Athlon 64 vs. P4 /w HT

[gb2k4]

I'm designing a new computer and I'm at a standstill right now because I'm not sure whether to base it around a P4-HT or an AMD 64bit.

Why am I stuck? Well, you get PCI-Express with both types. But Pentium doesn't make 64-bit processors. And AMD doesn't have an Athlon 64 MOBO out that supports DDR2!

(As you can tell, I'm a gamer.) I just don't want to sink $2500+ into a system that ends up shortchanging me in a major area.

I want a 64-bit cpu, DDR, and PCI-express all at the same time but I can't have it! :cry: What do I do?

[vee_ess]

DDR2 mobo's for AMD 64 will be out soon enough, and you can always get a new mobo for like $100 and sell the one you buy on ebay. With the P4-HT you are going to need new mobo + proc when you switch to 64.

[gb2k4]

I am correct that there are AMD-based mobos that support PCI-Express, right?

But are there some that include both x16 and x1 slots, and not JUST the x16 slot for your video card?

So far I haven't been able to find any... :/

[Jason425]

Think about when a 64-bit OS will come out.. not this year for sure.. next year? maybe.. irreguardless, 64-bit won't be for real until longhorn... Why do you think Intel doesn't have one yet? Because it doesn't matter yet... DDR2 is the future. Just take the best price/performance/futureproofness and then make a decision

[gb2k4]

Well, supposedly the AMD FX-53 is the fastest processor available for gaming BAR-NONE. And it's about $200 cheaper than the Intel LGA775 Pentium 4 3.4 GHz Extreme Edition.

So based on what you've said...

go with the 64-bit FX-53 and hold out for a good DDR2 mobo with PCI-X?

[Jason425]

Don't consider the extreme edition.. and with any of those top chips.. there is NO price/performance/value ratio.. they are so overinflated in price that it's silly.. if you have that much money to spend on a top fx, you don't even need to be here. Just go to Alienware and buy the $4k comp and you don't need to worry about it...

[xckid082488]

4k will not get a super pc from alienware more like 6-7k

[xckid082488]

Warranty: 1-Year AlienCare Toll-Free 24/7 Phone Support with Onsite Service
Operating System: Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional with Service Pack 2
Desktop Enhancements: Exclusive AlienGUIse Theme Manager
Chassis: Alienware® Full-Tower Case (480-Watt PS) - Conspiracy Blue
Cable Management: Alienware® Cable Management System
Power Supply: 650 Watt Power Supply Upgrade
Processor: AMD Athlon™ 64 FX-53 Processor with HyperTransport Technology
Motherboard: ASUS® A8V Deluxe - VIA K8T800 Pro Motherboard
Memory: 2GB Extreme Dual Channel DDR PC-3200 SDRAM at 400MHz - 4 x 512MB
Video Card: ATI RADEON™ X800 XT Platinum Edition 256MB DDR3 w/Digital and TV Out
Video Optimizer: AlienAdrenaline: Video Performance Optimizer
Video Cooling: AlienIce™ Video Cooling System - Terra Green
System Drive: Extreme Performance - Serial ATA RAID 0 - 148GB (74GB x 2) Western Digital® Raptor™ 10,000 RPM w/16MB Cache
Optical Drive One: Plextor® PX-712A 12x DVD±R/W Drive
Optical Drive Two: Plextor® PX-712A 12x DVD±R/W Drive
Floppy Drive: 3.5" 1.44 MB Floppy Disk Drive - Black
Sound Card: Creative Sound Blaster® Audigy® 2 ZS Platinum Pro High Definition 7.1 Surround
Network Connection: High Speed Gigabit Ethernet
Display One: NEC 19" LCD 1960NXi-BK MultiSync - Black
Display Two: NEC 19" LCD 1960NXi-BK MultiSync - Black
Speakers: Creative GigaWorks™ THX® S750 - 7.1 700-Watt Speakers
Keyboard: Microsoft® Multimedia Keyboard - Conspiracy Blue
Mouse: Microsoft IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 - USB - Conspiracy Blue
Alienware Exclusive Offers: Gamespot Complete - Free 90-day Trial (a $20.85 value)
Alienware Exclusive Offers: 10% off your next EB Games online purchase
Benchmark Software: 3DMark®03 Standard Edition
Free Alienware T-Shirt: Free Alienware® T-Shirt - Black (a $10.00 value)
Free Alienware Mousepad: Free Alienware® Mousepad (a $14.99 value)
AlienInspection: AlienInspection - Exclusive Integration and Inspection - $99.99 Value - FREE!
AlienWiring: AlienWiring - Exclusive Internal Wire Management - $99.99 Value - FREE!
Automated Support: AlienAutopsy: Automated Technical Support Request System


For only $6,266.00 :shake:

[Jason425]

that's with anything and everything.. but that's one nice comp...

[xckid082488]

I'm jelous of my own desires.

[StinkyMojo]

The best part were the free stuff/offers ;)

[Jason425]

AlienWiring: AlienWiring - Exclusive Internal Wire Management - $99.99 Value - FREE!

$100 for cable management = insane

[Napster]

Alienware = rip off

[Jason425]

95% of pre-built comps are ripoffs... but alienware basically takes the price of making the comp and doubles it.. :/

[xckid082488]

Mine was pre-built because ive had very bad experiances with bios and installing windows ME and it costed only 121 bucks more than on new egg and it worked right out of the box :biggrin:

[gb2k4]

I agree that Alienware is way overpriced, just like Falcon NW.

What I was trying to do is to see just how much it would cost me to go all the way, just for fun. Then, when everything in that system is second from the top (and consequently drops in price by thousands), building it would actually be realistic.

That's when I ran into the problem of 64bit AMD;s vs. P4's with hyper-threading. I agree that DDR2 is gonna be the next big thing. I think PCI-Express is also another big dog on the horizon. But picking the right mobo/cpu combination is important. And even though 64-bit processors won't really come into play until MS Longhorn, the FX-53 still beats out the fastest P4, and is over $200 cheaper.

Right now, it seems like the Fx-53 is the way to go. Someone please tell me if I'm wrong before I get comfortable with my decision.

[Jason425]

doesn't the fx require ECC ram?

[StinkyMojo]

Not the newer chipsets. The older ones did.

[vee_ess]

I had to buy a prebuilt because it cost 263 less than Newegg just for the major components. I want to build one, damn it.