New system soon

Right now I am running a respectable 3.0 gHz P4-E with 2GB RAM and an ATi X800XL.

But when I get back from Afghanistan, I want to move to an AMD dual-core system. When I say I multi-task, that is an understatement, so I think I would actually benefit from having this, especially using programs like Dreamweaver and Photoshop consistently with a million other things.

The question is, should I go AM2 X2 or just X2? I notice that the AM2's are significantly cheaper for the 5000+ (as opposed to the 4800 X2). However, the cost would be offset by the fact that I would have to buy a new video card with the AM2, as I cannot seem to find an AM2 motherboard with AGP (my card is not PCI-E).

Also, the obvious benefit being the DDR800 but in the benchmarks I have seen, I have not seen too much of a difference.

That being said, I also was curious about running dual video cards, the drawbacks, and which boards are a good choice, and what all that involves, and is it like dual core processors (where you have to have support for it)?

 

if u wait a little while (and i guess you have to see as you're in afghanistan) the new Intel processors are going to come out with SIGNIFICANTLY better performance than the best AMD has to offer at nearly a third of the price AMD will drop their prices to match but unless you're a true AMD fan then id go for a new intel system.

 

link?

 

from the news section here at MG about a week ago: http://blogs.zdnet.com/Ou/?p=271

 

is the fx62 not a single core processor? anyhow, it doesnt really say how long...

 

Well in Australia the Conroe (Core 2 Duo) is due out on the 27/07/2006 and priced at roughly $525AUD compared to either AMD or Intels current "top of the range" products at about $1,000AUD. This is a significant difference. As to links for this sort of info do a google on either "Conroe" or Core 2 Duo and you will find numerous technical reviews and comparitive assessments. It is certainly betting the "current" top ends.

Mobos here are some of the better ones:

http://www.tomshardware.com/picturegalleries/gallery-20060714.html

RAM:

Crucial Ballistics, Super Talent and Teen Extreme are some of the top end ones (but they will cost you ~$450-$550AUD for 2Gb).

If you are keen to look further into this well I'll provide some of the better reviews on the mobo, RAM, etc as I come across them.

Important if you are going to spend this sort of money (I'm about to as I have my tax return) do not skimp on a average or apparently good PSU this will be the most important component if you want to do SLI!!!

 

yea i have a good psu already. what do you suggest for the mb and can someone explain the benefits and purpose and how two vid cards work?

 

It really depends on what CPU you will use. Either way DFI or ASUS have a good rep. Heres a link from Toms on Conroe:

http://www.tomshardware.com/2006/07/14/core2_duo_knocks_out_athlon_64/print.html

Here are some of the "Conroe" (aka Core 2 Duo) ready mobos in Australia:

http://www.nintek.com.au/x/scripts/prodList.asp?idCategory=596

SLI or Crossfire for that matter is a bit similar to running 1Gb of dual channel RAM (2x512) compared to 1Gb by itself; very coarsely it is like you and a freind solving a complex maths problem together, bouncing ideas of each other and obtaining the answer a lot quicker than trying to do it by yourself. It will give you better speed, quality and realiability. Have a look into dual channel RAM or SLI benefits for that matter and it will become clearer. But at the end of the day you still want to start with good products (Vid Cards) no point putting 2 low end Vid Cards into SLI when 1 high end one will still run circles around the pair of low qual.

 

got links to motherboards that support the am2 and the conroe and two vid cards? also, still, no one has explained the diff between am2 and regular x2

 

X2 is the name of the line of AMD's dual core processors. AM2 is the new socket that AMD uses that supports DDR2 memory

 

right but they have the amd x2 am2 or just the x2...so basically they are the same, except their ability to use different ram? also, have you come across any mb that still use agp 8x and support am2 x2?

 

No offence but why use older technology that will be more and more limiting in the future if you are building a new sys?!? Go w PCIe in SLI or Crossfire imo you don't have to have two Vid Cards but will have the option for the future!

 

if you want to save your old agp vid card its not worth it, just find a board with onboard video and until you can or want to pay for a new video card you can run off of that. otherwise just buy a mobo with pci-e and a good video card

 

because my agp card works pretty damn good for the time being.

 

if i had to go pcie and ditch my perfectly good card, i figure i might get the x1900 from ati. i couldnt find a mb that had x2/am2 support AND crossfire. bearing in mind of course that my internet is pretty damn slow here, it can be frustrating to search.

i used to be a huge invidia fan and for some reason the last few cards i had from them i had problems, i love my last few ATi cards, so i am a new ATi fan...it seems as though the SLI can only be used with nVidia cards....

