Upgrade Advice Needed!!

[mentos]

Hi,

I'm upgrading from a dated +3000 amd and a 8rda+ mobo.

I've already bought a 1900xt but now need a board and cpu. I can't seem to get a clear picture of which cpu is faster, core 2 duo or amd x2 dual core. I've been away from the computer scene for a long time, which way should i go?

i'm looking at the e6400, which is my price budget for a cpu, but with which board should i choose? 975x or nvidia 590sli?

is the amd a better value for money, speed and gaming? which is a good combination?

thx!

btw, i'm in canada

[savor_of_filth]

Conroe beats all AMD 64 architecture hands down..

even Intel 1,83Gig beat AMD X2 3800+...

but AMD is best bang for the buck and AMD known for its gaming performance...

get AMD FX-60 its great for overclocking...

but its your call... Im just suggesting...

[g12rxz]

If you go the conroe route, plan to have the system for a while, cause if and or when you get a compatible motherboard for it, its highly likely you wont be able to use any future LGA775 processors on the board due to intels 'innovation'. If you go the X2 route you'll need an x2 4200+ or 4600+ to keep up/beat an e6400. Realize though, you'll be able to use all current am2 processors, any future am2 processors, and even am3 processors [on the same motherboard!] if you go the amd route. also, conroes still cant beat amd's onboard memory controller :cool:

[mentos]

If you go the conroe route, plan to have the system for a while, cause if and or when you get a compatible motherboard for it, its highly likely you wont be able to use any future LGA775 processors on the board due to intels 'innovation'. If you go the X2 route you'll need an x2 4200+ or 4600+ to keep up/beat an e6400. Realize though, you'll be able to use all current am2 processors, any future am2 processors, and even am3 processors [on the same motherboard!] if you go the amd route. also, conroes still cant beat amd's onboard memory controller :cool:

i like to support the underdog (amd) but i don't upgrade often, once every couple of years. the amd board, if it supports the upcoming cpu from amd, does not affect my decision. however if amd is, at this moment, the best value/performance now, i'll take it. i still can't decide....

oh yeah, whats the best chipset: 590sli or i975?

[savor_of_filth]

i975 hands down...
its the Bad Axe chip

[stealthfighter]

Core 2 duo is for laptops. I suggest 1gb ddr3 ram, a pentium D 3.0GHZ 800FSB 4mb l2 cache (2x2).

[g12rxz]

that would totally pwn if ddr3 was out for normal memory... also core 2 duo is not JUST for laptops (its a power saving psu... cause of its design not its purpose).

i'd just stick with an amd for bang/buck/reliability/upgradeability

[stealthfighter]

My friend has 2gb ddr3 corosair ram :D

[g12rxz]

so is he running quad sli? cause the only time you'd have that much ddr3 in a computer is with 2 79[5,0]00 GX2's.....

EDIT: Heres my proof....

not to mention that i cant think of any intel chipsets that support ddr3, and theres no amd cpu out that has a built in ddr3 memory controller.....

http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/7599/tigerdirectlc1.png
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/1347/pricewatchdh7.png
http://img95.imageshack.us/img95/1402/neweggvz5.png

:D

[infrared]

My friend has 2gb ddr3 corosair ram :D

That's incredible...

... especially since it hasn't been released yet :laugh:

[g12rxz]

lolz..

[BigD6997]

My friend has 2gb ddr3 corosair ram :D

hahaha:roll: :slap: ur friend lied

[cdawall]

get a intel they are beating amd right now this is a good deal if you want sli http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2368609&CatId=2406
but seeing as how you have an ati card id shop around and get the i975 stuffs

[savor_of_filth]

My friend has 2gb ddr3 corosair ram :D


DDR3???I want one...how much for two sticks 768MB DDR3???

lolz...:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :roll: :roll:

[Ketxxx]

in respect for upgradeability, amd. as mentioned you will be able to use am3 cpus on am2 mobos. AMDs X2 CPUs also currently offer the best bang for performance because their so damn cheap (i can pick up a X2 3800+ for £105!) combine that with some of the awesome am2 boards surfacing (such as the asus crosshair) am2 is actually looking to be quite a winner as its cheap, and once amd move to 65nm SOI, their chips should get a rather nice OC boost too, dont be surprised if you start seeing 3GHz as the norm OC on the lower end chips.

[pt]

in respect for upgradeability, amd. as mentioned you will be able to use am3 cpus on am2 mobos. AMDs X2 CPUs also currently offer the best bang for performance because their so damn cheap (i can pick up a X2 3800+ for £105!) combine that with some of the awesome am2 boards surfacing (such as the asus crosshair) am2 is actually looking to be quite a winner as its cheap, and once amd move to 65nm SOI, their chips should get a rather nice OC boost too, dont be surprised if you start seeing 3GHz as the norm OC on the lower end chips.

that's what i'm hopping for, a 65nm cpu on my AM2 board, it sucks in voltage and BIOS but it does a good job on the remaining, and it's complete silent :)

[jaffers]

Hi,

I'm upgrading from a dated +3000 amd and a 8rda+ mobo.

