Help me decide: Phenom II X3 705e VS Athlon II X2 250

[trancer84]

Hey everyone.
I'm looking to upgrade my 6yr old build.
My budget was to stay under $300 for processor/mobo/ram.
I wanted to keep power usage low because i'm using my old antec 350w.

Could anyone help me decide between these two processors? Any motherboard & ram suggestions would also be greatly appreciated!

AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor
AMD Phenom II X3 705e Heka 2.5GHz Socket AM3 65W Triple-Core Processor

My main uses for this build are just your everyday multi-tasking, some video encoding, and occasional light-gaming. I'd prefer an onboard graphics solution to save some money and power usage, but as long as i'm within my budget, i suppose a discrete graphics card would be better.

What do you guys think?

 

[Herr Kutz]

You could always pick up a Phenom 2 x3 720 & Asus Mobo with integrated graphics combo and undervolt the processor. http://www.newegg.com/Product/...?ItemList=Combo.205337

But out of the two processors you listed I would choose the Phenom 2 x3.

 

[Keysplayr]

Athlon II X2 79.00 with:

MOBO http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813157154 70.00

and

4GB GSkill DDR2 1066 RAM http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231166 50.00

79.00
70.00
50.00

199.00 Total.

The Motherboard has onboard ATI HD3200 (You said light gaming).

So, since your budget is 300.00, I'd upgrade your Power Supply to something a bit more current, like:

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817341016 40.00 after rebate.

that'll leave you with a good head start of about 50 bucks to put towards a discrete graphics card if the onboard HD3200 proves insufficient for your light gaming.

Keys

 

[Gikaseixas]

X3, you'll not regret having a 3rd core at your disposal

 

[Keysplayr]

Here is a pretty good discrete graphics card that can also help you with your video encoding.
So you sacrifice a core on the CPU, but you get a 96 shader discrete card for 54 bucks after rebate that can more than make up for being down a core on the CPU when it comes to video editing, and also kicks the crap out of the onboard HD3200 for gaming. Still a couple of dollars around your total budget limit.

So now you would have:

Athlon II X2: 79.00 AMD Athlon II X2 250 Regor 3.0GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Processor

ASRock AM3 Mobo 70.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813157154

4GB GSkill DDR2 1066 RAM 50.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16820231166

OCZ ModXStream Pro OCZ500MXSP 500W 40.00 http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817341016

ASUS EN9600GSO/DI/512M GeForce 9600 GSO 512MB 192-bit GDDR3 55.00 ASUS EN9600GSO/DI/512M GeForce 9600 GSO 512MB 192-bit GDDR3

CPU: 79.00
Mobo: 70.00
RAM: 50.00
PSU: 40.00
GPU: 55.00

Total: 294.00.

This doesn't account for shipping or money out before rebates. But still a damn nice rig for your budget.
And here is a link to an article discussing several video encoding apps that can run on the 9600GSO:

NVIDIA CUDA video editing application round up

It's pretty amazing what you can get for @ 300 bucks today. Especially coming from a 6 year old rig. A nice well rounded system that you should be happy with. Hope this helped you out.

Keys

 

[Philippart]

your use of the cpu shouts a clear X3!

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Philippart
your use of the cpu shouts a clear X3!

For most applications today though, look at the clock speeds comparing these two CPUs.

Athlon II X2 at 3GHz
Phenom II X3 at 2.5 GHz

Would the number of supported multithreaded apps in use today outweigh the clockspeed advantage of the dual core CPU in single threaded apps?

Tough call I guess. For me.

Or maybe he can go with this 95W model:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819103648
Phenom II 710 X3 for 99.00. He gets a slightly higher clock per core but it's not the low voltage 65W model, but weighs in at 95W. I dunno..

 

[Gikaseixas]

OP said he would use it for:

everyday multi-tasking
Advantage X3 705e

some video encoding
Advantage X3 705e

and occasional light-gaming
Advantage X2 250

Overall X3 wins

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
OP said he would use it for:

everyday multi-tasking
Advantage X3 705e

some video encoding
Advantage X3 705e

and occasional light-gaming
Advantage X2 250

Overall X3 wins

Ok, suit yourself. I was just trying to get the OP the most for his budget.

