got my self a new motherboard ABIT KN8 SLI question is on the box it says it can have either amd64,athlonX2,athlonFX cpu . can someone explain what the differences are and which one of the 3 are better or worst . i do no the FX chips are alot more expensive so obviously better so whats different between the 64 and X2 cpu. thanks all
The normal Athlon 64 is a single core CPU, and while it performs very well the X2 chips have 2 cores, so they are much better at multitasking. For example, you can be doing image editing in photoshop, while having an AV scanner or a defragmenter running in the background. Also playing a game while having an active program running in the background. The FX series, apart from the FX-60 and above, are single core, but have higher clock speeds and more cache, so they're good for single tasks which require a lot of CPU power like gaming. FX60s and above are dual core, so they're similar to the X2s.
oh right so as im just trying to build a fast reliable system which i can play games on (doesnt have to be a super gaming machine ) what would be best if i was to go for say a 3400+ cpu the amd64 or 64x2 cos i cant really afford an fx chip.
in addition to what addis said: 64 = 64 bit X2 = 2 processor in one (dual core) you probably won't need a 64bit processor
so would i best of with a x2 chip then how come i wont need a 64 are they better . oh yeah how come my new mobo dont have a connector for a monitor or does the monitor plug into the graphics card. (only asking because my old pc has the connector on the mobo).
Your old motherboard has integrated graphics, but if your new one doesn't then you'll need a separate video card for it.
thats probably why then. will have to look for a decent graphics card now and i have no idea where to start.
For the cpu. It all depends on how you'll use it. Will you be the kind to rip/burn dvds frequently while playing games for instance ? If your answer is yes, then you need an X2. AMD had a huge price drops not too long ago so they're very affordable, which one you get all depends on the money you're willing to spend. Now if you're answer's no, then an athlon64 will suit you just fine, and they're cheaper than the x2 of course. For the video card. Since you have an SLI board, which gives you the possibility of having 2 identical cards working as one, improving gaming performance considerably, you should get an nvidia card. I prefer ATI myself but it would be incoherent to get anything else than an nvidia card for our purpose. Again, which one, and how many of those you get, depends on the money you're willing to spend. Something along the lines of a 7600gt or 6800gs should suit you fine, more than that and the cost grows exponentially. That's not to say pricier cards aren't worth it, because they are. I would only advise going the SLI route if you're willing to dive in all the way, i.e. getting a 7900/7800, because for pretty much anything less, you can get equal or better performance in a single card. Also worth, mentioning, the 7950gx2 which has 2 cores, so 2 of those and you get 4 cores Needless to say, they cost a premium. WARNING: As one single card already sucks up a lot of juice, twice as many will consume twice as much, which you means you'd need a very psu, and good psus are pricy too. I'm sure other people will give you more info as for which card to get.
harrack52- cheers that expained it more. i will probably be doing both dvd ripping and playing games but more than likely not at the same time so think the athlon64 should do. also reffuring to psu iv got an x-power 400watt so dont no if its good or not. dont think il be going the double graphics way its abit too complicated at the mo so a single one will do then maybe get another the same in the future.
if one card sucks up a certain amount of energy, it doesnt mean that two cards will suck up twice the amount of juice. so if a card requires a psu with 18amps on the 12v rail, then having two of those cards wud not require you to have 36amps, you only needs something like 24amps. its the same as saying that a single card gives you 80fps on a game, having two cards do NOT give you 160fps or double the performance boost.
For a good power supply, expect to spend $80-120 for a unit. DO NOT skimp on the power supply as this is a major foundation for stability and general well-being of your system. Secondly, like izzy hinted at, wattage is not a good measure of a power supply's output. A 500W power supply for $30 is not going to be able to realistically provide anywhere near that. Amperage is where it's at, particularly on the 12V rail. At a bare minimum, you should look at something with 25A on the 12V rail, or if you have multiple 12V rails, a combination of. The 12V rail is where modern CPUs, video cards, and hard drives (SATA) draw juice from, so that's why it's crucial to have a hefty 12V. Here's a few units that will do the job you'd need and within the price range: -Antec TruePower TPII-550 (550W) -Enermax EG565P-VE (535W) -OCZ Powerstream 520 (520W) -Tagan TG480-U22 (480W) -Hiper Type-R 580 (580W)
