Soundguy
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Ok.. I've got a question here about PC processors.
Scope of this discussion will be limited to intel pentium 4 and Celeron, and AMD Athlon/duron and Sempron.
I think I'm correct in assuming that the celeron is a scaled down or 'economy' version o fthe pentium 4.. IE.. not as much 'umph'
When i run software that ID's the processor, and needs certain minimums, the celeron does not come up as the same 'class' of processor as the pentium 4.
I had always thought that the AMD athlon(duron) and the sempron were in the same relationship. IE.. the Athlon/duron were the full scale processor, and the sempron was the economy scaled back version.
however.. when i run software that ID's the processor and looks for minimum operating levels, the sempron is ID'd in the same class as an athlon / duron, an clocks out in a benchmark as a higher speed pentium, than it's native clock rate. For instance. I have a 3100 sempron processor in a pc.. the sempron clock is either 1.8 or 1.81.. can't remember. It benchmarks out to a pentium running at 3.1 ( hmm.. 3100.. 3.1 coincidence? )
What started this is I've been in the process of upgrading a home PC so that i can play a game ( I know.. waste of time! ). Game has some mid-high needs in the graphics department.. but is not too heave onmemory.. and is about medium plus on processor.
There is a software utility you can download and run and test your PC to see if you can run the game.. if you fail, it ID's areas you faile din to see if you can upgrade.. etc.
Both my PC's fail in video.. one had an onboard intel adapter ( I knew it would fail ) it also had a 2.97ghz celeron R. (emachines)
The other computer is a compaq, had some onboard low end ati video chipset.. but I had disabled it last year and dropped in an invidia 5500 series card. it has the amd sempron 3100 at 1.81 ghz.
both machines are otherwise equally equipped.. same ram at 1.5gig, similar hdd capacity, speed, and dvd drive options.. similar usb/ 1394 ports.. etc. both have AGP 8x compliant card slots for upgrades.. both have 250w power supply. ( compaq had the 5500 card inthe agp upgrade slot ).
Bottom line.. both PC's failed due to video.. kicker was that minimum video requirements were a invidia 6200 series card.. or an ati 9000 series card.. both those cards carried a minimum 300w power supply stipulation as the cards had an extra power connector plug on them.
No problem.. I got a 350w upgrade power supply from staples... has the universal 20/24 pin connector to fit either motherboard.. plus a sata power connector. ( ironically.. circuit city had the same supply.. but wouldn't open the box for me to see if the 20 pin power plug was the right one... I WALKED across the street to staples and they were fine with opening the box and letting me look at the pinout.. so i bought from staples... BAD POLICY CIRCUIT CITY.. cost you a 50$ power supply sale, 99$ video card sale, and a 60$ game sale AWESOME job making money for those stockholders!! )
Ok.. back to the issue.. I have the 350w power supply.. will fit either pc.
I can find the 6200 agp nvidia video card or a 7600 nvida video card.. both have a 300w power supply minimum.. and both meet the game software minimums.. that's handled.
Trying them in both PCs, the 1.8ghz sempron ended up testing out better thant he 2.93ghz celeron. Further detailed testing proved that the game software diagnostics do not slass the cleron in the same class of processors as a pentium 4 or athlon/duron... however.. the sempron WAS classed as an 'equivalent' processor to an athlon/duron... go figure.
One other interesting note.. the driver package for the video card listed you needed a minimum pentium 3/4 or amd athlon / duron to run the card properly... sempron and celeron was not mentioned....the driver software also did not class the celeron as an equivalent processor.. but DID class the sempron as an MAD athlon / duron equivalent.
In the end.. i got the 7600 card, and dropepd the 350w ps into the compaq and all went well.
So.. anyone got the skinny on the sempron? I always thought it was a 'dumb' athlon... And the speed issue was funny.. 1.8ghz sempron outperfroms a 2.93 ghz celeron.. and classes as a 3.1ghz pent 4 ????
any info / ideas?
