AM3+ mobo - worth it to upgrade from Thuban 1045T to FX-something 8-core?

[VirtualLarry]

I have an AM3+ mobo, one of the earlier ones. It's an ASRock 990FX Extreme4. It's a fairly nice and robust board. It currently has a Thuban 1045T (2.7, with 3-core Turbo to 3.2, not multi-unlocked). I once had the 1045T OCed to 3.51 using a bus OC, but I put it back to stock, after the fan failed on my OCZ Vendetta cooler, and I replaced it with an AMD stock 4-heatpipe cooler.

Board supports SLI and CF. I don't currently have any SLI-capable NV GPUs, but I do have two 7950 cards, one in each of my G3258 rigs.

Just wondering if it would be worthwhile upgrading to a (95W, preferably) FX 8-core CPU.

Would any of them offer markedly better performance?

I do have a friend with an AM2+ board, and an Athlon X4 640 and 4GB of DDR2, that I could upgrade with my Thuban 1045T, so it wouldn't go to waste.

Edit: Was looking at the OEM FX-8310 95W CPU at TD. According to their specs, it has an unlocked multiplier.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=9494388&Sku=UMD-102759617

 

[Burpo]

Yes.. at stock speeds the FX-8310 has higher clockspeed & over 50% better performance..

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Phenom+II+X6+1045T

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+FX-8310+Eight-Core

 

[AtenRa]

Go for the FX-8320E, OC to 4.2GHz (Turbo off) with default cooler or higher with a better heat-sink.
Raise bus speed to 220-240MHz and keep NB close to 2600MHz, memory 1866MHz and above.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yes.. at stock speeds the FX-8310 has higher clockspeed & over 50% better performance..

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+Phenom+II+X6+1045T

http://www.cpubenchmark.net/cpu.php?cpu=AMD+FX-8310+Eight-Core

Thanks. That option is looking pretty good.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Go for the FX-8320E, OC to 4.2GHz (Turbo off) with default cooler or higher with a better heat-sink.
Raise bus speed to 220-240MHz and keep NB close to 2600MHz, memory 1866MHz and above.

I don't know if the FX-8320E is avail anywhere around here. What makes it better? The 8310 has a stock turbo of 4.3.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113376&cm_re=8320e-_-19-113-376-_-Product

Hmm, Newegg has it, but stock base / turbo clocks are lower than the 8310, and it costs slightly more.

 

[AtenRa]

I don't know if the FX-8320E is avail anywhere around here. What makes it better? The 8310 has a stock turbo of 4.3.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113376&cm_re=8320e-_-19-113-376-_-Product

Hmm, Newegg has it, but stock base / turbo clocks are lower than the 8310, and it costs slightly more.

The E series overclocks higher or at same frequencies as the non E but with lower voltages.

 

[VirtualLarry]

The E series overclocks higher or at same frequencies as the non E but with lower voltages.

I guess... I don't quite understand that. They're both 95W TDP, but one comes with higher stock base / turbo, but you are telling me that the chip with the lower clocks @ 95W TDP is actually the better overclocker?

 

[schmuckley]

I would say so..
8320 or something? Yes.

 

[NTMBK]

Yes, and post me your poor unloved Thuban :awe:

 

[AtenRa]

I guess... I don't quite understand that. They're both 95W TDP, but one comes with higher stock base / turbo, but you are telling me that the chip with the lower clocks @ 95W TDP is actually the better overclocker?

Yes, the E series can clock at the same or higher frequency as the non-E series but with lower voltages.

Both may be 95W TDP for the Heat-Sink but they use different voltages.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8864/amd-fx-8320e-cpu-review-the-other-95w-vishera/2

If you want to save some bucks and invest those for a better heat-sink then get the FX8310 and OC with a better cooler.
If you already have a better cooler than the default then go for the FX8320E or FX8370E and OC.

