Blast from the past

[Jerigorn]

This is one of those random threads where I post an idea I have. I haven't built a desktop in 5 years, and after my xps laptop took a crap on me a couple days ago, I started browsing around newegg. I was amazed at how cheap parts are now. Now, im not talking the low end cheap, its the higher end items that surprised me. Back in 03' I built an AMD system. It rocked the 2.0 AMD 3200+, which at the time was approx $280 if memory serves right. This by far was not the fastest chip on the market. I also dropped over $300 for a gig of kingston DDR400. And to top it all off, the 6800gt ran me close to $500. Like I said earlier, I was shopping around newegg and stumbled across the Phenom processors. They looked quite tantalizing. If I'm not mistaken, these are supposed to be the high performance AMD chips. The 2.5 was the fastest one newegg carries at $235, now compare that to the high end FX processors of old - $1000 and up. I threw in 4Gb or corsair in my cart yesterday at a cost of $124, and there were cheap sets by far. The equivalent to 4Gb in 03 would be a gig. 1Gb @ $300 = 4Gb @ $124. And finally, for what I paid for that 6800gt, I can buy a 9800 GX2 now. Basically what I am trying to get to is that performance parts from five years ago when compared to their level of equivalent by today's standards were considerably higher. Phew, I'm finally done.

[aspire.comptech]

Basically, but don't buy the phenom, a q6600 is a much more solid processor and depending on where you buy it you can grab them for as little as $190

Also sli 8800gts 512's or 9800gtx's would be a better buy than the single 9800gx2

[DarkPacMan77]

Prices have seemingly dropped because there are too many quality parts out there competing with one another. Gotta love capitalism. Anyways, the q6600 technically is better than the phenoms, but if you're an AMD kinda person, and really want the phenom, go ahead and get it. They're great processors.

I'll say this though. If you spend the extra clams on a Zalman 9700 cooler to sit on a q6600 along with some Arctic Silver 5 ceramique thermal compound, and are using a motherboard that can overclock decently, it's possible to hit 3.6ghz stable on each core. That's right, a theoretical 14.4ghz processor. Personally, I'd keep it at 3.2ghz, but if you're really into enthusiast-aimed parts...

-DarkPacMan77-

[Joeyboy]

^^

I thought you weren't supposed to add up the cores although it confuses me anyways.

In fact sorry to hi-jack the thread but can anyone explain to me quickly why a Q6600 at 3ghz( so 4 cores at 3ghz) isn't the same as a 12ghz processor.

[ricanflow]

Originally Posted by Joeyboy

^^

I thought you weren't supposed to add up the cores although it confuses me anyways.

In fact sorry to hi-jack the thread but can anyone explain to me quickly why a Q6600 at 3ghz( so 4 cores at 3ghz) isn't the same as a 12ghz processor.

Because no programs are written to use all 12ghz at the same time.....the only ones that do that come to mind are folding at home, and 3dmark. yes, there is 12ghz of proccesing power, but nothing can utilize it. And its still a single chip, just with 4 cores.


Its like 4 cars on a road going the same speed, they all get there at the same time. A 12ghz cpu would be one car going 4 times as fast as those four down that same road.