Best budget AMD proc for overclocking?

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mingsoup

Golden Member
May 17, 2006
1,295
2
81
athlon 5000+ 2.2Ghz for like 40 bucks.

unlocks to 4 cores and 6mb L3 cache and then overclocks to 3.3Ghz.

That's like 400% increase in performance. Can't beat that.

Could you link an article or retailer who possibly details that? I'm also in the market for a new CPU and that sounds fascinating.
 

jchu14

Senior member
Jul 5, 2001
613
0
0
Could you link an article or retailer who possibly details that? I'm also in the market for a new CPU and that sounds fascinating.

You can get one at ewiz here http://www.ewiz.com/detail.php?name=...2-2GHz-AM2-OEM

It's $35+shipping right now after coupon. Pretty sweet deal for a 45nm dual core. Though the core unlocking is not guaranteed and the overclock can be limited by the HT-NB speed due to the low 11x multiplier.
 

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,582
10,785
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Price went up; it's $40 + shipping now. Is this chip a cut-down x4 920/940 which would give it no DDR3 support?
 

jchu14

Senior member
Jul 5, 2001
613
0
0
Price went up; it's $40 + shipping now. Is this chip a cut-down x4 920/940 which would give it no DDR3 support?

Use coupon code "BEACH5" to knock $5 off. As to the DDR3 question, I don't know for sure. But here's a long thread on slickdeals about this processor, this issue should've been brought up. SD link
 
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DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,582
10,785
136
Use coupon code "BEACH5" to knock $5 off. As to the DDR3 question, I don't know for sure. But here's a long thread on slickdeals about this processor, this issue should've been brought up. SD link

From your link:

Reports on unlocking, and from details at cpu-world.com. Processors made with code CACZC are AM3 cores and are seem harder to unlock (usually?). Earlier code CACVC are AM2+ cores and appear to be easier to unlock. People are reporting getting both models from EWiz, it may be random which you get or the earlier CACVCs may be all gone now!? It seems AMD changed over somewhere in between these lots, so 0950s are CACZC and 0946s are CACVC.

Hmm!

AD5000ODJ22GI CPUs with CACVC AC stepping code are based on socket AM2+ Deneb core, and support only DDR2 memory. There are many reports of successful unlocking of processors with CACVC AC stepping. The CPUs with CACZC AC stepping code should be based on socket AM3 Deneb core. We don't have sufficient information on how unlockable these microprocessors are. As a disclaimer, be aware that not all processors can be unlocked, and not all motherboards can unlock the cache and the cores. There is also a chance that the unlocked core(s) will be unstable.

So basically it's a crapshoot. Get one of the newer ones, and DDR3 is supported, but unlocks are harder . . . get an older one, and no DDR3 support.
 

konakona

Diamond Member
May 6, 2004
6,285
1
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successful unlock & oc seems to top out at around 2.8ghz. might be sufficient for most tasks but not all that fast either :(
 

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,582
10,785
136
I suspect that the proc will be board-limited and RAM-limited. 4 ghz = 364 HTT, feeling lucky? I don't think RAM would hold up at those speeds since even CACZC chips are C2 (http://www.cpu-world.com/step_codes/C/CACZC%20AC.html), which means the mem controller won't make it to DDR3-1936. I don't think a C3 chip would make it there either, under most circumstances. For some reason the 1:2 RAM multi on all the K10s I use likes to lock up the system when overclocking, so that wouldn't be an option either unless someone has a board where that multi will work better.
 

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
15,987
2
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I suspect that the proc will be board-limited and RAM-limited. 4 ghz = 364 HTT, feeling lucky? I don't think RAM would hold up at those speeds since even CACZC chips are C2 (http://www.cpu-world.com/step_codes/C/CACZC AC.html), which means the mem controller won't make it to DDR3-1936. I don't think a C3 chip would make it there either, under most circumstances. For some reason the 1:2 RAM multi on all the K10s I use likes to lock up the system when overclocking, so that wouldn't be an option either unless someone has a board where that multi will work better.
Modern boards allow you to turn those down.

