New AMD build - *budget* high performance gamer for 19x12

[v0id]

Originally posted by: soccerballtux
High chances of unlocking success with the 0904's.

i recently picked up a 720 BE as well. the batch number is 0910 GPMW. i haven't seen this batch number discussed anywhere, really, in regards to ease of 4th-core unlocking. any idea?

i haven't actually put the new machine together yet, so no chance to test it out so far. mobo is an asus m4a78t-e.

 

[soccerballtux]

Just gotta try it. A lot depends on the motherboard. Is that one known to unlock with the right BIOS?

 

[v0id]

Originally posted by: soccerballtux
Just gotta try it. A lot depends on the motherboard. Is that one known to unlock with the right BIOS?

yeah, i've read that asus recently released a bios update that allows for unlocking - they call it "unleashing mode", hilariously. unfortunately i hear that it's a bit buggy at the moment, kind of unstable, etc.

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: MegaWorks
So did successfully unlocked the fourth core apoppin?

I might build a similar setup, I have 8GB OCZ Blade PC2-6400 lying around. My current setup is a DDR3 4GB, and I don't want to buy a new set of DDR3 8GB.

This thread's having a bad influence on me to make a purchase..must hold..on...

yes .. it shows in the BIOS as X4 .. sadly it is unstable and BSODs Vista - no matter the voltage
... well, i got a cheap X3

AND i got the Athlon 250 X2 today also .. but i will play with it next week
- it is time to stick 550 X2 back in and see how far she overclocks

 

[soccerballtux]

Man....bummer! Assuming you tried +/- 2, 8?

 

[Stoneburner]

Originally posted by: v0id

Originally posted by: soccerballtux
Just gotta try it. A lot depends on the motherboard. Is that one known to unlock with the right BIOS?

yeah, i've read that asus recently released a bios update that allows for unlocking - they call it "unleashing mode", hilariously. unfortunately i hear that it's a bit buggy at the moment, kind of unstable, etc.

In my experience with an asus m4a78-e, it worked reasoanbly well when unlocking with the 1101 and 1104 bioses. There was a later bios, 1116 which seemed to cut off unlocking, however.

ANd Apopping, you seem to have the complete opposite result as me with unlocking. My x3 and x2 unlocked and ran stable even overclocked. I wonder if it would better in a different board. Since you're experimenting, maybe you could try a biostar 790gx based board with the earlier bioses.

 

[soccerballtux]

My board and the BIOS version (which apoppin used, which I am using and recommended to him, which was recommended to me) are both, from all I have heard a fine board/bios for unlocking.

If he has another mobo he could try it but I don't think there's any evidence to show it would produce different results.

It all depends on where the chip was on the wafer, and whether there were any defects on that wafer whether formed when the silicon crystal was grown among other things (and where these defects were located)

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: soccerballtux
Man....bummer! Assuming you tried +/- 2, 8?

of course. i want it to work

i set all cores at every setting; then left three and changed the 4 core through its compete range

Since you're experimenting, maybe you could try a biostar 790gx based board with the earlier bioses.

i don't know .. that seems kinda silly to buy a mobo just to *maybe* unlock a core; if i really wanted AMD quad, i would buy one

What i am doing is seeing "how close" i can get to an Intel Quad performance wise in gaming
- for cheap
. . . $82 for a 3.7+ GHz Phenom II dual and $119 for a Tri-Core is CHEAP
- otoh $189 for an AMD quad is not

 

[deputc26]

Bad luck mate! but we can't all be like Rhoxed and run 2.8ghz X3s at 3.9ghz as X4s

 

[Rhoxed]

tbh i bought another board JUST to see if this chip unlocked (bonus was i had the 9850be laying around to use up my now 3rd board)

 

[deimos3428]

apoppin: try bumping the NB volts up a bit when you unlock the fourth core to see if it helps stability. Anywhere from +25 to +100 mV.

 

[apoppin]

nothing works .. she is a dual and she is a tri-core, respectively

Further update

it was a very frustrating day - not usual with me and HW

The CM Hyper n212 cooler had a nut that had only a partial thread and it took quite awhile for me to find a suitable replacement for it. To top it off, Gladiator 600 is a bit small for the 212 cooler and there is no way to attach it to the MB while it is in the case, simply because the fan clips are impossible to put on as there is no room to attach them [at least in my setup].
And what makes it worse, you cannot attach the fan to the HS and then install it on the mobo because the fan (now) blocks access to the screws you need to tighten it down with
:roll:

so that was *hours* shot puzzling it out, finding a nut and a workaround. It certainly would work if there was more room in the case;or a different CPU cooler - but not together unless they redesign the clips [a simple thing, imo]

