Single VS. Dual core

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Thu Dec 20, 2007 11:04 pm

I know the benefit when you are multitasking but I am looking for mainly....faster boot up and loading of background stuff and faster loading of games. I have a Athelon 64 3200 Venice ( not overclocked ) and I was looking at an X2 3600 which New egg has for $40. I have heard I would not use the second core so I would see no difference. What do you guys think??

dkarko · Post by **dkarko** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 3:22 am

definately go for it!
It's a great update for the price tag! Depending on the use of the computer you may not see significant performance boost, but the system will be more responsive and you will expand its life for some years!
Don't worry about the second core, the operating system will balance the processes load as much as possible on the 2 cores

Post by **FZ1** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:21 am

Get the dual core. More and more apps are taking advantage of multi core chips. Even if you don't run them, I'm sure you run more than 1 app concurrently (i.e. - browser, mail client and music player) which would take advantage of the multi cores.

vicaphit · Post by **vicaphit** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 12:18 pm

Don't forget about the AMD dual core hotfix too, once you get the processor

I went from the same AMD chip you have to an AMD x2 4000+... it made my computer a lot better.

hercules71185 · Post by **hercules71185** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 4:01 pm

GET THE BRISBANE!!!. If you are on a budget get the x2 3600 brisbane the overclocking is great on it. For the price you can't beat it. Dual core on a single program you won't notice a difference if it doesn't utilize DC but, I tend to open up at least 2 things.. Typically. A movie, IM and internet browser at once. With the brisbane I overclocked to 2.85 and what I its capable of in terms of daily use. HD movie running in vlc, Music playing, AVG scanning the computer, AdAware scanning my pc, trillian. playing a flash game and have the internet browser open. and not even a hiccup. As for gaming it works good for me.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 5:59 pm

Well I ordered it despite the fact that my PSU may not be able to handle it. I figured that IF I didn't buy it now at $40 then it would simply drop off the retail market completely. Would it help to shut down a couple of fans as far as power use goes or would it not make a difference for the CPU ( different rails or some such?)

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 7:14 pm

Even though Aspire aren't great for making PSU's, I would have thought that you would have been ok with that PSU and processor upgrade.

Dan

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 8:28 pm

I was mostly worried about adding ANY load at all to this PSU for the fact you mentioned. Also my PSU is a 20 pin while my mainboard askes for a 24 pin. DFI customer support said it would be fine with a 20 pin ( no adaptor) but I did not ask about a dual core running on a 20 pin. My main problem is that I REALLY don't want to " settle for a lessor PSU to "tide" me over. I want to make this one work until I can buy a Corsair 750 that would serve me for the next round of CPU, Mainboard, Ram upgrades I have planned for next year. I am basically praying that the CPU will work well and I can stop thinking about it for a while. I am jonesing bad for upgrades but don't have the cash. I don't really "need" the upgrades as my loving wife points out but I WANT THEM BADLY ( grabbing desk and shaking voilently from head to toe)......My name is Merlin and I am a computer upgrade oholic...it has been at least 6 months since my last upgrade ( head in hands crying in lap) and I just don't know how much more of this I can take........

hercules71185 · Post by **hercules71185** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:30 pm

You can check up on some posts I've made so you can tell I'm for real and I have pics. I was using a 200 watt power supply for YEARS running amd 3600x2 @ 2.85 1gbddr2 8600gt, 2 320gb hard drives and 2 case fans. I upgraded to a 350 because it was free with my case I got. Now I'm running leds in the case fans and black lights for the glowing parts. with 3 gb ddr2 instead of . So psus can handle more than credit is given to them. I do agree with the people who do say that its important so you don't lose everything. But, ::crosses fingers and knocks on wood:: I've yet to have a problem with it

hercules71185 · Post by **hercules71185** » Fri Dec 21, 2007 9:32 pm

ps it was on a 20pin mobo and psu. I upgraded mobos because it was only pci express x8 not x16

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 2:16 am

I also have NEVER had a problem with a PSU blowing everything ( hell me second/wifes PC has a Fry's 19.95 250W special running it and has for a long time)....I have had one go bad but it went alone. The horror stories now have me spooked not to mention the ...comments ( to be nice ) from Dice regarding PSUs. In the end I geuss it is all a roll of the dice...before I became "informed" about PC upgrades I purchased the wattage I needed for the hardware I wanted and I matched that with RAM that would fit and I played my games, I even bought a video card on e bay for less than 1/4 what it should have cost and I never had any real problems other than a fried BIOS chip which was replaced for free and the MOBO still works in the wifes PC......then I came here and met...dare I say the name...Capper. We had many sort of heated debates about temps and what the manufactorers say versus the enthusiasts and in the end he conviced me that the enthusiasts had the right idea and that even IF AMD and INTEL said that their CPUs would not fry at 50' C we had to try to get our temps as low as we could...people now brag about how fast they can get their PC to run at how low a core temp no matter what programs they run. I was a hot rodder( in cars) so I understand the conscept but now I don't really know what I HAVE to have to keep my "PINTO" on the road. No offense intended here Diceman but I read posts here from guys whos "trash" is better than my main system and I even got myself sort of cursed out for not being able to spend $80+ on a PSU. SORRY for the rant but I still do not understand why a $20-$30 PSU wont do the job today when it always has for me in the past and the extra $60-80 has been enough to take me out of the market for the year. Please don't respond if what you have to say is" well you can buy cheap PSUs but....." I just don't understand how Fry's can ever sell a PSU since almost all of the ones they sell are sub standard according the the reviewers.

