Is Conroe worth it?

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Conroe performs fantastically, but as the author of this thread was asking, if the Conroe is worth buying. After noting that most posters on tomshardware are both hardware enthusiasts and gamers, it would be important that he realizes a GPU plays a bigger part in game performance than a CPU does.
 
Despite what anyone else has said, your question cannot be answered at this time. Only suppositions can be made based on what a few others, some rather dubious, have stated regarding its performance. Your question can really only be answered after the chips hit the streets and a large enough sample of people have used them.
 
Conroe performs fantastically, but as the author of this thread was asking, if the Conroe is worth buying. After noting that most posters on tomshardware are both hardware enthusiasts and gamers, it would be important that he realizes a GPU plays a bigger part in game performance than a CPU does.
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Ok ok. It seems that you can't or don't want to see the truth...

It would be important too that YOU realize (in this case) the CPU DOES play a bigger part in game performance... of course the GPU would be the biggest part when talking about applying filters but you say this just now, before you said: so upgrading to a Conroe won’t do a whole lot. I think you're missing the point, it is a CPU comparision, showing the results with all the effects @ high will not clarify anything.

And conroe does show a big difference, at the same screen size, without using the GPU RELATED effects/filters.
 
I've been all AMD for about three years now.
Latest system is AMD64 X2 3800+ that I built in February/March. It is doing what I want and I planned this to last me for two years ... we'll see.
I won't be doing anything else in short term, except probably a new video card sometime in next year to replace my 6600GT PCI-E card, and more memory at some point (now 1GB dual channel).

But ...

If I was going to build a new system this year, my advice (based on the latest benchmarks) I would go with Intel now, choosing an upgrade path that would let met go with Conroe (Core 2 Duo) when it becomes available.
I hate it, because I like AMD, but the smartest option for gamers and general users appears to be to buy an Intel P965 Motherboard and plug in the fastest Pentium D chip you can afford for now.
Based on the projected price charts, it looks like there will be greater discounts by late July and early August. PD 805 for less than $100.
The Conroe (Core 2 Duo) will work in that board so later on, maybe early 2007 when Conroe is widely available or price is right for you, you have that upgrade path available.
 
OEMs will get them in Q4 2006, just like 65nm X2s. In this case you CAN make assumptions since it's an overblown K8. Just add about 20-40%.
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20-40% performance increase just on a die shrink? That is little bit unrealistic doncha think? You are assuming that a die shrink is going to allow them to clock up to 4 Ghz and performance is going to scale perfectly linear from where we are today.

Actually I think your estimate may be a little overblown even for K8L. I think you will likely see 20% going to K8L but certainly not 40%
 
Ok ok. It seems that you can't or don't want to see the truth...

It would be important too that YOU realize (in this case) the CPU DOES play a bigger part in game performance... of course the GPU would be the biggest part when talking about applying filters but you say this just now, before you said: so upgrading to a Conroe won’t do a whole lot. I think you're missing the point, it is a CPU comparision, showing the results with all the effects @ high will not clarify anything.

And conroe does show a big difference, at the same screen size, without using the GPU RELATED effects/filters.
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I've stated the truth; who is going to buy a Conroe so they can play a game on lower qualities, just to see the CPU's excellent performance? Yes the Conroe does perform phenomenally, but that doesn't mean it's going to improve your framerates greatly when playing games with all of the eye candy turned up. I do realize it is a CPU comparison, but when playing a game(included in the review) your GPU has a larger impact on performance. The same reason we all remember the FX60 performing the same as the X2 3800+ on high resolutions and qualities.
 
the smartest option for gamers and general users appears to be to buy an Intel P965 Motherboard and plug in the fastest Pentium D chip you can afford for now.
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The "buy now - upgrade CPU later" path always sounds good in practice but I find it rarely optimal. Just buy the best for the buck now or wait 2 months.

P.S Skip the entire Pentium D line (they suck - except for 805 which is cheaper than dirt and good enough for a dinky media PC) and wait for the Conroe.
 
If you want the best possible performance for the money, wait for conroe, an extra month isnt that bad, 939 is more or less obsolete and am2 isnt worth the price when compared to conroe's performance.

One more thing, no matter what processor you buy , no matter how expensive it WILL be obsolete in the next 4 years :) so dont worry about that.
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Conroe Will be outdated with in a year Compared to AM2sockets K8L, Yes. AM2 isn't going to be worth getting until the K8L Core will be out. So until this time next year Core 2 Duo mgiht me the best thing Out but Be assureed Intel Fanboys the K8L is the next Core to gain the crown :twisted:

Please provide the data that supports this statement.

Well there is'nt any data until Microsoft Vista rolls around Well most of you have seen the theoritical features that come in K8L and improvements from K8 core Search it up in Wikipedia :arrow: . So i can say No one not even me can back up the statements that "K8L will be better than Core 2 Duo" But since it's coming out 1 Year after Core 2 Duo. Don't you think it'll be atleast some generations better than "Core Duo" if not "Core 2 Duo" and the Enigineers at AMD are'nt just sitting there with a pin poking at the K8 Procesers hoping that they bleed some performance out of it and then can
Dub it
"K8L" Kore 8 Leaked" :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
OEMs will get them in Q4 2006, just like 65nm X2s. In this case you CAN make assumptions since it's an overblown K8. Just add about 20-40%.
Click to expand...


