Better Socket 939 upgrade

[imported_Bleh]

Hey guys i've been thinking about upgrading to the core2duo route but I don't want to go through the hassle of trying to sell my current parts. This has led me to the route of a cpu upgrade.

Here's my question: which would be a better choice for overclocking, a 3800 x2 and arctic freezer 64 or a opteron 165 with the stock heatsink.

Im looking for at least 2.8 ghz out of the chip to make it worthwile. Thanks.

Edit: The price difference is like $2.

 

[jvandecar]

You may have better luck than I did when it comes to overclocking this chip with this board. 263 FSB was the ceiling for me, with a Thermalright HR-05-SLI chipset heatsink and AS5. It just wouldn't budge.

 

[Visual]

most probably the opty.
i assume you'd prefer to keep voltage increases to the minimum anyway, and for that a stock cooler would do ok.
interesting though, why is an opty+arctic freezer not an option?

keep in mind that the opty's low multi makes ocing a bit harder though - you need higher fsb, and so more stress on your mobo and ram (if 1:1)... so depending on your mobo&ram, you might be better off with a 4200+ or higher x2 for the higher multi instead of the opty's x9. a 4200+ should still be cheaper than 165.

another thing to consider is, even if you do manage to get to dual cores on your current sys, quad cores will start to tempt you now that the q6600 is so cheap (and an even cheaper quadcore socket 775 xeon at around $200 is also to come)

 

[MarcVenice]

x2 3800+ can hit 2.6ghz no problem as long as your mobo can do 260fsb It will probably work with the stock HSF depending on ambient temps. With a as64pro, and some more voltage 2.8ghz should be doable. 2.6ghz is pretty much gauranteed btw.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Getting 2.8Ghz out of an Opty 165 is possible, but it really takes a good mobo to achive that, since it needs a 300FSB just to hit 2.7Ghz, and many boards max out at that.

 

[o1die]

I wouldn't upgrade just for the expectation of a higher overclock. I've seen some posts from folks who were disappointed in their overclock after spending $$$ for memory, bigger power supplies, etc. I'd like to upgrade also, but I've found no market locally for my used stuff. If you don't need dual core, I would wait until one of your components fails, and do a major upgrade.

 

[myocardia]

Originally posted by: o1die
I wouldn't upgrade just for the expectation of a higher overclock.

I agree, especially since I've seen Venice 3000's at 2.7 & 2.8 Ghz.

I'd like to upgrade also, but I've found no market locally for my used stuff.

Why would you need to find a market locally?

 

[Salvador]

FYI.. If you're going to overclock, I'd definitely get something better than the stock cooler. It won't be enough for an overclocked Opteron.

 

[SickBeast]

Get the Opteron. It's dual core and will be a nice upgrade for you.

Some people are getting 3.1ghz out of them these days. :light:

 

[dwcal]

The X2 3800 I got last week tops out at 2.7 with stock voltage and a CNPS7000B AlCu, not the best heatsink. It boots into Windows at 2.8, but not stable.

 

[kmmatney]

You should be prapred in the event that you can only get only get 2.6 Ghz from the X2 3800+. They have been reported to go higher, but it's not garaunteed. That would still be a nice upgrade, though. Mine only made it just past 2.6 Ghz, but I ended up running at 2.5 Ghz so I can have a quieter fan and long term stability.

 

[Salvador]

I just purchased two Arctic Cooling coolers. The Alpine 64 and the 64 Freezer Pro. So far, I'm really impressed with the Alpine 64 and not so much with the Freezer Pro. I'm getting the same temps with my Alpine 64 on a 3200+ Venice s754 OC'd to 2.6 and the fan running at 5v as the Freezer Pro on my X2 4200+ running at stock speeds with the Freezer fan running at full speed. I don't know where the temps are going to go on the Freezer once I OC, slow the fan down or both.

Then again, I don't know how much hotter an X2 4200+ Toledo s939 runs compared to a 3200+ Venice s754 (stock for stock).