Budget AMD Upgrade Advice Needed

Barno

Barno

Barno

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2 Aug 2004
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1,161
Hi, I think my old 775 mobo has given up so I'm looking to upgrade from a C2D E6600 to an AMD setup.

I have 4GB or DDR2 ram and an ati 4890 1gb gfx card so all I need is the mobo and cpu. My main use for it would be gaming.

I'd like a reasonable performance increase over my current setup but I'd like to keep the cost down. I read about unlocking the cores on the AMD and I'm not adverse to a little extra work/overclocking.

Any suggestions gratefully received :)
 
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Budget ? And what kind of performance increase you're looking at ?
Will you consider buying 2nd hand as well??

You can start with as low as 33quid for mobo, the asrock is great budget mobo and takes both AM2+ and AM3 CPUs and both DDR2 and DDR3 sticks which is good if you're moving over.

The CPU, I'd say the 955BE is at a very good price right now and will give you a huge boost over e6600.

If more on the budget side then Athlon II X3 is the perfect price/performance choice, unfortunately ocUK don't have them anymore and you'll need to pick one elsewhere ( Best pick is 435/440 @ ¬55quid ).

4890 is still a good card : ).
 
Thanks mate, yeah I was thinking about the Athlon II X3. Looks like the right price/performance for me.

I don't mind second hand at all, in fact most of my current components are off the MM :)

Would the asrock be capable of unlocking a core on the X3? If not any recommendations for a mobo that could?
 
Yep the Asrock mobo will unlock. It has a full oc'ing bios too. Lot of folks who don't know what that mobo is capable of knock it but its a bargain. Download the manual from the Asrock site I think you'll be impressed.

Only takes either two sticks of DDR2 at a time or two of DDR3 though. But that allows a rolling upgrade. Use your DDR2 now and swap it for DDR3 when prices fall, probably quite dramatically, over the next three or four months.

Actually, I'm thinking of going the same route myself An x3 plus that mobo.

OCuk do still have the x3 445 - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-269-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=803

Or a quad for the same price - http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-259-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=803

Both seem to oc to just over 3.6Ghz on air with a good cooler or comfortably to 3.3-3.4Ghz on the stock cooler.

Cheers,
vfm
 
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Barno said:
Thanks mate, yeah I was thinking about the Athlon II X3. Looks like the right price/performance for me.

I don't mind second hand at all, in fact most of my current components are off the MM :)

Would the asrock be capable of unlocking a core on the X3? If not any recommendations for a mobo that could?
Click to expand...

Bear in mind that whether or not you can unlock it is complete lottery. So think what performance you actually want and base it off that, not whether you might get an extra core for free. If an X3 is enough for you then good luck :P
 
Thanks for the advice, think I will go X3 as I'd probably be happy with the performance and if it unocks then its a bonus :)

Which asrock mobo were you guys referring to? It sounds good.
 
hey may i ask why you want a X3 instead of a X4 for the same price?? i mean come on, a tri core is still good but a quad for the same price?!
 
The x3 elsewhere can be had for just over 50quid.
At 70 it's probably worth going for 555/560BE or 955 better for a bit extra.


If you don't mind second hand, I'd strongly recommend good 785/790/880 chipset 2nd hand mobo which will be around 35-50quid 2nd hand.

If not then this:
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=MB-028-AK

is probably best budget board untill around 60quid but then you'll need to swap RAM for DDR3 as well ( which shouldnt be much either, sell urs for 50-60, buy new DDR3 kit for 70 ).
 
Jony27 said:
cheaper?? the ones that was linked to are both the same price :D
Click to expand...

If you check my first post, I've said there that I'd only suggest the 435/440 which can be had for just around 50GBP and that any higher models are not worth it because you pay a lot of extra money for just 0,5 increased multi and same chip.

Nobody will pay 70quid for x3, that would be just wrong.


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Cookeh said:
Lemme see.
X3 is much better in games than the X4, whilst being cheaper...
Read up before posting silly comments :rolleyes:

Athlon II X3 Vs. Athlon II X4
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/119?vs=105

Phenom II X3 Vs. Athlon II X4
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/83?vs=105
Click to expand...

That's because the 200mhz speed difference, otherwise they're the same cores.
 
i know you can get them cheaper elsewhere, seen the 440 for £60 when they were still in stock but has dissappeared now. my point was IF he was to buy the cpu(445) from Ocuk i would get the quad instead.
 
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