What you're saying certainly was true at one point. My E6600 system only goes up to 3150mhz before the motherboard stops detecting hard drives (350mhz fsb).
Newer systems from both AMD and Intel don't have this problem anymore. Hypertransport can be underclocked, memory can be underclocked, and northbridge can be underclocked.

Right now my Phenom 1055 is set to run at 3710mhz, but everything else is actually running below stock speed. This system is rock solid stable because of that. Stock HTT is 2000mhz, but mine is 1855 (265*7). Northbridge is the same. Stock memory is something like 1333mhz but mine is running at 1325 (265*5).

One can easily go up to 4ghz if the processor can handle 4ghz. HTT and memory can always be turned down.
 

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,582
10,785
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One can easily go up to 4ghz if the processor can handle 4ghz. HTT and memory can always be turned down.

What I meant is HTT, not HT link. Many AM2+/AM3 budget boards have problems pushing past 220-250 HTT (those stuck at 2.8 ghz with the x2-5000+ are probably hitting 254 HTT). The highest mine has hit is 315 HTT, and getting my RAM to go along with that was . . . interesting.

Sadly RAM can't always be turned down, or at least not low enough. My C2 Sempron 140 crashes @ stock with the 1:3.33 multi, so only the 1:2.66 and 1:2 multi are viable, and 1:2 crashes the system at anything but 200 HTT (DDR3-800). So, to overclock, I must use 1:2.66. I have no idea if an unlocked x2-5000+ would allow use of the 1:2 multi or not, but since it's a C2 chip, I have no reason to believe it would give me more headroom on the RAM (C2 chips seem to top out at around DDR3 1600-1700).
 

The Sauce

Diamond Member
Oct 31, 1999
4,738
34
91
We have read all the posts and conferred. The decision was for a P2-925 (currently $129 @ egg). Does anyone know if these are available in the C3 stepping?
 

Homerboy

Lifer
Mar 1, 2000
30,856
4,974
126
Ok I was just going to start a similar thread, so instead I will just tag along in this one.

I'm looking to upgrade from:

AMD Opteron 165 @2.4Ghz
DFI Lan Party
2x2GB RAM
NV 8800GT

I'm sticking with the 8800GT for right now.
I do moderate gaming, playing a fair amount of the newer titles (just not die-hard like I used to be).

I see my CPU being a major bottle neck as of late, and its just time to upgrae. HOWEVER, money is very tight. I need like a super-budget upgrade that will get me the most return on my dollar.

For now I will be sticking with Win7 32bit simply due to the $100 for a new license, but would like to go with 4GB of RAM to at least use the 3.25 or whatever 32bit can address.

I'll be happy to OC the CPU. While, I've never done it yet, I will take a stab at unlocking too.

MB need not be overly fancy. I don't need 100 SATA, or RAID, or anything crazy.

$$$ (or lack there of) is king in this instance.

Suggestions on CPU? MB? RAM?
 

jchu14

Senior member
Jul 5, 2001
613
0
0
My 5000+ from ewiz just arrived. Just for fun, I am gonna try to unlock and overclock it before putting it in a htpc build :)

AD5000GJ22GI
CACUC AC 1011DPMW
 

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,582
10,785
136
My 5000+ from ewiz just arrived. Just for fun, I am gonna try to unlock and overclock it before putting it in a htpc build :)

AD5000GJ22GI
CACUC AC 1011DPMW

That's a failed Shanghai. What is AMD doing?

http://www.cpu-world.com/step_codes/C/CACUC AC.html
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K10/A... 2378 - OS2378WAL4DGI (OS2378WAL4DGIWOF).html

I guess if you have leftover Opterons, you gotta do something with em.

Ok I was just going to start a similar thread, so instead I will just tag along in this one.

I'm looking to upgrade from:

AMD Opteron 165 @2.4Ghz
DFI Lan Party
2x2GB RAM
NV 8800GT

I'm sticking with the 8800GT for right now.
I do moderate gaming, playing a fair amount of the newer titles (just not die-hard like I used to be).

