To go AMD or Intel?

[ElCapichan]

In 2 weeks time, I will be able to complete my beast of a system, that is if I stick to my current plans and get the AMD FX60 processor. But the upcoming release of their AM2 processors in late May have got me thinking of doing something different.

I've been hearing many reports that the new AM2's offer very little, if almost nothing at all, increase in performance, and won't until more cores are added or the move to DDR3. So if there is no increase in performance, then why wait for the AM2? Obviously DDR2 is superior to DDR, so this got me thinking about maybe trying out Intel. If so, I would go with the 3.46 Pentium Extrem Edition.
So my question is which course of action is the best? Is the AMD FX60 the better choice even with just DDR or are either of the Intel choices better due to the DDR2 support?

[kedawa]

What does any of that have to do with Intel?
Until CPUs based on their Conroe architecture ship later this year, Intel really has nothing worth considering.

[Dyne]

i agree. disregard the overpriced EE series and the worthless AM2 and wait for Conroe.

[ElCapichan]

i agree. disregard the overpriced EE series and the worthless AM2 and wait for Conroe.

But Conroe isn't coming out till Q3 right? At least thats what I heard. I'd like to get my system built to have during the summer rather than wait all summer to build it only to not be able to use it too often cause of classes.

[voltz]

If you need a computer now, fine. Replace the motherboard and Processor if you decide that you want a Conroe later, just make sure you don't blow your budget out beforehand.

[ElCapichan]

If you need a computer now, fine. Replace the motherboard and Processor if you decide that you want a Conroe later, just make sure you don't blow your budget out beforehand.

That is my only concern. I'm hoping that by going with the AMD FX60, it will be a while before I really need to upgrade. I'm really hoping that is at least 2-3 years and by that time, the jump to DDR3 and even more cores will be available.

[kedawa]

If you need it now, then go ahead with the FX60.
AM2 doesn't offer enough of an improvement to justify the wait.

[Burky]

The FX 60 is a waste of time if you run it at standard speeds.
Get an overclocking motherboard (DFI or Asus), an opteron 165 (dual core - socket 939, not some weird server shit) and you will hit 2.6ghz with no problem at all. The motherboard and cpu there would cost you $400-450.
There are guides on how to overclock, and you should be able to get 2.6ghz within half an hour of building the thing. An opteron is one of the easiest cpus to overclock.
If you overclock an FX60 though they go tolike 3.5ghz, but you really have to work to get a clock like that. Opterons hit high clocks in minutes.

I guarentee you that you will get the same performance out of an opteron. I score equally in cpu benchmarks to an FX60 with a 2.6ghz, which cost me $300. Don't get ripped off.

I'm not sure how great DDR2 will be in comparison to DDR, as although it's higher speeds, the timings are way looser, and though I haven't seen benchmarks for this, generally loose timings and fast speed ~ tight timings and slower speed.

[kedawa]

AMDs DDR2 performance is pretty weak for their initial AM2 chips, although that will improve over time, and since the memory controller is in the CPU, you won't need a new mobo to take advantage of those improvements.

If you buy a socket 939 system now, you're investing in a motherboard and RAM that that will be obsolete in a year or so, but you'll still be getting the same performance you'd get from this year's equivalent AM2 system.

I'm not sure how great DDR2 will be in comparison to DDR, as although it's higher speeds, the timings are way looser, and though I haven't seen benchmarks for this, generally loose timings and fast speed ~ tight timings and slower speed.

Pretty much.
AMDs DDR controller at 250MHz(overclocked from 200MHz) outperforms their DDR2 controller at 400MHz.

[ElCapichan]

AMDs DDR2 performance is pretty weak for their initial AM2 chips, although that will improve over time, and since the memory controller is in the CPU, you won't need a new mobo to take advantage of those improvements.

If you buy a socket 939 system now, you're investing in a motherboard and RAM that that will be obsolete in a year or so, but you'll still be getting the same performance you'd get from this year's equivalent AM2 system.


Pretty much.
AMDs DDR controller at 250MHz(overclocked from 200MHz) outperforms their DDR2 controller at 400MHz.

I hear what you are saying, My only concern with going with the FX60 now is that when i do eventually upgrade, I will have to get a new mobo and ram. The way I am looking at it is that I should hopefully not have to upgrade for a few years, I'm hoping at least 3. When I do need to upgrade, I can always pull the xmas or birthday card for the mobo and ram and then buy the CPU myslef.