What is the speed difference between the following:
AMD Athlone 800
Pent3 933.

Will there be a noticable differecnce in speed?

Got the chance of some second hand parts cheap, (every thing for complete computer except for CD & Floppy drives) but before I buy and then go through the hassle of clean install for the Pent processor and Chaintec 6AJA4 motherboard I would like to know if there will be noticable speed increase. I would swapout existing memory, HDD etc.

Depends...

Are we talking T-bird core Athlon 800 or "original recipe" K7 core? DDR RAM for the Athlon or SDRAM like the PIII?

Moving from a K7 Athlon 800 with PC100 SDRAM to a PIII 933 with PC133 SDRAM would be noticable in gaming and other CPU-intensive tasks, but you probably wouldn't notice a speed boost in anything else. Moving from a T-bird Athlon 800 with PC1600 DDR RAM to a PIII 933 with PC133 SDRAM would get you virtually no speed boost. Think carefully.

yes, I basically agree... seeing as I have an 800MHZ T-Bird, even with pc 100 SDRAM there was no "noticeable " difference- perhaps because I'm partial, my 800MHZ seemed FASTER than a 1gig pentium. The pentium had a little less RAM though.

Gotta remember the level 2 cache running FULL on both sides-up and down- faster than pentiums of that era me thinks.

go with the ATHLON!

;)

PIII's at that speed use the Coppermine core, which did have full speed L2 cache. The original K7 Athlons had slower L2 cache - 1/2, 2/5, or 1/3 cache speed. This made the K7 Athlon 1GHz no faster than the 800MHz version because the L2 caches ran at about the same speed.

But the T-bird Athlons! They were better! :D Full speed L2 cache just like the PIII! Ever since that day, all CPU's have full speed L2 cache (Mac procs don't count!).

Thanks guys
I will check out exactly which Athlone I have and let you know, though I think it is the original.

I've put CPUs of that general MHz range side by side, same amount and type RAM and can't tell one from the other. You're only looking at 133MHz difference in CPU speed, you might notice a tiny difference in the speed it saves a large picture file, but I doubt it.

I've put 800 AMD next to my 1GHz Celeron, and a P-III, can't tell one from the other. 1GHz Celeron or P-III beside 1.2 Athlon, same thing. A benchmark program will show the difference, but your human senses cannot discern the few milliseconds the 133MHz makes. I put a 950 beside a 1.2 in a computer shop. Nobody could tell me which was which.

ErnieK: A lot of people have a lot of brand loyalty, get the one you like best. I'd probably go with the 933 no matter which brand it is, because it is the higher MHz rating, but in real-world performance you can't tell them apart.

Thanks Pete.
My only previous experience with Pentiums is with Pent2's and below. I did have a Pent 3 but this was one of the original slot variations (the type that stood on end). Eventually gave it to my sister after about 3 months after building this one. So main usage has been AMD, but I try to have an open mind.

I have gotten the bundle on offer (£45.00) (just got to find a case and memory to make up complete computer now.) Total cost to date £45.00. Cd and floppy drives salvaged from old computers, and have a spare 17 inch monitor.

Here is the specs for my AMD Athlone 800
Speed (NOT OVERCLOCKED and running naturally at this speed) 809 MHz
L1 data cache 64KB
L1 Inst cache 64KB
L2 cache 256KB
Family mode step 6.4.2
MMX
Extended MMX
3D Now
Extended 3D Now

The imprint stamped on the Pent processor

933/256/133/1.7v
Q116A275-0193-SL4C9

Stock code number 160601

Don't know if this will help give any further advice.

with a 256 level 2 cache.

;)