Clawhammer platform questions and suggestions

[Salkcin]

Hi guys...

I just started getting interested for the Athlon64 platform... it took a while for me so now I'm kinda newbie on this stage since I haven't been with it from the start. I know the technology behind the processor, how the overclocking works etc... but still I need to get some answers answered in wich I hope you can help me.


What motherboard? - on the Socket 754 platform it seems that the DFI LanParty NF3 250GB is the choice to make. How high will this board overclock the HyperTransport bus (is 300x4 possible)

How much do a Clawhammer 3200+ 1MB l2 overclock with a good watercooling setup (of course there's diffrence in the overclock ablity, but give a shot)

Any Clawhammer has a unlocked multiplier downwards from the default value - correct?

Will the CPU take damage of a high vDimm voltage (~3,4v) since the memory controller is in the CPU?

Third - Will it be worth the "trouble" to buy a Winchester based platform (think it's more expensive to). It seems dual channel memory performance is on par with single channel and the winchester has some memory controller problems I heard. Can you give some reasons to buy a Winchester (socket 939) instead of a Clawhammer 1MB L2 (socket 754)

[RaptorRaider]

The DFI Lanparty UT is definately the best S754 motherboard for overclocking. :)
But 4x300 won't be possible. S754 chipsets officially support a max HTT of 800, I'd say the max HTT you get by overclocking is about 4x270. Above that you'll have to use 3x.

How are you planning to get a 3200+ Clawhammer? I think 99% of the 3200+'s in shops are Newcastles. The only Clawhammers are the 3700+'s and mobiles.

Every Athlon 64 has it's multiplier unlocked downwards because of Cool 'n Quiet.

As long as the CPU is from a recent stepping, high memoryvoltage shouldn't do any harm.

I'd definately choose S939, a Winchester will probably overclock much higher and run cooler, and dual channel memory means you'll get higher memory bandwith because you can run 2 sticks at 1T. S939 also allows a higher HTT.
There is no future left in S754, there won't be any faster processors than the 3700+ so if you want to upgrade later to dualcore you would have to buy a new motherboard too.
Winchesters are having some memory controller problems, but I think it will be gone in the new stepping, it should be released somewhere in january.

[Tek]

Clawhammer 3200+ and 3400+ can still be acquired, but the site/store had to list L2 cache for them to be obvious. If it has 1mb L2 then it a CH. But the chances of any of them to be of good stepping(2.6v and from week 32/33 year 2004 or newer) are quite low. It would seem only the 3700+ is still in production of the s754 CH, so the safest bet would be to go s939 and Winchester.

You could still get s754 now, as getting a new mobo for something like dual core, would probably have you upgrading from whatever s939 mobo you can buy atm, anyways. s754 has one advantage the s939 platform doesn't have - DFI UT NF3 250gb and its awesome potential. No s939 mobo atm, comes close to what the DFI UT does consistently - quality, OC potential, and featurewise.

My DFI UT has no problems running 2 x 512mb sticks at T1 and 240mhz CL2.2.2.5. Others have hit way higher than this with two sticks, T1, and low timings(like eva2000' insane BH-5 and 3700+). The MC on the v2.6 CH is very good IMO.

Still, unless you know you can get 0432 or newer CH, I would still recommend the s939 + WC, but DFI UT + NC is also a something to be considered. The CPU is only a part of the OC equation, mobo is also very important, and the MSI Neo2 and other s939 boards, aren't really famous for consistant high quality(a shame, really).

[reject]

that combo looks good but make the cpu a DTR
i wouldnt get a winchester but the FX 55 is a nice chip, when paired with a cascade

[Tek]

Indeed, I can only see one reason myself to go s939 ... FX-55, gotta wait with the Chilly1 cascade for a while, but only a matter of time :D

[Salkcin]

I'm not into the cascade cooling... haven't won the lottery yet :P

I'm just using watercooling with a DangerDen heatercore (2x120mm 1600RPM). That's fine enough for me... but on to the next question. A Clawhammer "DTR" - is that just as fast as a normal desktop version or what... it just overclocks better? seems suspecious to me :)

I'm feeling to go Clawhammer because of the 1MB L2 cache even if it doesn't mean thousands of points in 3Dmark... proberly close to none. There are still some of the overpriced stores around with Clawhammers so it's just about searching for a "AR" and week 33-34 (what is v2.6).... how can I read of theese codes? :)

[RaptorRaider]

DTR stand for Desktop Replacement. It's a Clawhammer which produces slightly less heat and doesn't have a heatspreader. Most of them will probably overclock better than their desktop brethren.
For more info about Athlon 64 Mobile overclocking, you should check out this (http://forums.anandtech.com/messageview.cfm?catid=29&threadid=1321894) topic.

AFAIK the difference in 3dmark 03 and 3dmark05 is very small, but in 3dmark01 and Aquamark I think the Clawhammer will perform a bit better because of the extra L2 cache.

If you're planning on running this system for a long time without upgrading soon my recommendation would be:
Either get a DFI Lanparty UT + 3400+ DTR or wait until january and get a new Winchester + good overclocking Nforce 4 Ultra/SLI motherboard (like the upcoming DFI).

[jjcom]

yeah the new SLi setups should be very nice. So you should consider those. But if you want to go for it now and want 1mb L2 than nothing is going to be better than the DFI board. The DTRs seem to be slightly higher qulity chips so thats why they over better

jjcom