Bottleneck

[darren0000]

is there any graphics card that will bottleneck with phenom ii x4 850, 8mb total cache. or can i max any graphics card?

thanks

 

[wr6133]

There is no definite answer to the question as it can alter depending on the game but all taken in to account I wouldn't personally run that with anything higher than a 560ti. While the top end Phenom II's when overclocked to the 4.0GHz mark can handle higher GPU's I doubt yours is going to OC that far. Remember though you can buy a better Graphics card if you want as if it bottlenecks a bit now it may not if you carry it to your next upgrade.

 

[Guest]

well i can say for certain you will have a problem in the 670/7970/680 area:
Test: Phenom II x4 970 & Phenom II x6 1090T BE - Gaming Performance HD 7970

 

[darren0000]

i just assumed this cpu was good enough to use any gpu, doesn't it depend on the match too ie ati card over nvidia?

 

[mafisometal]

The bottleneck should be VERY minimal. Shouldn't be a noticeable problem considering if there is a small bottleneck, increase the CPU/NB speed and it should make up for the bottleneck.

CPU/NB is what affects the GC-to-CPU tranfer. you can always do a small OC to remove the bottleneck. As long as it's a reasonable. Usually if it's around 2000-2200Mhz, it shouldn't bottleneck.

 

[wr6133]

well i can say for certain you will have a problem in the 670/7970/680 area:
Test: Phenom II x4 970 & Phenom II x6 1090T BE - Gaming Performance HD 7970

Nice link I been waiting to see something like that for a while

I just swapped from a Phenom X6 running a GTX670 to an i5 3570k with the GTX670, what I perceive as being noticable is the i5 is managing better average frame rates even if the max FPS I can get hasn't changed alot (my perception of BF3 multiplayer though so not a reliable test). The Phenom just seemed to have more/sharper dips though was still capable.

 

[darren0000]

i have been building and repairing for many years, never once dabbled in the gaming side of it or paid any attention to it as i have always had my ps3 lol im thinkn of getting the fx 8 core just cause my board can take it and just the fact of having it

 

[darren0000]

£145 is a bit exspensive but should save me a future upgrade for many years, and any bottlenecking, unless theres a card that would strangle the fx8 core?

 

[darren0000]

Nice link I been waiting to see something like that for a while

I just swapped from a Phenom X6 running a GTX670 to an i5 3570k with the GTX670, what I perceive as being noticable is the i5 is managing better average frame rates even if the max FPS I can get hasn't changed alot (my perception of BF3 multiplayer though so not a reliable test). The Phenom just seemed to have more/sharper dips though was still capable.

i heard the phenom x6 runs sweat as a nut? amd just cant compete with intel performance. i

 

[wr6133]

I wouldnt buy the FX81xx

While I think this is a good price for it (and the price it should hve been at launch as this price means it competes with i3)
http://www.cclonline.com/product/68161/FD8120FRGUBOX/CPUs/AMD-Bulldozer-FX-8120-Black-Edition-3-10GHz-Eight-Core-Processor/CPU0061/

Check out the price on this
http://www.cclonline.com/product/26599/HDZ955FBGMBOX/CPUs/AMD-Phenom-II-X4-955-Black-Edition-3-2GHz-Quad-Core-Processor/CPU0006/

Now to get the best from either you need to add a £20 CPU cooler

Is the 8120 worth £50 more than the Phenom II (for any americans reading thats $75 more)? To me the answer there is a definite no. From a building perspective that £50 buys a decent AM3+ mobo, meaning for a budget build the Phenom still rules the roost in my eyes.

For you as an upgrade I again wouldnt bother. Wait till the 83xx generation release in the coming weeks if they offer better or equal performance to the Intel CPU's at the same pricepoint then buy one of them. If they dont then save up and jump ship to Intel a Z77 board and an i5 can be had for around £200.

 

[darren0000]

so if should upgrade to the 955? will i notice a great deal of performance with my current chip ?

