Best AMD Chip and Board for overclocking

[SystemViper]

I have been thinking of playing around with an AMD for a while now. I am looking for some advice since i know nothing about AMD chips.

What is the best, most overclock-able AMD CPU out there, but it has to be a main line chip, not the uber expensive chips.

Also what is the best platform for overclocking, i am thinking about chipsets, not manufacturer because i am leaning towards gigabyte since i am very familiar with them. But would consider another manufacturer if some strong opinions come out of this.

thanks in advance for your help, time and effort!

Regards/SV

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

try a 720be or 955be C3 with a 770 board seems Kei over in the Phenom overclock thread is having some extremely stellar clocks with the 770 board if i remember right

 

[SystemViper]

sweet, i will have to go over there and do my homework!

 

[erocker]

770 chipsets get hot, are old and 65nm. Get a 790 board with a 750 southbridge. 890fx boards will be out an a couple weeks. The 955 c3 for 155 bucks is a good deal.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

well true but this

http://www.gigabyte.us/Products/Mot...ard&ProductID=3269&ProductName=GA-MA770T-UD3P

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128392

has an 8+2 phase power for a $69 board and considering Kei has gotten a 955 close to 4ghz on a 770 board its not all that bad and even if its hot if he dosent cram it in a cracker box it should be okay

system viper said he wanted to play

$120 cpu
$70 mobo
$40 heatsink fan
$100 ram if he dosent have some DDR3 laying around

$330 and if he hunts around on TPU he can probably go for alot less not bad for something to play with

 

[SystemViper]

thanks for that info E, i'll look into that, i like the idea of learning without spending an arm and a leg.

The egg has "AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition Deneb 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 125W Quad-Core Processor - Retail
"

for 165 delivered but it says X4 not X3 is there a difference...

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

955 is quad

720be is tricore but you might get lucky and have it unlock to a quad point is you wanted to play im offering in my opinion something that will offer you more play time

altho i have to further research that mobo to make sure it can offer the ability to unlock

 

[SystemViper]

me likey the low cost to start....

well true but this

http://www.gigabyte.us/Products/Mot...ard&ProductID=3269&ProductName=GA-MA770T-UD3P

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128392

has an 8+2 phase power for a $69 board and considering Kei has gotten a 955 close to 4ghz on a 770 board its not all that bad and even if its hot if he dosent cram it in a cracker box it should be okay

system viper said he wanted to play

$120 cpu
$70 mobo
$40 heatsink fan
$100 ram if he dosent have some DDR3 laying around

$330 and if he hunts around on TPU he can probably go for alot less not bad for something to play with

955 is quad

720be is tricore but you might get lucky and have it unlock to a quad point is you wanted to play im offering in my opinion something that will offer you more play time

 

[erocker]

well true but this

http://www.gigabyte.us/Products/Mot...ard&ProductID=3269&ProductName=GA-MA770T-UD3P

I owned that board. It's utter trash. The chipset heatsink doesn't mount properly, overclocking is atrocious and it's hot as hell.

Proof I owned it: http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Thermaltake/Luxa2_LM300_Touch_Pro/5.html

After that review it went right back to Gigabyte. First for it being a fail board, second for Gigabytes CS being clueless idiots.

 

[PaulieG]

Yeah SV. I actually just bought a Gigabyte 790XTA-UD4 and a Phenom 955 C3 chip. They should be here Tuesday. I've just become bored with 1156 and 1366. Thought it might be fun to play with AMD for awhile.

 

[3volvedcombat]

Isnt 965 c3's better then 955 c3's?

Plz explain T_T

 

[MilkyWay]

Any C3 quad should set you up nicely. I personally would wait for the new 800 series chipset but a good 790 FX or X board would do fine as well.

 

[PaulieG]

Isnt 965 c3's better then 955 c3's?

Plz explain T_T

From what I understand, they are the same chip, just clocked differently in the factory. I see no reason to spend the extra cash on the 965.

