Phenom II x4 970 vs x6 1055t

[1000FPS]

Hello everyone!
I've got everything for my new gaming PC (4GB DDR3, Asus M4A89GTD PRO, 2x HD 6850 crossfire!) apart from the CPU. I will ONLY be using this PC for gaming (Fallout New Vegas, Metro 2033, Assassin's Creed 2, Mafia 2, Dirt 2 at the moment), and will probably end up upgrading to sandy bridge in six months time. I have narrowed my processors down to TWO that cost exactly the same price. The x4 970 or the 1055t. Now I realize that hardly any games can use six cores at the moment, and the quad Phenom IIs tend to be better in games because they have more L3 cache per core, but the six cores will do much better in benchmarks, and I consider this an advantage. And HOPEFULLY I will be able to overclock the 1055 to 4GHz ( I have a good cooler), but if I bought the x4 970, hopefully I will be able to overclock it to 4.1 or 4.2GHz ( my mobo is good at overclocking)

So the question is, four cores at 4.1 or 4.2 OR six cores at 4GHz???

Please dont suggest getting a 965 or anything else, because I have the money - hey, I might as well use it!
But my budget is £140, which is what both the 970 and 1055t cost (I cannot go over my budget though)
So what do you think? Cheers guys!

 

[beanoslim]

Is there gonna be a price drop?? Can you hold out for a 1090T, the OC ing is awesome on this chip.

Otherwise I'd say get the 970 for now but you'll be gutted if in a few weeks the 1090T is cheaper.

 

[wrazor]

Yeah, surely the 1090T gonna go down, and so will the 1055. In all honesty, 4.0ghz vs 4.2ghz, there is no major performance difference even with 4 cores. So, get the 6 cores I say. GL

 

[notsonoobPCguy]

Well, if your gaming and not willing to spend a but load of cash just go with the X4.

 

[1000FPS]

2500K

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072&cm_re=2500K-_-19-115-072-_-Product

Extreme 4

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157217&cm_re=P67-_-13-157-217-_-Product

DO NOT waste your money on Amd

I've already bought the motherboard.
Sorry but I dont want to waste my money on Intel

 

[1000FPS]

Is there gonna be a price drop?? Can you hold out for a 1090T, the OC ing is awesome on this chip.

Otherwise I'd say get the 970 for now but you'll be gutted if in a few weeks the 1090T is cheaper.

Hmm.. when do you think this price drop will happen? If I can OC the 1055t to 4GHz then I'm happy

 

[Raidur]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/287?vs=147

I'd get a 970 and push for as many clocks as possible on 4 cores, to push your GPU's. Very few games benefit from more than 4 cores, and even then it isn't by much.

Check out this review using 5870 crossfire compared to a single GTX 480 with First Generation Core i7 and Phenom II in gaming with proper resolutions. As you can see its plenty for 25x1600 resolutions, but it struggles at 1920x1200 and even worse at 1680x1050 and below.

http://alienbabeltech.com/main/?p=22167&page=12

Not like it matters much, with the system you're getting you'll be able to max out any game anyways. Have fun.

 

[beanoslim]

I've already bought the motherboard.
Sorry but I dont want to waste my money on Intel

:lol:

 

[beanoslim]

Hmm.. when do you think this price drop will happen? If I can OC the 1055t to 4GHz then I'm happy

Well once the dust settles with the SB release and things beging to pan out price drops must happen.
I don't know but unless your desperate I'd give it a few weeks, even if they don't drop they should announce when.

If you can bag the 1090T theres 2 advantages.

1. Just up the multiplier and voltage to OC, easy.
2. You'll get a much better OC, a mate of mine is at 4.2ghz without even pushing it.

