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AM3 CPU advice

nitram100

nitram100

nitram100

Soldato
Joined
7 Aug 2009
Posts
4,970
Location
London
Hi guys,

About to buy a new AM3 board with CPU and Ram. Had planned on 955 PII but just seen that the new cpu's are due out. All i do is game on my machine, BC2 etc so i don't care about number crunching.

Would it be worth waiting for the 6 core CPU's or the 95watt quads? Will the 955, 965 drop in price?

Thanks for any advice!
 
Sorry Wayne, i think i meant the new 95w Phenom II's, i read that there will be 95w versions of the 955 and 965? Or am i completely stupid? :D
 
The current X4 955BE has a 125W TDP and a unlocked multiplier. However in Q2 a 95W version will be released with a locked multiplier. Currently there is a 95W version of the X4 945 and also the 65W X4 905e and X4 910e.

Next month the Phenom II X6 will be supposedly released and a few will have a 95W TDP. A new quad core processor which is called the X4 960T will also be released at the same time and has a 95W TDP too.
 
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So will the 960T work on existing 7** chipset based boards? Since it seems to have two cores dissabled it would seem like AMD don't want you to unlock them... of course manufacturers are already undermiming this with the 890GX boards so you know.
 
Thanks guys, i think i'll just go ahead and get a 955 C3, i would like the unlocked multiplier and i doubt the X4 960T will be that much quicker anyway.

What you think? :)
 
Superewza said:
So will the 960T work on existing 7** chipset based boards? Since it seems to have two cores dissabled it would seem like AMD don't want you to unlock them... of course manufacturers are already undermiming this with the 890GX boards so you know.
Click to expand...

Some 770 motherboards with the SB710 southbridge already have support for the Phenom II X6 processor in their CPU lists. It seems the Phenom II X6 may also work in AM2+ motherboards too.

nitram100 said:
Thanks guys, i think i'll just go ahead and get a 955 C3, i would like the unlocked multiplier and i doubt the X4 960T will be that much quicker anyway.

What you think? :)
Click to expand...

The X4 960T is probably based on the Phenom II X6. The Phenom II X6 is supposed to also have a Turbo Boost like technology too.
 
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nitram100 said:
What you think? :)
Click to expand...

If you asking me "personally" what I think I would say your taking an expensive option to start . . . is there any chance you could pick up a used or less costly AM3 chip to get yourself going? . . . so many processors on this platform and very easy to swap-out chips as they all fit! :cool:

I picked up a little AMD® Athlon™ II X3 425 to start off and found it a great chip . . approx £50 new and it kicks it

If all you do is "game on my machine, BC2 etc" then do you think this would be enough?


Click for stability . . .
 
turboboost3.jpg
 
If you're after bang for buck then perhaps the 'best' CPU for AM3 is the Phenom II X2 555 BE. Should out perform the Athlon Quads in gaming even when fully locked. But for about the same price as the 720 BE it's a judgement call.

Still using XP Wayne? What is this, 2003? :p
 
Hey Wayne, thanks for the info mate.

That would be a great idea, all i want to do really is give my Sapphire 5850 some breathing room! My Athlon 5200 x2 is bottlenecking it i'm sure of it.
 
AMD® Athlon™ II X3 425
13.5 x 200 = 2700MHz
13.5 x 250 = 3375MHz
13.5 x 266 = 3591MHz*

AMD® Athlon™ II X3 435
14.5 x 200 = 2900MHz
14.5 x 250 = 3625MHz*
14.5 x 266 = 3857MHz

AMD® Athlon™ II X3 440
15 x 200 = 3000MHz
15 x 250 = 3750MHz*
15 x 266 = 3990MHz

* guestimated realistic clock without too much effort!
 
Ah sorry nitram100, I missed that detail while laughing at "The Hoff" :D

I'm not up to speed with the older AMD chips! :o . . . does it not overclock? . . . . Sapphire HD 5850 eh! . . . . very nice! :)
 
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