Thinking of getting a phenom

[Titan7171]

Well I got a Surprise bonus today and have some extra cash. I just bought a 6400X2 about 2 weeks and a K9A2 Platinum about 1 week ago and feel like getting a Phenom to replace it. What would you do??

Or Im kinda interested in the new E8400 c2D

Not really sure which way to go......If I go E8400 Ill have to get the cpu mobo and ram......if I go Phenom i need just the cpu and maybe ram. Or I could just stay with the 6400 and K9A2 and get some uber ram.

What do you think?

[Jakalwarrior]

Save it. Buy a kick arse new GPU when the new gen comes out or wait on phenom to get fast.

[informal]

I agree with Jakalwarrior.Save your current system,it's very fast.You don't know how fast it is until you get that feeling of sluggishness in Windows when you drop IMC based CPU (high clocked K8 for instance) for /name undisclosed/ CPU.

[Brother Esau]

If you get the Phenom make sure you get the Phenom 9500 $189.00 "shipped" from New Egg and its seems to do the best out of the lot!

[ZL1Killa]

If you get the Phenom make sure you get the Phenom 9500 $189.00 "shipped" from New Egg and its seems to do the best out of the lot!

either do what he says, or just SAVE IT. currently in the transition and AMD is working kinks out

[Titan7171]

when is the 3870X2 coming out maybe I should wait for that?

[Brother Esau]

It is being re;eased in One Week:) That would be a great option seeing how it will consume about half the power of the 2900's;)

[tbone8ty]

Well I got a Surprise bonus today and have some extra cash. I just bought a 6400X2 about 2 weeks and a K9A2 Platinum about 1 week ago and feel like getting a Phenom to replace it. What would you do??

Or Im kinda interested in the new E8400 c2D

Not really sure which way to go......If I go E8400 Ill have to get the cpu mobo and ram......if I go Phenom i need just the cpu and maybe ram. Or I could just stay with the 6400 and K9A2 and get some uber ram.

What do you think?

toms hardware just had an article about how the x2 scales with the phenom. its an intersting read.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/01/14/phenom_vs_athlon_core_scaling_compared/

[AliG]

Honestly, I think waiting for k10.5 would be the smart move, k10 isn't the real k10 imo, I don't think its performance is where it should have been. I know I'll probably get yelled at by the intel guys for saying this, but I believe firmly that the original k10 design would have yielded far better results, but due to die size, bugs etc, they had the scrap parts of the chip. So unless if k11 is supposed to be the a modified version of the original k10 and k10.5 only adding the rest of sse4, 45nm will be the way to go for an amd setup

Now a c2d e8500, that would be a kick arse cpu, though the thing you'd have to consider is also buying a new mobo which wouldn't be worth it with nehalem changing sockets

[Titan7171]

It is being re;eased in One Week:) That would be a great option seeing how it will consume about half the power of the 2900's;)

Actually I think it will consume the same as one HD 2900XT actually about 200w 100(or less hopefully) for each gpu


toms hardware just had an article about how the x2 scales with the phenom. its an intersting read.

http://www.tomshardware.com/2008/01/14/phenom_vs_athlon_core_scaling_compared/

Will read this now:yepp:

[Corsa]

Originally posted by: Informal

I agree with Jakalwarrior.Save your current system,it's very fast.You don't know how fast it is until you get that feeling of sluggishness in Windows when you drop IMC based CPU (high clocked K8 for instance) for /name undisclosed/ CPU.
....this is something i too have noticed, wonder if Nehalem with IMC will solve this issue... ?

AMD Quad-Core Barcelona Gets Big Boost From Little-Known Benchmarks @ informationweek.com
(http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2008/01/amd_quadcore_ba.html)


"A lot of people think AMD's 'native quad-core' mantra was just empty hype, meaningless to end users. I disagree. In highly concurrent software, cache coherency plays a big part in the performance picture, and it's pretty clear that AMD's design excels here.

Everyone is talking about [Intel's] Nehalem and how it will have an on-die memory controller and QuickPath point-to-point interconnect. Obviously, AMD picked the right system architecture and now Intel is following, so there's nothing to even debate here.

[gOtVoltage]

Give AMD a little more time...they are Maturing the Phenom platform finaly...I had just Ordered a new 9600Black and Tseries770.. Just to play with to get used to the settings and will keep it @stock clocks when im done..Its a Decent 2.3/24ghz X4 platform for the money Vs buying the Intel Q6600= a few hundred more including Mobo.

If your into Overclocking and like Intel the new 8500 cranks some huge oc4.5ghz+..I like AMD ..There for i will always give them time to mature when things dont go as planned.

The big if you can wait ,, Just wait,,This is if AMD is what you want to play around with.. I will buy a Full blown X4 sytem when the time comes. The world isnt flat and Intel//AMD will allways be Ahead or Behind each other..AMD is where INTEL used to be when X64 came around...The Phenom will only get better....Its a mindblowing bloody cyle those two play. I wish it would go in shorter cycles instead of 2year/4year swingshifts:rofl:

[pvtdonuts]

If you get the Phenom make sure you get the Phenom 9500 $189.00 "shipped" from New Egg and its seems to do the best out of the lot!

Why do you say it is the best of the lot? Just curious as I haven't heard too much about the clocking capabilities of the Phenoms.

[Brother Esau]

Why do you say it is the best of the lot? Just curious as I haven't heard too much about the clocking capabilities of the Phenoms.

