Fastest single core 939?

[Whoop]

Hi all,

I don't particularly like the idea of dual core as I game so much and don't want to mess around, what would be the fastest Skt 939 single core chip I could buy?


Whoop

 

[Whoop]

I'm running an Opteron 146 @ 2.2Ghz (too lazy to try higher) but the board will take the X2 4800+ no problem, I just happen to think given that I play a lot of Battlefield 2 still that I don't want to be worrying about affinity problems I just want the system to work.

Maybe I'll go duel core then, what would be the most cost effective upgrade chip at the min from mine?


Whoop

 

[Whoop]

sorry xD
my bad.

ok - aprox performance order for each cpu red are OCUK stock + price. upto you to pick to match your wallet and preference. hope this helps

Multitasking/Dual core aware app's (i assume losing 512K cache is worth -50mhz/core and 100% eficiency using 2 cores)

100% 3700+ = 2200/1mb £45
109% 4000+ = 2400/1mb £59
118% FX55 = 2600/1mb
127% FX57 = 2800/1mb
177% 3800+ = 2*2000/2*.5mb
195% 4200+ = 2*2200/2*.5mb £141
200% 4400+ = 2*2200/2*1mb
214% 4600+ = 2*2400/2*.5mb
218% 4800+ = 2*2400/2*1mb
236% FX60 = 2*2600/2*1mb

Single Tasking

89% 3800+ = 2*2000/2*.5mb
98% 4200+ = 2*2200/2*.5mb £141
100% 4400+ = 2*2200/2*1mb
100% 3700+ = 2200/1mb £45
107% 4600+ = 2*2400/2*.5mb
109% 4800+ = 2*2400/2*1mb
109% 4000+ = 2400/1mb £59
118% FX60 = 2*2600/2*1mb
118% FX55 = 2600/1mb
127% FX57 = 2800/1mb

if your not gonna oc, and you are really set on no dual core, the 4000+ is a bargin. but also a fairly miserable 9% boost from what you have (i set the 3700+ as 100% as it matches your opty, near as makes no diference)
a nice FX55 or 57 from members market, or some other sourse is more preferable if price is good

looking at dual core, the 4200+ is almost (2% less) as fast as what you have, but offers much more potential in the future. finding a FX60 for a good price is best bet here. but a 4800+ is more likely.

so, 9% boost from the 4000+ (and a very probable oc to FX57+ speed)
or a -2% to 95% boost from the 4200+ (and a good chance it will clock to fx60+ speed) - 4200 wins my vote

Thats a really good post and I'm glad I haven't bought one of the X2 3800+ that have been going recently on the MM

Thank you for that and I shall definitely look much higher up the scale as I had a feeling this opty wasn't as weak as it sounded.


Whoop

 

[Whoop]

Tbh I'd have a go at getting that 146 to 2.8ghz. Should be easy enough if you've got a half-decent stepping.

It used to run at 2.3Ghz before I changed system but now I run a Shuttle SN21G5 and I'm not too sure on its overclock settings (different bios ).

Current settings are -

Thats using 2 x 1Gb Crucial Cas 3.0

Still looking at the upgrade but ideas welcome on pushing the system


Whoop

 

[Whoop]

You can get faster single core cpus then X2s,,, and plus there not that meny games that takes advantage of dual core atm. So a amd X2 running a single core game will be quite pants

Lilke my 28month old [email protected] will thrash any 939 X2 core cpu for none dual core games.

It is a very good question still, dual core has been around a while but it still doesn't seem that implemented. I'm still undecided on what to get though I have seen an X2 4200+ for £93 inc delivery hmmmmm


Whoop

 

[Whoop]

Being the original poster I'll probably move up to a X24200+ given the price as the oc is not going overly well. The chip used to do 2.3Ghz with no pushing in my last system but this is definately topping out at 2.2Ghz

I found a review to prove it and some bios option shots

Overclocking
For our overclocking tests, we swapped out our Corsair 1GB DIMMs for a pair of 512MB OCZ Platinum Rev 2 memory modules. These particular DIMMs use Samsung TCCD chips and have proven to be solid overclockers in the past, making them perfect fodder for this round of tests.

As usual, we began our overclocking testing by dropping the CPU and HyperTransport processor link multipliers and raising memory timings to 2.5-4-4-8 with a 1T command rate. Then we started turning up the HT clock, easily making it up to 220MHz with no complaint. But the SN21G5 would go no further. The system wouldn't post with a 225MHz HT clock, and no amount of voltage or memory timing tweaking helped. We also tried lowering the memory bus speed, but that didn't work. Neither did swapping in different DIMMs.

Small form factor systems have never been particularly adept overclockers, so the SN21G5's 20MHz HT overclock isn't that surprising. To its credit, the system was rock solid with a 220MHz HT clock. To see how much performance an extra 20MHz could buy, we upped the CPU multiplier to 11 and ran a few tests. Memory timings were set to 2.5-4-4-8-1T for both the stock and overclocked configs.

So it seems I reached the max and stopped


Whoop

 

[Whoop]

Just to say my 3700+ is a slug totally unusable whenever I'm doing encoding. X2 still is fine and can play games.

You don't need to apply CPU affinity rules, the OS does it for you. Although if you're doing several things at once might want to adjust priority. You can't expect to encode 2x100% and still to be fast, even if you have quad core if you've maxxed all cores out it'll still be dog slow.

Get the dual core, you won't regret it.



Windows itself uses multi-cores, in fact for Windows it makes sense to have dual core, if you're a heavy user. In the past I've encoded music & DVD's at the same time with little slowdown per application or in windows. Forget doing that on a single core

Does the OS handle it if your running 32bit Windows?

(Got a X2 4200+ on order btw)


Whoop

 

[Whoop]

Yes, you just need AMD CPU driver. I've installed the MS hotfix, but not the AMD optimizer. Sig machine is running XP Pro 32bit.

Is the driver this one -

AMD Athlon™ 64 X2 Dual Core Processor Driver for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Version (x86 and x64 exe) 1.3.2.16

Miles down the page? (terrible layout in my opinion !)


Whoop

 

[Whoop]

Well mine showed up this morning and I haven't fitted it yet so thought I'd share the stepping

Chippie reads -

ADA4200DAA5CD
LCBKE 0643TPMW
Y974284K60886

Thought it might mean something to someone.


Whoop

 

[Whoop]

Nice one Whoop.

Your overclock won't be held back by that chip then!

Great find Amonlym!

gt

Cool

From my bios screenies what should I really be changing ? There are 5 HT options and I know nothing on this bios just my old one


Whoop