Cpu help please

[sapped]

hey guys my current cpu is
AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 6000+ (2 CPUs), ~3.0GHz
and my motherboard is GIGABYTE GA-M56S-S3
http://ee.giga-byte.com/products/mb/cpulist/ga-m56s-s3_1x.html

i wanted to upgrade my cpu, however my mobo can't handle more than 100w here's the list of supported cpu
http://www.gigabyte.com.au/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=2607

according to the list i can handle up to phenom 955 95w, but apparently its only on sale in japan, which are the other good choice to upgrade to???

i could try out models such as phenom 945 95w but i can't find it anywhere in store, i tried msy, pccg, umart etc. so if u can find it please post a link. (i live in sydney, australia so shops like newegg won't work)

i could also try out the athlon 640 but is it really a significant upgrade from my current 6000+???

 

[4745454b]

and no, dont upgrade from a athlon to athlon, nor even a Phenom 1

I disagree with that to a point. First, the Athlon x4 is based off the PhII arch. This is faster clock for clock then the K8 arch that the x2 6000 is built on. Even at a lower frequency an Athlon x4 640 should be faster. Second, even if your doing something like gaming, you should see improvements by moving to something better then a dual core. The x3s are some of the best gaming CPUs you can get. Read any "best CPUs for your money" articles that toms put out. Last, anything that is threaded will be much faster due to the extra cores.

When all are at stock the 640 won't be way faster compared to the 6000+, but it is somewhat faster. Much faster depending on the task.

 

[mosox]

At this price the 640 is a steal and it's a very good CPU.
http://www.mwave.com.au/sku-19040185-AMD_Athlon_II_X4_Quad_Core_640_3_0GHz_Processor_Propus_Core_45nm_Manufacturing_T

 

[sapped]

i use my comp mainly for gaming, i already decided to upgrade my gfx card to a 6850
however im still having trouble with cpu, i can't find any stores here in australia that sell cpu between the 640 and 955 model,

so i can't get the 945, 940 etc. of course if u can find any link please post it, so should i go with the 640?? or try and find better models that my mobo can handle or even upgrade both cpu and mobo?

 

[sapped]

sorry for the double post, so according to the chart here
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-gaming-cpu-core-i3-athlon-ii-x4,2791-6.html

it says they don't recommend upgrading your CPU unless the potential replacement is at least three tiers higher, the 945, 640 etc. is currently on the third tier from my 6000+, so is it recommended for an upgrade?

 

[4745454b]

Three tiers is three tiers? I'm not a fan of that tier business as it can boil down to personal preference. (at least with PSUs.) I'd probably get something like the 640 or better just for the cores. Again, it might not be lightening faster in all apps, but it should be faster overall.

 

[mosox]

The 640 is great for gaming. There's a Phenom II 925
http://www.mwave.com.au/sku-19040165-AMD_Phenom_II_X4_925_2_80GHz_Quad_Core_Socket_AM3_95W_TDP_4x512KB_L2_Cache_6MB_L
but at 2.80GHz, and that price isn't worth it. The Athlon is a big improvement:
http://www.behardware.com/articles/778-12/giant-roundup-168-intel-and-amd-processors.html

LE: Don't forget to upgrade your BIOS before changing the CPU.

 

[sapped]

@greghome
omg thats an excellent site, makes searching so much easier, 谢谢very much!!!

@mosox
the chart comparison is really useful, thx!!

i use my comp for gaming and mostly on cpu intensive games like total war and
arma 2 etc. the two top cpu that my mobo can handle is the phenom 945 and
athlon 640, according to the site greghome gave, the price difference between
the 945 and 640 is usually $50, and according to the chart mosox gave, the
images par seconde (fps?) is at most 5 fps

so is it worth the extra $50 to get the phenom one? btw i don't really plan on overclocking.

also if i get a new cpu what other components do i need to buy? like do i need a new fan or cooler?

 

[4745454b]

Is it worth $50? Depends on how much $$$ you have. My guess is no. If you buy a retail CPU then it will come with a HSF. I'm not sure what the 6000+ was on heat output, but I'd be willing to bet it was a lot. You can probably safely reuse it for a 95W quad.

 

[sapped]

my mobo can't handle 940, currently $AU is about the same value as $US
so if its 945 is approx $50 more, the 640 is a much wiser choice then???

 

[mosox]

Yep, it's a very good CPU and way above what you have now.