I give up on FX-4100/4130 due to rising costs, moving on to Phenom II X2 570 unlocked

[waltchan]

I surrendered...FXs are still just too-expensive for me to operate. A dual-core with four-threads for $60 starting, no thanks.

I once purchased most of FX-4100/FX-4130 between $45-$50 shipped on eBay. Today, they have appreciated in value tiny-bit to $60 shipped for FX-4100, and now FX-4130 is selling comfortably for $75 shipped. I only have 4 FX CPUs left, once had 12 before, sold most for $53 before, including FX-4130. Should have hold on to them. I think it's got to do with Micro Center no longer having any FX-4130 OEM left in-stock, and supply has dried up on eBay for resale.

Due to rising one-time appreciate value before the Bulldozers start depreciating down again next year, I think I'll just unload all of them now and move on to Phenom II X2 570 BE for $26 each. Bought the last remaining five on eBay.

Some could unlock to quad-core, who knows... That's far more cost-efficient for me with 4 full cores at up to 3.8 GHz unlocked multiplier.

Please don't bash at me saying "who cares about price on FX." The Bulldozers don't run as fast as I thought for high-price I paid.

 

[.vodka]

Well, you were buying 1st gen BD parts, the FX 41xx series. These are hot, underperforming trash that you wouldn't touch even with a laser pointer. You want PIIs instead of these. As you've said, these usually unlock into full 6MB L3 PII quads, they're quite the deal.


Now if we were talking about FX 43xx processors then it's another story.

 

[VirtualLarry]

That kind of surprises me that first-gen dual-module BD parts would be selling for that much, even today. Especially when a Core2Quad nearly beats them in gaming.

 

[MajinCry]

The hell are you using these for? Whole thing sounds bloody odd.

You doing some sort of at-home web-hosting? Or ya trying to merch 'em off for a profit?

 

[PG]

The hell are you using these for? Whole thing sounds bloody odd.

You doing some sort of at-home web-hosting? Or ya trying to merch 'em off for a profit?

I feel a bit better now, I'm not sure what's going on either. Maybe he builds lots of cheap computers for people, either for a business or just to help people on a tight budget.

OP, why not move to the FM2+ platform. There are lots of cheap boards and used Kaveri APUs available. Then you don't need a graphics card either which is a plus.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I feel a bit better now, I'm not sure what's going on either. Maybe he builds lots of cheap computers for people, either for a business or just to help people on a tight budget.

OP, why not move to the FM2+ platform. There are lots of cheap boards and used Kaveri APUs available. Then you don't need a graphics card either which is a plus.

I do some of that too (building PCs for people, as inexpensively as possible). Waltchan clued me in to some FM1 part availability; for a basic browser box, that's cheaper than FM2 / FM2+ if you're just going to slap Win10 on it. Then again, the cheap A55 boards don't have USB3.0 or SATA6G, which is useful when you pair it up with an SSD. They do have AHCI, which helps somewhat.

I had previously built some FM2+ rigs, with the cheapest FM2 APUs I could find new, which were A4-6300 Richland FM2 APUs, for $45 ea. Still not super-cheap. And it seemed that performance was lacking a bit, at least in Linux. (Open-source video drivers to "blame", not being as high-performance as AMD's proprietary Windows' drivers?)

Those rigs had A55-chipset boards too, the FM2+ variety. I think that they were the same price as the ECS FM1 A55 boards, $28 shipped. (Which, at the time, was a relative steal for a brand-new working FM2+ board. Again, no USB3.0 or SATA6G though.)

Heck, even the AM1 platform has USB3.0 and two SATA6G ports standard. If only their 2Ghz+ AM1 quad-cores were cheaper, like $25, then AM1 would be a viable discount platform. (AM1 APUs have a modern GCN iGPU in them.)

I built some AM1 rigs too, based on a deal I had found at NeweggFlash, for some Sempron 3850 1.3Ghz AM1 quad-core APUs for $20. I splurged a bit on the overclockable ASrock AM1 boards with the four SATA6G ports (two provided by an auxiliary chips), but when overclocked (and they don't OC much), the DVD drive wouldn't function to boot off of. At 1.3Ghz (stock), their slow single-threaded performance becomes painfully apparent, even with an SSD installed.

 

[waltchan]

That kind of surprises me that first-gen dual-module BD parts would be selling for that much, even today. Especially when a Core2Quad nearly beats them in gaming.

Yes, I was really shocked about Bulldozer prices. FX-4300 is going for no more than $10 more than FX-4100. Still too expensive for me, despite I have two ready for resale now at $68 each I'm listing.

But still, I think it has got to do with current socket. People will always bid too much than expected for FX-4100 as long as it's a current socket. Same thing as for FM2, who wants a A4-4000 for $35 from China. Until Zen...

 

[waltchan]

OP, why not move to the FM2+ platform. There are lots of cheap boards and used Kaveri APUs available. Then you don't need a graphics card either which is a plus.

Gigabyte GA-78LMT-USB3 board is still always the cheaper-solution for me, as long as I don't install it with FX, which then makes it cost-prohibitive. Phenom from now on...