I've already bought a 1900xt but now need a board and cpu. I can't seem to get a clear picture of which cpu is faster, core 2 duo or amd x2 dual core. I've been away from the computer scene for a long time, which way should i go?

i'm looking at the e6400, which is my price budget for a cpu, but with which board should i choose? 975x or nvidia 590sli?

is the amd a better value for money, speed and gaming? which is a good combination?

thx!

btw, i'm in canada


2 Duo beats AMD by all means. Your better bet is to go Intel way. Then motherboard must be 965 or 975 based. I suggest one from ASUS. I was a die hard fan of MSI for the last several years and progressed from 845 to 865 to 915 to 925X with MSI. But with my 975 I have ASUS and before it played with from MSI, GigaByte for few days. I found ASUS is the most reliable and solid and best in cost / performance. Just my suggestions

[_33]

Most Core 2 Duo processors are heavily unavailable. The E6300 and E6400 are more available, but with a price tag of roughly 250-300$ for the processor alone. At that price you could get an Opteron 165, which IMHO is a very decent processor.

[savor_of_filth]

FX-60 > opty 165...

[cdawall]

opty 165 is about even w/ the fx-60 when you oc it

[Changis]

mine sure is ;) shows a few points above the fx60 in sandra tests

[magibeg]

if you talk about overclocking why not just get the e6300 and overclock it to something the opty and fx could never reach :P

In terms of decisions i would still go for the intel chip. Those core 2 duo's are beasts.

[trog100]

why not just use the 1900 card with what u have and let things settle down a bit.. any gaming gain wont be a good bang for buck..

the new intel stuff is gonna drop in price over the next few months and more options will be availabe.. now is not a good time to lock into a new system..

trog

[_33]

If you overclock, the Core 2 Duo (ANY MODEL) is a bargain and is performing better than ANY AMD. But, it comes with; a pricetag, loads of "first generation" bugs, a truckload of ineficcient mobos to choose from, lack of availability.... blabla...

On the other hand, the AMD processors are now the defacto. It's the same situation as it was when AMD first introduced 1Ghz processor in advance to Intel. AMD was faster, but the core wasn't mature. Now it's the other way around.

[Slater]

its highly likely you wont be able to use any future LGA775 processors on the board due to intels 'innovation'. ????
Explain?

[Azn Tr14dZ]

Core 2 duo is for laptops. I suggest 1gb ddr3 ram, a pentium D 3.0GHZ 800FSB 4mb l2 cache (2x2).

Core Duo is for Laptops, Core 2 Duo is for desktops.

2 Duo beats AMD by all means. Your better bet is to go Intel way. Then motherboard must be 965 or 975 based.

It doesn't necessarily have to be 965 or 975X, since some 945P support Core 2 Duos as well.

Both have Pros and Cons:

AM2 Pros:
Cheap, best "bang for the buck"
Great gaming performance
AM2 motherboards will support AM3 CPUs but w/ DDR2 instead of DDR3

AM2 Cons:
We're not sure if AM3 or K8L is going to be all that great though

Core 2 Duo Pros:
New Core architecture beats all AMD CPUs right now at lower speeds
Great overclockability
Less heat

Core 2 Duo Cons:
Not really Core 2 Duo, but Intel. Since they have 945P, 955X, P965, and 975X Chipsets, current motherboards might not be able to support future CPUs. Some current Intel motherboards might support future Intel CPUs, but with a new revision, which equals new board. Unlike AMD, where as long as it's AM2, it'll support all AM2 CPUs current and future w/ just a BIOS update most likely.

Hope this helps you!

[Frick]

There's no greater bang for the buck than bying a CPU for $180 and in a rather simple fashion beat the living h*ll out of an $800 CPU. If you're builing a *new* system there's NO reason not to go Conroe. IMO, at least. But if you're after a new processor and already have a decent motherboard and memory, the x2's is a great choice. :)

EDIT: There's Core 2 Duo for laptops to, but they're known as Merom. ;)

[Azn Tr14dZ]

But the Meroms aren't out yet though, only Allendale and Conroe for Core 2 Duos, and Yonahs for Core Duos.

And like we stated earlier, AM2 will be compatible with AM3, but we don't know how great AM3 will be. Intel usually comes out with new motherboard chipsets for newer processors, which sometimes makes upgrading to a newer processor harder.

[Ketxxx]

in a nutshell, amd is easier to upgrade,cheaper, and just as fast. do you really need that 30fps extra on top of that 140fps odd? no. ;)