|
I have
used so many of these AMD Athlon 64 processors that I would always
recommend them to all my customers. I usually do suggest getting the most out of
your money, but in this case the customer insisted on this particular processor.
So I had no choice but to use it for the customer’s new system (I had to make
the customer happy).
When I finished putting together the system I did not get too much time to test
it out and experience it. I only had about 4 days to work with it and test it
out. But like any other AMD processor this one also has performed well without
any problems or hiccups. It has just been over a week now since the customer had
it, and has not yet called to complain about a thing.
Please refer to the
How to purchase a processor guide for
full details on what questions to ask yourself before purchasing a processor.
INSTALLATION :
The installation was simple and painless as usual like all other AMD processors.
I recommended to the customer that I would get the best mother board for the
money, so I purchased the Asus A8V Deluxe motherboard to go with this processor
(after all I have been using this for a couple of months now). The easy
installation guide that is in the box comes in handy if you are doing this for
the first time, but since I have installed so many of these, I do not need the
manual anymore. But the guide clearly helps you step-by-step on what to do to
install your processor properly.
After installing the processor, you can either choose to install the stock heat
sink (which is also perfectly good if you do not plan to overclock) or one of
your favorites that will always keep you processor cool and performing at its
best. I installed the stock heat sink and fan in this system because the
customer was not going to overclock (there was a budget). I was also not going
to risk damaging anything (I do not want a return job). One tip I would like to
give you if you are planning to install it yourself; use Arctic Silver thermal
grease when installing the heat sink because it provided better cooling power (I
can say this from experience).
Usually when you put together a new system and boot-up for the first time, you
would probably have to clear your CMOS to make sure you start out with a clean
system. But I was already starting out with a clean system; everything was new.
I then installed Microsoft Windows XP Pro SP2 which works great with
these processors. One thing to keep in mind when booting for the first time is
to keep an eye on the processor temperature (especially if you overclocked and
used a different heat sink). This is just so you can prevent your motherboard
and processor from frying like French fries.
After installing the operating system, go into the CMOS settings once again to
configure it the way you want it to work. I usually put a password so kids
cannot easily get to the settings. Of course I give this password to the
customer (I use one password for all so I can remember it), but the customer can
always change it if they want.
THE FEATURES I LIKE :
I like all AMD processors over any Intel because these processors run smoothly
and are very customizable (overclockable in geek terms). When I first built my
own computer I was upgrading from a very old Intel which was the worst I have
ever had. So now I try to setup my customers with the best possible system they
can afford. Some want the very best like the
AMD Athlon FX or
AMD Athlon 64 X2
processors and some like to go the low budget way. But I still try to give them
the best for their money.
Like I have said before, I really like the Cool N' Quiet feature that helps to
reduce fan noise and power consumption by the processor. It automatically
changes the processor and fan (if applicable) speeds when the processor is not
being used that much; it reduces the processor and the heat sink fan(s) speed to
reduce the amount of heat and noise generated.
Other than these newer technologies the processor supports the standard Athlon
64 features like SSE2, and a 1600MHz front side bus. I am currently waiting for
the X2 processor price to go down a bit to upgrade my 4000+.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE :
I have used this processor in this new system for less than a week now and it
has not given me any problems. My customer has now used it for one full weeks
and he has not experienced any problems yet either. It does not overheat (I did
not overclock it) ever. The customer did like the faster processing capabilities
of this processor because he used to have an Intel based computer which was slow
because it was a couple years old.
I did not perform any benchmarks on this processor because I did not have enough
time as the customer the new system as soon as possible. Therefore, I would not
be able to provide any scores. I think this would be the case for all the
processors I use for my customers; they all seem to be in a hurry of some kind.
FINAL THOUGHTS :
My customer used to have an Intel based computer (I volunteered to dispose
it properly) that was fast and state of the art computer, at that time. Just
last week I built a new 1.8 GHz system that blows most other systems to dust. My
customer has not complained about any speed problems or the system hanging for
any reason yet and I am absolutely sure it will stay that way. Of all the AMD
based systems I have built so far, non of them have crashed or died as of yet. I
have noticed that the computer boots up really fast, programs startup quickly,
and the games run smooth. And on top of that, this system is ready for the
future with 64-Bit capability. |