Just to know that after 4.3-4.4GHz you are reaching the end of the efficiency line. From there on and upwards the CPU will use more power than what you will get in performance. Each CPU is different so that line may vary 100-200MHz up and down.

 

[loccothan]

Go for the FX-8320E, OC to 4.2GHz (Turbo off) with default cooler or higher with a better heat-sink.
Raise bus speed to 220-240MHz and keep NB close to 2600MHz, memory 1866MHz and above.

Yep Hes Right :thumbsup: You will be happy with new FX+
DX12.3 with Windows 10 is coming ;-) So no problem with ustilise youre Module FX
I'm waiting for AMD ZEN High Performance 16-18nm 16 cores AD 2016

 

[Fox5]

I'm in a similar situation, but I've made the decision to wait for Skylake. The ~30% boost in cpu speed just isn't worth going FX for me when another $100 gets my an Intel cpu + motherboard with even better performance and much lower power usage.

 

[AtenRa]

I'm in a similar situation, but I've made the decision to wait for Skylake. The ~30% boost in cpu speed just isn't worth going FX for me when another $100 gets my an Intel cpu + motherboard with even better performance and much lower power usage.

For the skylake you will need

1: A new motherboard. You will have to choose a motherboard with DDR-3L OR another with DDR-4. The DDR-3L motherboards will be the cheap models and DDR-4 motherboards the more expensive(enthusiast/OC) models.

2: Skylake CPUs (Core i5) will be more in the $180-200+ range

3: Memory, if your current DDR-3 memory can run at DDR-3L specs you probable will not need to buy memory as well(im not 100% sure as of yet). But if you are going for the DDR-4 motherboards you also need to get DDR-4 memory.

I dont see how you came to the idea that a Skylake mobo + Motherboard (not to count DDR-4) is only $100 more than the FX8310/8320E alone.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I dont see how you came to the idea that a Skylake mobo + Motherboard (not to count DDR-4) is only $100 more than the FX8310/8320E alone.

I was wondering that myself. If I can get an upgraded CPU for $129 at TD, to max out that motherboard, I'm thinking I should, while FX is still available.

On the other hand, I barely use that machine. (Was crunching on it for a little while this winter season, but mostly, it sits idle. It's far from my primary machine.)

 

[soccerballtux]

Go for the FX-8320E, OC to 4.2GHz (Turbo off) with default cooler or higher with a better heat-sink.
Raise bus speed to 220-240MHz and keep NB close to 2600MHz, memory 1866MHz and above.

I've been mulling over overclocking the CPU-NB. Do you have any data or thoughts on this? I've heard it's not as important on these FX's as it was the Phenom2's.

Why the bus speeds? Again, Yes on Phenom2, hadn't heard this on FX.

 

[soccerballtux]

Yes, the E series can clock at the same or higher frequency as the non-E series but with lower voltages.

Both may be 95W TDP for the Heat-Sink but they use different voltages.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/8864/amd-fx-8320e-cpu-review-the-other-95w-vishera/2

If you want to save some bucks and invest those for a better heat-sink then get the FX8310 and OC with a better cooler.
If you already have a better cooler than the default then go for the FX8320E or FX8370E and OC.

Just to know that after 4.3-4.4GHz you are reaching the end of the efficiency line. From there on and upwards the CPU will use more power than what you will get in performance. Each CPU is different so that line may vary 100-200MHz up and down.

Interesting, your experiences mirror mine. I require 1.33v for stability at 4.3ghz (1.3125 was barely too low and I didn't feel like re-testing everything, just bump it twice and be done with it) and at least 1.38v at 4.5ghz, at which point it just wasn't important to me.

 

[soccerballtux]

I was wondering that myself. If I can get an upgraded CPU for $129 at TD, to max out that motherboard, I'm thinking I should, while FX is still available.

On the other hand, I barely use that machine. (Was crunching on it for a little while this winter season, but mostly, it sits idle. It's far from my primary machine.)

sell the 1045 on ebay [they're going] for $85 and you can upgrade for cheap.