/cheers

 

[Gikaseixas]

don't get mad Keys, i'm just trying to get the OP the most for his needs

Peace

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
don't get mad Keys, i'm just trying to get the OP the most for his needs

Peace

You Dunce!!!

I'm not mad!! God the internet sucks sometimes.

I gave my two cents, that's all. Now I'm mad because you thought I was mad!!! :evil:

 

[apoppin]

X3 wins in light gaming also
- well even Phenom II 550 X2 kicks ass in heavy gaming over the older Athlon 250 X2

i am benching the Athlon right now and i would definitely pick the Phenom II for any gaming

and i would never depend on "unlocking" any extra cores with the Phenom II; that would just be a bonus. Phenom II overclocks decently in my experience; i am about to overclock the Athlon tonight

 

[Gikaseixas]

Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

Once the 4th core was unlocked on my X3, 9 out of 10 times it would come out ahead of the Q6600 at stock speeds. Single threaded apps also. PhenomII is much much better than the original Phenom. Extra cache probably plays a big part I would imagine.
If I o/c the Q6600 to the Phenom II stock speed, all that changes in favor of the Q6600 with the tables turned. The PhenomII will still come out ahead on a few apps, but for the most part, the Core2Quad still comes out ahead clock per clock. In gaming, you probably wouldn't notice a lick of difference however.

 

[Gikaseixas]

Originally posted by: apoppin
X3 wins in light gaming also
- well even Phenom II 550 X2 kicks ass in heavy gaming over the older Athlon 250 X2

i am benching the Athlon right now and i would definitely pick the Phenom II for any gaming

and i would never depend on "unlocking" any extra cores with the Phenom II; that would just be a bonus. Phenom II overclocks decently in my experience; i am about to overclock the Athlon tonight

the X2 250 performs very well in games and i'm sure it will have the upper hand in gaming. The 500 mhz advantage will make up...

Apoppin aren't you testing the X2 250 in your thread? you can lower your X3 720 to 2.5 and compare both. You have both of them so do us a favor and post some bench's here.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: apoppin
X3 wins in light gaming also
- well even Phenom II 550 X2 kicks ass in heavy gaming over the older Athlon 250 X2

i am benching the Athlon right now and i would definitely pick the Phenom II for any gaming

and i would never depend on "unlocking" any extra cores with the Phenom II; that would just be a bonus. Phenom II overclocks decently in my experience; i am about to overclock the Athlon tonight

No, none of use even considered unlocking any cores. We know that's a crap shoot.

 

[Gikaseixas]

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

Once the 4th core was unlocked on my X3, 9 out of 10 times it would come out ahead of the Q6600 at stock speeds. Single threaded apps also. PhenomII is much much better than the original Phenom. Extra cache probably plays a big part I would imagine.
If I o/c the Q6600 to the Phenom II stock speed, all that changes in favor of the Q6600 with the tables turned. The PhenomII will still come out ahead on a few apps, but for the most part, the Core2Quad still comes out ahead clock per clock. In gaming, you probably wouldn't notice a lick of difference however.

Interesting and what about both @ max OC settings? I think your X3 @ 3.6 will match your Q6600 @ 3.2

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

Once the 4th core was unlocked on my X3, 9 out of 10 times it would come out ahead of the Q6600 at stock speeds. Single threaded apps also. PhenomII is much much better than the original Phenom. Extra cache probably plays a big part I would imagine.
If I o/c the Q6600 to the Phenom II stock speed, all that changes in favor of the Q6600 with the tables turned. The PhenomII will still come out ahead on a few apps, but for the most part, the Core2Quad still comes out ahead clock per clock. In gaming, you probably wouldn't notice a lick of difference however.