Well all you need to do is read the AMD threads here and you will find that people that are working on debugging the situation have found that the best so far out of 9500, 9600 , 9600 BE is the Phenom 9500 just read and you will see for your self:clap:

[pvtdonuts]

gotcha, how do you like your 6400+ be?

[Brother Esau]

I like it just fine on par in most instances with C2D with no latency:up:

[Blacklash]

I'd keep the CPU you have at this time.

[gOtVoltage]

Well all you need to do is read the AMD threads here and you will find that people that are working on debugging the situation have found that the best so far out of 9500, 9600 , 9600 BE is the Phenom 9500 just read and you will see for your self:clap:

+1,,but i do have a9600Black comming to play with on a Tseries770..i need practice:D

[Brother Esau]

Practice what getting a head ache :D

[KTE]

Depends why you want to buy it honestly ...?

1) Do you need a quad core realistically?
2) Too much spare cash so you want to put it to somewhere?
3) Want to try something latest, to experience out first hand yourself?
4) To go along with the trend?
5) As a fashion statement :p:?
6) To find a good ocer?
7) To post huge ocs and high benches?
8) To compete in some benches?
9) As a cheap quad addition or HTPC usage?

-If it's 1), 2), 6), 7) and 8) I'd not waste your money on Phenom.
-If it's 3) and 9), it is your choice to do so and it's within reason.
-If it's 4) and 5), I'd think for another year yet.

Deliberation in planning is a virtue. ;)

[Titan7171]

Depends why you want to buy it honestly ...?

1) Do you need a quad core realistically?
2) Too much spare cash so you want to put it to somewhere?
3) Want to try something latest, to experience out first hand yourself?
4) To go along with the trend?
5) As a fashion statement :p:?
6) To find a good ocer?
7) To post huge ocs and high benches?
8) To compete in some benches?
9) As a cheap quad addition or HTPC usage?

-If it's 1), 2), 6), 7) and 8) I'd not waste your money on Phenom.
-If it's 3) and 9), it is your choice to do so and it's within reason.
-If it's 4) and 5), I'd think for another year yet.

Deliberation in planning is a virtue. ;)

1)no
2)Not too much but some :)
3) Yes just like I did with the HD2900XT
4)negative
5)Not!
6)somewhat
7)yes
8)yes
9)somewhat

More than likely though I will just get a HD3870X2:)

[gOtVoltage]

Hmm 3 and 9 // 7 is optional...Depends on how big my head ache gets:rofl:

[Blacklash]

I'd save your cash and maybe try a HD 3870 X2. If works in games where Crossfire traditionally does not, it will be a very sweet card.

[Lmah2x]

Save the cash and wait for the new Phenoms, they should be out in 4 months.

[Thesavage]

Must say very happy with my Phenom even at stock its no slouch, also feels even more responsive in Vista than K8. (Flame away):)

[Blacklash]

No flames. I have an Agena 9600. It's a great chip and doesn't overclock well. It will do 2.4GHz like it's factory set and I can play around high in 2.5, however at that speed stability can be hit and miss.

It also limits HD 3850 Crossfire set to 760|2038 @ that speed. Below is a contrast of the Phenom @ 2.5GHz with the cards and then them supported by my 3.53GHz Q6600 G-0. In the GPU limited test "Canyon Flight" there is hardly a difference. Other tests show up to 20FPS. That reduction is being caused by the CPU. It wouldn't be a big deal if we were discussing 100FPS vs 120.

http://img301.imageshack.us/img301/7144/agenavsbx2zh8.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

So a 2.5 Phenom may limit a very strong graphics card or a couple of mid ranged ones in some scenarios. It is certainly still playable and I am not wild about leaving that kind of performance on the table. Why Crossfire if I am going to toss 15-20FPS in the 40-70FPS range out the window?

[gallag]

I agree with Jakalwarrior.Save your current system,it's very fast.You don't know how fast it is until you get that feeling of sluggishness in Windows when you drop IMC based CPU (high clocked K8 for instance) for /name undisclosed/ CPU.

lol, what you are trying to say is don't go with the Intel because they feel so much slower in windows because of the lack of an imc.

What a load of sh12, I have a core2 @3.4ghz and windows is instant. I have built and used more AMD systems than I have Intel as they have have held the lead most of the time I have been into computers but there is no need to try to put people of great tech because you have some agenda.

to the op

AMD is cheaper
Intel is faster
Inter uses less power

but the 6400x2 you have is still kick ass, hold out until cheaper 45nmquads come out or b3 phenom and see how that goes because unless you oc the e8400 to the max you will not notice that much improvement.

Also if that money is burning a hole in your pocket you could buy some good ram and cooling and oc that 6400x2 to the max

[Thesavage]

lol, what you are trying to say is don't go with the Intel because they feel so much slower in windows because of the lack of an imc.

What a load of sh12, I have a core2 @3.4ghz and windows is instant. I have built and used more AMD systems than I have Intel as they have have held the lead most of the time I have been into computers but there is no need to try to put people of great tech because you have some agenda.

to the op

AMD is cheaper
Intel is faster
Inter uses less power

but the 6400x2 you have is still kick ass, hold out until cheaper 45nmquads come out or b3 phenom and see how that goes because unless you oc the e8400 to the max you will not notice that much improvement.

Also if that money is burning a hole in your pocket you could buy some good ram and cooling and oc that 6400x2 to the max

I have posted this before but I had the opportunity to test a 6850 Intel rig right next to my phenom 9500 system, (build the Intel system for a friend). He was the one who comented on the speed differece in windows, and yes it was apparent and no, no bs or fan... hype.:yepp: