I built a computer about 2 years ago and got the Gigabyte GA-K8NF-9 Motherboard. I got the best processor I could afford which was 3500+. Now I am looking to upgrade and not sure about which one would be better. I assume the higher the speed .... 4200+ < 4800+ but dont understand the Toledo, Winchester or Manchester or if it makes a big difference. I also assume 1MB is better than 512kb.........Can anyone help me out here? Here is a link to all the processords my motherboard supports....... http://www.gigabyte-usa.com/Support/...Name=GA-K8NF-9 If I can figure out the top 5 or so best processors, i can start shopping around and seeing if I can find a deal. I dont want to spend over $300 and if I can go cheaper than that I will. I mainly use my computer for Gaming...... World of Warcraft, and the expansion is comming out in Jan, so want to upgrade before then.
The higher the number of the same processor family (i.e. Athlon) is faster. The 512kB/1MB L2 cache doesn't make as much of a difference as some people think. It helps, but not to the point where you want to. The Athlon 64 X2 line up differs from the regular Athlon 64's in that they have 2 cores. Basically, there's 2 CPU's worth on the same physical CPU package. An X2 is clocked lower than a non-X2 of the same performance rating (i.e. 3800+), but the trade-off is the extra core. The names Winchester, San Diego, Manchester, Toledo, etc. are simply codenames for cores, which may have larger caches, some enhancements, or just some bug fixes from an older core. Toledo and Manchester are dual cores: the X2's. Winchester, Venice, San Diego are all single-core. Given the pace of technology, companies typically do not update every detail on their product page. Any CPU that comes in a Socket 939 package will work on your motherboard. Now, you may want to update your BIOS beforehand to ensure full support for your CPU and it's voltages.
