3700+ or 3800+ x2?

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: Waylay00
3700+. I recently asked this question in my thread.
http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.aspx?catid=27&threadid=1674862

The only two games that take advantage of dual-core that will be out in the near future are FEAR and City of Villains. They are having some trouble though. I'm going with the 3700+.

By the time that most games take advantage of dual-cores, the 3800+ will be obsolete anyways. If you go dual-core, get a 4400+ or greater, else there really isn't any point in bothering. It's like getting a Porsche Boxter. If you are going to get a Porsche, get a 911 or just don't get one at all.

And yes, while gaming with an X2 3800+, you will essentially be using a 3200+ in BF2.

Running Xfire while playing games is not multitasking. X2's are target at those who want to encode DVD's, etc, while playing a game.

Also, keep in mind that most people who vote X2 are just voting that because it's the hot new item. They aren't taking into consideration that you are a gamer.

No. YOu show me one benchmark where a 3200+ beats the X2 3800+. Hell show me a benchmark where the 3500+ beats the X2 3800+

Link

The 3800+ SC chip wins by VERY small margins. Between 1 and 8 fps. And every single time you are well over the point where those frames make a difference.

Sorry, but back recommendation :thumbsdown:

-Kevin

 

[xTYBALTx]

Again. One 2.2ghz core or two 2.0mhz cores? This is not a difficult question.

 

[nick1985]

Originally posted by: Kensai
X2.

 

[JBT]

X2

 

[kmmatney]

X2 - it will allow you to game better with extra stuff running inthe background (anti-virus, etc...).

 

[mrkun]

Go spend $120 on 3000+ and OC it to 2.6 or 2.7 Ghz =)

 

[mOeeOm]

The way I see it is that by the time games are fully optimized for dual-core(built from the ground up to be for dual-core) then the 3800+ X2 will be obsolete...it will prob only give you a 5-10% boost over a stock 3700+ SD, so by that time you will want a higher X2..if you wanna play games now, then the 3700+ SD, unless you really wanna play F.E.A.R and City of Villains with the 1-3% performance boost the 3800+ X2 will have.

 

[unlockedshaders]

get the X2. use 1 core for running your game application only, and set all of your backround services to run on another core.

 

[Some1ne]

The way I see it is that by the time games are fully optimized for dual-core(built from the ground up to be for dual-core) then the 3800+ X2 will be obsolete...

That is a possibility, but at the same time, we've kind of hit a point where the obsolescence rate of processors is seems to be slowing down. There's nothing major on the horizon (as far as AMD is concerned...Intel has got some new things coming) for quite awhile yet, and processor clock rates have largely topped-out. The only major change coming for AMD platforms is socket M2, and the only new thing this appears to offer is DDR2 support, which right now doesn't seem like it will make much difference, and current benchmarks show little to no difference between DDR and DDR2 RAM. So anyways, I think any dual-core AMD chip probably has some pretty good longevity left in it at this point.

 

[mOeeOm]

Originally posted by: Some1ne

The way I see it is that by the time games are fully optimized for dual-core(built from the ground up to be for dual-core) then the 3800+ X2 will be obsolete...

That is a possibility, but at the same time, we've kind of hit a point where the obsolescence rate of processors is seems to be slowing down. There's nothing major on the horizon (as far as AMD is concerned...Intel has got some new things coming) for quite awhile yet, and processor clock rates have largely topped-out. The only major change coming for AMD platforms is socket M2, and the only new thing this appears to offer is DDR2 support, which right now doesn't seem like it will make much difference, and current benchmarks show little to no difference between DDR and DDR2 RAM. So anyways, I think any dual-core AMD chip probably has some pretty good longevity left in it at this point.

Yup, I just wanna see some benchmarks about this ''optimized for dual-core'' crap...will it be 1-3% boost over single-core? 10-15%? Guess we'll just wait for some real dual-core games like UT2007, but by that time I will probably have X2 and won't care anymore .

 

[StrangerGuy]

Originally posted by: mOeeOm
The way I see it is that by the time games are fully optimized for dual-core(built from the ground up to be for dual-core) then the 3800+ X2 will be obsolete...it will prob only give you a 5-10% boost over a stock 3700+ SD, so by that time you will want a higher X2..if you wanna play games now, then the 3700+ SD, unless you really wanna play F.E.A.R and City of Villains with the 1-3% performance boost the 3800+ X2 will have.

Seriously, every single game out there can run pretty well even with just a 3000+, dual-core optimised or not. Nowadays, the video card plays a far more important role on gaming performance.

 

[Waylay00]

Originally posted by: mOeeOm
The way I see it is that by the time games are fully optimized for dual-core(built from the ground up to be for dual-core) then the 3800+ X2 will be obsolete...it will prob only give you a 5-10% boost over a stock 3700+ SD, so by that time you will want a higher X2..if you wanna play games now, then the 3700+ SD, unless you really wanna play F.E.A.R and City of Villains with the 1-3% performance boost the 3800+ X2 will have.

Exactly my point.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: mOeeOm
The way I see it is that by the time games are fully optimized for dual-core(built from the ground up to be for dual-core) then the 3800+ X2 will be obsolete...it will prob only give you a 5-10% boost over a stock 3700+ SD, so by that time you will want a higher X2..if you wanna play games now, then the 3700+ SD, unless you really wanna play F.E.A.R and City of Villains with the 1-3% performance boost the 3800+ X2 will have.

Have you ever used a multi-threaded app before in your LIFE! Stop spreading FUD. You will see MUCH MUCH greater and more significant performance increases than 1-3%. We are talking more like 50-60%.

Again, stop spreading crap on these forums, there is enough there without another person adding to it.

-Kevin

 

[Waylay00]

But correct me if I'm wrong, this user plays games (which 99% are single threaded and will be for quite some time)?

-Wade

 

[Gamingphreek]

Ok, now you correct me. There is virtually no difference (1-8fps) in games with the Dual Core processor (Comparing to a 3800+ SC). Not to mention when/if those gaims become multi-threaded, or any games come out multi-threaded you will se >%50 performance difference.

This is ridiculous, there is no competition. Now if it were 3200+/3000+ vs. X2 3800+ then it could be controversial. But if you can afford to spend more money than those 2 chips you can spend a little more or you can save enough to afford a Dual Core. The performance improvements are VERY much there.

-Kevin

 

[videogames101]

Ok so i get the x2 and oc it, someone explain to me the terms used in the quick and dirty amd ocguide? it totaly lost me......

 

[Ike0069]

Start a thread in the CPU forum.
State exactly what you do not understand and you will receive plenty of help.

If you actually do not understand anything, (i.e. what is the FSB/HTT or the CPU multiplier or RAM divider), then start by asking a few questions. Once those are answered, then ask some more. Before you know it, you'll be the one answering other peoples questions.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Dont start another thread. That is just what we dont need. This is your thread, just ask it in here. People will be more than happy to help.

As for OCing, while it is fun, there isn't a need with the higher end processors. If you are doing it to match the 3800+ SC, then it is pointless, as the X2 3800+ matches and beats a 3500+. It is merely 1-8fps behind the SC 3800+ in games. Unless you want to just because or you want to get into that sort of thing, the X2 3800+ has more than enough power right now.

-Kevin