FX-6100 vs Phenom II X4 955

[samotage]

Hi Guy's!

I've been looking at the FX-6100 and the Phenom II X4 955BE. I would like to know which is better to get and where is it best value for money to buy from. I currently have got the motherboard that it will fit into. So back to the original question which is better the Bulldozer or the Phenom II?

I have started building my first computer as my laptop cannot handle today's games. I will be playing games like SWTOR, WOW, StarCraft, DiRT 3, BattleField 3 and I will also be doing video editing. I do some multi tasking (5 Tabs open with 3 programs open like skype, a game, and fraps. So I would like to know if a FX-6100 is enough for me to do these thing's or is there a cheaper CPU that can preform better like a Phenom II x6 or x4?

#NOTE: I will be using a GTX 560 as my GPU. I have ALREADY bought my motherboard, a Gigabyte GA-970a-D3 AM3+.

Thanks in Advance!
~Samo

 

[whatsthatnoise]

Since you already got a board, I'd get a FX-4100 and OC the CPU. Almost no game uses more than 4 cores, most only use 2.

 

[samotage]

Since you already got a board, I'd get a FX-4100 and OC the CPU. Almost no game uses more than 4 cores, most only use 2.

But I have seen that the FX-6100 preforms better in games from benchmarks?

 

[whatsthatnoise]

Since you went AMD, I suppose you are on a budget and the FX-4100 is more for the money. Basically behaves the same as the 6100 for less.

Edit: From a performance point of view the Phenom would be the better choice.
However, from a performance point of view you should have gone Intel in the first place.

 

[samotage]

Since you went AMD, I suppose you are on a budget and the FX-4100 is more for the money. Basically behaves the same as the 6100 for less.

So does the FX-4100 if OC'd, it would preform roughly the same as a FX-6100? BUT Does the Phenom II X4 955 have any advantages over either of the BD CPU's?

EDIT: I would have gone with Intel but I had already bought the MoBo. Will upgrade to Intel later on down the track if AMD doesn't get their game up sooner or later.

 

[whatsthatnoise]

The base clock speed of that 6100 (3.3) is lower than the 4100 (3.6). While having the same architecture, except for the number of cores, ofc. The 4100 should outperform the 6100 at any time where only 2-4 cores are needed, which is the case with most games. Even without OC.

 

[whatsthatnoise]

Btw, if you want six cores, there's also a new FX-6200, 3.8 base speed, 4.1 Turbo. Not sure about the price/value, though. The 4100 can easily overclock at 4.1 base, too.

 

[Raidur]

So does the FX-4100 if OC'd, it would preform roughly the same as a FX-6100? BUT Does the Phenom II X4 955 have any advantages over either of the BD CPU's?

EDIT: I would have gone with Intel but I had already bought the MoBo. Will upgrade to Intel later on down the track if AMD doesn't get their game up sooner or later.

A lot of people are still buying Phenom II X4 CPUs for gaming due to superior IPC to BD.

 

[samotage]

The base clock speed of that 6100 (3.3) is lower than the 4100 (3.6). While having the same architecture, except for the number of cores, ofc. The 4100 should outperform the 6100 at any time where only 2-4 cores are needed, which is the case with most games. Even without OC.

In review's it states that the FX-6100 is better for Multitasking hence the 5th and 6th core. I think I might pay the extra for the 5th and 6th cores

 

[samotage]

A lot of people are still buying Phenom II X4 CPUs for gaming due to superior IPC to BD.

So I could pay $129USD for a CPU that's Old but preform's better (Odd huh?) than a $149.99 BD 6 Core CPU?

 

[whatsthatnoise]

It's all about the chips architecture ... and the bulldozer just fail at it

 

[samotage]

It's all about the chips architecture ... and the bulldozer just fail at it

Hmm :/

 

[whatsthatnoise]

There's still the difference between benchmarks and "real world" performance. Benchmark are brute numbers that compare competitors. You will be able to do what you want with any of these CPUs. As long as you don't care that there are some chips being better at the same thing.

Keeping in mind that you want to go Intel at some point and that the 4100 is a good value chip that easily OC's to a stable ~4.1, I'd go with that one.

 

[iam2thecrowe]

its not hard to read a review. FX chips suck, go read a review.

 

[Raidur]

If you're wanting 6 cores you can try the 960t. It has 2 disabled cores that can sometime be successfully unlocked. Even as just a quad it will work just fine and is a bargain at $125.

Do you even do anything that would benefit from >4 cores?

4 cores is more than enough for multi tasking.

 

[HEXiT]

if its purely for gaming the phenom 2 has better single and dual threading performance which is more important for games as they currently dont on the whole use more than 2-3 cores. the problem with bd is its single threaded performance is atrocious even when compared to much cheaper amd cpu's never mind intel 1s...
so unless your gonna need 6 or more threads i wouldn't bother with any BD even the soon to be released 1s... you may also want to consider a 960t which will match the 955be on single threaded performance and theres also a more than 50% chance that you can unlock the other 2 disabled cores if your board has the right feature set.

 

[samotage]

if its purely for gaming the phenom 2 has better single and dual threading performance which is more important for games as they currently dont on the whole use more than 2-3 cores. the problem with bd is its single threaded performance is atrocious even when compared to much cheaper amd cpu's never mind intel 1s...
so unless your gonna need 6 or more threads i wouldn't bother with any BD even the soon to be released 1s... you may also want to consider a 960t which will match the 955be on single threaded performance and theres also a more than 50% chance that you can unlock the other 2 disabled cores if your board has the right feature set.

would a ga-970a-d3 AM3+ Board be able to unlock any of the extra 2 cores?

 

[HEXiT]

i think that does as it has unique features and unlock is mentioned. i cant say for sure so some1 with more knowledge should answer that. but i think it will do it...


edit* http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128521 yes it does...