Simple Phenom vs Athlon question...

clquestor

New Member
Phenom dual-core or Athlon quad-core? I know there are many different types...but I'm assuming this is a simple answer...I hope. Reasoning is price...trying to stay low. If a buy a phenom dual, or even an athlon dual can I unlock the other cores with the correct motherboard?
 
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With either, it might unlock to x3 or x4, and might not. If it unlocks, the unlocked cores may not b stable. So there's 2 things to consider "luck of the draw". Just get the number of cores you need. If it happens to be 2 or 3, and it unlocks to x3 or x4, then it's just a bonus.
 
With either, it might unlock to x3 or x4, and might not. If it unlocks, the unlocked cores may not b stable. So there's 2 things to consider "luck of the draw". Just get the number of cores you need. If it happens to be 2 or 3, and it unlocks to x3 or x4, then it's just a bonus.

Thanks, any thoughts on phenom x2 versus athlon x4? Or even Phenom x4 vs Athlon x4?
 
basically the only diff between the 2 is that the phenom has a l3 cache and the athlon doesn't, with the exception of the phenom x4 840 i think, which is a athlon really, but if you look the price diff is only 20 (and for that you also get an extra .2ghz stock), and the performance boost should be worth it, but that goes down to which programs you plan to use, but if you plan to get bulldozer soon if you have a am3+ then i'd go athlon since it won't be a terrible difference, but if you plan to use it for a good while then go for the phenom 955
 
basically the only diff between the 2 is that the phenom has a l3 cache and the athlon doesn't, with the exception of the phenom x4 840 i think, which is a athlon really, but if you look the price diff is only 20 (and for that you also get an extra .2ghz stock), and the performance boost should be worth it, but that goes down to which programs you plan to use, but if you plan to get bulldozer soon if you have a am3+ then i'd go athlon since it won't be a terrible difference, but if you plan to use it for a good while then go for the phenom 955

Thanks for the info!
 
performance diff between a athlon and a phenom quad is like 15 percent in some places...but thats just the cache...main reason id get the phenom is for overclocking...as the price for unlocked multi is like 20 bucks...so sorta a no brainer.
 
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