Who's got an old AMD X2/AMD 64 rig as their main computer?

[anindrew]

I have an Athlon64 3500+ running on an MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum with 2GB (4x512) of DDR-400 (which unfortunately has to run at 333 due to motherboard limitations...dammit). About a year ago, the fan on the chipset died. I had to remove the entire motherboard since it had push pins that went all the way through the motherboard. After I put a new fan on, my computer no longer recognized PCI devices. It knew what kind of card it was, but it would never work with the drivers for it no matter what I tried. So I sold off all of my PCI cards and bought a USB wireless network adapter. I have an AGP Sapphire X1950 Pro 512MB graphics card in it. It handles most games at 1440x900 resolution. I can play Crysis on High no AA at 1280x800, but that's not much to brag about. Oddly, it ran COD4 at 1440x900 everything maxed smooth as silk. And the CPU has run fine the entire time. I can only OC it maybe 200Mhz, but that's not really all that worth doing. I keep it at stock speed.

Because my case has some broken pieces, my mobo doesn't work with PCI cards anymore, and because I'm starting to not be able to do all the things I enjoy doing, I've decided to build a new system. I'm waiting for prices on the 4870s to settle a little and/or seeing how much the 4870x2 will be.

 

[kmmatney]

I used to have a Socket 939 Toledo X2 3800+ in my main rig, but upgraded to my C2D a while back. The X2 is now working happily in my wife's computer, and has been a great chip overall.

 

[bkoch709]

I still have my 3800x2 939 working quite fine (for the most part-LAN drivers cause it not to boot fully into XP Pro) as my main non-work PC. As much as I thought I would get into games, I haven't. I mostly use it for video conversions (DVD Shrink).

I found an overclocking article here at Anandtech, and was able to figure out (again) how to get it from 2.0 up to 2.4 GHz while running DDR400 RAM. I really thought about finding DDR500 somewhere so i can have the CPU and RAM synced, but I'm not sure if it's worth it. newegg is offering a 1GB stick for $58, so far a little over $120, I could be running 2GB in dual channel again.

Any suggestions, or just leave it as is?
-----------------------
3800x2 @ 2.4 Ghz/1.4V
2x1GB Mushkin green value RAM @ 400 MHz
XFX Nvidia 256MB 6800XT
ECS KV2 Lite Motherboard
Aqua Minigate cooler

 

[bkoch709]

:shocked:
If you want to be able to OC the CPU, you'll have to turn the RAM speed down to 166MHz (essentially starting at 333) in the BIOS, set the HT link down from 1 GHz to 800 MHz, and then manually start taking the FSB up from 200 to whatever you can safely do. You might have to up the CPU voltage a little too.
I did this with mine, and i have it running at 2.4 GHz (up from stock 2.0 GHz).

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Originally posted by: spittledip
My main machine is a 939 with an X2 4200 at 2.6, and it works as well as I need it to. I would have overclocked higher, but the mobo doesn't want to.. the cpu does though. The only real options I ahve for upgrading are video card and maybe RAM. I have 2 gigs in there and am running XP, so i am not sure if putting another 2 gigs in there is samrt or a waste... and the 2 gigs in there now are a matched pair. The video card is a 2900 Pro. I am looking at either a 4870, 4850, or 9800 GTX+ in a month or so.

That's also as fast of a system as I run here, save that I have an older VGA, the X1950 Pro. There are parts on hand for a newer AMD X2, including a 6000+ cpu, but I haven't felt a real pressing need to assemble that one yet, so I haven't chosen a VGA for it.

Incidentally, I'm sticking to my W2K/WinXP basics, and 2 GBs of memory, but don't forget that OCZ has started selling dual channel DIMMs totalling 3 GBs.

 

[daveybrat]

Originally posted by: Kiwi

Originally posted by: spittledip
My main machine is a 939 with an X2 4200 at 2.6, and it works as well as I need it to. I would have overclocked higher, but the mobo doesn't want to.. the cpu does though. The only real options I ahve for upgrading are video card and maybe RAM. I have 2 gigs in there and am running XP, so i am not sure if putting another 2 gigs in there is samrt or a waste... and the 2 gigs in there now are a matched pair. The video card is a 2900 Pro. I am looking at either a 4870, 4850, or 9800 GTX+ in a month or so.

That's also as fast of a system as I run here, save that I have an older VGA, the X1950 Pro. There are parts on hand for a newer AMD X2, including a 6000+ cpu, but I haven't felt a real pressing need to assemble that one yet, so I haven't chosen a VGA for it.

Incidentally, I'm sticking to my W2K/WinXP basics, and 2 GBs of memory, but don't forget that OCZ has started selling dual channel DIMMs totalling 3 GBs.

I saw a pretty healthy boost in gaming performance just upgrading my 4600+ X2 (2.4GHz) to the 5600+ X2 (2.9GHz).