20-40% performance increase just on a die shrink? That is little bit unrealistic doncha think? You are assuming that a die shrink is going to allow them to clock up to 4 Ghz and performance is going to scale perfectly linear from where we are today.

Actually I think your estimate may be a little overblown even for K8L. I think you will likely see 20% going to K8L but certainly not 40%


But everyone said that low latency DDR2 800 wouldn't give AM2 20% like I did and some guy posted a review about it. I'll find the link. I think it ws posted here.

K8L is much more than a die shrink. Of course for the X2s it wouldn't get any increase in speed except possible clockspeed.
 
Is anybody going to have a "smash-their-retarded-P4s" day when Conroe comes out?
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I'm going to smash my P4, along with the motherboard. But I'm not going to get a Conroe; this CPU and board aren't even a month old.

The only reason I'm going to smash my P4 and s775 board is because the fukcing Prescott fried, and took the HP proprietary board along with it
 
Conroe performs fantastically, but as the author of this thread was asking, if the Conroe is worth buying. After noting that most posters on tomshardware are both hardware enthusiasts and gamers, it would be important that he realizes a GPU plays a bigger part in game performance than a CPU does.
Click to expand...

Well, I realise GPU also plays a huge role in performance, and RAM is very much relevant to CPU performance. But the CPU is simply the most important part of the computer, no matter how good youor GPU or RAM is, if your CPU can't crack it, then you can't crack it.

I'm currently running on a 4 year old P4 1.8GHz, apart from running the latest games it can do pretty much everything else. So waiting a month is not gonna kill me.

What I am most concerned about is whether I'll wait a month, conroe comes out, then realise it's no real improvement on the AMD X2s which are out now. Or even worse, AMD release a new generation of CPUs in a few months time and renders Conroe obslete. With all the benchmarks showing marginal gains, and all the hype over K8L, it's hard to say.

Has a similar situation like this happened before? like when the P4 came out?
 
The majority opinion (excluding the undecided ones) seems to be wait for conroe.

I don't see so much point in the buy now upgrade later option, since the upgrading within 1 or 2 years would only give very marginal differences. Can anyone really notice the difference between 60fps and 80fps ? Even a half a minute increase in some 3+ minute compression tasks seem quite trivial.
 
Well Yiwei, I will tell you soon :lol:

I do know that a faster CPU makes a massive difference to your graphics preformance, who tells people this rubbish idea they have that slow CPUs are fine? I have bought a pentium D 805. Normally at 2.66GHz it got 5990 in 3d mark 06. When I upped the clocks to 3.6GHz I got a much better score of 7543. I cant wait for conroe because its supposed to offer 40% increase in speed but I doubt that it will add 40% to my 3d mark score :roll: .

Recap
3D06 scores
2.66GHz : 5990
3.61GHz : 7543

Difference = 1553 (probably what my old PC would get)
 
k8L wont take the crown from core 2 I can guarantee it. Plus k8L isnt till 2008 now and thats exactly when nahelm comes out, and nahelm will nail down the k8L
 
k8L wont take the crown from core 2 I can guarantee it. Plus k8L isnt till 2008 now and thats exactly when nahelm comes out, and nahelm will nail down the k8L
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You, me, nor anybody could guarantee anything two years down the road in this industry. The way I see it, AMD decided that they could either rush K8L and come up a day late and a dollar short against Conroe, or they could withdraw and retool it to actally be competitive against Nehalem.
 
I'm going to buy a new PC this summer, after the exams are over (end of June). So, I'm undecided as to whether to wait a month ('till 23 July) for the Core 2 duo from Intel, or buy a CPU at end of June.

I'm looking to buy something that will not go completely obslete in the next 4 years. (btw, what is the best CPU on the market this time 4 years ago? 3 years ago? 2 year ago? last year?)

So, considering future-proof, value for money, and the waiting, what's my best option?

1) Wait for Conroe. (seems such a long wait)
2) Buy AM2. (isn't the same line of CPUs as 939, but more expensive?)
3) Buy 939. (this has been on the market for 2 years, right?)
4) Some other option.
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I's more than worth it if you CAN wait. PCs are not always something you can wait for. Supposedly there are shops taking preorders or in some cases shipping. AM2 is a long term prospect, though Core 2 IS MUCH FASTER IN BENCHMARKS.

Intel won't be upgrading the chip for 2 years which isn't bad for some people but is for others. AM2 will have an upgrade path next year with quad core and K8L. 939 is dead as is P4. There will be supporting mobos 9P4) but why would you buy one when the same company has a FASTER, just as inexpensive chip?

Basically your choice is AM2 or Core 2. I can only use so many PCs and I'm happy with my 4400+.
 
k8L wont take the crown from core 2 I can guarantee it. Plus k8L isnt till 2008 now and thats exactly when nahelm comes out, and nahelm will nail down the k8L
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You, me, nor anybody could guarantee anything two years down the road in this industry. The way I see it, AMD decided that they could either rush K8L and come up a day late and a dollar short against Conroe, or they could withdraw and retool it to actally be competitive against Nehalem.

This was well said.

Even considering that the Inq has now changed their tune as to when K8L is due.
 
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