 

[g00fysmiley]

mal BC2 is awsome though psycho thinks i'm playing it wrong with my gts 450's in sli is and i'm paraphrasing "not good enough for all the visiuals pumped isn't good enough" but peopel enjoy games differently .

as for the OP i would get the 1055 , but as stated i expect a 20-40 dollar cut across the board and am hoping the 1055 hits 130-140 as the wake of SB hits, cause SB really is that good. i will be using a 2500k in my wife's build in a few months once the initial prices settle a bit (marked up a little higher than msrp now due to release)

as you have the chip though i can't imagine having a mobo and no cpu for a few weeks so i'd probably be willign to spend the 20-40 now to not wait a few months but thats just me

add * excuse me i am mis paraphrasing... i was playign it wrong on my 8500gt >_< but i still had fun even if it was at low settings

 

[g00fysmiley]

yea i added, it was on my 8500 gt ... i had to play on low and got 10-20 fps( sometimes spikes down to single digets fps)... but the single player wa still fun.. now my 450's in sli i play at not quite max but close to max

 

[1000FPS]

Facepalm... Another dumbass fanboy who hates everything intel. Enjoy wasting your money on overpriced garbage

You think AMD is "overpriced garbage"?
Then how come AMD has six core processors that beat nearly all the i7s in encoding for nearly half the price. I'm not a fanboy, I admit that most of the i7 smoke the Phenom IIs in games, but the i7s are just so freakin' expensive. You're the fanboy.

 

[1000FPS]

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/287?vs=147

I'd get a 970 and push for as many clocks as possible on 4 cores, to push your GPU's. Very few games benefit from more than 4 cores, and even then it isn't by much.

Check out this review using 5870 crossfire compared to a single GTX 480 with First Generation Core i7 and Phenom II in gaming with proper resolutions. As you can see its plenty for 25x1600 resolutions, but it struggles at 1920x1200 and even worse at 1680x1050 and below.

http://alienbabeltech.com/main/?p=22167&page=12

Not like it matters much, with the system you're getting you'll be able to max out any game anyways. Have fun.

Ive already seen that benchmark, and I was actually quite impressed at how well the Phenoms did at 1920 (which is the res I will be gaming at)
But after all, I think I will go with the six core simply for bragging rights and benchmarks Foolish I know, but I think its a bit unrealistic that I could get a 970 to 4.2GHz anyway.

 

[beanoslim]

He's already got all the other components though so the 1090T is his best option to complete his build. IMO anyways.

 

[g00fysmiley]

its pretty universal among people to know by now the SB are beating the AMD solutions in the 200+ market

my little athlon II x4 still bEats the intel 100 cpu's... but yea as he already has the mobo unless he can bring it back he's prettymuch stuck. besides even if intel does release somethign better than my athlon at the pricepoint... i already have to athlon and mobo so nto much i can do but enjoy the system i have


imo though for a enw build from scratch today i'd rather have a 32nm 4 core over a 6 core 45nm... but thats just me and i like an efficient machine (though pulled a $400 power bill out my mailbox yesterday still don't know HOW that happened >_<)

 

[beanoslim]

And you've actually compared an 1100T that is faster than the cpu's we are discussing anyway.

I had an i7 950 build lined up but was let down, could be the best letdown I've ever had.

i7 2600k / P8P67PRO time. At the minute it hardly costs anymore than the i7 950 / P6X58D-E that I was getting.

 

[1000FPS]

I totally understand that. He stated that the X6 beats down on intel for encoding. I'm just proving him wrong

Why are you comparing to sandy bridge. Obviously sandy bridge is going to win.

1055t = £130
i7 930 = £210

Yes, I still think the x6 is worth it.

 

[enzo matrix]

So the question is, four cores at 4.1 or 4.2 OR six cores at 4GHz???

Please dont suggest getting a 965 or anything else, because I have the money - hey, I might as well use it!
But my budget is £140, which is what both the 970 and 1055t cost (I cannot go over my budget though)
So what do you think? Cheers guys!

I think you mean to ask:

So the question is, four cores at 3.9-4.1 OR six cores at 4.0-4.2???

Based on the overclocking results I've read about.

And I know you said don't suggest something else, but I just have to say that the 965 and 970 are not worth their price. Honestly the good value CPUs are the 955 and the 1055t. I say save that money to put towards the sandy upgrade in 6 months and get the 955.

That said, you'll probably get more resale value from the 1055t than you would from the 970, so out of the two, that is the direction I would go, since they are the same price AND you are overclocking.