I'm done now on the cpu part, but might upgrade my GPU to something new soon.

 

[RequiemBob]

I rock a pentium 4 1.6ghz with an ATI rage pro 128 32mb card man...thats crazy..and its my main and only computer...lol...and i manage to play TFT at a solid playable 10 fps...good times


AMD in spirit tho!!

 

[spittledip]

Originally posted by: daveybrat

Originally posted by: Kiwi

Originally posted by: spittledip
My main machine is a 939 with an X2 4200 at 2.6, and it works as well as I need it to. I would have overclocked higher, but the mobo doesn't want to.. the cpu does though. The only real options I ahve for upgrading are video card and maybe RAM. I have 2 gigs in there and am running XP, so i am not sure if putting another 2 gigs in there is samrt or a waste... and the 2 gigs in there now are a matched pair. The video card is a 2900 Pro. I am looking at either a 4870, 4850, or 9800 GTX+ in a month or so.

That's also as fast of a system as I run here, save that I have an older VGA, the X1950 Pro. There are parts on hand for a newer AMD X2, including a 6000+ cpu, but I haven't felt a real pressing need to assemble that one yet, so I haven't chosen a VGA for it.

Incidentally, I'm sticking to my W2K/WinXP basics, and 2 GBs of memory, but don't forget that OCZ has started selling dual channel DIMMs totalling 3 GBs.

I saw a pretty healthy boost in gaming performance just upgrading my 4600+ X2 (2.4GHz) to the 5600+ X2 (2.9GHz).

I'm done now on the cpu part, but might upgrade my GPU to something new soon.

Do you 2 have 939 or AM2 set up? Is ther a significant difference in speed between a 939 and AM2 of the same x2 setup?

 

[Cybercraig]

I'll always remember the 939 as one of the best platforms around. My back-up is an ASUS A7N-266 with an XP-2000 and a gig of ram. It doesn't suck. The main thing I notice with the Core2 is how cool they run. My overclocked Opty 170 was always 40C at idle and 55C - 60C at load. This dog drops down to 29C at idle and has never seen 55C. It's sitting in the same case too.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Originally posted by: Kiwi
Incidentally, I'm sticking to my W2K/WinXP basics, and 2 GBs of memory, but don't forget that OCZ has started selling dual channel DIMMs totalling 3 GBs.

total RAM of 3GB? How does that work? Is it a kit, with 2x1GB and 2x512MB? Or is it two sticks, each with 1.5GB on each?

 

[pmv]

My 3800+ (not X2, which I suppose makes it X1) is plenty good enough for everything I use/play _except_ Oblivion. Pretty sure a better cpu would make that run more smoothly. Which is why I'm still brooding about an upgrade, but can't decide to take the plunge. Thinking maybe I should just get through all my older games first. Decision would be much easier if AMD had only kept pace with Intel, a simple cpu swap for something with the performance of the 8400 would be an easy decision. Alternatively if the 5600 X2 low power cpu would just drop to a price vastly cheaper than the cost of an intel switch.

 

[RallyMaster]

Originally posted by: pmv
My 3800+ (not X2, which I suppose makes it X1) is plenty good enough for everything I use/play _except_ Oblivion. Pretty sure a better cpu would make that run more smoothly. Which is why I'm still brooding about an upgrade, but can't decide to take the plunge. Thinking maybe I should just get through all my older games first. Decision would be much easier if AMD had only kept pace with Intel, a simple cpu swap for something with the performance of the 8400 would be an easy decision. Alternatively if the 5600 X2 low power cpu would just drop to a price vastly cheaper than the cost of an intel switch.

Cost of an Intel switch is not high unless you're getting a brand new video card.

 

[pmv]

@RallyMaster

Ah, but I'd need a new cpu and motherboard, and then a new motherboard means I'd have to get a new copy of windows (have OEM). so that's maybe £250+ already...

and then I think that if I'm replacing the mobo anyway I might as well get that nice NZXT Tempest case I've been hankering for and build from scratch instead of dismantling the old one, and so not have to effectively throw away my existing OEM windows, and be able to sell existing machine as a going concern instead of being left with some awkward-to-sell bits, plus I kind of need a better PSU anyway...once I start down that road it all sort of unravels!

So I will try and hang on for a bit till upgrade fever gets too much. Then either build/buy a new Intel system or get a 5600+ if it falls to a 'trivial' cost.

 

[Texun]

I've got 3 socket 754's. One is a Sempron 3100 and the other two are Venice 3200's. My 4th is an X2-5600 but to be honest I don't game much and for general day to day use the socket 754's do just as well as the X2 for general use - even in Vista Home Premium. However, I do want to upgrade one of the 3200's for an HTPC. The others work perfect.

 

[scoobyx13x]

I have a 939 x2 3800 with 2gb RAM and a ATI 4850.

I game at 1920x1200. Age of Conan is the newest obsession.