Had AMD released FX-2100 with only two-threads, I would be a loyal customer for it. Estimated used price will go for $30 today. Since it would only have one-core, it can be overclocked up to 4.7 GHz easily.

 

[escrow4]

I feel a bit better now, I'm not sure what's going on either. Maybe he builds lots of cheap computers for people, either for a business or just to help people on a tight budget.

OP, why not move to the FM2+ platform. There are lots of cheap boards and used Kaveri APUs available. Then you don't need a graphics card either which is a plus.

Why would you buy 5 low end rubbish processors now, another 5 a week later when you should have just bought a Skylake i5 in the first place? :\

The whole appreciation/depreciation is irrelevant. Buy what you need to do what you need right now and upgrade when it isn't good enough anymore. Scouring Ebay for obsolete CPUs with equally obsolete mobos just doesn't make sense. Its cheap for a reason.

Is there some sort of kinky black trade going on with these junk parts so they are still being sold? Some sort of cardboard box hesitant shuffling with furtive looks in dimly lit locations?

 

[nenforcer]

who cares about price on FX." The Bulldozers don't run as fast as I thought for high-price I paid

Once you start complaining about your Phenom ][ X2 570 being overpriced I've got a single core Sempron 145 for $15 I can sell you.

 

[waltchan]

Why would you buy 5 low end rubbish processors now, another 5 a week later when you should have just bought a Skylake i5 in the first place? :\

The whole appreciation/depreciation is irrelevant. Buy what you need to do what you need right now and upgrade when it isn't good enough anymore. Scouring Ebay for obsolete CPUs with equally obsolete mobos just doesn't make sense. Its cheap for a reason.

Is there some sort of kinky black trade going on with these junk parts so they are still being sold? Some sort of cardboard box hesitant shuffling with furtive looks in dimly lit locations?

Phenom II X2 570 is the highest-end model in Callisto series, behaves very-similar to Core 2 Duo E8600 in pricing. Many sellers in China want to charge $60 for it. It's expected to hold its resale-value higher than FX-4100 in 2017.

I don't own a single Skylake board at this moment, still waiting for prices to drop. No DDR4 as well. Thanks for your concern, and go enjoy your pricey Core i5/i7.

 

[nerp]

I built my rig for less than $300 (kept case) and it's Skylake and it is more powerful than all of your computers combined and I don't have to spend a penny on it for at least 5 years. I don't see your value proposition at all.

 

[MiddleOfTheRoad]

I built my rig for less than $300 (kept case) and it's Skylake and it is more powerful than all of your computers combined and I don't have to spend a penny on it for at least 5 years. I don't see your value proposition at all.

And someone gave me a Desktop with a Q9400 for free. Still a better value than spending $300 on anything -- and a 5+ year old cpu is still more than enough for a web surfer.

I know quite a few people who are still running Athlon II's. Unless a person is a power user / gaming -- there is practically zero need for a CPU upgrade right now.

 

[MajinCry]

Phenom II quad cores are fine, really. They won't give you 60fps in Skyrim, and won't give you a constant 30 in Fallout 4, but eh. That's just due to AMD's crappy chipset.

Running Presonus Studio One right the now, and they're holding up just fine; 5x Drum tracks + 2x guitar tracks + 1x bass track, and they ain't going going over 50% usage.

Admittedly, my 965 is a bit slow when doing 4kx4k heightmaps with loads of erosion, but eh. That's a pretty huge workload.

 

[escrow4]

And someone gave me a Desktop with a Q9400 for free. Still a better value than spending $300 on anything -- and a 5+ year old cpu is still more than enough for a web surfer.

I know quite a few people who are still running Athlon II's. Unless a person is a power user / gaming -- there is practically zero need for a CPU upgrade right now.

60FPS online videos would melt an Athlon II, any ad heavy site unless you are running ad blockers and even then, plus HEVC or even MP@ L5.1 x264 with a lot of reference frames. And a modern CPU would not only be vastly faster but suck way less juice.

 

[Hi-Fi Man]

K10 and Core 2 are still plenty useful for the basics and a little extra. I still know four people that are still using a Phenom X4 9750, Athlon II X2 250, Phenom II X2 545, and Xeon E5450 (LGA 771 mod). I'm really surprised at how well these CPUs do, especially the Phenom X4 9750 system. It's got a 64GB Plextor SSD that's basically a slightly faster Crucial m4, nForce 430 chipset, 8GiB of DDR2, Quadro FX 380 LP, and Windows 10. That system handles browsing like a champ including 60fps 1080p.

 

[nerp]

And someone gave me a Desktop with a Q9400 for free. Still a better value than spending $300 on anything -- and a 5+ year old cpu is still more than enough for a web surfer.

I know quite a few people who are still running Athlon II's. Unless a person is a power user / gaming -- there is practically zero need for a CPU upgrade right now.

Perhaps if you're on a slow DSL connection and only have one open tab at once fullscreen. Or just use a word processor. But on Anandtech forums, one assumes people do more with their computers than just check aol email. My commentary is directed at the people who end up spending hundreds of dollars piling up old parts to build slow computers to sell to unsuspecting people for meager profits. I just feel bad for the people who spend $150 for an 8-year-old platform when they could spend $175 for a perfectly usable Chromebook that would run circles around it or, as you say "is more than enough for a web surfer." Not only that, it has warranty and isn't used.