Interesting and what about both @ max OC settings? I think your X3 @ 3.6 will match your Q6600 @ 3.2

i don't think Keys "does" Max OC


first you should know the Q9550 can be had for $169 [and it kicks butt over q6600]
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2315471&enterthread=y

Secondly, i am comparing - right now - Q9550 [at stock/3.1 GHz and at 4.0 GHz] verses
- Athlon 250 X2 [3.0 GHz/Max OC] > Phenon II 250 X2 [3.1GHz/3.9GHz] > Phenom II 720 X3 [2.8 GHz/Max OC]

http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2311476&enterthread=y

and damn .. i paid $119 for my X3 - last week

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

Once the 4th core was unlocked on my X3, 9 out of 10 times it would come out ahead of the Q6600 at stock speeds. Single threaded apps also. PhenomII is much much better than the original Phenom. Extra cache probably plays a big part I would imagine.
If I o/c the Q6600 to the Phenom II stock speed, all that changes in favor of the Q6600 with the tables turned. The PhenomII will still come out ahead on a few apps, but for the most part, the Core2Quad still comes out ahead clock per clock. In gaming, you probably wouldn't notice a lick of difference however.

Interesting and what about both @ max OC settings? I think your X3 @ 3.6 will match your Q6600 @ 3.2

It probably would, but...

Best I could get with stock coolers on both of these:
Q6600: 3GHz
720 X2: Unlocked 3.2GHz

I don't really care for o/c'ing that much. i almost never do unless it's a "new toy" and want to see how it does, albeit temporarily. I always just lower them back to stock. Easier for me to leave it alone. Can't be bothered with it otherwise.

 

[Keysplayr]

OP, you still around? Any thoughts?

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

Once the 4th core was unlocked on my X3, 9 out of 10 times it would come out ahead of the Q6600 at stock speeds. Single threaded apps also. PhenomII is much much better than the original Phenom. Extra cache probably plays a big part I would imagine.
If I o/c the Q6600 to the Phenom II stock speed, all that changes in favor of the Q6600 with the tables turned. The PhenomII will still come out ahead on a few apps, but for the most part, the Core2Quad still comes out ahead clock per clock. In gaming, you probably wouldn't notice a lick of difference however.

Interesting and what about both @ max OC settings? I think your X3 @ 3.6 will match your Q6600 @ 3.2

It probably would, but...

Best I could get with stock coolers on both of these:
Q6600: 3GHz
720 X2: Unlocked 3.2GHz

I don't really care for o/c'ing that much. i almost never do unless it's a "new toy" and want to see how it does, albeit temporarily. I always just lower them back to stock. Easier for me to leave it alone. Can't be bothered with it otherwise.

you only have stock cooling?
:Q

i knew about your distaste for O/C'ing .. now i think i know why

that stock cooler - AMD or Intel - is pretty suck compared to any decent tower cooler
- i left off overclocking my PII 550 X2 at 3.7 GHz when the temps went to 50s C

with my Hyper N212, i get 3.9 GHz with temps in the 30s C now - same load

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

Once the 4th core was unlocked on my X3, 9 out of 10 times it would come out ahead of the Q6600 at stock speeds. Single threaded apps also. PhenomII is much much better than the original Phenom. Extra cache probably plays a big part I would imagine.
If I o/c the Q6600 to the Phenom II stock speed, all that changes in favor of the Q6600 with the tables turned. The PhenomII will still come out ahead on a few apps, but for the most part, the Core2Quad still comes out ahead clock per clock. In gaming, you probably wouldn't notice a lick of difference however.

Interesting and what about both @ max OC settings? I think your X3 @ 3.6 will match your Q6600 @ 3.2

It probably would, but...

Best I could get with stock coolers on both of these:
Q6600: 3GHz
720 X2: Unlocked 3.2GHz

I don't really care for o/c'ing that much. i almost never do unless it's a "new toy" and want to see how it does, albeit temporarily. I always just lower them back to stock. Easier for me to leave it alone. Can't be bothered with it otherwise.

you only have stock cooling?
:Q

i knew about your distaste for O/C'ing .. now i think i know why

that stock cooler - AMD or Intel - is pretty suck compared to any decent tower cooler
- i left off overclocking my PII 550 X2 at 3.7 GHz when the temps went to 50s C

with my Hyper N212, i get 3.9 GHz with temps in the 30s C now - same load

Nope. Not why. If I had really wanted to o/c, it is nothing to run out to MicroCenter and pick up a nice tower cooler for each CPU. But, I just don't "feel" like bothering. I was in MicroCenter just this saturday to buy a new MP3 player that was on sale, and I went to look at the CPU's and then the heatsinks they had. I was like, "Meh". That is what you should put in your memo book, not what you think you know. :thumbsup: :heart:

And very nice o/c's there!! :thumbsup: again!

