Question about the many Athlon 64 socket 754 CPUs

[Jethro]

I have a new Mach Speed K8M8MS MOBO, for which I intend to buy a CPU -
and have settled on the 3400+.

The thing is, I find there are several out there, at differing prices
naturally. I can't tell if they have different capability, are all
compatible with my MOBO, or have different quality (last longer).

I find:

ADA3400AEP4AX

ADA3400AEP4AX OEM

ADA3400AEP4AX-II

ADA3400AEP5AP

ADA3400AIKBO

I fear there may be more............

I see mention of Clawhammer and Opteron - but not for all these CPUs-
so is this something to worry about?

I see 'HT speed' for the BO above as '1600', but 'Bus speed' for the
AX above as '800'.

I see 'stepping' for the BO above as 'E3', but I have seen 'Speed
stepping' and 'CG' for others.

I see mention that the digit just after 'AEP' (4 and 5 above)
designate the L2 Cache size (512MB) - so are they the same?
and, if so, why two different digits in different CPUs - and if not,
what are the correct Cache sizes for each digit?

Yep - I'm confused.
Please help.
Jethro

Can anyone advise me which to consider, and which to forget about and
why?

 

[Andy]

Go to <http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/desktop/>.

 

[Paul]

I have a new Mach Speed K8M8MS MOBO, for which I intend to buy a CPU -
and have settled on the 3400+.

The thing is, I find there are several out there, at differing prices
naturally. I can't tell if they have different capability, are all
compatible with my MOBO, or have different quality (last longer).

I find:

ADA3400AEP4AX

ADA3400AEP4AX OEM

ADA3400AEP4AX-II

ADA3400AEP5AP

ADA3400AIKBO

I fear there may be more............

I see mention of Clawhammer and Opteron - but not for all these CPUs-
so is this something to worry about?

I see 'HT speed' for the BO above as '1600', but 'Bus speed' for the
AX above as '800'.

I see 'stepping' for the BO above as 'E3', but I have seen 'Speed
stepping' and 'CG' for others.

I see mention that the digit just after 'AEP' (4 and 5 above)
designate the L2 Cache size (512MB) - so are they the same?
and, if so, why two different digits in different CPUs - and if not,
what are the correct Cache sizes for each digit?

Yep - I'm confused.
Please help.
Jethro

Can anyone advise me which to consider, and which to forget about and
why?

The last one in the list is $99 and has the lowest power
comsumption of 67W. It uses the latest stepping of the basic
three different processors you've listed. I think this is the
one I would get, although being an OEM, you'll have to find
a separate heatsink for it. Which is not all bad of course.
This gives you an opportunity to get the cooling solution you
want. And at 67W, the cooler doesn't have to be noisy.

http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/desktop/details.aspx?opn=ADA3400AIK4BO

One of the processors has a larger cache, but it also seems to
have a high price. The large cache doesn't always help, so is
an expensive option. I'd sooner have a higher core clock than
buy that one (especially if the price is really $423 each for
the Clawhammer C0).

The bus speed on all of them should be the same. The clock is
800MHz and the data transfer rate is a double data rate (two
transfers per clock) of 1600. As far as I know, the 800 or 1600
number is standard for S754, and is about as exciting as seeing
in a car advert that it "comes with wheels"

So I'd get the AIK4BO. Note - make sure the BIOS can handle an
E3 stepping processor, before you buy it.

Oh ya, this again...

http://www.jetway.com.tw/oldweb/evisn/CPU-support/cpu_support-amd754.html

So there is no 3400+ E3 in the list. Now what do you do...
Take a chance that it might work ? Or try one of the more
expensive and older ADA3400AEP4AX which is a CG stepping ?

Paul

 

[Jethro]

The last one in the list is $99 and has the lowest power
comsumption of 67W. It uses the latest stepping of the basic
three different processors you've listed. I think this is the
one I would get, although being an OEM, you'll have to find
a separate heatsink for it. Which is not all bad of course.
This gives you an opportunity to get the cooling solution you
want. And at 67W, the cooler doesn't have to be noisy.

http://www.amdcompare.com/us-en/desktop/details.aspx?opn=ADA3400AIK4BO

One of the processors has a larger cache, but it also seems to
have a high price. The large cache doesn't always help, so is
an expensive option. I'd sooner have a higher core clock than
buy that one (especially if the price is really $423 each for
the Clawhammer C0).

The bus speed on all of them should be the same. The clock is
800MHz and the data transfer rate is a double data rate (two
transfers per clock) of 1600. As far as I know, the 800 or 1600
number is standard for S754, and is about as exciting as seeing
in a car advert that it "comes with wheels"

So I'd get the AIK4BO. Note - make sure the BIOS can handle an
E3 stepping processor, before you buy it.

I doubt my socket 754 MachSpeed K8M8MS MOBO supports the BIOS upgrade
for E3 stepping. From what I see, only socket 939 does. Do you
agree?