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AMD Athlon 64 Socket 939 vs Socket 754

Discussion in 'PC Hardware' started by PeteC, 2005/04/14.

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  1. 2005/04/14
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff Thread Starter

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    What's the current view on this?

    I am considering a rebuild based on either ....

    Asus K8N-E deluxe, Socket 754 + Athlon 64 3200

    or

    Asus A8V deluxe, Socket 939 + Athlon 64 3200

    For the moment I would intend to use my PC2100 memory (3 x 521Mb sticks), existing PATA hard drives (maybe add a SATA drive too) and existing dual head Matrox video card, so no interest (?) in PCI Express or SLI.

    BTW - May also consider 64 bit XP eventually.

    The main use of this PC is Photoshop.

    Any thoughts welcome - this is new technology for me!
     
    PeteC,
    #1
  2. 2005/04/14
    Steve R Jones

    Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

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    As I recall, one of the differences between the two sockets is one does dual channel ram and the other doesn't. Also believe that dual channel doesn't make much difference with AMD as it does Intel.
     
    Steve R Jones,
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  4. 2005/04/14
    Christer

    Christer Geek Member Staff

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    A month or so ago, I built a new system for my friends son. It is based on:

    Gigabyte GA-K8N Ultra-SLI
    Gigabyte GV-NX62128D
    Athlon 64 3000+
    2x512 MB PC3200 Kingmax Super RAM
    Hitachi 160 GB SATA HDS722516VLSA80
    (As soon as the Hitachi T7K250 (SATA-II) is available, the current harddisk will be cloned to a new T7K250 and subsequently the 7K250 will be relegated to backup duty.)

    It is what I would call a high range budget system. Not the fastest processor and graphics card but good value for the money.

    As I understand it, the 939-Athlon64 has dual on-chip memory controllers and can utilize dual channel memory but the 754-Athlon64 doesn't.

    I am very impressed by Gigabyte and the drivers installation. Insert the CD, wait a few minutes while the system is being analyzed, confirm the choice of drivers and click GO ...... :cool: ...... done!

    I have used PATA HDDs on the system too, to transfer user files from the old computer without a problem. The BIOS boots from the SATA no matter what.

    On a different system based on ASUS P4P800, if a SATA and a PATA are installed permanently, no problem but the PATA is in a mobile rack. When the PATA has been removed and the computer has been started without it, things get out of hand (or out of BIOS) when the PATA is put back in. Then the BIOS "resets" the boot order to PATA and doesn't even try the SATA. A detour into BIOS is necessary to set the boot order back to SATA. I'm not sure if this is specific for the actual motherboard but if You are a HDD swapper, then check this issue first.

    Christer
     
    Christer,
    #3
  5. 2005/04/14
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff Thread Starter

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    Thank you both - I must delve deeper into the manuals I downloaded for the 2 boards mentioned. Built several PC's based on Asus boards over the years and would need very strong reasons for moving elsewhere :)
     
    PeteC,
    #4
  6. 2005/04/14
    holyhandgrenade

    holyhandgrenade Inactive

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    As stated the 939 supports dual channel. You should probably go with the 939, not just because of this, but because the 754 is being phased out, but I guess that depends on your upgrade practices if you care or not. And AMD dual core CPUs, if all goes as planned, are supposed to work in current 939 boards with just a "simple" BIOS flash. Talk about an upgrade option!

    HH

    P.S. I upgraded to an A8V deluxe in earily Jan and haven't looked back, the board has been rock solid.
     
    holyhandgrenade,
    #5
  7. 2005/04/14
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff Thread Starter

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    HH, thanks for that. Technology moves that fast these days that one blink and it's passed you by :)

    With dual channel I guess I would need another stick of RAM - my reading of the manual on this dual channel arrangement is that I must fit 2 or 4 sticks, not 3? Another area to research - and I built my current m/c just over a year ago!
     
    PeteC,
    #6
  8. 2005/04/14
    holyhandgrenade

    holyhandgrenade Inactive

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    That is true, if you want to take advantage of dual channel you will need 2 or 4 sticks. And even then it's not always a guarantee to work, cuz the ram has got to like each other.

    HH
     
    holyhandgrenade,
    #7
  9. 2005/04/14
    Dave932932

    Dave932932 Inactive

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    When you choose a socket make sure you can upgrade it! I have an K6-2 box that's great for browsing and e-mail, but that's about it as it's socket 7, if only I had gotten something that had socket A. Otherwise I could have upgraded from 475MHz K6-2 to a 3200+ Athlon XP!

