Low end CPU upgrade advice

[_Zod_]

Ok so I am running an overclocked AMD 4850e now and it's starting to really show it's age (thanks to my brother grabbing me a copy of BF BC2). So I am looking to go to a low end AMD quad. I have narrowed it down to either..

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103881

or

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103916

My question is, does that level 3 cache make much of a difference? From the benchmarks I've seen, doesn't look like it but I'd like some opinions.

I plan on doing the CPU, then end of year grab a AM3+ board and DDR3 or a new video card and do the mobo later. Thanks in advance

 

[wolf]

in your shoes Id go the athlon x4 L3 cache does make a difference but athlon x4s have a great price/perfomance ratio.

 

[Zyon]

If those are the only two you would consider, then pick the Athlon to save $20 and get hardly noticeable performance penalty.

However, if you're planning to make do with a CPU sufficient for gaming now and get Bulldozer later (meaning what you use only last a year), you might think about getting the X3 450 to shave off another $10, with 3.2ghz at stock it would work better for most applications.

 

[wolf]

you might think about getting the X3 450 to shave off another $10, with 3.2ghz at stock it would work better for most applications.

and a chance to unlock to x4 i think

 

[Zyon]

I'm not sure about that wolf, not on SB700 I don't think...

Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-US2H

Doesn't look like SB700 come with the ACC that is required.

 

[Techtu]

i'm pretty sure it does.... Look at the motherboard in my 2nd rig (That uses the SB700)

Although it's only 95w I'm able to unlock the chip

 

[_Zod_]

Yeah the SB700 doesn't have acc so no unlocking. The 710 does which gigabyte added to my board like a month after I got it so no unlocking for me

Even if I could unlock the triple core there is a chance it would require a voltage boost and I think at 95 watts TDP is already pushing it.

I may or may not go with Bulldozer early next year, my upgrade cycle is piecemeal unless I come into a wad of disposable income

Thanks for the feedback guys, looks like I will pull the trigger on the Athlon II

 

[GREASEMONKEY]

http://www.techpowerup.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144606

 

[Rowsol]

I'm a fan of the x4 athlons.

 

[Zen_]

AMD Phenom II X4 840 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Soc...

Although it's branded a Phenom II it's actually an Athlon II (Propus core). If you're looking for BC2 performance I would absolutely recommend a quad and the fastest one you can afford. I think it's worth the extra $18 for 300 MHz more (guessing you have no overclock headroom), and since it's retail box you'll probably recover that on resale value down the road.

 

[Fourstaff]

AMD Phenom II X4 840 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Soc...

Although it's branded a Phenom II it's actually an Athlon II (Propus core). If you're looking for BC2 performance I would absolutely recommend a quad and the fastest one you can afford. I think it's worth the extra $18 for 300 MHz more (guessing you have no overclock headroom), and since it's retail box you'll probably recover that on resale value down the road.

You can actually overclock Athlon II quite a bit. Not as much as others obviously, but still quite healthy.

 

[Zen_]

You can actually overclock Athlon II quite a bit. Not as much as others obviously, but still quite healthy.

The board he has will probably be quite limited with FSB overclocks, maybe 205-210 at best if he even wants to try.

 

[Fourstaff]

The board he has will probably be quite limited with FSB overclocks, maybe 205-210 at best if he even wants to try.

Ah, I didn't really paid any attention to the board.

 

[Zyon]

http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/1271438

Revision 1 motherboard is 700, unlocking is no-go

Depending on how much he's willing to spend but I'd say from the point where he only considered the phenom and the athlon I'd say the 840 was no interest since it's $10+ over the athlon, the triple core also comes with 3.2ghz.

 

[_Zod_]

AMD Phenom II X4 840 3.2GHz 4 x 512KB L2 Cache Soc...

Although it's branded a Phenom II it's actually an Athlon II (Propus core). If you're looking for BC2 performance I would absolutely recommend a quad and the fastest one you can afford. I think it's worth the extra $18 for 300 MHz more (guessing you have no overclock headroom), and since it's retail box you'll probably recover that on resale value down the road.

I'm over clocking now with a FSB of 232 stable. So I would probably boost that cheap x4 a couple 100 mhz without any problems. I could go with the 3.2ghz Athlon II instead of the 2.9 for an extra $10 but I'm positive I can OC the 2.9 to 3.2 easily. If I were going to go an extra $18 I may as well get the real Phenom II.

 

[Zen_]

Ah, I stand corrected then your board does more FSB than I guessed it might.

The 2.9 has a 14.5 multi and the 3.2 has a 16. So assuming you could do 232 on both the 2.9 would do 3.36 while the 3.2 would do 3.7. As someone who's played a lot of BC2 I'm just telling you ever lost drop from the CPU does make a difference in multiplayer; on my old Phenom II set the difference between 3.6 and 3.95 was quite noticeable. And I still think you'd recover the cost going with the retail box on resale.

 

[Funtoss]

get the athlon x4 it really is good for gaming

 

[_Zod_]

Just to update, I pulled the trigger on the Phenom II 925 because NewEgg had a promo code that took it down to $104. So I'm going to try and overclock it past 3Ghz.

-Well 5 moths later I now started over clocking this 925. Got it at 3.2 GHZ @ 1.2v and even managed to under-volt the NB, this using the AMD stock heat sink/fan from an old 3.0 GHZ Windsor core x2 (heat pipe one we have all seen). Runs 51c at full load. I still have plenty or room on the ram so I'm going to see if I can get her to like 3.4 under-volted. Just switching to this stock from the overclocked dual core doubled my frame rate.-