BleepingComputer.com: The scoop on AMD's new sockets.

I currently have a K8N Neo4 939 with an x2 3800+ in it. My 8800GTS just died the other night, and I'll be sticking something like a 9800GT in to replace it. I feel like I should just go for broke with a new mobo and everything. My power supply is an Enermax Liberty 500W.


With the new AM2, AM2+ and AM3, I'm not sure which to go for.

Right now, I'm thinking I'll go with these:

GIGABYTE GA-MA770T-UD3P AM3 AMD 770 ATX
AMD Phenom II X3 710 2.6GHz 95W
Nvidia 9800GT

And the rest of my current system just includes a Combo DVD/CW-RW drive, 1x 80gb SATA HDD, 1x 200gb SATA HDD, 1x 1tb SATA HDD, and 3 case fans(Two 80 and one 120). I'm not running any PCI peripherals, and I'll probably be removing the 200 gb hard drive to put it in a second PC that I'll build out of my old parts.

So what should I go with? I figure I would just go for broke with AM3, but I havent been paying attention to the new stuff for a while, and I'm not sure if I should wait to go to AM3 and just settle for AM2+ stuff for the moment until they are sure that everythings right with them. And I'm also not sure than I can run the newer stuff on my 500W.

This post has been edited by Rebel2345: 06 June 2009 - 10:04 AM

Well, the AM3 platform is slightly more expensive due to the DDR3 RAM but it is AMD's newest platform and will be around longer than the AM2+. The AM3 platform has been out for a while now and they seem to be stable. The AM3 sockets are essentially AM2+'s with modifications allowing for AM3 CPU's to use their CPU integrated memory controllers. I'm moving most of my system suggestions away from AM2+ over to AM3, there seems to be a slight performance increase in using AM3 processors in AM3 boards instead of AM2+ ones. I do suggest getting the Phenom II X3 720 instead of the 710 given the unlocked multiplier and faster stock speed. As for your power question, you may be pushing it with three HD's. Typically, a 9800GT runs fine on 400W, as per NVidia's suggested power requirement, but given the number of drives, I'm not sure 500W will be sufficient. I suggest a 600W PSU, if that is in your budget.

DJBPace07, on Jun 6 2009, 03:10 AM, said:

I should be able to shell out for that 720.

As for the power supply, its a -little- out of budget right now. Anyone know how accurate the Extreme PSU Calculator is? It has selections for all the stuff I'll have, and it tells me that it will run about 300w even with 3 HDD's.

Even so, I guess if it wont be enough power, I can wait a week after ordering the new AM3 stuff to go out and get another PSU. I know it would be a good thing to do to reduce the chance of underpowering it, but its hard to wait to get all this stuff together once its in front of you

Well...if I had to wait on something, it would not be the power supply...more likely it would be a drive or maybe even RAM.

It seems to me that more persons have issues because ot PSUs than we tend to realize.

Louis

hamluis, on Jun 6 2009, 01:18 PM, said:

I meant that I'd wait until I had the new PSU before I put it all together.

Ahhhhh , my error.

Louis

yeah personally, I would go with a lower rated CPU or few hard drives and get a better power supply. the one thing I ALWAYs recomend to my customers is NEVER skimp on the power supply or the motherboard, you will regret it down the line if you do. :D