Core I3 530 or PII X3 720?

[Emanon Retsim]

Heyas folks my old 939 mobo finally blew so it's time to upgrade to some newer tech. The main use for my computer is casualcore gaming and a bit of video encoding here and there. The biggest thing I'm looking at is upgradability. Seems to me with the AM3 platform it'll be easier to upgrade to a better processor than p55 when the newer hexacores come out. Also assume I get a bum 720 without an unlockable 4th core.

 

[kurosagi01]

whats your budget and whats your current hardware atm like your psu and gfx card?

 

[zithe]

The 720 is faster and a better overclocker. The IGP in the I3 series limits the amount of voltage you can put through the chip. If you don't want to go multi GPU you can grab a Phenom II 720 + mobo + 2x2 RAM for about 250. Core i3 will be about 300 if you get 4GB of RAM.

 

[Emanon Retsim]

whats your budget and whats your current hardware atm like your psu and gfx card?

I have 450$ with a 50$ overflow to swap out the core components of the pc. So I need a new mobo, DDR3 ram, CPU, and PSU. I'm reusing my 9800 GTX+, hard drives, OS, mid-tower atx case, and DVD drive.

 

[Soylent Joe]

I'd personally go with a 720 on an AM3 board with DDR3 1333/1600 over the i3 with the equivalent. You'll get a good bit more power for a little bit less.

 

[kurosagi01]

i would go with the 720,seeing zithe has made a point.

 

[kenkickr]

Why not just grab a i5-750, Asus P7P55D, Crucial Value 4Gb set DDR3-1333 and OCZ 600W StealthXStream for a little over $500.

 

[zithe]

Why not just grab a i5-750, Asus P7P55D, and a Crucial Value 4Gb set DDR3-1333 for about $450.

Core i5 is a great option despite it being a "dead end". By the time most people do upgrade their CPUs, they tend to change the mobo with it for added features/better overclocking. At least, around here they do.

If you want mATX:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...405&cm_re=p55_gigabyte-_-13-128-405-_-Product

multi gpu will still be nice at 4x electrical. Or you can put in a card for physx there.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371016&Tpk=antec bp-550 PSU 550W Modular Antec.

 

[erocker]

Motherboard - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128395

PII x4 955 (new c3 stepping) - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808

RAM - http://www.provantage.com/crucial-technology-memory-bl2kit25664ba1336~7CIAL618.htm - Works perfectly with AM3.

Comes to about $350 bucks.

 

[zithe]

BUY THIS RAM NOW: /wrong link one moment please

 

[erocker]

BUY THIS RAM NOW: http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=85278&prodlist=celebros

Huh? That's DDR2. Good price though.

 

[zithe]

Originally meant this, but went out of stock:
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010270&prodlist=celebros

http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10007335&prodlist=celebros ARGH!

 

[MilkyWay]

ASUS M4A79XTD EVO

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...131402&cm_re=asus_790x-_-13-131-402-_-Product

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...1402R&cm_re=asus_790x-_-13-131-402R-_-Product

erocker made a good choice too
AM3 is a good deal

Originally meant this, but went out of stock:
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10010270&prodlist=celebros

INSANE PRICING! To bad its not in stock

 

[Emanon Retsim]

Thanks all for the great advice.

 

[DirectorC]

This is how I would roll:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128412

 

[kurosagi01]

This is how I would roll:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115215

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128412

no ram?? he would need pay for ram too so i don't think getting i5 is in his budget.

 

[DirectorC]

no ram?? he would need pay for ram too so i don't think getting i5 is in his budget.

Didn't feel the need to link RAM as almost any kind is good enough.

Yeah it'd be around $430 after RAM. I didn't even look at budget, I just wouldn't limit myself to either a PII 720 or an i3.

 

[Xazax]

Phenom II 720BE X3

 

[kurosagi01]

Didn't feel the need to link RAM as almost any kind is good enough.

Yeah it'd be around $430 after RAM. I didn't even look at budget, I just wouldn't limit myself to either a PII 720 or an i3.

oh yes,i just checked myself i would go i5 route then if his psu can pull it off.

 

[HalfAHertz]

Yep the i3/i5s will probably need half the juice of an AM3 system....

 

[Kei]

Yep the i3/i5s will probably need half the juice of an AM3 system....

I'm not sure really how you figure that one, but AMD systems don't need nearly as much juice as you seem to think.
=========================================

In choosing between your two choices I'd end up with the PII 720 over the i3 at this time. I'm not sure what's up with the newegg prices this weekend, but the price for the 720 is listed at $155 which is $35 more than it was just a short time ago...I'm sure it'll go right back in the next day or so. The normal price ranges on newegg from $119-124.00 with the stock heatsink assembly.

