Core i5 vs Phenom II X6

Maybe, but the 1090T is about $50 cheaper.

I think the AMD processor is better value due to more cores and unlocked multi allowing easy overclocking. Get an AM3+ board for future upgrades

its not, the OP is saying they can get both the i5-2310 and the phenom 1090T for the same price of $170...

next time please bother reading the thread maybe?

Chances are he doesn't live near your local microcenter

LOL what, maybe you should read the thread. (hint: I wasn't referring to the OP)

I'm building a DAW to be used in a home music production studio.

> Chances are he doesn't live near your local microcenter

Someone's cranky.

No, the OP probably doesn't live by my local Microcenter. That's not the point.

The point I was making (which a more astute reader might perceive) is that prices
are very fluid, and a conscientious shopper can maximize value
by taking advantage of sales which come & go. [NextTag, anyone?]

Just for kicks, let me add fuel to the fire. Here's a comparison of the 2310 & 1090T:
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.ph [...] 40+2.90GHz

All that said -- I'll offer this to the OP -- if I was building now, I wouldn't buy either
of these CPUs -- I'd opt for the i5-2500K, waiting, saving and/or tweaking my budget
as need be.

- Richard

Learned a lot! now thinking.........
But Richard, your 2nd link freaks me to buy the 1090T!

I would put more stock in the AnandTech comparisons.
Much more thorough. The PassMark is but one test
(or one suite of tests). Indicative, but not definitive.

And the 2310 consumes 3/4 the power.

So, between those two, I'd opt for the 2310, assuming
that you can build the rest of the system for a comparable
price.

They are about the same speed. Your not going to notice much of a difference.

The 1090 uses more power under load, but I doubt you would notice the difference. AMD motherboards are usually less expensive so you may pay less overall, but the price difference is not huge. AMD boards also typically have better cpu updatability down the line, if that matters to you.

I would go x6 1090. I like supporting the underdog. AMD needs the money more than intel right now. And competition keeps cpu prices down.

I'm shocked I have to come here and explain what should be blatantly obvious.

Let me spell it out for you - even though you must have read it since you're even quoting it. I was not referring to the OP. I was referring to the previous post mentioning "I'd opt for the i5-2500K.
Nothing else comes close." It is 50 bucks more expensive. Savvy?

Please, you don't have to demean my reading skills. Perhaps you didn't notice the smiley

Golly, looks like the guy's in Iran. I'd really want to know what motherboards he has available since really for a DAW, how much processing power do you need? I'd be more concerned about the other components.

Well, then I personally think the Intel chip is just an overall better CPU especially if you are going to go with integrated graphics and if power is pricey. Personally, I'd stick with an Asus or Gigabyte board.

The Dallas MicroCenter now has the i5 2500 K for $149. Great price.

for music production/recording. more cores is better. why? because more cores will be useful and will handle low buffer sizes/low latencies even at the LOWEST on daily use. even if you ReWire 2 or 3 programs at the same time with lowest buffer size. but of course you will need to have an audio interface also. and also more cores will handle more plugins/effects better. even if you load up lots of plugins, 6 cores will handle it easily. trust me. i have a home studio myself.

also make sure the DAW's your planning to use are multi-threaded to fully take advantage of the 6 cores. (ex: Cubase, Sonar or Pro Tools)

in comparison for this use, the i5 is faster, the Phenom X6 is stronger. although im planning to upgrade to a i5-2500K on my next build. well thats because i make music and play games too.

and yes buy an AM3+ motherboard for future upgrade. the Bulldozer will be out in a while. and then you can upgrade to 8-cores later.

if you read the post you quoted i said 'best selling PERFORMANCE cpu' out there.

cheapest 2 boards with 2xPCI-E lanes and using the latest chipset:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813128520
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6813130608

tada, infact the LGA1155 one is better in some ways.

[EDIT}: and i based my sales post based on intel's latest (from February till nowish) sales figures...

the i5-2310's integrated graphics will be more than enough if you don't plan on gaming.

of course the i5-2500K is faster like i said. but the X6 is a lil stronger for this matter. i know more cores is better cause ive also tested my other system using a Q8200 vs my E7500 @ 3.70GHz and the slower clock Q8200 won on handling lots of VST, VSTi plugins. and im talking about heavy plugins here. like all tracks with FX like Guitar Amplification, Dynamics Processing, EQs, Reverb etc. what more for the hexa-core? it'll be like Goliath. yeah slower than i5's but has the might.

also anandtech only benched for "rendering times". the faster one will win. but that is not how you test a power of a thing.

It is a good point that there is a difference between speed and raw processing power.

The 2500k is faster. But when pushed, the 1090 can handle more. Your experience there is a great example of that.

Some builders like to upgrade their cpu couple of years down the line while keeping the old motherboard and components. This can be a good way to save on costs.

If you think this is something you might do, then I would recommend either an ASUS or Gigabyte motherboard. Both update the bios on their boards for several years on all board models, ensuring that later processors will work with your current board. At least until the cpu manufacturer abandons the socket. Most Motherboard manufacturers will only update the bios for a year or so.

Are you really in Iran? Your English is very good. Usually posters from non-engish speaking countries have serious grammar and syntax errors. I would never have known if someone hadn't mentioned it.

No issues with MSI from my standpoint -- they have been as good, if not better, than the other guys, especially in BIOS updates.

The latest AMD motherboard integrated graphics (Radeon 4250?) is quite good for it's age - generally on par with anything Intel has to offer. Some boards have integrated 'sideport' video memory that reduces the need to commit a lot of system RAM.

You can easily push 2 monitors with it with one caveat -- digital (HDMI or DVI) for connection A; analog (d-sub) for connection B. D-sub to digital 'converter' plugs have worked fine for me.

Nice point. I'll keep it in mind.

Two more questions here: Is the dedicated CPU fan enough for 1090T or do I need to buy an extra one? and what kind of power do you recommend for such a cpu?

If you are referring to a 'case' fan at a minimum you really need one at the rear of the case -- with one at the front highly advisable.

If you wish to start an interesting debate, everyone has their own favorite 'case air flow' set ups

No worries, mate.

I think a few years ago they had issues with 'sploding caps on some models (maybe s939's ??) but their board components are as good as anyone these days.

And I actually own an MSI 790FX AM2+ motherboard which has had so many BIOS updates it supports over 200 AM2 and AM3 processors



Best $140 I ever spent!

(I think the actual number of supported CPUs is something like 127 )