Not impressed with Prescott - Get a P4 3.4C Now????

M

Maynerd Goldstein

Weaksauce
Joined
Nov 14, 2003
Messages
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The Prescott does not impress me from what I've seen so far.

I'm currently running a 2.4C @ 3.125 rock solid and I figure my rig with my 9800XT should be strong enough to handle anything that's coming out (games) in the next few years.

I had planning on probably doing a video card upgrade in say a year but now that they are killing off AGP, I guess that's out.

That leaves only one real upgrade left for my machine and that's
my CPU. I had considered waiting about a year and maybe picking up a P4 EE 3.2 for say around 500.00 then I saw the
P4 3.4C on New Egg tonight on sale for 419.00.

Hmmmm... Should I go for it? Does anyone know what the multipler is on the processor? I assume it's 17?

I'm wondering what my chances of getting 17 x 212 for 3.6Ghz
1:1 DDR424 w/FSB 848? I think my PC3500 is supposed to be good up to at least DDR434 @ 2-2-2.

Say I get 3.6Ghz with 1:1 DDR424 and FSB 848 (212 x 4).

Will I "feel" any difference between that and the 3.125Ghz, 5:4 DDR416 w/FSB 1040 (260 x 4) and getting now?

I'm worried that my slower FSB might negate the additional
475 Mhz, but then I would be running my Ram at 1:1 and
at little faster.

FYI... My 2.4C comes apart at 3.2Ghz+ It simply won't go any faster.

You have until 4 PM tommorrow to convince me one way or the other before the New Egg Sale ends.
 
Just buy what you want??

if your only wanting 3.6ghz get a 3.2 and save some$$ or a 3.0

And your not going to feel any difference.

My Celeron shuttle rig, feels faster than my vapo chill rig??

Numbers and benching tells a different story.

But if you have money to burn it's up to you. $419 sounds good but no way i would pay that now That the others are so cheap.

But then i got my 3.2c when they were over $600.
 
I'm not the big spender when it comes to comps (cause I don't have a steady job and gotta pay school bills and for comp books, hookers, etc.), and I always say stay a generation behind.

The 3.0C is a solid buy right now at $223, I personally wouldn't drop the near $400 for the 3.4C.

And yes, the 3.4C uses a 17x multiplier (200x17).

You probably won't feel that great of an impact, probably some frames, but it's up to you to decide if you feel that $400 and extra frames will buy you happiness.
 
The Prescott is, to me at least, much like the original P4 Socket 423. It intro'ed at a less than stellar launch, but evolved into our amazing P4 2.4C's we have nowadays. Give it time, and trust me, Prescotts will kick ass. Once they scale and distance themselves from the Northwood, it'll get better. But I do agree -- the Prescott is anything but amazing at the moment. I'd take an A64 any day.
 
prescotts just a newborn ..(hopefully not stillborn) ..and should mature into a fine chip.. if in the market for a new chip ..some good deals in sell/trade section here ..or pm me for a good deal on a 3.0c retail chip (sorry for the shameless plug) ..:)
 
Why do you want to upgrade? You already have one of the fastest gaming rigs. IMHO diffrence won't be worth 500$. Beter save and wait some time for prescott's in the new sockets and then make some big upgrade.
 
Originally posted by Maynerd Goldstein

Will I "feel" any difference between that and the 3.125Ghz, 5:4 DDR416 w/FSB 1040 (260 x 4) and getting now?

Click to expand...

No.

To use the technical term, hell no.

The only place you'll see the difference between those two setups is in a benchmark test. If spending $400 to get a couple hundred more 3DMarks is a good deal to you, then go ahead. But that's the only way it makes sense.

If it matters, the best $400-500 I've spent on my system isn't on a CPU or video card. For about that I put together a custom Porsche 911 office chair, or you could get a repo'd Aeron off eBay. I'd give up my girlfriends phone number before I'd part with the factory refurbished Compaq P1220 (nee Mitsu 2060u) 22" monitor I got for $300, and $500 just about covered the Denon receiver/amp and Paradigm speakers that make Klipsch Ultra's sound like tin cans and a string.





BHD
 
Originally posted by Maynerd Goldstein
That leaves only one real upgrade left for my machine and that's
my CPU.
Click to expand...
What about SCSI? 15,000 rpm...
 
You're rig is strong enough , don't blow anymore money on it until next generation hardware comes out mate, it would be futile

Wait for Socket 939 and/or LGA 775 , PCI-EXpress, DDR-II and PCI-Express 3D Cards.
Now it would be intelligent , about 2-3 months

Like Kyle demonstrated, computer game are now heavily restricted by the video card, not much about CPU.
 
Originally posted by Koslov
You're rig is strong enough , don't blow anymore money on it until next generation hardware comes out mate, it would be futile

Wait for Socket 939 and/or LGA 775 , PCI-EXpress, DDR-II and PCI-Express 3D Cards.
Now it would be intelligent , about 2-3 months

Like Kyle demonstrated, computer game are now heavily restricted by the video card, not much about CPU.
Click to expand...

I tend to agree. I'm building an htpc and will be buying the absolute minimum to use it well (probably celly 2.0, maybe 2.4c if prices drop enough). My current system is similar, 2.4c at the 3.12, on a P4P800 and I see no reason to upgrade it at all. Maybe after socket-t comes out...or not since then cpu motherboard AND memory will need upgraded, video will need upgraded and I'll finally be forced to make plunge to sata. So much for the incremental upgrade...

...Now I'm depressed. ;)
 
Originally posted by Koslov

Now it would be intelligent , about 2-3 months

Like Kyle demonstrated, computer game are now heavily restricted by the video card, not much about CPU.
Click to expand...

i would disagree, meaning i would suggest waiting even longer. I tend to like to let the technology mature a little before i buy it, let everything sort itself out. Q4 2004 - Q1 2005 i will probably start building a new rig. also, the prices are bound to be prohibitively high at the beginning, i'm not wealthy enough (college student here) to stay on the cutting edge.
 
IMO, buying a 3.4C is like buying a 3200+ XP. It's a waste, mainly because its slightly slower but significantly cheaper predecessors can give you similar performance +/- 2-3%. A $290 3.2C will likely OC to the same level that can be achieved with a 3.4C.

In fact, I'd recommend not upgrading at all. $300-400 for about 300MHz difference? Not a good buy at all. You have to consider the fact that 'mature' Prescotts will probably come in at around this price in a few months, with money to spare for a LGA775 socket mobo.

Only upgrade if there's software that you're running that isn't performing adequately on your current setup (unlikely; you have an XT).
 
getting a 3.4C would be 99% chance of 3.6Ghz
getting a 3.2C would be 90% chance of 3.6Ghz
getting a 3.0C would be 70% chance of 3.6Ghz
getting a 2.8C would be 60% chance of 3.6Ghz
getting a 2.6C would be 40% chance of 3.6Ghz
getting a 2.4C would be 30% chance of 3.6Ghz

Just some guesstimate #'s for approximately 3.6Ghz+- a little

IF you have adequate case cooling and a good HSF, I would think you could probably hit 3.8Ghz+ with a 3.4.

But with the current price ranges, I would go for a 3.2C still almost guaranteed that you will get 3.6Ghz
(obviously you have the money since you were considering a 3.4)
 
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