FX-60 or Opteron 185

Those processors are virtually identical - both 2.6GHz and have 1Mb L2 cache. In this case, the Opteron is probably less favourable here since it has a higher price and locked multiplier.

These processors won't make a significant difference to Dolphin's performance. Not even Dual Opteron 285 would be sufficient.

They're both very similar - 2.6GHz and 2x1MB cache. Unless you intend to overclock, I wouldn't go with Opteron, since they're basically the same as their X2 and FX counterparts with a higher pricetag and more vigorous testing. I doubt you'll get 20fps in Dolphin during gameplay with either one. Most of us get around 6fps - maybe 10 or so with good hardware and the right game (unless you're talking about Bust-A-Move).

EDIT: Blast it, Clements - you beat me!

If you must go with either one of them, go for the FX60. It's multipliers are unlocked in both directions, and the FX-series always overclocks better then every other AMD (even opterons).

Your performance will not improve though, I have an X2 4400+ OC'd to 2.8GHz, and an X1900XTX (arguably faster then the 7900GTX) and I still get like 3fps at the title screen of WW. For dolphin you'd actually be better off with an FX57 since its stock clock is 2.8GHz, and Dolphin isn't coded to take advantage of SMP systems. However, no processor out today is fast enough for dolphin (SMP support would help greatly, but that's supposed to be fairly hard to program.)

TerraPhantm said:

For dolphin you'd actually be better off with an FX57 since its stock clock is 2.8GHz...

Click to expand...

I've gotta mention that a 3700+ san diego is pretty cheap. I've got two. The one with stock cooling overclocks to 2.85ghz. The other does 2.95 and that's with an XP-90 (big copper heatsink) sitting on it. So i guess around 2.85 is the limit for it on stock cooling.

FX-57s tend to hit 3.2+ GHz on air.

yeah but they cost an arm and a leg