 

[escrow4]

Chuck it and get a 5820K. Voila! Markedly better performance.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Chuck it and get a 5820K. Voila! Markedly better performance.

Uhm, yes, probably, but... kinda expensive, don't you think? I already have a nice motherboard, with two true PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots, and even a third x4 slot, and 4x4GB DDR3-1600 RAM installed. A drop-in CPU replacement is much easier and cheaper...

Edit: I should mention, I also picked up an ATX case and a Biostar TA970 AM3+ mobo recently too, which needs a CPU as well. So I might be looking at getting two FX CPUs.

 

[DrMrLordX]

The 8310 is a good deal if you can find it on TD when they have it down near ~$100 or so, otherwise, if it's priced near the 8320E, get the 8320E. Based on what I've seen, the 8320E is clocking a little bit better in the 1.33-1.36v vcore range (which is about as high as I'd go on most of those 4+1 boards like that Biostar). Plus you get a cooler that you probably won't need to replace.

 

[escrow4]

Uhm, yes, probably, but... kinda expensive, don't you think? I already have a nice motherboard, with two true PCI-E 2.0 x16 slots, and even a third x4 slot, and 4x4GB DDR3-1600 RAM installed. A drop-in CPU replacement is much easier and cheaper...

Edit: I should mention, I also picked up an ATX case and a Biostar TA970 AM3+ mobo recently too, which needs a CPU as well. So I might be looking at getting two FX CPUs.

Cheaper in cost only. Haswell-E would obliterate any FX. Plus all the benefits of a modern platform.

 

[crashtech]

Why not FX if the infrastructure is in place? Give it a run and then you'll know how moar cores stacks up against the Empire.

 

[Fox5]

For the skylake you will need

1: A new motherboard. You will have to choose a motherboard with DDR-3L OR another with DDR-4. The DDR-3L motherboards will be the cheap models and DDR-4 motherboards the more expensive(enthusiast/OC) models.

2: Skylake CPUs (Core i5) will be more in the $180-200+ range

3: Memory, if your current DDR-3 memory can run at DDR-3L specs you probable will not need to buy memory as well(im not 100% sure as of yet). But if you are going for the DDR-4 motherboards you also need to get DDR-4 memory.

I dont see how you came to the idea that a Skylake mobo + Motherboard (not to count DDR-4) is only $100 more than the FX8310/8320E alone.

FX-8350 - $179.99 (this will only give me about 30% performance increase from my 1090t, no point in looking at the lower FX chips)
I have the DDR3 memory already. No details have been released on motherboards though, so you're just making that up.

Most likely cpus will cost in the ballpark of current Haswell cpus, so let's say $200 for the cpu, but I'll have double my cpu performance instead of 30% more.
That still leaves me $80 for the motherboard, which should be sufficient.

 

[DrMrLordX]

FX-8350 - $179.99
That still leaves me $80 for the motherboard, which should be sufficient.

Dude nobody's telling him to buy an 8350. OP wants an 8310 or 8320E, and $180 for an 8350 is ridiculous. For that price you can get an 8370E. He has to be careful what CPU(s) he gets anyway, since he is also looking for something to put in that Biostar board with its 4+1 power setup.

OP did not ask about Intel CPUs. He wants a drop-in replacement for his 1045T plus something to put in his spare Biostar board, can we just leave it at that? If he wants an Intel chip, he can get Haswell right now and get a performance boost. Obviously he isn't looking for that. He's looking for low-cost solutions to populate CPU sockets on two different machines.

 

[gorion]

I'm in a similar situation.. I currently have the x6-1055t and I was wondering if it could be worthwile to replace it with the FX-6300. Based on the fact that on ebay x6-1055t seems to go for around 85€ and the FX costs 92 new online.. seems 30% faster in single thread and 20% in multithread from passmark.