I just got the card a few days ago and haven't really done much with it other than make sure it boots up.

But I can't help but wonder if I am CPU bound or not. I would guess that at that high of a res, I would have taken the CPU out of the equation, but I can't find any real information on the subject.

I would run some benchmarks, but other than 3dmark, I don't know how to do it.

 

[imported_Kiwi]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry

Originally posted by: Kiwi
Incidentally, I'm sticking to my W2K/WinXP basics, and 2 GBs of memory, but don't forget that OCZ has started selling dual channel DIMMs totalling 3 GBs.

total RAM of 3GB? How does that work? Is it a kit, with 2x1GB and 2x512MB? Or is it two sticks, each with 1.5GB on each?

The latter: two at 1 1/2 GBs per.

 

[imported_ceefka]

This is still my main PC: AMD 3800+ X2 s939, 2GB, Gigabyte GA-KNF9 something. XP SP2

I run Cubase 4, ProTools LE, GuitarRig, EZ drummer, couple of other things. When serious music making is required I switch to the second boot that has all the enhancements and modifications needed to free up extra resources. The first boot is just strawberries and ice cream with everything on it.

Now since Intel's quadcores I have been looking at it, but until the horsepower requirements go up, there is really no need to upgrade.

 

[GeezerMan]

I moved my 939 3800+ X2 , 8600GT, rig to HTPC use. Plays HDTV, HD movies, with no problems. I do some, but not much, video work, and that's when it's nice to have my Q6600 rig.
To tell the truth, the 939 setup would do me just fine for 99% of the time.

I guess one should also look at energy consumption, and a newer rig should save money there. Anyone ever do a analysis of how much money they saved by going to a newer setup?

Anyone notice that the FX-60 still goes for a crazy amount of money?

 

[Budarow]

I opted to upgrade a Opteron 146 (single core at 2.56 GHz) to an Opteron 165 (dual core at 2.46 GHz) for $100. I thought about doing about the same as above to another similar PC. I debated over the above upgrade or switching over to an Intel Core2Dual.

At the same time, I upgraded a cheapo ASRocks 4CoreDual rig from a Pentium D 925 (at 3.42 GHz) to a Core2Dual E4600 at 2.82 GHz for $105.

After comparing the above PCs, I'm REALLY glad I did not opt to buy a second Opteron 165 because the Core2Dual PC is so much better than my Opteron PC. It runs a LOT cooler and seems to be head and shoulders faster in every app from web-surfing to gaming.

Added up, it's well worth the ~$66 premium I paid over the Opteron upgrade (even with the ASRocks mobo). Although I wish I would have passed on the ASRocks mobo, paid ~$60 extra, and gotten a better mobo which OCs higher.

I learned my lesson

 

[HannibalX]

My main PC is an S-AM2 5000+ X2 (3.3 GHz). My backup PC is a S-939 FX-60 (3.0 GHz) My home server is a S-426 XP 3200+ (2.6 GHz).

I really can't see a need to upgrade any of my systems. Chances are I will have all three for a very, very long time.

 

[videogames101]

I''m on a 3700+ and 7800GT as my main rig, i NEED to upgrade, lol.

 

[Eluros]

I have a 939 3800x2... pretty much at the end of the upgrade path, but that's alright. I'm thinking about upgrading to an e8400, but unsure yet if that's what I'd want to do. Require a new MoBo and copy of Windows... meh. ;-/

Games play alright. I've got 2 gigs of DDR, with a 7900 GT video card.

 

[Net]

my old cpu's that work just fine for me.

mainly i use my inspiron630m laptop 1.85Ghz pentium m 2 gb ram 60 gb hdd 7200rpms

for gaming and other stuff my AMD 64 4000+ (san diego) 1gb pc3200 ram 320gb hdd

i'm holding out until 2 years from now to upgrade. hopefully we will see those thousand cores huh?

 

[Net]

Originally posted by: RequiemBob
I rock a pentium 4 1.6ghz with an ATI rage pro 128 32mb card

that's what i'm talking about! keepin' it real! rock on brotha

 

[soonerproud]

Originally posted by: Somniferum

Originally posted by: RallyMaster
I'm on an X2 4200+ but while it's a stable computer, I've come to realize that this computer needs upgrading. I was trying to play some newer games and boy...I lagged at 800x600 (settings pretty much all turned low - which made the game look like crap on my 6800GS). If I get a new video card, I get CPU limited. If I get a new CPU, I won't see much of an improvement so my eventual goal (probably by the middle of next month) is to build a new computer.

You might want to try a new video card with your X2 before you build a whole new system. I upgraded from a 6800GS to an 8800GT about 6 months ago and it made a huge difference. You can always use the new card in your new system build if you're not satisfied.

:thumbsup:

AMD is absolutely correct in it's balanced computing campaign. It is a fact that a faster video card is a better investment than a faster cpu in the majority of games.