so who is upgrading to socket 940 (am2)

[SnowSurfer]

I gave my dad my socket 939 computer so im working on a athlon xp 2500+ again. debating to upgrade to nforce 500 and am2 or to just build another socket 939. Am I going to be one of the first to take the plungeeeeeee? :)

-snow

[zero2dash]

Think he'll give it back to you? :heh:


"A fair expectation for performance gain from 939-pin to AM2 is about 1% or more across various application-based benchmarks. That assumes equal model numbers for processors and an equal configuration. This also assumes premium memory is used for each configuration."
/snip

The numbers we're seeing here today for Socket-939 vs. Socket-AM2 are virtually identical to what we saw last month in our preview. Socket-AM2 doesn't appear to offer any tangible improvement in performance except for within certain games and of course in the memory bandwidth and latency tests. Thankfully, on final hardware, we're at least not seeing any drop in performance.

The good news is that if you've just invested in a new Socket-939 platform, you're not leaving any performance behind by not having an AM2 system. The bad news is that, for AMD, the only performance increases this launch will bring are because of the speed bumps of the Athlon 64 FX-62 and the X2 5000+.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2762

I'm waiting to see what Conroe does myself...I think a waiting game is the best idea at this point, but that's just my opinion. :) I'm 99% sure that I'll be buying an Intel PowerMac as a new computer, assuming that a) the price is similar to a PPC G5 PM and b) they use either Conroe or Kentsfield (Conroe is rumored). If Apple lets me down with the PowerMac (highly unlikely), I'll then change course and buy a MacBook Pro since CoreDuo is one beast of a cpu.

Reason being - my P4 3.0c is still good enough for me at this point, but I'd really like to pick up a high end Mac after using a G5 at work for the last year.

[Airencracken]

Just wait for the K8L procs to come out.

[SnowSurfer]

Think he'll give it back to you? :heh:


he really likes it because he can do all of his work on it and it has a tv tuner in it so he can watch on one screen while working on the other, so no I don't think im getting it back, maybe ill just build another 939 :) lol

on a side note, I wonder how cool the conroe's will run...heat is a big factor in buying for me

[Airencracken]

Think he'll give it back to you? :heh:


/snip


http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2762

I'm waiting to see what Conroe does myself...I think a waiting game is the best idea at this point, but that's just my opinion. :) I'm 99% sure that I'll be buying an Intel PowerMac as a new computer, assuming that a) the price is similar to a PPC G5 PM and b) they use either Conroe or Kentsfield (Conroe is rumored). If Apple lets me down with the PowerMac (highly unlikely), I'll then change course and buy a MacBook Pro since CoreDuo is one beast of a cpu.

Reason being - my P4 3.0c is still good enough for me at this point, but I'd really like to pick up a high end Mac after using a G5 at work for the last year.

Before you get a Mac Lappy, wait for merome, the yonah cores are only 32 bit.

[AlpineJay]

Trying not to be a hater here, but I'm waiting for Conroe. From preliminary numbers, should blow AMDs away.

[SnowSurfer]

Trying not to be a hater here, but I'm waiting for Conroe. From preliminary numbers, should blow AMDs away.


do you have any heat numbers, i may wait too...

[zero2dash]

do you have any heat numbers, i may wait too...

Largely assuming here; don't kill me :)
(I could and may be wrong, but based off what I've seen...)

-Core Solo/Duo both run cooler/lower voltage than every other current cpu out there (AFAIK).
-Core 2 Duo (ie codename Conroe for desktops and Merom for laptops) is an evolution/extension of the Core architecture, so therefore should inherit the cooler/lower voltage advantages of Core Solo/Duo.

I think Intel's Core lineup (whether Core Solo/Duo or Core 2 Duo) will still be beating AMD's effort at running at a lower cpu temp and a lower voltage requirement (despite AMD's "Cool and Quiet" feature).

Like I said initially - IMHO the waiting game is the safest bet right now. We're pretty much in the initial stages of a major tech year in the computer industry; AMD still has cpus up their sleeves and new tech, and Intel is creating a lot of hype and anticipation for Core 2 as well as their future efforts as well. Good time to wait, my friend. :) I think this year is going to be the year Intel finally takes back the cpu market, but who knows. (Not that I'm pro-either company, 'cause the competition benefits us all.) I might not even buy a Mac, who knows; I'm standing on the sidelines until next year (if not longer). I know the tech industry constantly evolves, ie computer technology is outdated 10 minutes after you buy it, etc. but the important key here is that a lot of new gear is coming out this year.

[SnowSurfer]

man this 2500+ is a heater...who wants to see me cook an egg on it....:)


thats why i care about heat so much...no AC :(

[shocky123]

Largely assuming here; don't kill me :)
(I could and may be wrong, but based off what I've seen...)

-Core Solo/Duo both run cooler/lower voltage than every other current cpu out there (AFAIK).
-Core 2 Duo (ie codename Conroe for desktops and Merom for laptops) is an evolution/extension of the Core architecture, so therefore should inherit the cooler/lower voltage advantages of Core Solo/Duo.

I think Intel's Core lineup (whether Core Solo/Duo or Core 2 Duo) will still be beating AMD's effort at running at a lower cpu temp and a lower voltage requirement (despite AMD's "Cool and Quiet" feature).


As long as we're strictly talking about x86 processors, Core Solo/Duo have the best power ratings -- keeping in mind it is also the only 65nm chip out right now. If we get beyond x86, Core is quite a bit behind other architectures in terms of power usage -- see pretty much any PPC chip, with emphasis on the chips in IBM's BlueGene/*. (don't quote me on it, but I'm thinking 13W at full speed?)

Personally, I think the 'Cool and Quiet' feature was a joke, I've never personally used it, and would never want to use it. But I dont use a laptop, so I have no need for it heh. If I was getting one though, I'd wait to see how AMD's Turion X2 looks @ 65nm, depending on the 'benchmarks' much of the Turion's performance matches the Core's. (no flaming, I'm just going off of what I've heard, and I honestly meant "benchmarks", as in there is no way of determining the "best" processor through any simple test) I'm personally impressed with the Core's innovative approach, but I'm not sure the hype is due. -- See the 'applied Core' architecture used in the new Xeon5500?? ('Core' Xeon chip) chips, which havent proven yet to outperform the old 'applied K8' architecture in the Opterons.

But totally, I agree, play the waiting game!! Only time will tell whether or not you've gotten yourself into a bogus architecture, or even one that is phased out in under two years. *wink wink 939, heh*

Oh yeah... am2 might have 940 pins, but it's not "socket 940". Just wanted to point that out, as that is the original Hammer's designation. (any "non-939 socket" opteron == "socket 940" ).

Just any fyi, because the two sockets(940 & AM2) are NOT supposed to be compatible.

~Kyle