 

[VirtualLarry]

But on Anandtech forums, one assumes people do more with their computers than just check aol email.
when they could spend $175 for a perfectly usable Chromebook

I'm going to pick on you for a second there, nerp, because of the inherent irony in those statements.

Mostly because Chromebooks don't "run programs", they "just browse", and in effect, they are only good for checking AOL webmail and Facebook.

 

[Hi-Fi Man]

I just feel bad for the people who spend $150 for an 8-year-old platform when they could spend $175 for a perfectly usable Chromebook that would run circles around it or, as you say "is more than enough for a web surfer."

Not even close, http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/22?vs=1227

 

[frozentundra123456]

I'm going to pick on you for a second there, nerp, because of the inherent irony in those statements.

Mostly because Chromebooks don't "run programs", they "just browse", and in effect, they are only good for checking AOL webmail and Facebook.

Yea, does seem like a contradiction to disparage older hardware for lack of functionality and then suggest a chromebook. I think the widespread availability of cheap atom laptops, although not ideal performance wise, has blunted the chromebook craze to a certain extent. Although slow, they are still more functional than a chromebook.

That said, I do agree with nerp that usually it is better to just get newer hardware than to purchase a several years old phenom II or core 2 system. They are still functional if one has the hardware already, but it is not something I would buy unless *extremely* strapped for funds. New hardware is faster, more efficient, relatively cheap, has not been abused, and comes with a warranty.

 

[VirtualLarry]

That said, I do agree with nerp that usually it is better to just get newer hardware than to purchase a several years old phenom II or core 2 system. They are still functional if one has the hardware already, but it is not something I would buy unless *extremely* strapped for funds. New hardware is faster, more efficient, relatively cheap, has not been abused, and comes with a warranty.

I would agree with that. Stick to newer hardware, if you can afford it. Usually, it's better. Though, not with pre-built PCs, and the introduction of Atom into the mainstream Celeron and Pentium lines, and the race to the bottom. In that case, a used / refurb Core2 / Athlon II rig makes perfect sense for someone on a tight budget, as compared to a brand new Walmart Acer special with an Atom in it.

 

[frozentundra123456]

I would agree with that. Stick to newer hardware, if you can afford it. Usually, it's better. Though, not with pre-built PCs, and the introduction of Atom into the mainstream Celeron and Pentium lines, and the race to the bottom. In that case, a used / refurb Core2 / Athlon II rig makes perfect sense for someone on a tight budget, as compared to a brand new Walmart Acer special with an Atom in it.

Yes, if buying prebuilt, one needs to know enough to avoid atom where ever possible in larger laptops and certainly in desktops. I still would rather have a ulv big core celeron, but if you can find one for 200.00 or less, a small atom laptop might be acceptable. Especially since used older laptops tend to run really hot and have horrible battery life, and are prone to failure.

 

[VirtualLarry]

Yes, if buying prebuilt, one needs to know enough to avoid atom where ever possible in larger laptops and certainly in desktops. I still would rather have a ulv big core celeron, but if you can find one for 200.00 or less, a small atom laptop might be acceptable. Especially since used older laptops tend to run really hot and have horrible battery life, and are prone to failure.

I own several Atom-based laptops, some Asus N2830, some Dell with N2830 or '40, and a Lenovo IdeaPad 100S with a Z3735F. The Asus and Dell laptops have 4GB RAM (Dell is easily upgradable), the Lenovo has 2GB fixed. The Lenovo has 32GB eMMC, the Asus were a slight PITA to upgrade the 2.5" HDD to SSD (some plastic snap work), and the Dell was again the easiest. (One big access panel on the bottom for RAM and 2.5" HDD / SSD.)

I also own some 1007U laptops. Honestly, the 1007U laptops have a bit more "snap" to them compared to the Atom, and comparable battery life on the one 1007U laptop that came from the factory with an extended battery (six cell).

Overall, though, the Atom laptops are still very usable. If the ULV Core Celeron ones had comparable battery life, features, and cost the same, though, I would choose them every time.

 

[MiddleOfTheRoad]

Not even close, http://www.anandtech.com/bench/product/22?vs=1227

Yeah -- Agreed. There is no way the average Chromebook is more capable than my antique Q9400 powered Alienware Area 51. The dedicated Nvidia card alone would run circles around a Chromebook.

Chromebooks run a web browser and nothing else (they simple run apps through the Chrome browser). That's an incredibly limited setup.

 

[Yuriman]

I paid $130 for my Chomebook with a Haswell dual core. In fact, I'm typing on it right now.

It's really nice to have 11 hours of battery life and excellent performance. I can't run Windows programs, but I don't frequently want or need to on my laptop.

Frankly, I'm considering replacing my father's aging Core2 machine with an Atom or Kabini SFF PC, not because it's too slow, but because it's big, noisy, and power hungry, and I can probably break even by selling the objectively slower Core2 machine to someone like Waltchan, who presumably will flip it for a profit to some uninformed customer.