AMD Processor Upgrade
 

Folks,

Would like to upgrade my cpu in the next couple of weeks. Its a socket 939 motherboard (a Biostar), so, my choices are limited. Currently running an Athlon 64 3200 Venice. I'm looking at 1) another Athlon 64 4000 (Clawhammer) or 2) the Athlon 64 X2 3800 (Manchester). Both are in the $49 to $59 price range at Newegg or Tigerdirect.
The X2 really interests me, though, the performance rating is lower than the Clawhammer. Also, I've heard of a few problems with certain games on the dual core Athlons.
Is anyone here playing SH4 with an Athlon 64 X2 on a S939 board ?

Thanks,

beartooth91

I have a dual core, but its the newer socket (am2?). If you get a dual core, you need to download the daul core drivers from AMD. You are diffinatly better off with the dual core. It may be rated lower, but remember its two cores at 3800. For comparison, one of my old roommates had a better video card than me (7800gt to 7900gtx) but I had the dual core (x2 4200+ to Athlon 64 4200) and I could play games like stalker and oblivion alot better than he could (they are made to use dual cores)

I agree with LZ_Baker.
Dual Core is the way to go. Just make sure your motherboard can do dual core. It should, but you need to check and make sure.

Well!
 

You just helped me make up my mind. I'm running an Athlon 64 3700+. I've been happy with the game but wondering how to evaluate possible improvements in microprocessor. I might just go for that X2 5200+! Thanks for the info.:up:

Keeping in mind that:

1. The Socket 939 is a dying species,
2. The AM2 socket will be around for quite a while, since the new AMD quad-core processors are AM2-compatible,
3. AM2 motherboards are quite cheap, and
4. DDR2 RAM is a dime a dozen these days

I'd say you're better off taking the leap from the antiquated S939 system to a brand new AM2 counterpart. Just start saving up those bucks ;)

The board is a Biostar Tforce 6100-939. It supports the Athlon 64 X2. It runs SH4 well just as it is. I'm just noticing that socket 939 processors are a dieing breed, so, I'd like to do 1 final cpu upgrade for it. In the last couple of months, I've purchased a new video card and brought the RAM up to 2 GB. I built it 14 months ago, so, I'm not ready to switch over to a socket AM2 board just yet.

Ditto
 

Just looking to stretch the 939 for another year. The crazy thing is AMD switched from 939 to AM2 for no detectable performance gain. I'm clueless why they bothered.

Would the x2 3600+ (all that NewEgg has right now and it's likely to get worse) be an improvement over my Athlon 64 3700+? If so, how much? In any event, I'm committed to getting 2 years out of this motherboard and checking out the opportunities then for mb improvement. I figure $50 to $75 is a good investment to accomplish that.

I have zero problems running many older and new games on AM2 DC. ASUS MBs are the best match up for AMD DC I have seen. Feature packed, robust, and very upgradable. AMD's on chip memory manager is superlative.
-Pv-

For one reason, mainly: DDR2 RAM support.

Yes. Dunno by how much, but don't forget one great asset of those mid-range X2s: they overclock like crazy! :yep:

You made up my mind!
 

That sounds great! My Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe was made to overclock, the go-fast OCZ memory overclocks great too and I haven't tried it at all. And if I nuke the whole shebang, that'll be the signal to upgrade to AM2.:fff:

Ok...If I see a BFBVFOS* I'll know it's your rig turned into fireworks :rotfl:

*=Big Fiery Ball Visible From Outer Space

I am running an x2 4200+ and let me tell ya - definately go dual core. There are a couple of reasons - but figure - the 4200 is a 2.2 Ghz cpu - so if you dont have a program optimized for multicore - then your only going to run at maybe the equal of 3.5 or so - but if your using the dual core driver (though its an exe really) and your running an app that is set to take advantage of a multicore cpu - your running at 4.4 (or better due to pipelining and predictions). For the money - you can't go wrong!

Yes, I run an Athlon 64 X2 4800, the last of the 939 socket chips. Its the end of the road for my rig. Along with 4 gigs of fast Corsair memory and a BFG 7950 GT OC, SH4 and SH3 run as fast as you want with all settings to MAX. No slow downs below 30FPS.

If you go to the AMD web page support there are two small utilities that will optimize the AMD dual core for a WinXP install. At those prices why not upgrade...:up:

I have an Athlon 4000+ and it can't run SHIV at all
The problem is the video card not the processor.

Ya, I hear ya about the upgrade dilemma. I spent a pretty penny when I built my 'top o the line' puter a couple of years ago (or maybe longer now). I too have a 939 Athlon 64 3700+, and a BFG 7800GTX, big stuff at the time and now costs a fraction of what I paid for it back then. It is really hard to scrap it when it all still works 'ok'. I've been chomping at the bit to at least buy an Athlon X2 939 whatever for awhile now but the longer I wait instead of cheaper the 939 cores are getting scarcer. I was looking for a X2 4800 or an Opti 185 but the prices never came down enough to justify the expense (and trashing my 3700). I should just grab a X2 4200 before their gone I suppose.