Which AMD64 platform?

Hello all.
I'm in the process of building a new machine and I've got all components
ready to go, with just the motherboard and CPU left to buy. I'm stuck
on whether to go with a KV8 Pro and a cheaper socket 754 Athlon or to
spend the extra $150 or so and get the AV8 with a 3500+. I've looked at
the AMD roadmap and it looks like there's no future for the socket 754
platform that isn't Sempron-based. Please correct me if I'm wrong,
since the $200 saved would go a long way toward other things (case in
point: UC tuition hikes).

I know I'd be an early adopter of 939 and PCI Express won't be an option
until I do serious upgrades again, but I'm looking for a system that I
can keep current and don't want to buy a platform whose end is imminent
(more so than any purchase I make, anyway). I'd appreciate any insight
any of you can provide.

Thanks.

On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 23:31:55 +0000, Matt Austin wrote:

> I know I'd be an early adopter of 939 and PCI Express won't be an option
> until I do serious upgrades again, but I'm looking for a system that I
> can keep current and don't want to buy a platform whose end is imminent
> (more so than any purchase I make, anyway). I'd appreciate any insight
> any of you can provide.
>
All boards are imminately doomed. None stay at the top for more than a few
months and it doesn't matter which you buy. The only difference between
754 and 939 is dual channel ram support which may or may not benefit the
apps you run. The only other consideration would be if you want something
faster than the 3700+ now. At current time, that's the fastest cpu
scheduled for 754. If a 3700+ now is OK, then get the 754. If you deicide
to upgrade a year from now, get a newer 939 board and cpu and sell your
old board and cpu. The again, if the demand is great enough, you might see
even faster than 3700+ for the 754. It's not like that's the fastest the
board is capable of running.

--
Abit KT7-Raid (KT133) Tbred B core CPU @2400MHz (24x100FSB)
http://mysite.verizon.net/res0exft/cpu.htm

I may be young, but I've been building computers for a long time. And while
technology moves quickly, processor speeds haven't increased as dramatically
in the past 2 years as they'd previously been doing. Along those same
lines, motherboards aren't "imminently" doomed. Of course something better
will be along in a few months. But the choice in motherboard will dictate
the usefulness and longevity of your system. For example, when everyone
rushed to get the KT7 series, only to have it replaced with a board that
supported DDR, those people that have DDR boards had the upgrade advantage
for a longer period of time. Even so, the KT7s are great boards
(particularly the KT7A-RAID) and run near-current processors almost 4 years
later. I was suggesting in my post (of which I inadvertently sent two) that
the 939 platform clearly has better longevity and trying to ascertain
whether the end of the 754 line was as near as it seems. I want to have the
option to upgrade another 1GHz or so in a year, and I know it can be done
with the right choice. It's been done before, and it looks like 939 is the
best bet for that. I will, of course, be happy with a 754 pin arrangement
now, but for a little bit more I might have a longer-lasting setup (and a
chance to switch to the FX line). I don't think the price difference
between the 3400+ and the 3500+ is fair, but it might be worth the plunge in
the long run. It seems like I've decided on the 939, but I posted this
response, thinking out loud in case it affects anyone else shopping right
now.

Thanks for your comment, and excellent point about demand driving the future
of the 754s.


"Wes Newell" <> wrote in message
newsan.2004.08.28.04.37.07.168661@TAKEOUTverizon .net...
> On Fri, 27 Aug 2004 23:31:55 +0000, Matt Austin wrote:
>
> > I know I'd be an early adopter of 939 and PCI Express won't be an option
> > until I do serious upgrades again, but I'm looking for a system that I
> > can keep current and don't want to buy a platform whose end is imminent
> > (more so than any purchase I make, anyway). I'd appreciate any insight
> > any of you can provide.
> >
> All boards are imminately doomed. None stay at the top for more than a few
> months and it doesn't matter which you buy. The only difference between
> 754 and 939 is dual channel ram support which may or may not benefit the
> apps you run. The only other consideration would be if you want something
> faster than the 3700+ now. At current time, that's the fastest cpu
> scheduled for 754. If a 3700+ now is OK, then get the 754. If you deicide
> to upgrade a year from now, get a newer 939 board and cpu and sell your
> old board and cpu. The again, if the demand is great enough, you might see
> even faster than 3700+ for the 754. It's not like that's the fastest the
> board is capable of running.
>
> --
> Abit KT7-Raid (KT133) Tbred B core CPU @2400MHz (24x100FSB)
> http://mysite.verizon.net/res0exft/cpu.htm