Help deside, Phenom II X2 550 (OR) AMD Phenom II X3 720

Forum CPU & Components : CPUs Help deside, Phenom II X2 550 (OR) AMD Phenom II X3 720

Going to get a new CPU this week, I was going to buy the <AMD Phenom II X3 720 2.8GHz Socket AM3 95W Triple-Core Black>

But then I came across this <AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor>

I'm running on a <AMD Athlon X2 7850 Black Edition Kuma 2.8GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Dual-Core>

I'd like to get a CPU with more then two cores but I'm trying to stay in a price range I can afford right now...

Would the 2.8Ghz Triple-core Phenom II X3 perform better then the 3.1Ghz Dual-core Phenom II X2 ??? Both are black edition...

What does the world on TomsHardware think? I'm sticking to those two as my choice.. I can only afford there prices right now... Thanks..

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What's the main use('s) of your PC?

Well, either way you go (gaming or CPU heavy stuff) the Phenom II 720 seems to be the better choice. Personally I'd go with the 550 if I was just gaming and I'd overclock the piss out of it, but it seems more games are becoming multi-core compliant. So if the 720BE is in your budget I'd go with that. It's really a beautiful chip for the price.

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Reply to Raidur

Awesome, thanks.... I really want to go with the triple core because I have never own one. But the GHZ on the dual is much higher and could be O/C'ed even more then the triple. But I wouldn't O/C it very much anyways sense I'll still use the factory air cooling. I figured that the third core would help me out while D/Ling and converting while maybe doing other things while I wait on them to finish. I do play games but I also design web sites and create animations and allot of converting formats... Video, music, animations, ect... I really don't watch movies on the PC but I do convert my movies into DivX and then burn them on DVD's so I can watch them on the TV...

Message edited by pawneezr on 08-02-2009 at 05:36:19 AM

Reply to pawneezr

For your uses definitely the triple core, or a quad.

Reply to BadTrip

^+1 720BE, or a 940 if you can afford it. Either way you'll be damn happy.

Btw the stock heatsink that comes with the newer AMD CPUs aren't bad I've heard. So you should be able to get a somewhat decent overclock with w/e CPU you choose, just make sure you watch those temps .

I just saw a BIOS update at ASUS for a 3.0 Ghz Phenom II X3 740 CPU for my last years motherboard so it looks as though a faster tri core may be coming out soon.

Reply to jj463rd

^ ^ ^ ^
This, and the new Phenom II X2 545 Callisto 3.0GHz at $90 might be an interesting budget alternative

Reply to Wisecracker

Nice pick for a budget, But I really want to stay with a black edition... I'm really feeling for the triple core I picked out... Multitasking like I do, The third core will come in handy.. But I might get that $90 CPU for another build.. I build PC's and sell them on the side as a hobby.. The little extra $ I get I put into my own PC.. Thanks for the reply!

Reply to pawneezr

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