Upgrading to AMD's Quad...is it worth it?

[TheGreatSatan]

I have the Athlon X2 6000+ and I love it, but for less than $200 I can get the Phenom. It's the same socket right? Is it worth it?

[crenn]

It's not quite the same as a Intel C2Q, but it's not bad either.

[Quakken]

Which phenom? The 9850 is almost as or as good as q6600 and a little bit cheaper (at $235). And will it fit? What mobo do you have? It has to be AM2+ to work. Not just AM2 like your X2 6000+ might be depending on what version you have.

[TheGreatSatan]

I'll have to look my board up when I get home

[Fuganater]

#1 problem with AMD chips... HEAT!!! This is why I stopped using AMD stuff is because of the low performance and heat. Nothing AMD has can beat the performance of my Q6700. And the Core 2 Quad Extremes are just sick.

Anyways... if you get a Phenom... make sure your liquid cooling or running the best cooler you can afford.

[Quakken]

/start fuganator comment

Intel intel intel amd is teh suckzorz my more expensive and overclocked q6700 can beat anything the not-god company amd has intel intel yes I love it I love it.

/end fuganator comment

[Trace]

/start fuganator comment

Intel intel intel amd is teh suckzorz my more expensive and overclocked q6700 can beat anything the not-god company amd has intel intel yes I love it I love it.

/end fuganator comment

Haha

I almost went to a Phenom, but then the Q6600 with mobo came on sale, so I grabbed that instead.

[TheGreatSatan]

Like I said I do love my Athlon X2 6000+ and it's actually plenty for me, but if it's cheap to upgrade.....

I have the SilverKnight (http://www.thinkcomputers.org/v2/index.php?x=reviews&id=343) heatsink.

[Quakken]

It's going to be around 235 for the good phenom (9850). At least, that's what newegg has it at. the other lesser ones aren't really that worth it, and I'm pretty sure that there are some issues with very poor overclocking on the not 9850 ones. I'm not completely sure that the issues with the earlier ones made still hold over with the newer versions of the cheaper ones though.

But you can't go wrong if your motherboard and power supply can handle the 9850. I would get one myself if I weren't a starving high school student.

[Trace]

My only advice, if you get a Phenom, make sure it is 9X50 X4 version.
The 50 at the end means its the B3 stepping which has the errata problem fixed.

[Quakken]

Yeah, that's what I mean.

[chaksq]

Make sure your board can handle the power requirement of the Phenom. My board can, but only after a BIOS update. So make sure you have good PSU and cooling and it will work great.

[TheGreatSatan]

Here's my motherboard (http://www.outletpc.com/c3595.html)

It just says:


Socket AM2 Processors
AMD Athlon 64 FX
AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core
AMD Athlon 64
AMD Sempron


I also have a OCZ gsx600 (600 Watt) SLI certified PSU

[Fuganater]

Looks good. Compare the CPU FSB and give it a try. Doesn't specifically say Pehnom but it does say AM2 socket.

[crenn]

That motherboard doesn't have a BIOS upgrade that will support Phenom processors.

[p0Pe]

STOOOOOP!!!

that board dosnt support phenoms!
you have to have a board that is names AM2+, and you board wont support the phenoms.

i just ordered a phenom X4 9850 BE myself, and have the ASUS m3a32 mvp deluxe motherboard and cant wait to see how it performs!... but you psu should be able to handle it... you just need a new mobo

[Quakken]

Yes, you have make sure that you have the AM2 plus. That board is not an AM2+, it's only am2 and the plus makes all the difference here.

[Fuganater]

AMDs... so confusing...

[crenn]

Not really, the AM2+ can support AM2 processors, just the AM2 boards are slower than the AM2+ boards

[p0Pe]

the phenom runs great!... just cant figur out why mine is set to multiplier 4.5 and fsb 557.3 :S gotta go bios lol

[TheGreatSatan]

STOOOOOP!!!

that board dosnt support phenoms!

I don't have a phenom, I just wanted to know if it's worth upgrading. From what I hear around the net, it's NOT. Intel's Quad Rulz! Someday....