 

[Gikaseixas]

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

Once the 4th core was unlocked on my X3, 9 out of 10 times it would come out ahead of the Q6600 at stock speeds. Single threaded apps also. PhenomII is much much better than the original Phenom. Extra cache probably plays a big part I would imagine.
If I o/c the Q6600 to the Phenom II stock speed, all that changes in favor of the Q6600 with the tables turned. The PhenomII will still come out ahead on a few apps, but for the most part, the Core2Quad still comes out ahead clock per clock. In gaming, you probably wouldn't notice a lick of difference however.

Interesting and what about both @ max OC settings? I think your X3 @ 3.6 will match your Q6600 @ 3.2

It probably would, but...

Best I could get with stock coolers on both of these:
Q6600: 3GHz
720 X2: Unlocked 3.2GHz

I don't really care for o/c'ing that much. i almost never do unless it's a "new toy" and want to see how it does, albeit temporarily. I always just lower them back to stock. Easier for me to leave it alone. Can't be bothered with it otherwise.

you only have stock cooling?
:Q

i knew about your distaste for O/C'ing .. now i think i know why

that stock cooler - AMD or Intel - is pretty suck compared to any decent tower cooler
- i left off overclocking my PII 550 X2 at 3.7 GHz when the temps went to 50s C

with my Hyper N212, i get 3.9 GHz with temps in the 30s C now - same load

Nope. Not why. If I had really wanted to o/c, it is nothing to run out to MicroCenter and pick up a nice tower cooler for each CPU. But, I just don't "feel" like bothering. I was in MicroCenter just this saturday to buy a new MP3 player that was on sale, and I went to look at the CPU's and then the heatsinks they had. I was like, "Meh". That is what you should put in your memo book, not what you think you know. :thumbsup:

And very nice o/c's there!! :thumbsup: again!

i didn't know that, always thought you where a OC fan lol

I have a bunch of stock coolers laying around because i always buy aftermarket ones for each build.

 

[Keysplayr]

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

Once the 4th core was unlocked on my X3, 9 out of 10 times it would come out ahead of the Q6600 at stock speeds. Single threaded apps also. PhenomII is much much better than the original Phenom. Extra cache probably plays a big part I would imagine.
If I o/c the Q6600 to the Phenom II stock speed, all that changes in favor of the Q6600 with the tables turned. The PhenomII will still come out ahead on a few apps, but for the most part, the Core2Quad still comes out ahead clock per clock. In gaming, you probably wouldn't notice a lick of difference however.

Interesting and what about both @ max OC settings? I think your X3 @ 3.6 will match your Q6600 @ 3.2

It probably would, but...

Best I could get with stock coolers on both of these:
Q6600: 3GHz
720 X2: Unlocked 3.2GHz

I don't really care for o/c'ing that much. i almost never do unless it's a "new toy" and want to see how it does, albeit temporarily. I always just lower them back to stock. Easier for me to leave it alone. Can't be bothered with it otherwise.

you only have stock cooling?
:Q

i knew about your distaste for O/C'ing .. now i think i know why

that stock cooler - AMD or Intel - is pretty suck compared to any decent tower cooler
- i left off overclocking my PII 550 X2 at 3.7 GHz when the temps went to 50s C

with my Hyper N212, i get 3.9 GHz with temps in the 30s C now - same load

Nope. Not why. If I had really wanted to o/c, it is nothing to run out to MicroCenter and pick up a nice tower cooler for each CPU. But, I just don't "feel" like bothering. I was in MicroCenter just this saturday to buy a new MP3 player that was on sale, and I went to look at the CPU's and then the heatsinks they had. I was like, "Meh". That is what you should put in your memo book, not what you think you know. :thumbsup:

And very nice o/c's there!! :thumbsup: again!

i didn't know that, always thought you where a OC fan lol

I have a bunch of stock coolers laying around because i always buy aftermarket ones for each build.

