Tough choice: 2.4/800 or 2.6/533?

[DesertMax]

Which is faster a P4 2.4ghz 800 Fsb or P4 2.6ghz 533 Fsb (both support Hyper Threading)?I read the article "Intel rigs up P4 series w/ Fsb 800" and am still unsure which to get.

The motherboard will be either a Via P4X400, Intel 845PE, Intel 865P/PE or Sis 645DX.

We will be running Windows XP Pro, Office 2003, Visual Cadd, a program to copy video to dvd or the new compression program to CD, various photo programs and IE 6.0.

I am trying to build two new computers for under $1000.00. I already have the 19 inch monitors, cdroms and cd-rewritables. One computer will have 512mb memory and the other 1024mb memory.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

 

[o1die]

Get the 2.6c (price just dropped to about $170-175 range) with the Intel 865pe board, if you have or can afford 2 sticks of pc3200 or pc3500 memory. For a single stick of memory, the Intel 845pe board will do, if it has support for 800 fsb. If you have trouble getting 2 machines built within budget, I would switch one to the amd barton 2500 with the abit nf-7 board.

 

[Guest]

>and the other 1024mb memory

Gee, yet another 1 GB user.. this is getting a big minority around here

I'm not too sure which of both P4s to recommend, but why limit yourself to those two ? A barton 2800+ should be at least very competitive for less money. While a P4 2.6/800 might be faster in quite a few apps, I doubt a 2.6/533 or 2.4/400 would be faster than a 2800+ in anything but perhaps Sysmark

If you want a P4 nevertheless, I would try shooting a bit higher, and see if you can't squeeze in a P4 2.6/800, which IMHO is the sweetspot in intel range today.

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my wife. =

 

[Crashman]

It sounds like you REALLY don't know your way around computers. Due to the latest price drops, the 2.6C is CHEAPER than the 2.53. The P4X400 is junk. The 845PE and 645DX only support single channel RAM (1/2 the performance of the CPU bus), and you'd need a version of either that supports "800" bus as not all do. So your only GOOD choice would be a P4 2.6C with an 865PE motherboard.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[Guest]

>Due to the latest price drops, the 2.6C is CHEAPER than the
>2.53.

Not (yet?) on pricewatch ($158 versus $173 for the P4C). Other points are 100% valid though.

= The views stated herein are my personal views, and not necessarily the views of my wife. =

 

[ChipDeath]

P4 2.4ghz 800 Fsb or P4 2.6ghz 533 Fsb (both support Hyper Threading)

Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the 3.06 P4B the only 533 Bus one with H/T?

I know the P4C 2.4 does have HT, but the 2.6B doesn't, IIRC.

I don't know if that would sway your descision though. If they were the same price, then I would get the 2.4C myself, as I'm an overclocker and it has the better OC potential...

But as everyone else says, there are better options now anyhow.

---
<font color=red>The preceding text is assembled from information stored in an unreliable organic storage medium. As such it may be innacurate, incomplete, or completely wrong</font color=red>

 

[Crashman]

Ah, well, Intel sells them cheaper, can't account for grey market transactions though.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[twofruitz]

thats not even a decision, a 2.4c will kill a 2.53 in every way.

---------
Intel PIV 2.4C @ 3.0G \
Asus P4C800 \
Corsair 2x512 3200LL memory \
Radeon 9600pro @ 500/700/1.35 \
SB Live 5.1 \
80G Seagate S-ATA150 \
430 Antec 1080AMG

 

[xxsk8er101xx]

Hello! ...

for one stay away from VIA! i would go with the faster system bus as that improves your performance overall. I would look at the Asus P4p800E deluxe (i think it's E anyway). The P4P800 deluxe has the VIA IDE Controller which is bugged and causes data curruption when you turn off the computer. VIA strikes again! stay away from VIA!

"Bread makes me poop!" - Special Ed

<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=9933" target="_new"> My Rig </A>

 

[Crashman]

Yes, Intel now sells the 2.6C at the 2.4C price.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[justaguy]

Why not just end the discussion and get the 2.6C? It's only $10-15 more than the other two.

Where there's a will, there's a way-even when it comes to screwing up.

 

[DesertMax]

Thanks everyone for responding to my post. There's a lot of good advice here!

Here is what I come up with:
at Newegg.com:
Abit IS7-E 865PE $90
P4 2.6C $173
XFX GeForce4 MX440 64mb DDR $44
Centon Elec. 512mb PC3200 CL2.5 $166 (2x$83)
(one stick of memory for the other computer)

All I need now is a good case with psu that doesn't have the old style port openings in back and a cpu fan. Two of each.

I have $137 left for this and shipping.

Any more suggestions will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Crashman]

I believe the standard IS7 is worth the extra $14 for it's extra features.

<font color=blue>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to a hero as big as Crashman!</font color=blue>
<font color=red>Only a place as big as the internet could be home to an ego as large as Crashman's!</font color=red>

 

[PHOBOS]

Hold on, slow down.

Via IDE controller is S****T.
I am trying to decide between Asus P4P800 and
ABIT IC7-MAX3. I know that they aren't it the same price range, but I heard that the P4P800 is stable at a high FSB like 300MHz. I don't know much obout the ABIT mobo, but if it is as stable at high FSB (270-300MHZ) like the ASUS mobo then i will get it. What IDE controller does ABIT IC7-MAX3 use, and what SATA controllers does it use (there are 2 I think).

I want to stick a P4 2.6c (800FSB) and oc it past 3GHz.
Best choice of CPU for me I think at the monent.

But what do you guys think ot the ABIT IC7-MAX3, is it worth the extra cash, and is it better than the Asus.

Thanks

Leader of TEAMPHOBOS

 

[ytoledano]

True, the 2.4C supports HT, the 2.6B doesn't and the 3.06 is the only B to support HT.

I don't know if that would sway your descision though. If they were the same price, then I would get the 2.4C myself, as I'm an overclocker and it has the better OC potential...

Actualy, the 2.6 has more OC potential due to it's higher multiplier (13 vs. the 2.4's 12). So if you were at FSB250 with the 2.4 you'd be at 3.0, but if you had the 2.6 you'd be at 3.25, both are attainable using stock cooling and good case airflow.
The 2.4 might overclock more in % but when it come to performance, the 2.6 would give a better overclock result.
Note that I used FSB250 because it's the limit with the common DDR400 at 5:4 mode and the limit if the top-of-the-line DDR500 at 1:1 mode.

I'm a nuclear reactor cooling system programmer, if you see me running, it's probably already too late.