Highest overclockable cheapest AMD processor?

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soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
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Current CPU having problems I think for some reason planning to investigate. Might just be that I've got my bus clocked a little too high (stock 200 running 228 on a C2 rev chip, 230 and it barely gets to Windows). I don't need 4 cores, have a good cooler, am wondering what the cheapest CPU I should get to replace my current CPU is, which would overclock the highest (4ghz pref via a high-frequency bus overclock-- ie prefer to not just use the multiplier, get better performance with bus OCing).

I don't need to upgrade to bulldozer.
 
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RyanGreener

Senior member
Nov 9, 2009
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soccerballtux said:
Current CPU having problems I think for some reason planning to investigate. Might just be that I've got my bus clocked a little too high (stock 200 running 228 on a C2 rev chip, 230 and it barely gets to Windows). I don't need 4 cores, have a good cooler, am wondering what the cheapest CPU I should get to replace my current CPU is, which would overclock the highest (4ghz pref via a high-frequency bus overclock-- ie prefer to not just use the multiplier, get better performance with bus OCing).

I don't need to upgrade to bulldozer.
Click to expand...

Well you say you don't need 4 cores, so a CHEAP option with good OCability is the Phenom II 555-560. You can get them for under 90 bucks, and even on STOCK cooling they've achieved decent OCs to 3.8ish. Since you have good cooling, it's probably very easy to get 4.0 GHz.
 
Arkaign

Arkaign

Lifer
Oct 27, 2006
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The spooky thing about that is not knowing for sure if the mobo has developed .. irregularities .. over time.

That said, I'd still go with a PhII for sure for the L3. Not so much $ more than the cheapies will get a 955BE, which is where I'd start.
 
wuliheron

wuliheron

Diamond Member
Feb 8, 2011
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It would help to know the socket of your mobo. Also, clock speed doesn't translate directly into performance. However a phenom II 720 x3 will do about 3.7ghz. That's plenty of cores and speed for most games, but you also might look into the Athlon II X3 450.
 
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soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
12,553
2
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wuliheron said:
It would help to know the socket of your mobo. Also, clock speed doesn't translate directly into performance. However a phenom II 720 x3 will do about 3.7ghz. That's plenty of cores and speed for most games, but you also might look into the Athlon II X3 450.
Click to expand...

It's an AM2+, and my 720 BE will only hit 3.5 in 64b Windows.
 
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jvroig

Platinum Member
Nov 4, 2009
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If this is meant just as a "temporary/transitional" processor (that is my interpretation of your question), the answer I am thinking of is an Athlon II X2.
-Doesn't have 4 cores (you said you don't need 4),
-not a BE (you said high-frequency bus overclock)
-very cheap, ~$50, nothing more than spare change
-supposedly, can reach 3.6 easily, and with your good cooler, maybe even a little more.

That is the cheapest and still decently OC-able, and the next step up from that would be the already mentioned Phenom II X2 (but that's a BE, and I think ~$80, so that's a hefty price delta from an Athlon II). It won't be the cheapest, but this supposedly goes to higher clocks.

Not sure how you compute "price vs max OC" to figure in a "highest OC cheapest processor", but it has to be one of those two depending on which factor you are leaning more heavily towards (price or max clocks).
 
LOL_Wut_Axel

LOL_Wut_Axel

Diamond Member
Mar 26, 2011
4,310
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The Phenom II X2 sucks. Don't even think about it. The Athlon II X3 is on average faster on games and most applications and costs less. If it doesn't unlock, you're left with a crappy (for its price) dual-core CPU. If you want a CPU that can go to 4GHz for cheap I recommend the Phenom II X4 925. It's available for only $90 at Newegg and is the C3 revision.
 
busydude

busydude

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2010
8,793
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If you are near MC.. you can buy Phenom II x4 840(No L3 cache) for $49.99. Check out the deals section for more info.
 
busydude

busydude

Diamond Member
Feb 5, 2010
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I don't live either of those stores, but from what I have read.. Frys only PMs if the product is in stock.. I guess that is a bummer for you. You might as well call and confirm though.
 
LOL_Wut_Axel

LOL_Wut_Axel

Diamond Member
Mar 26, 2011
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soccerballtux said:
Hm. I don't think that is C3 stepping? That's a slick deal though...thanks....
edit: oh, according to this it's C3 stepping http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/AMD/Phenom_II_X4_840/
this sounds like a winnar!
Click to expand...

