AMD Processor Upgrade

[JREX53]

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.

[Rockin Robbins]

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.

[DrBeast]

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

[beartooth91]

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.

[Rockin Robbins]

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.

[-Pv-]

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-

[DrBeast]

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

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.

For one reason, mainly: DDR2 RAM support.

Originally Posted by Rockin Robbins

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?

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

[Rockin Robbins]

Originally Posted by DrBeast

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!

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.