500+ to get, 90nm or 130nm?

[FullRoast]

I have been waiting on putting an A64 system together long enough. The 3500+ is available in both 90nm and 130 nm versions.

The performance of the 90nm looks to be about identical to the 130nm, but there are not many reviews out yet. I've only seen this one, and some info in various forums.

There is also not much on overclocking yet, but it doesn't look like there is a big win there. I've also seen the various articles and posts on power consumption and heat. Nothing too surprising.

I don't see much to tip the scale one way or the other. Go with the 90nm, 130nm, wait for more info (ugh), or is it a toss up?

 

[BW86]

i would stick with a 130nm s754 now and upgrade later to a s939 when the nforce4 comes out. Dont get a s939 3500, get a s754 3400. Better Price/performance

 

[FullRoast]

Thanks BW86, I know about the economies of 754 vs 939. I didn't mention that in my post, because I have worked through that and have decided on a 939 system. Just trying to decide which CPU. The 3500+ is still more expensive than I'd like, but better than it was.

 

[Ronin]

90nm = lower temps, and possibly better OC overhead.

 

[FullRoast]

Hi Ronin - yeah, I was hoping to see that the 90nm had a little more headroom for overclocking, but there is not much to go on yet. I thought I read that even the lower temps wasn't definite with the 90nm CPU's.

 

[Ronin]

People with the 90nm CPUs on the AMD forums are reporting lower temps, and fairly decent OCs, and that's what I'm basing my information on.

 

[FullRoast]

Could you provide a link? I've been checking on some of the "tech" forums, but any more info would help.

 

[Akira1224]

I am in the same boat you are. I am waiting till Dec before I buy a mobo and CPU. I want to go S939 3500+ but am waiting to see how the next Nvidia chipsets shape up. I just bought a 6800 GT AGP so I'm not looking for SLI or PCIe. I am curious to see what Asus will do with the chipset.

Anyway my ramblings aside... I would say wait a few months. Prices will go down and you will get a better idea of price/performance between the 130/90.

 

[FullRoast]

Akira1224 - We are in the same boat (at least similar ). I have a 6800GT AGP that I want to keep using for awhile, so my next board needs to have AGP. I really should wait, but I may take the plunge anyway.

 

[TimTheEnchanter25]

Originally posted by: Akira1224
I want to go S939 3500+ but am waiting to see how the next Nvidia chipsets shape up. I just bought a 6800 GT AGP so I'm not looking for SLI or PCIe. I am curious to see what Asus will do with the chipset.

There won't be any Nforce4 boards with AGP. Other than PCI-E it will basically be the same chipset as the Nforce3.

 

[Ronin]

This is wrong information. There will be nForce4 boards with AGP..2, to be exact, and 2 with PCIe (one SLI, one single slot).

 

[Concillian]

I've never seen any mention of nForce4 + AGP. My understanding is that the chipset doesn't even have provisions for an AGP bus, that a chipset either supports AGP or PCI-e not both unless it ties the AGP port to the PCI bus (SLOW)

According to AT, there is no AGP capability listed, which doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't exist:
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuch...ts/showdoc.aspx?i=2175

Care to share any links showing AGP + nForce4 (or CK8-04). My understanding was that nForce3 would continue with AGP and nForce4 would be the PCI-e chipset.

 

[Akira1224]

Originally posted by: Concillian
I've never seen any mention of nForce4 + AGP. My understanding is that the chipset doesn't even have provisions for an AGP bus, that a chipset either supports AGP or PCI-e not both unless it ties the AGP port to the PCI bus (SLOW)

According to AT, there is no AGP capability listed, which doesn't necessarily mean it doesn't exist:
http://www.anandtech.com/cpuch...ts/showdoc.aspx?i=2175

Care to share any links showing AGP + nForce4 (or CK8-04). My understanding was that nForce3 would continue with AGP and nForce4 would be the PCI-e chipset.

how about this

 

[Ronin]

http://warp2search.net/modules...=article&sid=20149

 

[TimTheEnchanter25]

I've seen the same list of 4 versions without the plain one having AGP, so who knows. Nvidia hasn't had any official announcements, so it is all just rumors anyway.

But, without PCI-E I don't see how that Nforce4 board will be any different than a Nforce3 board.

 

[Ronin]

You still notice that what I said, based on that list? 2 AGP, 2 PCIe. There will be an AGP solution, I promise

Differences go much deeper, btw.