Phenom II x4 series...

Troncoso

Troncoso

VIP Member
Okay so on new egg these CPU's range from $124 to $179. A quick inspection shows that the only real difference between each is their initial clock speed the lowest starts at 2.8ghz and goes up to 3.5ghz.

Is this the only difference? Their cache is all the same. There are use 45 nm technology.

The only difference I could find was that the cheapest was 95w instead of 125w like the rest. But doesn't that mean it uses less power? Which is a good thing?

So my final question: Could I just get the 925, OC to around 3.5ghz and have basically a 970? Or does black edition mean something?
 
not too much, basically the phenoms are very easy to OC, if you want to buy the lower version I would suggest you invest good money in a great cooling system (ie, $50 on a cpu fan).

FYI, amd basically rates a chip for a certain speed based on the temperature it operates at certain speeds. So lets say that at 3.0GHz it is no longer a stable temp, then it might get rated as a 2.9GHz since it can operate within tolerances at that speed.
 
Black edition has unlocked core multipliers which makes it insanly easy to overclock. I asked these same questions when I bought mine and i was told to buy a 955 black edition and overlcok the crap out of it, thats exactly what i did. 955 BE comes 3.2ghz and im at 4.4ghz right now stable on aircooling.
 
There all the same other then clock speed and the BE being unlocked. But the lower clocked ones are probably from lower yields off the wafer. But taking a 925 to 3.5 should not be that hard. As long as your board has a good stable bus. Plus you will have to keep your memory and HT in check.
 
I love my Phenom II 940 Quad-Core. Almost all the programs I run with it barely cause it to work at all because it is so efficient running at stock speed. It is a powerful processor. I usually have about two cores working and the extra two just idling waiting for me to put them to work when using Windows XP. My Linux Ubuntu 10.4 utilizes all the cores better. You will not regret getting a Phenom II Quad-Core in my opinion.
 
Troncoso said:
So is that about it? I could grab a 925 oc it 3.5 and have a stock 970?
Click to expand...

Shouldnt be hard. Cooling is the key with AMD because the max temp is alot lower than Intel chips. your looking at a max temp of 65-70 degrees celcius with an AMD chip. So they tend to become unstable when you go high overclock with crappy cooling. So grab a great air cooler.
 
I've basically got the same thing, just with 2 extra cores and I can vouch for it. I mean yeah the i series is faster, but I really can't afford a new mobo every generation. Not to mention mine can pull 4Ghz stable without crazy amounts of voltage on a mid-low end board. There isn't anything I run that I find myself thinking "God I wish I had a faster CPU."

I still want a 2500k just so I can say my CPU is over 4.5Ghz, but still.
 
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