What i did to make it work:

i super-glued the Fan to the HS
:Q

whatever works .. and it is not hard to remove as the HS has rubber to absorb the vibration; i can tear and reglue the rubber bushing without damage to anything; it is a fast R&R now too

i'll be damned if i have to take out my mobo just to change out a CPU or a cooler - i was going to cut a hole in my other MB tray for my last CPU cooler review, hyper n520, when Cooler Master made their mobo trays so that the backside of the CPU is now accessible

the Gladiator 600 case is superior but it is a little tight for a 10.5" Graphics card; and there is not much room between the top case cooling fan and a tower CPU Cooler like hyper n212

the Power supply, Silent Power 600 M, is really silent and even quieter than my [very quiet] OCZ 850w - i mean REALLY quiet; i thought i lost my hearing as i struggled to hear it above the ambient noises. i will do some stress tests on it also


The 550 x2 got taken out and i forgot to put it back when i installed my cooler
- and after that fight with the clips, i am now testing 720 X3 instead - the 550 made it to 3.7 GHz with the stock cooler when i left off - and it was getting near 50sC under load [which i am not alright with when i put in the new cooler. i haven't overclocked X3 as i am benching with it at stock first


550 X2 and 720 X3 are both very nice CPUs and i am getting nearly comparable frames to a q9550s at the same clockspeed (and i am currently benching with 4870-X2)
.. much more details later

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: apoppin
nothing works .. she is a dual and she is a tri-core, respectively

Further update

it was a very frustrating day - not usual with me and HW

The CM Hyper n212 cooler had a nut that had only a partial thread and it took quite awhile for me to find a suitable replacement for it. To top it off, Gladiator 600 is a bit small for the 212 cooler and there is no way to attach it to the MB while it is in the case, simply because the fan clips are impossible to put on as there is no room to attach them [at least in my setup].
And what makes it worse, you cannot attach the fan to the HS and then install it on the mobo because the fan (now) blocks access to the screws you need to tighten it down with
:roll:

so that was *hours* shot puzzling it out, finding a nut and a workaround. It certainly would work if there was more room in the case;or a different CPU cooler - but not together unless they redesign the clips [a simple thing, imo]

What i did to make it work:

i super-glued the Fan to the HS
:Q

whatever works .. and it is not hard to remove as the HS has rubber to absorb the vibration; i can tear and reglue the rubber bushing without damage to anything; it is a fast R&R now too

i'll be damned if i have to take out my mobo just to change out a CPU or a cooler - i was going to cut a hole in my other MB tray for my last CPU cooler review, hyper n520, when Cooler Master made their mobo trays so that the backside of the CPU is now accessible

the Gladiator 600 case is superior but it is a little tight for a 10.5" Graphics card; and there is not much room between the top case cooling fan and a tower CPU Cooler like hyper n212

the Power supply, Silent Power 600 M, is really silent and even quieter than my [very quiet] OCZ 850w - i mean REALLY quiet; i thought i lost my hearing as i struggled to hear it above the ambient noises. i will do some stress tests on it also


The 550 x2 got taken out and i forgot to put it back when i installed my cooler
- and after that fight with the clips, i am now testing 720 X3 instead - the 550 made it to 3.7 GHz with the stock cooler when i left off - and it was getting near 50sC under load [which i am not alright with when i put in the new cooler. i haven't overclocked X3 as i am benching with it at stock first


550 X2 and 720 X3 are both very nice CPUs and i am getting nearly comparable frames to a q9550s at the same clockspeed (and i am currently benching with 4870-X2)
.. much more details later

Great to know-- so basically we don't need a quad yet, the AMD duals and tris work fine. Are you monitoring minimum framerates too? Would be cool to see this between the dual and tri AMD's; and how much that 3rd core helps in relation to dual core AMD; and both of those in comparison to the 4th core of the Intel.

2 cores is not enough, having 4 is cliche-- everybody has one; but having 3 is just right and unique + way cooler...

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: soccerballtux

Great to know-- so basically we don't need a quad yet, the AMD duals and tris work fine. Are you monitoring minimum framerates too? Would be cool to see this between the dual and tri AMD's; and how much that 3rd core helps in relation to dual core AMD; and both of those in comparison to the 4th core of the Intel.

2 cores is not enough, having 4 is cliche-- everybody has one; but having 3 is just right and unique + way cooler...

