Why doesn't AMD unlock their desktop processors?

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
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AMD is currently losing the desktop market. Wouldn't it make sense if they sold unlocked processor as a marketing gimmick? A few years ago, mobile athlons were unlocked, and overclockers were buying lots of them. Couldn't that same trick work again?
 

error8

Diamond Member
Nov 28, 2007
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I guess it adds some additional costs to produce them ( maybe ). But AMD has unlocked multipliers at some of their cpus: 5000+ BE, 6400BE ( pointless though ), 9600 BE, 9850 BE.
 

ShawnD1

Lifer
May 24, 2003
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Last one I bought sure wasn't...

Black Edition doesn't really count either. Selling a $1000 unlocked Phenom that can just barely compete with a $300 locked Core2 is not a great idea. Unlock a $300 Phenom, and people might be interested.
 

SlowSpyder

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
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Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Last one I bought sure wasn't...

Black Edition doesn't really count either. Selling a $1000 unlocked Phenom that can just barely compete with a $300 locked Core2 is not a great idea. Unlock a $300 Phenom, and people might be interested.

Well I've got good news for you then! The Phenom 9850 Black Edition is $235 at Newegg. I got mine for about $250 a few months ago.
 

aigomorla

CPU, Cases&Cooling Mod PC Gaming Mod Elite Member
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Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Last one I bought sure wasn't...

Black Edition doesn't really count either. Selling a $1000 unlocked Phenom that can just barely compete with a $300 locked Core2 is not a great idea. Unlock a $300 Phenom, and people might be interested.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819103249

i think your seriously lost my friend.

That to me looks like a 235 dollar unlocked phenom.

If your paying 1000 for a unlocked phenom, i have some open front beach property in Ohio id like to sell you as well.


Seriously tho, only intel charges rediculous prices for unlocked processors now.
 

AmberClad

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
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Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Last one I bought sure wasn't...
.
.
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Selling a $1000 unlocked Phenom that can just barely compete with a $300 locked Core2 is not a great idea.
Sooo, out of curiosity, when was the last time you actually went shopping for AMD CPUs :D? Long time ago, yes? (No, I'm not trying to be mean -- but you don't see to have kept up to date with the CPU market.)
 

aigomorla

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DOE and the forum double posts it too!

I guess its all the people reading the neha review, that the site is slow.
 

aigomorla

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Off Topic: sorry,

Amber look at my spiders name. Thanks >:]
 

Odeen

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Aug 4, 2000
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Originally posted by: aigomorla
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Last one I bought sure wasn't...

Black Edition doesn't really count either. Selling a $1000 unlocked Phenom that can just barely compete with a $300 locked Core2 is not a great idea. Unlock a $300 Phenom, and people might be interested.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819103249

i think your seriously lost my friend.

That to me looks like a 235 dollar unlocked phenom.

If your paying 1000 for a unlocked phenom, i have some open front beach property in Ohio id like to sell you as well.


Seriously tho, only intel charges rediculous prices for unlocked processors now.


Still kinda lame, IMO.

The point of overclocking (for me, at least) is not to take the highest-end chip and make it run just a teeny bit faster. The point is to take the lowest end chip possible, and crank it up to run with the much more expensive big boys, which means AT LEAST a 50% overclock.

Give me a low-end part that's structurally identical to the high end (i.e. same amount of cache, etc) and that's where the fun starts. I wouldn't want a Phenom 9850 for personal use - I just can't make it do anything it doesn't already do. But an unlocked Phenom 9150E, that'd be something I'd look into.

Keep in mind, though, Intel and AMD instituted multiplier locks because unscrupulous system builders were selling slightly overclocked Pentium and early Pentium 2 systems as genuine, and the systems were unstable and prone to overheating.
 

MrPickins

Diamond Member
May 24, 2003
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Originally posted by: Odeen
The point is to take the lowest end chip possible, and crank it up to run with the much more expensive big boys, which means AT LEAST a 50% overclock.

50% is a very good overclock, and should not be considered the norm.
 

Wuzup101

Platinum Member
Feb 20, 2002
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While I haven't really been keeping up with all the new processors, I have been starting to research a new system. The Phenom linked above is pretty nice, but it seems like it would sell better if it was cheaper than a q6600. I would probably consider it at $180-210... but I just can't see spending more money on it than on a q6600 G0 that will do 3ghz+ with little effort...

Still... it is nice to see somewhat "reasonable" prices for the top end processor.
 

AmberClad

Diamond Member
Jul 23, 2005
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Originally posted by: aigomorla
Off Topic: sorry,

Amber look at my spiders name. Thanks >:]
Ha, I need to start charging a fee for my rig-naming services :D...
Hopefully Erinyes will live up to the name and give you some good results ;).
 

aigomorla

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Originally posted by: Odeen

Still kinda lame, IMO.

The point of overclocking (for me, at least) is not to take the highest-end chip and make it run just a teeny bit faster. The point is to take the lowest end chip possible, and crank it up to run with the much more expensive big boys, which means AT LEAST a 50% overclock.

Give me a low-end part that's structurally identical to the high end (i.e. same amount of cache, etc) and that's where the fun starts. I wouldn't want a Phenom 9850 for personal use - I just can't make it do anything it doesn't already do. But an unlocked Phenom 9150E, that'd be something I'd look into.

Keep in mind, though, Intel and AMD instituted multiplier locks because unscrupulous system builders were selling slightly overclocked Pentium and early Pentium 2 systems as genuine, and the systems were unstable and prone to overheating.

Well, the arguement your having with is very over expecting. It wasnt until C2D arch, that we started taking 50% overclock as almost given.