I used to be, when o/c'ing made more of a difference than today. Today's CPU's are already faster than what I need, and so are graphics cards. (Not saying faster is never a good thing ) I never feel the urge to o/c anymore. Nothing is choppy, or running "just" slow enough to be a bother. It's all good.
So for me, it's a big "why bother". I only do it for fun when I get a new toy. But that's pretty much where the charm ends with me.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: apoppin

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas

Originally posted by: Keysplayr

Originally posted by: Gikaseixas
Cool

you did make a very good case for the X2 (you almost convinced me), i just like more cores and i believe he would see minimal gains in the areas he mentioned for minimal USD more

Keys how does your X3 stucks up against your Q6600 at the same clocks since you unlocked the 4th core on it?

Once the 4th core was unlocked on my X3, 9 out of 10 times it would come out ahead of the Q6600 at stock speeds. Single threaded apps also. PhenomII is much much better than the original Phenom. Extra cache probably plays a big part I would imagine.
If I o/c the Q6600 to the Phenom II stock speed, all that changes in favor of the Q6600 with the tables turned. The PhenomII will still come out ahead on a few apps, but for the most part, the Core2Quad still comes out ahead clock per clock. In gaming, you probably wouldn't notice a lick of difference however.

Interesting and what about both @ max OC settings? I think your X3 @ 3.6 will match your Q6600 @ 3.2

It probably would, but...

Best I could get with stock coolers on both of these:
Q6600: 3GHz
720 X2: Unlocked 3.2GHz

I don't really care for o/c'ing that much. i almost never do unless it's a "new toy" and want to see how it does, albeit temporarily. I always just lower them back to stock. Easier for me to leave it alone. Can't be bothered with it otherwise.

you only have stock cooling?
:Q

i knew about your distaste for O/C'ing .. now i think i know why

that stock cooler - AMD or Intel - is pretty suck compared to any decent tower cooler
- i left off overclocking my PII 550 X2 at 3.7 GHz when the temps went to 50s C

with my Hyper N 212, i get 3.9 GHz with temps in the 30s C now - same load

Nope. Not why. If I had really wanted to o/c, it is nothing to run out to MicroCenter and pick up a nice tower cooler for each CPU. But, I just don't "feel" like bothering. I was in MicroCenter just this saturday to buy a new MP3 player that was on sale, and I went to look at the CPU's and then the heatsinks they had. I was like, "Meh". That is what you should put in your memo book, not what you think you know. :thumbsup:

And very nice o/c's there!! :thumbsup: again!

i didn't know that, always thought you where a OC fan lol

I have a bunch of stock coolers laying around because i always buy aftermarket ones for each build.

I used to be, when o/c'ing made more of a difference than today. Today's CPU's are already faster than what I need, and so are graphics cards. (Not saying faster is never a good thing ) I never feel the urge to o/c anymore. Nothing is choppy, or running "just" slow enough to be a bother. It's all good.
So for me, it's a big "why bother". I only do it for fun when I get a new toy. But that's pretty much where the charm ends with me.

Are you serious ? :Q


Overclocking makes MORE difference today !!!
--You have some pretty fast graphics - they are choking right now for air ; i *KNOW* GTX 295 would like North of 4.0GHz; even my 4870-X2 shows me more love when i overclock ANY CPU i pair it with

My Hyper N 212 is a $30 cooler - i would NEVER run a stock cooler when they are that cheap and offer SO much
- and thank-you; it is the cooler responsible for the overclock to 3.9 GHz and a good 550 X2.

Tonight i find out where Athlon 250 X2 goes in its max OC - but i would DEFINITELY pick the Phenom II over the Athlon II for gaming [so far; comparing stock to stock]