I personally have a 1055t. I can't overclock higher than 3.3GHz because my motherboard is crap past FSB 245MHz+ so I just leave turbo on. Free 1100t performance I guess? Anyway, I use a 4850 for gaming and I expect this CPU to last me through my next video card upgrade (to get an idea, I went from 3870 I got jan. 2010 for $40 to a 4850 I got in sept. 2010 for $20).
My next upgrades will be the video card, memory and motherboard.

Facepalm... Another dumbass fanboy who hates everything intel. Enjoy wasting your money on overpriced garbage
Psycho, please don't generalize, or degrade yourself so low as to insult others on this forum.
If you have something valuable to say about the topic, please tell us your opinion.
I personally think the 965 and 970 are overpriced for their performance. The 955 is excellent value on the other hand. Basically, if going higher than 955, you might as well just get an i5.

 

[beanoslim]

The AMD cpu's are still great cpu's and will be even greater when they drop in price.

I agree an i7 950 is still a great setup to own.

If its new build, seeing the prices its gotta be SB.

 

[g00fysmiley]

^ i'd modify that to if you're build a rig and spending over $750 then go SB

 

[beanoslim]

Yeah I mean't if its between the i7 950 and SB because they are about the same price, if you already own a i7 950 then I'd stick with it.

Hopefully with a price drop some of the AMD builds will fall into a completely different price bracket and become value for money.

 

[1000FPS]

I think you mean to ask:

So the question is, four cores at 3.9-4.1 OR six cores at 4.0-4.2???

Based on the overclocking results I've read about.

And I know you said don't suggest something else, but I just have to say that the 965 and 970 are not worth their price. Honestly the good value CPUs are the 955 and the 1055t. I say save that money to put towards the sandy upgrade in 6 months and get the 955.

That said, you'll probably get more resale value from the 1055t than you would from the 970, so out of the two, that is the direction I would go, since they are the same price AND you are overclocking.

I personally have a 1055t. I can't overclock higher than 3.3GHz because my motherboard is crap past FSB 245MHz+ so I just leave turbo on. Free 1100t performance I guess? Anyway, I use a 4850 for gaming and I expect this CPU to last me through my next video card upgrade (to get an idea, I went from 3870 I got jan. 2010 for $40 to a 4850 I got in sept. 2010 for $20).
My next upgrades will be the video card, memory and motherboard.

Facepalm... Another dumbass fanboy who hates everything intel. Enjoy wasting your money on overpriced garbage
Psycho, please don't generalize, or degrade yourself so low as to insult others on this forum.
If you have something valuable to say about the topic, please tell us your opinion.
I personally think the 965 and 970 are overpriced for their performance. The 955 is excellent value on the other hand. Basically, if going higher than 955, you might as well just get an i5.

Yeah I realize that presuming I could overclock a 1055t to 4GHz is a bit unrealistic, but I do have an awesome chipset + mobo. But I've had a 955 before, and the max I could OC it to was 3.6 (it was with a different mobo though), and I know the 955 is best for the money, but it is less likely to OC higher, and if I have the money to spend, I might as well use it all

 

[1000FPS]

^
on a 955BE and you could only clock it to 3.6GHz or just the 955.?

I did have an x4 955 BE, and it could only get to 3.6, but I was using the C2 version and a cheap motherboard, so that probably explains why.

 

[1000FPS]

Ok guys, I think I have decided to go with the 1055t because its a brilliant overclocker and six cores is and advantage in some games (like Bad Copmany 2, Dirt 2, I play both of them) and maybe some new games in the near future will support six cores. But even though my cooler is decent (Its a katana 3), I realise I will probably need to replace it if I want to get to 4GHz. Probably a Xigmatek dark knight because its fairly cheap and has good reviews. BTW, does anyone know how many cores Just Cause 2 supports? Because I play that game a lot.

 

[beanoslim]

I'd still wait a bit but your call, you might be ok with that cooler, some are real cool runners.

Don't know about Just Cause 2 but I'm sure more games will start to utilize more cores.

Happy Building. http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-phenom-ii-x6-1055t-overclocking.html