Which P4?

[xortam]

I haven't kept up with the P4 class of CPUs and MBs since I've been happy running my five year old P2B-S Piii/850. I'm now building an HTPC that will be also be used for gaming. The video processing will be the biggest hit on this platform and I'm quickly trying to get up to speed on what's gone on in recent years so I can purchase the MB tomorrow (case arrives tomorrow). I've seen some impressive results from OC'ing a P4 2.8c with 1:1 at 250 MHz FSB. Video processing takes a huge hit on memory bandwidth and L2 cache so bumping the FSB is important. Being an HTPC also means it has to be very quiet so its a careful balance in system design. I've just seen some postings about a 3.0c which looks very promising. I don't understand the 'c' designation except apparently it means Northwood core versus the dreaded Prescott core. I don't see 3.0c processors listed in my local stores but I do see 3.0 P4s and 3.0E P4s. Is the 3.0 P4 actually a P4-C or is there another core between those two? The hot (as in cool) P4-C apparently is the SL6WK. What about the P4 3.2?

[ayoub_ibrahim]

the E varient is the prescott core which get very hot when o/clocked compared to the northwood C variety.
intel is supposedly going to put out a new stepping prescott very soon which will run cooler.

[KvHagedorn]

Maybe you're asking the wrong question. Why not AMD?

[rylan]

The Prescott core spin also preforms worse clock for clock against the Northwood core from what I've seen. If you can get a northwood 3.2GHz or 3GHz if you can't find the 3.2 that woudl be the best one for performance.

But KvH has the best point

[Chrono_Wanderer]

Athlon 64 3200+

[Wombat]

Nah, not for HTPC. XP mobile, so he can have a quieter machine.

[Chrono_Wanderer]

wait, he's going to do video processing... on his HTPC... lol

then I'd think P4-E.

[bsdgeek]

The only 3GHz P4s are Es and Cs, so the plain 3.0 is probably a C.

[Wombat]

Originally posted by Chrono_Wanderer

then I'd think P4-E.

That seems like the worst possible choice here. They have the worst processing/heat ratio of juat about anything he could choose.

[KvHagedorn]

I like the mobile Barton idea.. I've even heard of people being able to underclock them to 1Ghz and run them with a generic aluminum heatsink and no fan.

[Marshmallowman]

Athlon 64's are cool and quiet.

[Belwarrior]

any micro-atx board based on nforce250 out yet? think couple that with a amd64 2800+ (an affordable, quiet and cool solution and should have suffiecient power to do the video encoding).

but if dead set on Intel, i would suggest a p4 2.8C Ghz, as price/performance/heat seems the best out there..

[2Whyzzi]

This

might be of interest:
http://www.anandtech.com/chipsets/showdoc.html?i=2043

[omegaRED]

I third the mobile Barton suggestion. It`s fast and cool, default voltage 1.45V, unlocked, able to do outstanding OCs, cheap. Can be run both quiet and fast at the same time, or extremely fast (2.5GHz+) and noisy.

[xortam]

Originally posted by KvHagedorn
Maybe you're asking the wrong question. Why not AMD?

Because the P4 is a better processor for my application. There has been considerable testing of AMD (including FX) versus Intel for this use and Intel is the better performer at a lower price. I also am comfortable with Intel PCs as that is what I've always used. I'd look at the AMD chips if it were the better choice but it isn't.

I implied in my first post that I wasn't interested in the Prescott ("E" chips). I'm simply trying to pick the best Northwood for the job. Thanks anyway and thanks bsdgeek.