Seriously, you new people to overclocking, welcome to the hobby however, your asking for too much.
You havent seen what extreme overclocking does on components on the long term aspect, most likely cuz you been replacing it faster then its burning out. <no harm if it doesnt go down>

But if intel decides to X out overclocking on the lower end chips, what will you guys do then?

I guarentee about 80% of the people posting on this forum wont be able to afford the enthusist line. :T
<hell i had to restart my skulltrail fund so i can pay for an enthusist neha platform, im actually expecting the final price tag somewhere near 5-6G's Skulltrail i planned out was gonna run 6-7g's > :eek:

Wanna rant about intel too then?
 

mooseracing

Golden Member
Mar 9, 2006
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Originally posted by: MrPickins
Originally posted by: Odeen
The point is to take the lowest end chip possible, and crank it up to run with the much more expensive big boys, which means AT LEAST a 50% overclock.

50% is a very good overclock, and should not be considered the norm.

yea, so much for 10-15% being awesome

 

Sureshot324

Diamond Member
Feb 4, 2003
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Originally posted by: ShawnD1
AMD is currently losing the desktop market. Wouldn't it make sense if they sold unlocked processor as a marketing gimmick? A few years ago, mobile athlons were unlocked, and overclockers were buying lots of them. Couldn't that same trick work again?

They make very low profit margins on the lower end processors. If they did this there would be no point in buying the higher end ones because they would be identical except for default multiplier, and no one would buy them. Not enthusiasts anyway.

Also, by locking the multipliers, it encourages overclockers to spend money on high end mobos that support high FSBs. More money for AMD since they make mobo chipsets as well.
 

SlowSpyder

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
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Getting a 33% on my A64 3000+ was great. Now everyone wants a 50% because of the C2D. :D Spoiled. :p

I really don't care that the Phenom 9850 is on the highend of the Phenoms, what I do like is that it is moderately priced. I think it's great that the 5000+ BE is about $90, and on the highend (for AMD anyway) the Phenom 9850 is only $235, and have unlcoked multipliers. What sucks is that Intel charges well over $1k for their highend parts for overclocking. Or back when the A64's were the chip to have, having an FX-57 or something that you spent $1k on... eek! I guess all I'm saying is I don't care where an unlocked multiplier enthusiast chip is in the hierarchy, but cost is far more important to me.
 

Cookie Monster

Diamond Member
May 7, 2005
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People forget that almost 95% is not 99% of the population doesn't overclock making unlocked versions pretty much useless.
 

solog

Member
Apr 18, 2008
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Originally posted by: aigomorla
Well, the arguement your having with is very over expecting. It wasnt until C2D arch, that we started taking 50% overclock as almost given.

What about the first Celerons?
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
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Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
Getting a 33% on my A64 3000+ was great. Now everyone wants a 50% because of the C2D. :D Spoiled. :p

I really don't care that the Phenom 9850 is on the highend of the Phenoms, what I do like is that it is moderately priced. I think it's great that the 5000+ BE is about $90, and on the highend (for AMD anyway) the Phenom 9850 is only $235, and have unlcoked multipliers. What sucks is that Intel charges well over $1k for their highend parts for overclocking. Or back when the A64's were the chip to have, having an FX-57 or something that you spent $1k on... eek! I guess all I'm saying is I don't care where an unlocked multiplier enthusiast chip is in the hierarchy, but cost is far more important to me.



You are forgetting that Intel's low/mid processors are better than AMD's high-end. AMD doesnt have a chip that they could charge $1k for and anyone would actually buy.
 

aigomorla

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Sep 28, 2005
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Originally posted by: solog
Originally posted by: aigomorla
Well, the arguement your having with is very over expecting. It wasnt until C2D arch, that we started taking 50% overclock as almost given.

What about the first Celerons?

ahhh well, im not counting the uber 300A celly which had a nice oc @ 450mhz. :p

That is 50%, your correct.
 

SlowSpyder

Lifer
Jan 12, 2005
17,305
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Originally posted by: Ocguy31
Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
Getting a 33% on my A64 3000+ was great. Now everyone wants a 50% because of the C2D. :D Spoiled. :p

I really don't care that the Phenom 9850 is on the highend of the Phenoms, what I do like is that it is moderately priced. I think it's great that the 5000+ BE is about $90, and on the highend (for AMD anyway) the Phenom 9850 is only $235, and have unlcoked multipliers. What sucks is that Intel charges well over $1k for their highend parts for overclocking. Or back when the A64's were the chip to have, having an FX-57 or something that you spent $1k on... eek! I guess all I'm saying is I don't care where an unlocked multiplier enthusiast chip is in the hierarchy, but cost is far more important to me.



You are forgetting that Intel's low/mid processors are better than AMD's high-end. AMD doesnt have a chip that they could charge $1k for and anyone would actually buy.

I'm not forgetting, I'm just trying to make the point that I think most of us prefer an unlocked 'enthusiast' chip that costs a lot less then the $1k+ that the current Intel extreme chips cost or the old AMD FX chips used to cost whether that be at the top or bottom of the product range.
 

aigomorla

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Sep 28, 2005
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Originally posted by: SlowSpyder
I'm not forgetting, I'm just trying to make the point that I think most of us prefer an unlocked 'enthusiast' chip that costs a lot less then the $1k+ that the current Intel extreme chips cost or the old AMD FX chips used to cost whether that be at the top or bottom of the product range.


1000 dollar consumer AMD chip right now = Hectors' resignation.

I cant think of anyone that wouldnt think thats financial suicide.

However they still get away with these guys. :T
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819105206

Dammit, i want a 75W Quadcore. :T

http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16819105199

:eek: 55W Quadcore?? Since when?