    It's good that AMD keeps sockets long enough to make a meaningful upgrade possible as intel shoves yet another socket down your throat every 2 or 3 years. This year socket 478 is phased out for the hotter running LGA775.

    So here I am, with another phased out processor upgrade path. :eek:
     
    Dave932932,
    #8
  10. 2005/04/14
    Rockster2U

    Rockster2U Geek Member

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    Pete

    939 over 754 for sure but I recently came across a 940 XF53 at a steal that I couldn't pass up. Only 2 decent boards for this 940 chip - Asus SK8N and SK8V - both require ECC memory. Last week saw another spot price deal on a full retail genuine FX53 at $200 special sale vs $773 at NewEgg. You may be able to shop your way into a "too good to pass up" 940 or 754, so do some looking before just going 939. Otherwise - 939 all the way.

    Best recommendation I can give you is to forget about your PC2100 regardless of what else you do. Memory prices are way down right now and if you are looking for any kind of performance with an Athlon 64 you need at least PC3200 and preferably a dual channel board. Stock Samsung PC3200 will run just fine on dual channel boards. In my book - anything less and you're wasting your money. Kind of like putting retreads on a XKE.

    Good Luck .........

    ;)
     
    Rockster2U,
    #9
  11. 2005/04/15
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff Thread Starter

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    Dave932932
    Even with Socket A I seem to be at the end of the line - current Athlon XP 2800 > 3200 seems hardly worth it for a fraction more GHz.

    Rockster2U
    Point taken :D. Maybe I should upgrade the memory first on my current board A7N8X-E Deluxe/Athlon XP 2800 - then I have it for a rebuild at a later date with a 939.
     
    PeteC,
    #10
  12. 2005/05/19
    mysteriopt

    mysteriopt Inactive

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    well u all said that the 939 socket configuration is better than the 754 config. bt acording to the toms hardware site, that is not true for the 3D Studio Max aplication, as you can see in this with this link: http://www.tomshardware.com/cpu/20041221/cpu_charts-19.html

    and in some other tests the 754 config also steps ahead the 939 config.

    well you can check the hardware configs used for the tests in this link http://www1.tomshardware.com/cpu/20041221/cpu_charts-11.html
    but check the other tests also...

    I'm also having the same problem of not knowing wich config to buy.

    you can notice that in the 3D Studio Max the 754 config is 10secs faster than the 939, which is a lot!!!!

    I'm building a system to run Photoshpo, Autocad, 3D Studio and SketchUp

    Also for these kind of use, what is the best? a AMD or an Intel? :confused: :confused: :confused: but even on the AMD which of the configs is the best?
     
    mysteriopt,
    #11
  13. 2005/05/20
    holyhandgrenade

    holyhandgrenade Inactive

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    This is my opinion on the whole thing. When it comes to 754 vs 939, just for expandability alone it is the better choice, but you also get PCI-X (which I haven't seen on 754 yet, correct me if I'm wrong). The possibility of dual core!!! Anyway 754 vs 939 as a chip right now, you don't see all that much difference.

    As for Intel vs AMD, that all depends on what you are doing. For the high intensive, multitrended CPU progs you will see a slight advantage go to Intel's hyperthreaded CPUs, right now.

    HH
     
    holyhandgrenade,
    #12
  14. 2005/05/26
    OLDSALTY Lifetime Subscription

    OLDSALTY Inactive

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    Not sure this will help Pete, check this out.

    Dual core processors, AMD takes the lead?

    Now that dual core processors from both AMD and Intel are shipping we take a step back and look at the bigger picture, why are these processors such a hard sell?

    http://www.hardwareanalysis.com/content/article/1798/

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    Hardware Analysis - Investigating the force that drives IT

    Email: news@hardwareanalysis.com
    Visit us at: http://www.hardwareanalysis.com
     
    OLDSALTY,
    #13
  15. 2005/05/26
    PeteC

    PeteC SuperGeek Staff Thread Starter

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    OLDSALTY

    Thanks for that - most interesting.

    Update for all who responded ....

    Upgraded my PC last week with Socket 939 Ausus A8V Deluxe mobo with AMD 64 3500+ CPU and a Gig of PC3200 RAM (matched pair of 512 sticks for dual channel). No interest this time around in PCI Express - not a gamer and the PC is used primarily for Photoshop and the usual more mundane tasks. My Matrox G550 dual head with only 32 Mb is more than adequate for PS.

    AMD Cool 'n Quiet is very impressive.

    Still thinking about another Gig of RAM, but this build outperforms its predecessor (Ausus A7N8X - Deluxe, AMD Athlon XP 2800+ with 1.5 Gig of RAM)

    Very pleased with the outcome :)
     
    PeteC,
    #14
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