 

[SystemViper]

Yeah SV. I actually just bought a Gigabyte 790XTA-UD4 and a Phenom 955 C3 chip. They should be here Tuesday. I've just become bored with 1156 and 1366. Thought it might be fun to play with AMD for awhile.

Yo P, man that is where i am at tooo, we got to keep in touch...

 

[erocker]

Isnt 965 c3's better then 955 c3's?

Plz explain T_T

One is stock at 3.2ghz the other 3.4ghz. Aside from that they are the same chip. I wouldn't worry about binning in this case. Way too many resources would have to go into it and there would be no cost effectiveness.

Get that crappy 770 chipset out of your head. If you want a budget AMD chipset 785 is the way to go.

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

well all i know is he said without breaking the bank $400 for cpu and mobo and $100 for ram is $500 compared to say a 720be with unlock chance (slim tho they may be) and a 770 or 785g or etc boards

if he wants an all out high end amd system by all means

 

[3volvedcombat]

One is stock at 3.2ghz the other 3.4ghz. Aside from that they are the same chip. I wouldn't worry about binning in this case. Way too many resources would have to go into it.

I know there diffrent clock speeds, i just thought the 965's could edge out a 100-200 more Mhz of overclock compared to a 955 brothern. But there all BE's so they should do the same.

Im to much into intel as you can tell.

Im going to stay with my q9550, but im going to grab my dad a 955-940be and a 790 board or 880 board.

We will see .

He has never experienced fast even though he says fast is a "AMD Athlon x2 4200+"

I keep telling him its night and day between them for a 250-300 dollar upgrade for his system.

 

[PaulieG]

Yo P, man that is where i am at tooo, we got to keep in touch...

Go with either a Gigabyte UD4 or UD5 or a Asus Crosshair. In my research, I've found they are the best AMD boards right now. When it comes to the processors, just try to get a C3, as supposedly they clock higher on lower voltage.

 

[MilkyWay]

I heard that too the only difference is the stock clocks, if you want to save a bit of cash get the 955 C3 stepping.

I have a x3 720BE and tbh the quads are a better deal, your not guaranteed an unlock and the C3 quads seem to perform and clock better.

I may be moving to a x4 anything C3 really they are all similar.

EDIT: Huh the 940 is AM2+ only unless the brought out a AM3 version.
I always recommend my board but it really is a nice board, its not TOP END but its regularly recommended by lots of websites.
ASUS M4A79XTD EVO but i would really wait for the new chipsets because they may have SATA3 and USB3.0 and lots of more options, may even run cooler or other bonuses.

 

[SystemViper]

great stuff guys, so far it looks like the 955 C3 is leading the pack....

 

[erocker]

Go with either a Gigabyte UD4 or UD5 or a Asus Crosshair. In my research, I've found they are the best AMD boards right now. When it comes to the processors, just try to get a C3, as supposedly they clock higher on lower voltage.

I would get the M4A79T over the Crosshair and save some cash. You get more expansion slots to work with and the chipset for some reason runs cooler. Probablly due to it's better chipset heatsink. The Crosshair looks better, but it's only for looks. Then again , I just looked at the prices and they are pretty close now.

 

[suraswami]

anybody recommend this Foxconn A79A-S?

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813186149

Funny last week the same board was $99 + free shipping and now it is $220? Pretty high mark up there.

I saw on Ewiz or somewhere the same board for $89 + free shipping and 10% off coupon here in Hot deals section.

How about this one?

MSI 790FX-GD70 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130223

Almost forgot, get this 955 (C3 version)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103808

 

[MilkyWay]

The only difference between X and FX is the number of lanes i think? the fact that the board runs crossfire at 8x and the FX at 16x.
How do you know that is the C3? From the model number in the specs? it isnt listed as C3.

 

[theonedub]

I agree that a Gigabyte/C3 combo is going to be the best choice.

My 965BE C3 is FS at the same price of the 955, link in sig

 

[crazyeyesreaper]

there goes my chance at the 965