Well, the tri-core fits right between the dual and the intel quad in performance
- World in Conflict again shows a sold increase in the minimums with dual over tri, but then also with quad over dual - 19x12/max details with min/av/max:
Q9550S - 4.0 GHz - 28/54 /99
Q9550S - 3.1 GHz - 26/51/98
720-X3 - 2.8 GHz - 17/41/96
550-X2 - 3.1 GHz - 11/39/96

Of course, this is partial results from just one game; i need to give overclocked results for X2/X3 and test my Athlon 250 X2 - and of course, i am also testing 14 games [including ARMA2] plus 3DMark06/Vantage

 

[Rhoxed]

impressive #'s for the 720BE with the 300Mhz lower clockspeed

 

[apoppin]

i dunno

the q9550 pulls in some impressive minimums [of course it is overclocked ]
- these kinds of things tend to get more complex

i *originally* intended to test with the q9550s at 3.1 GHz and a 4.0 GHz [it last stable OC with a solid voltage boost]
- now it looks [since i added X3 at 2.8GHz] i have to go back and RE-test q9550 at it's stock 2.83 GHz

oh well, it will eventually be very detailed and should cover a good comparison of
Q9550s [at 2.83/3.1/4.0 GHz] vs. Phenom II's 720BE [at 2.8/3.1 GHz and its max OC] & 550 X2 [at 3.1 GHz and its max OC] vs. Athlon 250 X2 [at 3.0 GHz and its max OC]

of course, each of my 16 benches need to be run [at least] twice - 19x12 and 16x10 resolutions - each with GTX 280 and also run both resolutions with HD 4870-X2

so this is taking some real major time that i did not quite expect
:clock:

 

[soccerballtux]

Darn, too bad you didn't get that 720be to unlock to a quad. I'd like to see if the minimums on that.

On the Max 720BE overclock, you've OC'd the L3 too right? What speed were you able to get that to?

 

[apoppin]

such is life

No .. i haven't even attempted to overclock my 720; i am just about done with all the benching at stock with my 4870-X2
- Next, i put my 550 X2 back in [with my tower cooler] and see how far above 3.7GHz i can get; then i bench with it

THEN the Athlon 250 X2 goes in on Monday because i have to mail it back on Friday
- plus i work this week - double [actually triple] work

 

[evolucion8]

Originally posted by: apoppin

- plus i work this week - double [actually triple] work

Then a Phenom X3 can help you loll

 

[alrightgame]

Hey guys, I got a Phenom II x3 unlocked with a 790x motherboard that ocs to 3.6ghz and a GTX260 192. I keep it at 3.2 Ghz for temps which is 50C at load on my Arctic Cooler 64 Pro.
My harddrives are older Seagate 7200.10/w 16MB cache.
If you guys want any benchmarks done on my system with Vista SP2, let me know.

 

[Sylvanas]

Don't forget to OC the NB on the CPU- it is almost as important as Core speed and can have a sizable impact in gaming.

 

[drizek]

Will increasing the speed of the NB impact the speed of my 780G chipset? It runs at 100C as it is and I am afraid that OCing the NB will cause it to overheat.

 

[Sylvanas]

Originally posted by: drizek
Will increasing the speed of the NB impact the speed of my 780G chipset? It runs at 100C as it is and I am afraid that OCing the NB will cause it to overheat.

The NB is on the CPU and has a large impact on memory intensive applications- this is not to do with the motherboard. If it really is at 100c, perhaps you should take the heatsink off the board and clean up the thermal paste and apply some new paste as that sounds way too high for a motherboard chipset, or it could just be a broken sensor- feel the heatsink yourself.

 

[soccerballtux]

Originally posted by: Sylvanas

Originally posted by: drizek
Will increasing the speed of the NB impact the speed of my 780G chipset? It runs at 100C as it is and I am afraid that OCing the NB will cause it to overheat.

The NB is on the CPU and has a large impact on memory intensive applications- this is not to do with the motherboard. If it really is at 100c, perhaps you should take the heatsink off the board and clean up the thermal paste and apply some new paste as that sounds way too high for a motherboard chipset, or it could just be a broken sensor- fell the heatsink yourself.

Yeah that's way hot.
Cpu-NB is not northbridge on mobo, as sylv so rightly says.

 

[apoppin]

OK, i got 550 X2 back into my PC and "roughed in" at 3906 MHz still using the 15.5 multiplier (253x15.5)
- it was 'almost' stable at 3937 but failed Everest stability test after a few minutes and at 3921 MHz after 1/2 hour

core temps are excellent ... everest reports 30s C under load [hyper n212 with 1-120 mm fan super-glued to the cooler ]
-can those low core temps be right?? Everest shows CPU as 46C [what is this temp different than the core? ]

The CPU voltage is 1.4 v {+0.1v}; all other voltage is raised by the smallest possible increment except DDR2 which is at 2.1 v
i left HT link on "auto" [what width do i set?]; HT frequency is 2277 [x9]
NB frequency is x9 = 2277

Where do i start? Adjusting the multiplier and fine tuning my clocks - then NB OC?
- this is fun for my first AMD CPU