 

[darren0000]

with my phenom ii x4 850 i have the l3 cache unlocked 8mb total, so in real terms will i notice a huge diffrence worth enought to upgrade? thanks

 

[Kamen_BG]

No.The difference will be extremely small.You won't notice it even in benchmarks.The only thing you might want to do is buy a new CPU cooler and overclock it a bit.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103099&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

 

[wr6133]

No I wouldnt replace your Phenom with another Phenom or an 8120

For you a real worthwhile upgrade would be a platform change to intel (i5) or the new FX generation when it comes out (if it delivers performance at the right pricepoints). Obviously as you already have the AM3+ motherboard the AMD option is likely to be the most cost effective though I myself wouldnt get it unless the new FX 83xx manage this - Perform equal to or better than the Intel option at the same price. To me thats what killed the current FX until recentley 8120 cost nearly the same as a 2500k (at release it cost MORE) if the next 83xx costs more than a 3570k but performs worse than it in tasks relevent to you then again I can see it being a flop.

TLDR version - Stick with what ou have until the next gen FX is released then decide what move to make.

 

[darren0000]

my board only takes upto th e fx8150 so maybe upgrade my board, im currently using the asrock n68-vs3 fx

 

[Guest]

my board only takes upto th e fx8150 so maybe upgrade my board, im currently using the asrock n68-vs3 fx

you may want to wait for piledriver before upgrading the platform. (sorry not exactly an AMD expert so i don't know if your board will be compatible)

AFAIK hasell, the next gen of intel, doesn't seem to be a cpu performance upgrade over ivy bridge other than integrated graphics. but i haven't been keeping up with that lately so i may not be entirely correct.

though point being, hang out for piledriver, if you like what it provides for the money then consider it. until then it would be better to look at your gpu for an upgrade strategy. btw, what do you have now?

 

[darren0000]

asus 4350, not very good, got it for free, but im looking to spend 50-100 on a new one, any recommendation? also what is the specs for the piledriver? also i shouldnt see why a bios upgrade shouldnt be made available at the time or will run on my current bios update, which was updated from 1.20 to 1.70, my cpu worked just the same on bios 1.20 and the update has made no difference, unless 1.70 will allow for future upgrades beyond the fx 8 core?

 

[wr6133]

You will just have to wait to see if your mobo maker releases a BIOS update for PD, it's safe to assume higher end 9xx chipsets will but lower down the scale the manufacturers may not..... thats speculation on my part though.

You could if you stretched a little afford a new 650ti
http://www.cclonline.com/product/93090/106994/Graphics-Cards/Palit-Geforce-GTX-650-TI-1024MB-OC/VGA0811/
As an Nvidia fanboi I will let someone else give you another option!

 

[darren0000]

nice card, i will get that one. is there a chance it may work with the new bios update 1.70 just released a few weeks ago, my bios nows say microprocessor update which it didnt have, i think lol would the manufacturers update in advance or do they have to wait on the actual release of the cpu? wouldnt they work in conjunction with cpu manufacturers? or is this a stupit thing to say lol

 

[darren0000]

is the piledriver am3+? and what are the specs?

 

[wr6133]

I wouldnt worry about your update if MSI release support for a new CPU it will appear on the website page for your board that lists compatible CPU's. PD will be AM3+ as to how it performs we don't know till it releases which should be in the next week or so. Personally I wouldnt get excited as even if it performs well I bet AMD price it badly compared to Intel equivalents therefore making it unappealing.

 

[darren0000]

The high end Piledriver chips (125W TDP) will be clocked at 4GHz or higher, and be the performance equivalent of a 4.2GHz (or higher) 'dozer (i.e. ~ 14% performance enhancement).

If you want to consider lower down the scale, the 95W FX-8100 has a 2.8GHz base speed - an equivalent 95W Piledriver will be clocked at 3.1GHz (like the 125W FX-8120) but perform like a 3.3GHz 'dozer, with a 30W lower TDP.

Besides, within the same power envelopeactual silicon power draw can vary significantly - the TDP is only there as a cooling guide for quick ratification of existing third-party coolers. Trinity seems to have much better power characteristics than Llano, which bodes well for desktop Piledriver...

 

[darren0000]

if this is anything to go by then im not to exicited lol

 

[Guest]

if this is anything to go by then im not to exicited lol

it may not be too exciting but it does give a bit of hope. amd has at least made up for the ground they lost with bulldozer. much more than that would be rather ambitious.

 

[wr6133]

It's how well they do overclocked under cheap air coolers I want to know and we will have to wait to find that out.

Also what will they cost 8120 on release and for a long time cost more than a 2500k it just couldnt justify itself to alot of people especially when it offered no real upgrade on my Phenom II