Methious · Post by **Methious** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 4:19 am

I think the main issue (besides tanking out) is voltage fluctuation decreasing life span of components. It also makes it hard to OC stable. I used to use less expensive PSU, but now I use good ones in my rig cause it's value is going up. Last night I had a PSU issue on a new install with an expensive PSU on all the approved lists had to go to my back up. In between the Expensive model and the backup I had a $20 dollar PSU handy so I chucked it in the mix. With the good PSU I was seeing less than 3% voltage flux, 20 dollar supply 7 to 8% voltage flux, back up psu about 4%.

Believe me I'm not dissing any one for budget components, I've had many serve well when money was short. My first decent power supply came from a jar of change and a yard sale, just about killed me to lay out a hundred for it. It's alive and well 2 years later driving a 8800 gt, 3.2 gig dual core chocked full of power hungry components. You'll find the more power you need the better off you are with a good PSU. As you go up in voltage requirement it strains the PSU, but in the end if it's what you have/can afford; run it.

And yes you are right most power supplies, on most sites (not just frys) are sub standard. A large portion of people don't know, and if you think the retailers care about any thing but profit think again. If it tanks they replace it, send it back to the manufacturer and get a new one. They don't care if it blows taking components with it. They made their money.

Oh yea, Dual Core rocks, I had Half Life 2 Orange box running with 2 monitors in independent mode today, one on game, one monitoring temps/cpu performance, core 0 was rocking at 95% core 1 rocking at 85 - 90%. Makes holla difference in apps that use it, and the system distributes load across cores so you get better performance with other apps.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Sat Dec 22, 2007 11:13 am

Well it does make sense that if one were to compare computers to cars the PSU is the fuel and as horse power goes up the fuel has to be more pure and more powerful ( top fuel vs. normal) so it would make sense that PSUs need to be better today then they needed to be back when I first started messing with my PC. I do also want to clarify something. I re-read my post and it almost sounds as if I am blaming people here on Legit reviews and saying that the information is not valid...not what I intended at all!!! I was mostly just feeling sorry for myself and lamenting some of the changes that have come about in all industries...money first customers second. The entire Legit Reviews community has been VERY helpful to me as well as tollerent of my occasional rants. Thank you all for that and I hope you all have a Merry Christmas.

geokilla · Post by **geokilla** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:02 am

Merlin, your Venice is a socket 939. X2 3600+ is a AM2 processor, so it won't work in your socket 939 motherboard. Either return the 3600+ or buy a socket AM2+ motherboard. Judging from Methious, the M3A seems to be pretty good. Or, you can always buy a Intel Core 2 rig.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:40 am

what I have on the way is a socket 939 X2 3600 Manchester...it was only $40 with free 3 day shipping. Once it arrives is there anything special I have to do to get the MOBO to see the second core??

kenc51 · Post by **kenc51** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 10:43 am

Merlin wrote:what I have on the way is a socket 939 X2 3600 Manchester...it was only $40 with free 3 day shipping. Once it arrives is there anything special I have to do to get the MOBO to see the second core??

You might need a bios update first.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 3:53 pm

How can I tell if I need a BIOS update? I messed up once trying to update my BIOS and had to order a new chip so I would rather not do it unless I have to.

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 4:55 pm

Best way to do is to check what bios version you have currently (it will either tell you in the first stages of POST or in the BIOS screen itself).

Then check the mobo website to see what BIOS version supports the dual cores.

If you have a BIOS version after the one that supports dual core's you'll be ok.

Dan

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 6:00 pm

Having a little trouble reading this...the BIOS info from DFI is this http://us.dfi.com.tw/Support/Download/b ... =A&SITE=US The BIOS info from my PC is...at top of screen "pheonix bios v.6.00PG"
and " 04/06/2006-NF-CK-804-6A61FD49C-00" at the very bottom under the "press delete to enter setup". I know the date matches but none of the other numbers do. Am I missing something?? Is my BIOS up to date?

Post by **DMB2000uk** » Sun Dec 23, 2007 7:33 pm

I'm going to say that the BIOS dates matching means that you have the latest BIOS for your board.

So you're all set to go. ^_^

Dan

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