Soundguy
Scope of this discussion will be limited to intel pentium 4 and Celeron, and AMD Athlon/duron and Sempron.
I think I'm correct in assuming that the celeron is a scaled down or 'economy' version o fthe pentium 4.. IE.. not as much 'umph'
When i run software that ID's the processor, and needs certain minimums, the celeron does not come up as the same 'class' of processor as the pentium 4.
I had always thought that the AMD athlon(duron) and the sempron were in the same relationship. IE.. the Athlon/duron were the full scale processor, and the sempron was the economy scaled back version.
however.. when i run software that ID's the processor and looks for minimum operating levels, the sempron is ID'd in the same class as an athlon / duron, an clocks out in a benchmark as a higher speed pentium, than it's native clock rate. For instance. I have a 3100 sempron processor in a pc.. the sempron clock is either 1.8 or 1.81.. can't remember. It benchmarks out to a pentium running at 3.1 ( hmm.. 3100.. 3.1 coincidence? )
What started this is I've been in the process of upgrading a home PC so that i can play a game ( I know.. waste of time! ). Game has some mid-high needs in the graphics department.. but is not too heave onmemory.. and is about medium plus on processor.
There is a software utility you can download and run and test your PC to see if you can run the game.. if you fail, it ID's areas you faile din to see if you can upgrade.. etc.
Both my PC's fail in video.. one had an onboard intel adapter ( I knew it would fail ) it also had a 2.97ghz celeron R. (emachines)
The other computer is a compaq, had some onboard low end ati video chipset.. but I had disabled it last year and dropped in an invidia 5500 series card. it has the amd sempron 3100 at 1.81 ghz.
both machines are otherwise equally equipped.. same ram at 1.5gig, similar hdd capacity, speed, and dvd drive options.. similar usb/ 1394 ports.. etc. both have AGP 8x compliant card slots for upgrades.. both have 250w power supply. ( compaq had the 5500 card inthe agp upgrade slot ).
Bottom line.. both PC's failed due to video.. kicker was that minimum video requirements were a invidia 6200 series card.. or an ati 9000 series card.. both those cards carried a minimum 300w power supply stipulation as the cards had an extra power connector plug on them.
No problem.. I got a 350w upgrade power supply from staples... has the universal 20/24 pin connector to fit either motherboard.. plus a sata power connector. ( ironically.. circuit city had the same supply.. but wouldn't open the box for me to see if the 20 pin power plug was the right one... I WALKED across the street to staples and they were fine with opening the box and letting me look at the pinout.. so i bought from staples... BAD POLICY CIRCUIT CITY.. cost you a 50$ power supply sale, 99$ video card sale, and a 60$ game sale AWESOME job making money for those stockholders!! )
Ok.. back to the issue.. I have the 350w power supply.. will fit either pc.
I can find the 6200 agp nvidia video card or a 7600 nvida video card.. both have a 300w power supply minimum.. and both meet the game software minimums.. that's handled.
Trying them in both PCs, the 1.8ghz sempron ended up testing out better thant he 2.93ghz celeron. Further detailed testing proved that the game software diagnostics do not slass the cleron in the same class of processors as a pentium 4 or athlon/duron... however.. the sempron WAS classed as an 'equivalent' processor to an athlon/duron... go figure.
One other interesting note.. the driver package for the video card listed you needed a minimum pentium 3/4 or amd athlon / duron to run the card properly... sempron and celeron was not mentioned....the driver software also did not class the celeron as an equivalent processor.. but DID class the sempron as an MAD athlon / duron equivalent.
In the end.. i got the 7600 card, and dropepd the 350w ps into the compaq and all went well.
So.. anyone got the skinny on the sempron? I always thought it was a 'dumb' athlon... And the speed issue was funny.. 1.8ghz sempron outperfroms a 2.93 ghz celeron.. and classes as a 3.1ghz pent 4 ????
any info / ideas?
Soundguy
