AMD A8 or AMD Phenom II x4

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spaceman1701

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Hi,

I am going to buy this CPU for my build this month. I am having a hard time deciding between the the new AMD A8-3870K @3.0Ghz and the older (but a more powerful) AMD Phenom II x4 955 @3.2Ghz.

Even though the Phenom II has more power CPU wise, I am getting an AMD Radeon HD 6870 GPU which can be paired with the 6550D on the A8 for more powerful graphics. Will the the A8-3870k paired with the 6870 (In dual graphics mode) have better gaming performance than the Phenom II x4 955 with the same GPU?
 
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palladin9479

palladin9479

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The APU's do not pair well with bigger dedicated GPU's. AMD hasn't quite worked it out yet.

If your getting a dedicated GPU then go with the Phenom II x4 955, get the BE and OC it to 3.5~3.6, might get higher depending.

APU's are best for lightweight low-power work units or notebooks, not gaming rigs.
 
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kinggraves

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^

The highest combo is A8 +6670. The result is about the level of a 6770. You will get better graphics from the 6870 + normal CPU.

 
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amd955be5670

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The 955BE with a possible AM3+ board, 990FX chipset, it'd be great if you can afford it.

Though you can get an i5 2500k with a p67 chipset if you want more, which infact will be better, not much in gaming though.

Get a 955BE with a nice cpu cooler and you won't regret it!
 
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elbert

elbert

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I suggest the 960t as it has a chance of unlocking to 6 cores. As a quad it's larger die dissipates heat better then the older quads. I have got my 960t stable on stock cooling at 4GHz. It costs the same and unlike the discontinued 955 can easily be found as a retail part. Unlike the older quad the 960t also has the tbt feature.
 
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spaceman1701

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Okay, thanks for all your answers. I have been considering the 960t. What is the likelihood that I will be able to unlock 1 or 2 cores and keep the CPU stable? Also, is it possible to get a motherboard in the $60-$75 that can unlock the extra cores?
 
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spaceman1701

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I do need performance in games, but it will be easier to OC the 960 because it is a black edition. Also, since it has a better architecture (thuban) the performance difference is minimal(I think).
 
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spaceman1701

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I can't afford a CPU over $140. Although the Core i-3s do bench about the same as the 955, the 955s do better in some regards. I would love an i5, but I can't find one for less than $200. Still wondering about Biostar motherboards.
 
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truegenius

truegenius

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that model of 955 is not black edition

amd launches some cpu as locked and some as be

www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/processors/phenom-ii/Pages/phenom-ii-model-number-comparison.aspx

you can see (above) which are present in black edition model too (* mean black edition)

when shopping locally, you have to ask the dealer for BE

and are available online
 
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spaceman1701

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Okay, I don't have any local vendors that will sell a 955BE for a reasonable price, and online I have the same problem. If AMD had kept manufacturing them...


Also, Does anyone know weather Biostar makes good motherboards?
 
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spaceman1701

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I do not plan to crossfire.
USB 2 is enough for me.
1 pci-e x16 is good.
My budget is between $50-$70
I also would like a hidden core unlocker.

Those motherboards are all I have found so far... If you have something better in mind please tell me.
 
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truegenius

truegenius

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i like this
www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157176
it have 2 pcie x16 slot
1 is for your's 6870
and 2nd for nvidia gtx as phyx or a pcie ssd
and it is cheap.
Support acc (core unlocking).
Tdp upto 140w,
good for overclocking
ram upto 16gb 1600mhz

and which cpu you have choosed

note ya can use ati and nvidia card together, even a cheap 8800 can increase fps (with 6870)
 
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spaceman1701

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That board looks Okay, although a couple reviews say not to use it for gaming which worries me, I will look into it a bit more though. Also, one review says it does not have a core unlocker which (if I get the 960t) I would like. So, do you think this board is going to be good enough for gaming?

I thought that it was impossible to use a nividia and AMD card together. I read that those drivers were discontinued.(I assume you are suggesting a dedicated PhysX card.) Am I wrong there?
 
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truegenius

truegenius

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www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=M3A770DE

it supports acc which means you can unlock cores

it support cpu upto 140w that means it can easily handle a unlocked cpu with increased wattage

its basics are good and looks great value for money, but since you too have researched so grab some inputs from forum's members.

Yes, i am suggesting a dedicated phyx card, nvidia have discontnued those drivers but their are some places from where you can find a patch to modify current drivers (even version 286) to combine power of ati with nvidia's phyx, and you need a low profile nvidia's phyx supported card for that, and it noticably increases performance of phyx enabled games and image edting softwares.

To use them both you need nvidia's drivers and a mod and some reading (research), no cables required (no need of crossfire or sli bridge)
 
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