[Fuganater]

I don't have a phenom, I just wanted to know if it's worth upgrading. From what I hear around the net, it's NOT. Intel's Quad Rulz! Someday....

INTEL FTW!!

[TheGreatSatan]

INTEL FTW!!

:banana::banana:

[p0Pe]

well.... #### intel:P... i just got my phenom X4 9850 and clocked it straight to 3 ghz only by changing the multiplier:O vcore at standard 1.28... and bet that it have a little more if i should play around with the other settings... could get it to boot at 3.15 but it wasnt stable, and my psu cant handle the extra vcore so ill just have it @ 3 ghz for now:P.. but really... a total of 12 ghz is fine for me lol

[TheGreatSatan]

Until the next leap.....8 cores maybe?

[crenn]

Those and 6 core CPUs are currently being planned.

[p0Pe]

well... im not planning a upgrade in the near future:D... the only thing i can stress this cpu with is a stress tests and my 3d work xD but a cpu like this clocked to 3 ghz:smoker:
24 ghz in one cpu ftw... i think that the next big upgrade i will make will be the gfx... waiting for ATI´s 4xxx series:D

[Spawn-Inc]

well.... #### intel:P... i just got my phenom X4 9850 and clocked it straight to 3 ghz only by changing the multiplier:O vcore at standard 1.28... and bet that it have a little more if i should play around with the other settings... could get it to boot at 3.15 but it wasnt stable, and my psu cant handle the extra vcore so ill just have it @ 3 ghz for now:P.. but really... a total of 12 ghz is fine for me lol

while i would love to support amd to keep prices low how can you beat 4GHz at 1.29v.... (e8400) that thing is crazyness...

[Fuganater]

well.... #### intel:P... i just got my phenom X4 9850 and clocked it straight to 3 ghz only by changing the multiplier:O vcore at standard 1.28... and bet that it have a little more if i should play around with the other settings... could get it to boot at 3.15 but it wasnt stable, and my psu cant handle the extra vcore so ill just have it @ 3 ghz for now:P.. but really... a total of 12 ghz is fine for me lol

And then.... your processor melts lol

[TheGreatSatan]

Higher GHz just means more heat. I'll take 8 cores running at 2 to 3GHz each

[Fuganater]

Phenom's run ridiculously hot. My friends melted one day on him. He got his money back for the CPU, mobo, and cooler. Then bought a Intel set :D

[Quakken]

Double post!

[Quakken]

Phenom's run ridiculously hot. My friends melted one day on him. He got his money back for the CPU, mobo, and cooler. Then bought a Intel set :D


My friend had a q6600 that literally jumped out of its socket, opened the side of his case and slapped him in the face.


The processor didn't melt without him over overclocking it, and how would that ruin the fan? Maybe your friend should have bought decent cooling and a high quality motherboard if he wanted to overclock his phenom to the point of melting. THAT'S user error, and blaming the problem of his processor melting can't be blamed on AMD.

[TheGreatSatan]

THAT'S user error, and blaming the problem of his processor melting can't be blamed on AMD.

Actually, it's an IO error

Idiot Operator

[Fuganater]

I wouldn't say that being he has a degree in computer hardware :D

[Quakken]

Just because he has a degree doesn't mean that it's impossible to push it too hard.

[Fuganater]

lol the only pushing there was was the power button :P

[Quakken]

I'm done.

Edit- Moral of the story- there is no reason to believe a phenom would just spontaneously melt unless there is serious user error or there is a terrible manufacturing defect. If fug's story of his friends phenom melting dirt stock is true, then there must have been a one in a million manufacturing error to fuel his desire to be a complete intel fanboy.

[p0Pe]

well... my phemon is curently running at a 193 W heat shizz.. but nothing my W/C cant handle:D

[Fuganater]

I'm done.

Edit- Moral of the story- there is no reason to believe a phenom would just spontaneously melt unless there is serious user error or there is a terrible manufacturing defect. If fug's story of his friends phenom melting dirt stock is true, then there must have been a one in a million manufacturing error to fuel his desire to be a complete intel fanboy.

This is over... and you should watch what you say punk

[TheGreatSatan]

Thanks everyone. We are done.