[isma]

Would it be a bad choice if I choose a 939 cpu right now and keep it for about two years before the next big upgrade ?

I want to get a 3800+ or 4000+, a Crossfire or SLI mobo, 2Gb of ram and a Raptor 150Gb.
I may get a x1800xt CF or two 7800GT or something else I still don't know.

I'm considering the AM2 and Conroe from Intel but since this will be new technology, I'm more bias toward the 939 with a proven chipset.

Thanks for your help.

 

[claymanhb]

I doubt that there will be that much of an advantage with am2. DDR2 has crappy timings so I would you're safe to upgrade. Make sure you get a dual core though. Single cores are on the way out.

 

[Remonster]

Im sorry but I just had to say this, while most DDR2 memory sticks are advertised at rather high latencies, this is because the manufacturers try to keep them at 1.8v, the truth of the matter is every stick of DDR2 533 I have tested, even my own Corsair Valueselect, was able to run at 2-2-2- timings with only 1.9 or 2.0v at DDR2 533 and at stock voltages at DDR2 400 so the crappy timings thing is really no longer THAT true. And I am a firm believer that since necesity is the mother of invention, once Socket AM2 comes out and AMD systems with their integrated memory controllers (read, ultra low latencies) will be forced to use dual channel DDR2 667 (1:1 ratio with their new 333MHz bus) the market will have to adapt and we should see some more aggresively timed DDR2 667, 800 and even 1000MHz modules being marketed with higher voltages. Remember that DDR2 runs at 1.8v however you can safely put 2.4-2.5v through any DDR2 module without any active or even passive cooling on them.

That being said I think s939 is by no means obsolete nor will it be even when sAM2 is out, however the current generation of CPUs will be the last ever on s939 so the best you could ever upgrade your CPU to is an FX60 without getting a new sAM2 mobo. My advice is if you must get s939 now get a relatively cheap CPU (3000+/3200+ Venice or 3800+ X2 Manchester) so that you can upgrade to AM2 again in about 1 year and not break the bank TOO much.

 

[CyberDruid]

Remonster makes some good points--as 939 is on the way out future-proofing your PC is out of the question, but having a decent 939 build is not.

I have to agree that single core is dead--even my HT is pretty lame compared to the X2--the FX60 is the uber chip (but what a wad of green that'll take to own)--so if it's AMD you want go for it--waiting for new tech is a pain for those of us with instant gratification issues...

 

[isma]

Well I want to upgrade to have a better cpu and mostly to have a high-end graphic card, but those FX are so expensive especially here in Canada and so does the X2.
So I thought about the single core cpu because the price is more reasonnable. Still I don't know if going from 2.0GHz to 2.4GHz is enough to justify an upgrade ? And I must switch to PCI-E one day or another.

I guess I'll wait to see the first AM2 mobo come out and watch the price of the new cpu. I feel like I'm caught between two things.

 

[laboitenoire]

I'd say wait until you absolutely can't do anything with new applications, and then buy a nice system then.