Athlon 64 FX-53 Socket

[Pressure]

On all the sites that sell hardware that I've visited they say the Socket on the Athlon 64 FX-53 is 939. When I visited www.cyberpowerinc.com and visited their Athlon 64 FX-53 configurater (http://www.cyberpowersystem.com/custom/cfgafx.asp?v=d) they say the socket number is 940. Why is theirs different from everyone elses? Does the socket number really matter? Also the two mobos they give you a choice to pick from, what's the difference? Is one better than the other?

 

[x84D80Yx]

939 is just the new socket.

 

[mortiz]

Socket-940 sucks really, because you can only used registered ECC RAM on the 940 mobo's, which is generally slower than the unregistered variety.

The Socket-939 FX-53's are few and far between at the moment, most have the Socket-40 version, but the Socket-940 boards expensive, as are the Socket-940 chips themselves.

Socket-939 is better for gamers as well, and will have a longer life span in terms of upgrading the CPU.

 

[Pressure]

Thanks for the replies. That helped me out a lot mortiz.

 

[Asus]

Well actually it by far from sucks and Socket 940 will actually have a longer life time.
It is just a change. The socket does matter. Socket 939 CPU for Socket 939 Motherboards.

ECC/Registered memory isn't all that more expensive and it gives you a nice bonus. Error checking and correction.
But go with the 939 version that way you don't get confused with what memory to use. Standard memory for 939. It's ever so slightly faster as well.

 

[Pressure]

Yea the memory is a lot cheaper for the 939 socket mobos.

 

[Asus]

Considering that you can get a Opteron 150 2.4GHz Retail for $658 instead of a FX53 2.4GHz retail (Socket 939) for $821 or the FX-53 2.4GHz retail (Socket 940) for $811, the memory price is a non-issue.
Only thing different between the two Socket 940 CPUs (Opteron and FX) is the name.

 

[Pressure]

Opteron 150? Linkage?

 

[Asus]

$658 @ newegg | Opteron 150 Retail - Socket 940, 1MB L2 Cache, 2.4GHz
Opteron 150 Review
I'll say it again, Opteron 150 = FX 53 on socket 940.
Socket 939 is slightly faster in some applications because the Registered memory of Socket 940 has a little higher latency. Link (Lower is better)

Tech Reports review covering FX-53 on Socket 939

 

[Pressure]

Getting the Opteron 150 would make me need to get a 940 socket Mobo forcing me to get the registered ECC RAM. The price would only be a $7 dollar difference.

AMD Athlon 64 FX-53 - Socket 939 Retail - $821
Corsair 184 Pin 1G(512MBx2) DDR PC-3200 - OEM - $189
Total - $1010

Opteron 150 Retail - Socket 940 - $658
Corsair XMS Low Latency 184 Pin 1GB(512MBx2) ECC Registered DDR PC-3200LL - Retail - $345
Total - $1003

 

[Asus]

Then you can narrow it down fairly easily.
Read the reviews and compair.
Do you really care about the lifetime of your Platform?
Do you want lower latency memory or do you want error check+correction?

I'd probably suggest socket 939 for you just because you probably don't care about ECC and would want the extra performance for the 7$ difference. I don't know, maybe that isn't so.

You do realise the memory you picked don't compete with eachother. They are not the same.
The ECC memory you picked is Corsair but it is LL (Low Latency), which the other is not. 189$ for 1GB of memory, it must be higher timings.
Unless you ment to put 189$ for each stick and they are low timings which means the totals are off.

Here are some memory I would pick for ECC.
Link

 

[Pressure]

I like the Corsair Platinum but it's so much!

Now this Opteron 150, it tested close to the FX-53 but why have I enver heard of it? I upgrade my computer once every one to two years. I might get 512 RAM because 1024mb is a bit overkill for right now. If I ever need anymore I can just buy another. The Opteron 150 + that Corsair RAM would lower the price a bunch. Does ABIT make a 940 socket mobo? Because I perfer them over Asus.

 

[Asus]

Abit doesn't make any Workstation boards for AMD or Intel.
Asus makes the SK8N (nForce3 150) and the SK8V (K8T800).
I perfer the SK8V (K8T800) personally.
It's a very solid board. Review

 

[Pressure]

This has lowered the total for the computer a bit. Do you think that Corsair 512 RAM will hold me over? Do you have AIM? I'd like to ask you a few things.

 

[mortiz]

Well actually it by far from sucks and Socket 940 will actually have a longer life time.
It is just a change. The socket does matter. Socket 939 CPU for Socket 939 Motherboards.

Well, they don't "suck" full stop, but at the moment they do, if you're your average user who wants a gaming platform. S940 will probably come more into use as the mainstraim chips after the S939 lifetime has run out, but that won't be for a long while yet, and by then AMD probably will have developed a new Socket.

 

[Asus]

Actually Socket 940 is strictly Workstation/Server now that the FX dropped to the 939.
That's how it will stay. 939 will run out when they switch to DDR2 next year, or whenever that happens, requiring a new socket because the memory controller will need to be changed. 940 will continue to use DDR which means it will stay on Socket 940.
Ohhh plus, Dual Core CPUs will be pin compatible with Socket 940, which will make for a good upgrade.

 

[mortiz]

Actually Socket 940 is strictly Workstation/Server now that the FX dropped to the 939.
That's how it will stay. 939 will run out when they switch to DDR2 next year, or whenever that happens, requiring a new socket because the memory controller will need to be changed. 940 will continue to use DDR which means it will stay on Socket 940.
Ohhh plus, Dual Core CPUs will be pin compatible with Socket 940, which will make for a good upgrade.

The 939's are AMD's 'mainstream' market, hence why I said with a 939 you'll have more life span in terms of upgrading the CPU. Going with the Opteron is pointless if you're a gamer, and why go with a Dual Core Opetron (which as you mentioned is AMD's server/workstation core) when you could just get a Socket 939 chip for a much more reasonable pirce. Plus you have access to Non-ECC registered RAM. Buying into 940 if you're a gamer just makes no sense.

A game would put no use to two cores.

I still see AMD using Socket-940 for something else apart from Opetron's, but we'll see.

 

[Asus]

Opteron will continue to get the fastest models released just like the FX line. I don't see why you think 939 will have more life time in terms of upgrading the CPU.

Why is Opteron pointless if you are a gamer? It isn't about the CPU. Opteron is the exact same thing as the other CPUs. It isn't about cost since you have available 140 1.4GHz ($178), 142 1.6GHz ($193), 144 1.8GHz ($212), 146 2.0GHz ($292), 148 2.2GHz ($424), and 150 2.4GHz ($658) and all of these are dual channel with a full 1MB L2 cache. The only reason is if you don't want the slight increase in latency (about 1-2ns) from Registered memory (P4 still has twice the latency). You can get 1GB (2x512mb) OCZ ECC/REG memory for 300$ with good timings so cost on the memory really isn't an issue either.

I multitask all day long. I'm a gamer. How many other gamers do you think also have many programs open at a time? I have AIM, MSN, IRC, Xfire, my game and a few other programs running at all times. How can that not help for dual core?
I'm not saying Socket 940 is a better option but it is an option and shouldn't be ruled out just because it is marketed toward Workstations.
Is the G5 a workstation or a desktop PC? It's all marketing and which is why the price is different between A64/FX and Opteron.