XP 2500+ @ 2.4GHz or Athlon 64 w/2000MHz Hypertransport

[Ace No-Money]

Here is the issue.

Here are my specs-

Athlon XP 2500+ @1980MHz 360fsb w/ Tt Silentboost
(CHEAP) ECS KT600- Socket 462 MB
2x256mb Mushkin Enhanced DDR400 2-2-2-5 @ 180MHz(DDR360)
ATI powercolor Radeon 9200 128mb 128bit
80gb WD 2mb
Samsung CD-RW
Hercules 400w?
Windows 98 (yeah I know!)

I like to play Half-life 2 and all the mods. Because of my video card i am on all the low video settings and still rinning at like 30fps! I am planning on upgrading my video card to Like Radeon 9800pro or 6600gt. I want to upgrade by either -

ABIT NF7-s 2.0 and overclock my Athlon 2500+ to 2.2-2.4GHz for $80

or

ABIT AV8 dual channel socket 939 mobo and 1.8GHZ Athlon 64 3000 with 2000MHz Hypertransport - 512kb cache for $250


What would be the best choice? I would get tons of bandwidth with the Athlon 64 setup right? Would the Athlon XP 2500+ overclocked faster than a XP 3200+ be faster? Which setup would be a better decision why or why not? Will I really need an athlon 64 system to run HL2 on High settings with a Radeon 9800 pro/XT or will it really matter? Gosh dangit I have tons of questions , and please don't tell me to get another video card! Thanks!

 

[alecjahn]

The 64-bitter would be very very very nice. Price being the only problem, assuming that is a problem.
I'm pretty sure a 3200+ 64 beats the schite out of a 3200+ XP. Good job picking a 939, btw.
EDIT: Sorry, but I'd go for a 6800 (regular) its *about* the same price as a 6600GT (depending on where you shop) but offers much better performance. Looks better on specs, too. hah
I'd upgrade your vid card before your motherboard, unless you planned on going PCI-E on a 939 mobo... I dunno.

 

[wongb18c]

Uhmm I think obviously the more money you spend would be the better choice... problem usually becomes if you're willing to spend the money for the parts?

 

[Apokalipse]

I would upgrade the video card first to a 6800 regular or 6600 gt and softmod the 6800 regular to get 16 pipes (if that's what you buy)

I would go with the Athlon 64 instead of the XP, and get a 3000+ or 3200+
and I think the AV8 3rd eye would be better than just the AV8 because it is built to overclock

 

[Ace No-Money]

You really think the 64 3000+ could beat the socks off the XP 2500+ @ 2.4GHz! I s it the connection with the memory?

 

[alecjahn]

Yes, I do. Those things are hella fast, and the rated speed doesnt really match up with the XP series.

I wouldn't softmod it (the 6800 reg.). It's not worth it.

 

[Raekwon]

why not just spend the extra money for the A64 cpu and motherboard, and overclock it? then you are getting far more performance than the XP @ 2.4Ghz.

 

[PP Mguire]

Any 64-bit cpu will be better than any XP cpu. its just common snese, but if you soft-mod the 6800 you will get better performance by far so it would be worth it.

 

[alecjahn]

We've been having a discussion on another thread about the softmod. It's not always a 100% super duper performance increaser, because it comes with problems. I'm not gonna talk again about it because I already did. I would still highly reccamend the 6800 over the 6600GT, though.