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I just
finished building a computer for one of my customers and they wanted a good 2.4
GHz processor, so after thinking about it for a while I decided upon the
AMD Athlon 64 3400 Plus because it was the best processor the customer
could afford without going over their budget. I have used this for about a week
and my customer used it for about two weeks know without any problems or
complains.
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 as easy as always when it comes to AMD processors. I
purchased the Asus K8N-E Deluxe motherboard to go with this processor since I
already have two systems that use it; also I always recommend Asus motherboards
to all my customers. The easy installation guide that is in the box comes in
handy if you are doing this for the first time, but I have installed so many of
these that I do not need the manual. But the guide clearly guides you
step-by-step on what to do to properly install you processor.
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 keep you processor cool and performing at its best. I
installed the stock heatsink in this system because the customer was not going
to overclock and I was 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 heatsink.
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. Then just install your operating system or if you already have an
operating system install, just boot up. One thing to keep in mind when booting
for the first time is to keep an eye on the processor temperature (especially if
you used a different heatsink and overclocked).
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), so they can change
it if they want.
THE FEATURES I LIKE :
I like all AMD processors over any Intel is because these processors run
smoothly and are very customizable (or overclockable). When I first built my own
computer I was upgrading from an 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.
I 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 heatsink 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 including SSE2, and a 1600MHz front side bus.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE :
I have used this processor for about a week now and it has not given me any
problems. My customer has now used it for two full weeks and she has not
experienced any problems yet. It does not overheat (I did not overclock yet)
ever. The customer did like the faster processing capabilities of this processor
because she used to have an old 1.8 GHz Intel based computer which was very
slow.
I did not perform any benchmarks on this processor because I did not have enough
time as the customer was in a bit of a hurry for her new system. I would not be
able to provide any scores.
I have installed Microsoft Windows XP Pro SP2 on this new computer and this
processor does not even blink.
FINAL THOUGHTS :
My customer used to have an Intel based computer (she donated to me) that she
bought back in 2002. It was fast (1.8 GHz); at that time it was a state of the
art computer. Then just about three weeks ago, I built her a new 2.4GHz system
that blows everything else to dust. My customer has not complained about any
speed problems or the system hanging for any reason yet and I am sure it will
stay that way. I have noticed that the computer boots up really fast, programs
startup quickly, and the games run smooth as ever. And on top of that, this
system is ready for the future with 64-Bit capability. |