 

I rembered today while out shopping that there is a AGP to PCIe adapter made by Albatron. This way you can use an AGP card on a PCIe board heres a link:

http://www.albatron.com.tw/english/it/vga/atop_page.asp

You can still use that good AGP but be ready for tommorows technology

 

very nice, thanks...its not that i dont want to upgrade. but there are a lot of things i am going to buy when i get home, and if it works perfectly well, might as well wait until it doesnt work well anymore as far as running top end games...

how about motherboards that have crossfire and support the am2/x2? any links for those?

 

oh i just looked...i have an X800XL dont think it will work:

ATOP supports the Albatron AGP cards in the following series:
FX5200 Series
MX4000 Series
FX5700LE Series
AGP6200 Series
FX5700 Series
FX5900XT Series
6800 Series

 

Hmmm if they are making one then there maybe other companies also developing them and or making them. Try a google on AGP to PCIe adaptor, heres some links of what the Albatron one looks like:

http://www.albatron.com.tw/english/news/news_detail.asp?news_id=167

http://www.behardware.com/news/7548/agp-to-pci-e-adapter.html

 

If your video card is perfectly fine, then why isn't the rest of your current PC???

Look at my system specs in my signature: half of your RAM and a lower processor, even when mine is OC'ed. And I run Photoshop CS2, iTunes, Word, and Firefox all at the same time without a single hitch.

*Edit*

K, my signature isn't showing on this thread, so here's my specs:

AMD 3000+ socket 939 Venice oc'ed to 2.1 GHz
1 GB PC3200 RAM
Radeon X800XL (mine is PCI-E, but that obviously makes no difference when Photoshoppin/multi-tasking)

 

my biggest thing is multi tasking and impatience. I want faster processing and ram so i have to wait less. I like to see my stuff happen ASAP. I might be burning a DVD and decoding another while working in photoshop with dreamweaver, outlook, and WMP all the same time...and maybe playing a game of poker too to boot.

I am satisfied with my video card, but unfortunately it seems to get faster i have to upgrade my card simply because new boards dont have agp. So I breach the question again, what boards are crossfire compatible with x2 am2? Id probably pick up a crossfire edition 850X or whatever, and buy another 850 later.

 

you can grab an x850PE really cheap these days: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16814241013

these are the only x2 crossfire boards i could find:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...&Subcategory=22&Description=crossfire&Ntk=all i think they dont have any AM2 ones yet since its still really new

 

Sounds to me like you should just go for this: http://www.monarchcomputer.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=M&Category_Code=amddc

Dropped prices on 939 X2s... The 4800+ is only $320. A sweet deal if ya ask me.

 

i definately want the am2 however

 

if you REALLY want AM2 that badly then just be patient and wait for a good crossfire board to come out, ive googled it and there arent any out yet. That will also give Conroe time to smash AMD's prices

 

the cost of the x2 am2 4600 already dropped four hundred bucks.

 

AM2 doesn't seem to offer any advantages at the moment except the ability to say, "I have an AM2 processor!"

I'm waiting on the Conroe to be released, then I may go Intel or get an AMD, depending on which looks to be the better value since AMD will supposedly drop and the new Conroes are supposed to kick ass.

 

the x2 4600 may have already dropped but you very well could get an fx-60, fx-62 or x2 5000 for around $400-$500 in about 3 days

 

Have to agree "patience" is the key at the moment otherwise you may get severally ripped and be kicking and cursing for at least a year. Conroe (Core 2 Duo) will be released in Australia on the 27/07/06 and I was in the shop the other day and flat asked the salesman how much another Intel CPU will drop and he said can't say how much but they are definately going down.

 

well i started seeing the core duo processor on pricewatch.com and it is definately not cheaper than the AMD as predicted here in this thread by any means. Of course, the price of the AMD plummetted before the release, and when they figured out was going to be more expensive as most intel processors usually are, went back up. though surely it will even out eventually.

 

Have to agree here in Aust. only the E6300 & E6400 are competively priced with the AM2 Dual Cores but it has lowered prices off Intel current Dual Core range (albeit slightly) I'm still going to get the 805D for now (gone down $30-$40 bucks and play with this budget OC gem till prices stabilise).

 

yea i am looking in the upper range of the processors