I did a quick look over and here's what I came up with...

Phenom II 720 cpu (OEM shown since the Retail price isn't listed correctly on newegg)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103652

ASUS M4A78T-E motherboard (still has a rebate offer until the 14th I think)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131366

G.SKILL Eco ram 1600Mhz cas7 1.35v
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321

Xigamatek HDT S-964 heatsink (if you bought the OEM model PII 720 and need a heatsink)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835233014


All that comes to a grand total of only $380.09 including shipping charges, but not counting the $15 you get back with rebates. That's a very sweet build I think, and has a lot of flexibility whether you want to overclock or undervolt the system. It's easy on the psu even at stock settings, and can be even better if you turn down the voltages manually (not using Cool 'N' Quiet).

Every Phenom I've ever owned or used (a lot) has been able to turn down the voltage significantly which saves loads of heat, stress, and power which is great. The stock voltages still aren't high number, but are there for insurance on AMD's part. Looking over a review of the i5's performance I see that at stock it needs roughly 1.25v @ 2.66Ghz and 1.55v @ 4.13Ghz. Those numbers are right in line with AMD processor results...and if you're going straight clock to clock in my experience the AMD can do the same on less voltage depending on the processor.

My PII 955 can do it's stock 3.2Ghz @ 1.168v, the PII 920 I had could do it's 2.8Ghz @ 1.20v, the PII 550 could do it's 3.1Ghz @ 1.15v (or better...never found the bottom before quitting testing). All of those do 4Ghz @ roughly 1.5-1.55v on air cooling so it's all the same. That's only a few of the Phenom's I've owned, and they can all run on very very low volts.

Power consumption is not in any way a problem with the AM3 platform, and remember the actual 790 chipsets suck down very low power as well (well known) so that's a bonus making the whole system use very little power.

Heck, my total system wattage right now is only 112-116W while listening to music and typing this to you with 6 tabs and windows messenger running. That includes 5 case fans, 2 HDD's, 1 Blu-ray drive, 1 DVD/CD burner, 1 ATi 5770, 1 ASUS Xonar D1 soundcard, various usb devices, and of course the processor and motherboard. It's even better just sitting at idle lol. Did I mention the ram is sitting at very tight timings, the northbridge is overclocked, and the processor is NOT running any form of cool 'n' quiet or slower speeds on a QUAD CORE system?

Either way enjoy whichever you get.

Kei

 

[Kei]

I almost forgot about the Phenom II 925 which costs only $140 (free shipping) which would put that total system cost at $386.96.

Phenom II 925 X4 2.8Ghz and only 95W
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103656

You'd have the same 2.8Ghz speed, same 95W rating, and gain an extra processor core if that's important to you. It still overclocks very nicely so that's not a worry at all. On the stock heatsink I was able to get my processor to run with 3.7Ghz for benching purposes. 3.5Ghz came very easy with even stock heatsink, 3.3Ghz was had on the stock voltage.

Kei

 

[HalfAHertz]

You've got a valid point Kei. But I'm pretty sure you can undervolt the i3 as well. I was just basing my statement on AT's review

Ignore the P2 965, there's certainly something fishy going on there. Instead focus on the A2 630, which just like the P2 720 is rated at 95W. That's like a whole light bulb of a difference
Tho if the OP is indeed going to use his PC for encoding and is feeling lucky(for a core unlock), then the P2 720 is the better choice.

 

[Kei]

I've been wondering how low the voltage could be put on the i5, from the review that I was reading today they claimed that it sucked down roughly 1.25v at stock 2.66Ghz. From what I see on the net the stock voltage is 1.264v...I personally think that it could probably use less voltage than 1.25-ish, but I don't have one to test out on.

I don't know what my system will do voltage wise at 2.6Ghz, but I know my Phenom 9850BE managed 2.5Ghz at 1.062v which was sweetness. So far it seems the PII's can do better than the PI's so I'm sure I could beat that I think.

The review I was quoting does show lower power consumption than what you've got above for the i5 meaning theirs must've been undervolted too? It also has a normal rating for the 965 lol

http://www.techspot.com/review/193-intel-core-i5-750/page10.html

I've had crazy thoughts of buying an i5 lately just to play for fun with one, and sell it later on.

Kei

 

[HalfAHertz]

Well you do have to remember that core voltages are not comparable between AMD and Intel due to manufacturing differences (SOI vs HM-K). I'm sure I've seen lynfields running in the low 0.9s somewhere on the web but don't trust me on that one. Also if I remember correctly when you turn on C&Q on the 780 chipset, it drops the cpu down to 800MHz and ~0,9v