Yeah, it is a C3 stepping... except in reality it should have been called an Athlon II X4 650, meaning it's based on the Propus core. That means that, even with the C3 stepping, you'll be stuck at only 3.7-3.8GHz. To be honest, the only decent CPU you're gonna find under $100 that can go to 4GHz is the Phenom II X4 925 C3. It's based on the newest revision of the Deneb core and not the Propus core which, BTW, also scales worse in performance than Deneb at 3GHz+.
 
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soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
12,553
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busydude said:
I don't live either of those stores, but from what I have read.. Frys only PMs if the product is in stock.. I guess that is a bummer for you. You might as well call and confirm though.
Click to expand...

I mean I can't find that $50 for the processor in writing anywhere except in their system, I would think you'd have to be able to show them "look $50" for them to pricematch it.
 
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soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
12,553
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LOL_Wut_Axel said:
Yeah, it is a C3 stepping... except in reality it should have been called an Athlon II X4 650, meaning it's based on the Propus core. That means that, even with the C3 stepping, you'll be stuck at only 3.7-3.8GHz. To be honest, the only decent CPU you're gonna find under $100 that can go to 4GHz is the Phenom II X4 925 C3. It's based on the newest revision of the Deneb core and not the Propus core which, BTW, also scales worse in performance than Deneb at 3GHz+.
Click to expand...

Oh.
 
Stuka87

Stuka87

Diamond Member
Dec 10, 2010
6,240
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If you want a chip to hold you over, I actually have a Phenom II 550BE that I am looking to sell. Was going to put it up on eBay, but if you want it, make an offer.

I ran it for over a year at 3.52Ghz with stock cooling and no voltage changes, and it ran 100% solid. I am sure you could get it higher with some voltage mods. I just never bothered to.
 
sm625

sm625

Diamond Member
May 6, 2011
8,172
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soccerballtux said:
It's an AM2+, and my 720 BE will only hit 3.7 in 64b Windows.
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You should be happy with that. You're talking about spending around $80 for what amounts to a MAXIMUM 10% performance gain, with a low probability of success. You have just as much of a chance at ending up with lower speed. How about an AM3+ motherboard? It would cost about the same and you would have an upgrade path.
 
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soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
12,553
2
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sm625 said:
soccerballtux said:
It's an AM2+, and my 720 BE will only hit 3.7 in 64b Windows.
Click to expand...
You should be happy with that. You're talking about spending around $80 for what amounts to a MAXIMUM 10% performance gain, with a low probability of success. You have just as much of a chance at ending up with lower speed. How about an AM3+ motherboard? It would cost about the same and you would have an upgrade path.
Click to expand...

did I say 3.7? 3.5 I meant. If it were 3.7ghz yeah it would be a no brainer.
 
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lau808

Senior member
Jun 25, 2011
217
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Stuka87 said:
If you want a chip to hold you over, I actually have a Phenom II 550BE that I am looking to sell. Was going to put it up on eBay, but if you want it, make an offer.

I ran it for over a year at 3.52Ghz with stock cooling and no voltage changes, and it ran 100% solid. I am sure you could get it higher with some voltage mods. I just never bothered to.
Click to expand...

if op isnt interested, i am :)
 
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soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
12,553
2
76
LOL_Wut_Axel said:
Well, do you have a good idea of what you're gonna get? That Phenom II X4 945 C3 at Newegg for only $95 is a damn good deal. 4GHz is pretty much guaranteed.
Click to expand...

I guess. I was really hoping for sub $70. But I might go for that just for the fun of it.

This isn't consistently a problem either...only manifests itself occasionally... what prompted this thread was consistent repeatability which has gone away. Maybe best to sit it out until Bulldozer hits and see how that compares.

edit: if I took the $95 I would spend on that processor and put it towards 8GB DDR3 ram and an AM3+ motherboard, I could put up with my current CPU shenanegans until a hot bulldozer chip comes out...this is tough...
 
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S

soccerballtux

Lifer
Dec 30, 2004
12,553
2
76
oh and to update, I have trouble seeing it being thermally related* as that 68C that I have set in Speedfan is actually 53C according to AMD Overdrive. So my Speedfan is way off and my Thermalright cooler works way better than I thought it did :D. So I just don't know if it's the CPU or the mobo or what. I read a post here the other day where someone said that if your prime95 has time to fail (which is what it does) then it's more likely a problem in the L3 cache. So I turned that down from 2.6ghz and 1.4v but my min gaming FPS was noticeably lower so turned it back up :(

*except for the part where it seems to develop at 66C and goes away when I turn off my PC and let it cool down to room temp.
 
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