512Kb L2 cache vs 1MB L2 cache Athlon 64

[Combat squirrel]

Is there such a massive difference or not that warrents the extra £83 between the 4200 and 4400 ?

 

[easyrider]

Just get the x2 3800 and save even more money.

the 4200 is waste,will not clock further than the 3800 and is a snip at 117 quid if already on s939.

The extra cache is seen around 200mhz in performnace over the 512kb cache models.

so a 3800 clocked at 2.4ghz will perform the same as the stock 4400 running at 2.2ghz roughly.

 

[22BUK]

Just get the x2 3800 and save even more money.

Agreed. And the extra 512k makes very little difference.

 

[Combat squirrel]

Cheers guys, want the 4200+ though as I need the 11x multiplier to clock it up to higher speeds, fsb is a problem for some reason on my system, and im not sure it would attain the high fsb the 3800 would need. Also could I just 'swap' my current 3700+ cpu for the 4200 and not have to reinstall windows?

 

[booyaka]

Cheers guys, want the 4200+ though as I need the 11x multiplier to clock it up to higher speeds, fsb is a problem for some reason on my system, and im not sure it would attain the high fsb the 3800 would need. Also could I just 'swap' my current 3700+ cpu for the 4200 and not have to reinstall windows?

yeah - no need to reinstall - just check that your bios will support X2 chips.

 

[Combat squirrel]

yeah - no need to reinstall - just check that your bios will support X2 chips.

Will windows load a 'dual core/processor' driver then straight away on boot ? hope so , oh and whats the usual clock speeds reached with the 4200 with a well ventilated system running xp-120, dfi expert board ?

 

[marv_1]

You will have to got to amd website and download the dual core optimiser. If you are not going to use cool and quiet you will not need the cpu driver.

Link:

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_871_13118,00.html

 

[Sinister]

You will have to got to amd website and download the dual core optimiser. If you are not going to use cool and quiet you will not need the cpu driver.

Link:

http://www.amd.com/us-en/Processors/TechnicalResources/0,,30_182_871_13118,00.html

is this the only driver you need to install with a x2 939

 

[marv_1]

Yeah it is, If u are using cool and quiet and not overclocking then install the cpu driver. But as we all overclock dont install.

Read all this thread from tweak guides, this bloke Koroush ghazi knows his stuff.

http://forums.tweakguides.com/showthread.php?t=3619

There has been mention long ago about a hotfix from microsoft for dual cores but he says that this is not needed anymore just the amd dual core optimiser.

There is some other great stuff there as well, spent a day optimising my system with his tweaking companion.

 

[Justintime]

AMD is'nt as good as Intel in optimising their L2 Cache, so 512k to 1mb won't make a substantial difference. Same goes for the Tbred to Barton, 256 to 512k hardly did squat.