I see my CPU being a major bottle neck as of late, and its just time to upgrae. HOWEVER, money is very tight. I need like a super-budget upgrade that will get me the most return on my dollar.

For now I will be sticking with Win7 32bit simply due to the $100 for a new license, but would like to go with 4GB of RAM to at least use the 3.25 or whatever 32bit can address.

I'll be happy to OC the CPU. While, I've never done it yet, I will take a stab at unlocking too.

MB need not be overly fancy. I don't need 100 SATA, or RAID, or anything crazy.

$$$ (or lack there of) is king in this instance.

Suggestions on CPU? MB? RAM?

Well, my first suggestion is to see if your Opty 165 has any more overclocking headroom. An 8800GT isn't going to be all that bottlenecked by your CPU.

If you really want a cheap upgrade, well, take a look at the rest of this thread. There are numerous options. Your best bet would be to grab a combo deal somewhere so long as the featured board met your needs, since beating an Opteron 165 these days is not hard. Pretty much any Athlon II x2 or better would do the trick.
 

jchu14

Senior member
Jul 5, 2001
613
0
0
That's a failed Shanghai. What is AMD doing?

http://www.cpu-world.com/step_codes/C/CACUC AC.html
http://www.cpu-world.com/CPUs/K10/A... 2378 - OS2378WAL4DGI (OS2378WAL4DGIWOF).html

I guess if you have leftover Opterons, you gotta do something with em.
Interesting. Maybe AMD is reusing the letter combinations (though unlikely since they have 26^5 combination at their disposal). Also maybe I just misread them. I'll check them again when I pull it out.

The chip unlocked beautifully into a quadcore with 6mb cache and recognized as "AMD Phenom FX-5000" by CPU-Z. I am running into the motherboard's HTT clock limitations. HTT of 300 (3.3GHz) was not stable even when I cranked up VCore and VDDNB or dropped the multiplier. Right now I am LinXing at 291 (3.2GHz) with only 1.275 vcore and 1.25 vddnb. Not too shabby for a $36 cpu. Too bad there's no way to up the multipliers.

Though I am having some issues with the multiplier and dual channel memory. I've opened up a new thread here.
 

DrMrLordX

Lifer
Apr 27, 2000
21,582
10,785
136
I did a google search on your stepping code and came up with a few chinese forum responses saying that someone got an x2-5000+ that was a Shanghai. You aren't the only one.

Does your mobo support HT voltage? I've had some issues with high HTT speeds on my mobo that were solved by cranking up HT voltage a bit. I suspect that your CPU, being a failed Opteron, may have a ton of headroom for a C2 chip.
 

airdata

Diamond Member
Jul 11, 2010
4,987
0
0
I love my Athlon II 620. The 620, 630 and 635 are all around $80-100 and are going to perform much higher than an older gen x2 5000+ or similar cpu's that are still going for around $40-50.
 

Lark888

Golden Member
Oct 10, 1999
1,032
0
71
"Budget" gaming today - multiple cores are often of minor use. I recommend dual core higher clocked CPUs such as the 555BE with stock 3.2GHz and unlocked multiplier. If you get lucky (and it's not that uncommon to be lucky here), you will be able to get the third or fourth core running for multi-core programs such as encoding.

If you are near a Frys or MicroCenter, they both offer combos with MB for excellent prices. However, the combos change on regular basis and you may have to wait for the one you want.

I got a $99 BE555 at MicroCenter with "free M/B" about two months back. The M/B had the ACC (core unlocking) feature. I could unlock all four cores but usually only run the two cores as I do mostly gaming on the PC (and did not see a good reason to drag along the extra cores and watts). I do simply o/c with the multiplier. Most folks get at least 3.6 - 3.7 GHz.

I am using Hyper 212+, also from MicroCenter when it was on sale for $20 (normally $30 which is still a great deal).