which CPU should i buy?

[ShadowFold]

The 720BE is the best price performance gaming CPU. If you're a bench whore, of course it's not the best.

 

[El_Mayo]

Too bad in games the extra "spec" doesn't make a difference.

ahh yes.. but you forgot i'm also looking for how long that CPU can remain adequate

 

[ShadowFold]

It's a quad vs quad with near similar performance and technology. Neither will outlast each other.

 

[n-ster]

so therefore, for gaming the 720BE for the price will last you a hell long of a time

 

[El_Mayo]

http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?AMD-P2720
this yes?

it does look appealing for the price...

the closest priced intel option is this:
http://www.novatech.co.uk/novatech/specpage.html?IL-Q8200

but i have heard intel overclocks better than AMD

 

[n-ster]

the 720BE can OC to 3.6 to 3.88 easy I believe... Also, you ave a chance iof unlocking the fourth core... I tell you, just go with that tri-core you won't regret it!

Besides, that Q8200 has a starting clock of 2.33ghz that is plain bad lol...

 

[El_Mayo]

there's a fourth core? lmao
why is it hidden?
does the clock speed matter that much?
i use dual core 2.0ghz atm
seems fine to me
does the clock speed matter more when it comes to games?

 

[BarbaricSoul]

there's a fourth core? lmao
why is it hidden?
does the clock speed matter that much?
i use dual core 2.0ghz atm
seems fine to me
does the clock speed matter more when it comes to games?

the X3 720 is a X4 920 with one of the cores disabled, there are certian motherboards that will allow you to enable the disabled core in your bios to give you 4 cores.

Clockspeed does matter, to get the most out of todays games and video cards, you need atleast a 3.6 ghz clock speed, otherwise your CPU will prevent your video card from operating at it's peak performance.

I run a dual core that runs stock at 3ghz(core2duo e8400). OC'ing it to 3.8 gives me alot of performance gains over the stock 3ghz. Though once I started going past 3.8, my gains started to quickly level out.

 

[DarkEgo]

the X3 720 is a X4 920 with one of the cores disabled, there are certian motherboards that will allow you to enable the disabled core in your bios to give you 4 cores.

Not quite true. A 720 is a phenom II quad core with one core disabled, but not a 920. The 720 is a AM3 chip with a DDR3 controller. Unlike the 920 witch it a AM2+ chip with a DDR2 controller.

 

[El_Mayo]

so.. at the same clock speed..
the 720 BE would perform better than the Q8200?
although the Q8200 can overclock higher
correct?

 

[ShadowFold]

Q8200 has a low multiplier, which on an intel platform, will hinder it's OC ability by a large margin unless you have a board capable of 500+FSB. And it's got a lot of cache missing. I'd take the 720 over anything under the Q9400 any day.

 

[El_Mayo]

ahh.. i'll get the 9550 then

 

[El_Mayo]

okay
just had a thought:
does overclocking increase power usage of a computer?
i'd assume it does

 

[n-ster]

yes it does.... but why the 9550? GET THE 720BE! it's cheaper AND better

 

[El_Mayo]

yes it does.... but why the 9950? GET THE 720BE! it's cheaper AND better

once again.. i've been told intel is much better from a close friend
he's almost always right

 

[n-ster]

720BE is half the price! and intel vs AMD is crap, they are both great... I'm sorry to tell you, but you friend is biased

 

[El_Mayo]

yeah.. but i'm buying the pc parts off him (for a much lower price)
and he's physically refused to sell me anything by AMD or ATi
maybe tough love.. i don't know lol

 

[n-ster]

Then buy somewhere else.... or tell him to join TPU and I'll have a friendly chat with him... unless he sells you a new Q9550 for 130$

 

[El_Mayo]

yeah he probably will be able to get it for that price
i won't be ordering for a while.. so this CPU should become rather cheap

 

[n-ster]

so he'll get it HALF price?

 

[El_Mayo]

possibly
could be even less
he works for fujitsu.. and he just gives them an order and they give him the price
he says about a 40% discount on the whole pc (no build cost)

 

[MilkyWay]

if he can get it that price ill take one too thanks

i allways tell people unless they want the greatest and latest then amd is now a fine choice, people are allways comparing amd to TOP INTEL and its not right

the x3 720BE is a fine cpu for gaming and work, media it can do everything just that nothing needs the power of an intel i7 yet

 

[El_Mayo]

yeah i completely agree... hence why i'm going to get anything higher than the Q8200 from intel
i read somewhere that the even the Phenom II was outperformed by Q6600's (toms hardware)

 

[n-ster]

Q6600 is a known OCer that's why... anyways, tell us your budget, if you can get 40% discount, then the probability is you can go i7 xD or else tell us the price you can get the 720BE for and then other QXXXXs for...

off-topic: btw, could you hook me up with him? I have NO RIG I am willing to pay a bit more aso that you and him get a bit of profit btw, where do you live?

 

[El_Mayo]

in the UK mate =D
i'll talk to him mate