The Athlons are BACK!

[Regenweald]

Price is just ridiculous ;)

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/981/1/

http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Reviews/aii_250/

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103681

Grab a great am3 board, save a LOT on the PROC and STILL get the latest tech at 3.0 ghz. Can upgrade to a better processor later!

[days_of_ruin]

I pretty much did the same thing except with an earlier athlon.
But my board support am3 so I can upgrade the cpu a lot.

[MaxIBoy]

I pretty much did the same thing except with an earlier athlon.
But my board support am3 so I can upgrade the cpu a lot.I think you're about to make a mistake.

If your board is a true AM3 board, it will not be able to use older AM2+ or AM2 processors, because AM3 boards ONLY use DDR3, and AM2+ or AM2 processors do not have DDR3 memory controllers. However, AM3 processors will also fit in an AM2+ board because they have DDR2 RAM controllers for backwards compatibility.

In other words, if you stick an AM3 processor in an AM2+ board, it will work, but if you stick an AM2+ processor in an AM3 board, it will not work. So when the AM3 processors came out, motherboard makers started selling AM2+ boards, branded as "AM3 ready," but they will not give you the full benefit of your AM3 CPU!

[ghindo]

Wow. I hadn't heard of this new Athlon! I had been thinking of building an AMD computer sometime this fall, but I think this really just cements the decision. The prices of AMD processors recently and the AM3 socket just seems incredible. That, tied with the ATI Radeon 4770 makes an all-AMD computer really appealing.

[HappyFeet]

That, tied with the ATI Radeon 4770 makes an all-AMD computer really appealing.

I like AMD cpu's, but always stick an Nvidia card in there. And yeah, that's a good price for a 3.0ghz cpu.

[MikeTheC]

I've always built AMD-based systems in the past. However, my next desktop (whenever I build it) will likely be an Intel Core2Quad. I'd love to build an i7 system, but not at the prices they're asking.

Oh, I dunno, I am in no particular hurry, and it may not be until i7 systems are reasonably priced that I build another desktop.

Heck, I've got this eMachines W5243 that has served me well, and I've been upgrading it right along. It now has an AMD 5200+, 2GB of RAM, 750GB HDD, nVidia 9600 GSO, 500W PSU... I know a lot of you might look at that system and roll your eyes in disgust, but it serves me well, and runs the pants off of Linux and Vista and Seven.

The thing which choked it was trying to run Leopard, but that's a mix of things on that issue, and I was somewhat surprised I was able to run it as decently as it did.

[gn2]

Just a pity that so far AM3 boards are so expensive, although that will change over time.

I like the look of that new 250, wonder if it was named after the Barton 2500 which was such a good CPU back in the Socket A days?

[ghindo]

I like AMD cpu's, but always stick an Nvidia card in there. And yeah, that's a good price for a 3.0ghz cpu.I don't know about that. I've read very good reviews about the 4770 being among the best performance-per-dollar cards in that price range. I've also heard good things about two 4770 in Crossfire.

[Skripka]

I don't know about that. I've read very good reviews about the 4770 being among the best performance-per-dollar cards in that price range. I've also heard good things about two 4770 in Crossfire.

So long as you're not running linux, ATi cards are great. ATi makes GREAT cards, which is amply compensated by horrendous driver support.

RE:OP
It is a great price...on the other hand, we're past the point where sheer clock speed is the determiner of speed. A Corei7@ 2.6gHz can completely own my PhenomIIx4@3.6gHz.

[handy]

I don't know about that. I've read very good reviews about the 4770 being among the best performance-per-dollar cards in that price range. I've also heard good things about two 4770 in Crossfire.

As an ATi & nVidia user, I'd also recommend nVidia. The ATi drivers are very troublesome, especially if you choose to use more advanced Linux distro's than Ubuntu; as if you do you will learn to really dislike ATi's way of doing things for Linux.

[Regenweald]

So long as you're not running linux, ATi cards are great. ATi makes GREAT cards, which is amply compensated by horrendous driver support.

RE:OP
It is a great price...on the other hand, we're past the point where sheer clock speed is the determiner of speed. A Corei7@ 2.6gHz can completely own my PhenomIIx4@3.6gHz.

I see your point, but I'm on a budget and price/performance is AMD. The i7's rock hard but i would not say completely own the phenom II's. Besides, I think I could find a way to live with a phenom II at 3.2+ ghz ;) I'm not simulating particle physics here :)

[Mehall]

I may be an AMD fan, but:

It's all about the Pentiums (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTLqng2We0E)

[days_of_ruin]

I think you're about to make a mistake.

If your board is a true AM3 board, it will not be able to use older AM2+ or AM2 processors, because AM3 boards ONLY use DDR3, and AM2+ or AM2 processors do not have DDR3 memory controllers. However, AM3 processors will also fit in an AM2+ board because they have DDR2 RAM controllers for backwards compatibility.

In other words, if you stick an AM3 processor in an AM2+ board, it will work, but if you stick an AM2+ processor in an AM3 board, it will not work. So when the AM3 processors came out, motherboard makers started selling AM2+ boards, branded as "AM3 ready," but they will not give you the full benefit of your AM3 CPU!

I suppose I also have to use a SSD to get the full benefit too. Give me a break.

[days_of_ruin]

Wow. I hadn't heard of this new Athlon! I had been thinking of building an AMD computer sometime this fall, but I think this really just cements the decision. The prices of AMD processors recently and the AM3 socket just seems incredible. That, tied with the ATI Radeon 4770 makes an all-AMD computer really appealing.

I bought a 4770, but if I could go back in time I would probably buy
an nvidia. The ati driver has major flaws (like no virtual terminal switching).

[Dimitriid]

I might actually buy one of those, altough I wanna wait for the next gen of GPUs before I start building a system. I hear you can unlock more processor cores sometimes on that phenom II x2 ?

On a side note I've always had something other than intel and only my first system was not an Athlon and it was a Cyrix, which was a Mistake I should have bought a K6 system. Regardless the only problem I had with em was when a faulty PSU and a faultier owner ( myself ) overloaded the whole system and blew out all the entire set up ( the ram modules survived though )

[rookcifer]

Nice! I have been lamenting the fact that I will have to buy a new AM3 mobo in order to utilize the Phenom II's. But now that this new Athlon II is out, I can keep my AM2 mobo and just upgrade the CPU for $87. It's not as powerful as a Phenom II, but it will be sufficient for a while.

[Regenweald]

I might actually buy one of those, altough I wanna wait for the next gen of GPUs before I start building a system. I hear you can unlock more processor cores sometimes on that phenom II x2 ?


I believe the Athlon II's are dual core period. But with the right mobo, the phenom II X3's can be unlocked to 4 cores.

There is just soooo much power and quality available below the 250$ price point now....

[Dimitriid]

I believe the Athlon II's are dual core period. But with the right mobo, the phenom II X3's can be unlocked to 4 cores.

There is just soooo much power and quality available below the 250$ price point now....

Hmm, I only know the process of unlocking videocards which involves just flashing its bios.

How do you "unlock" cores on a phenom? Would it be similar to overclocking it?

[Regenweald]

Hmm, I only know the process of unlocking videocards which involves just flashing its bios.

How do you "unlock" cores on a phenom? Would it be similar to overclocking it?

Nah, it's a bios setting on some motherboards, once turned on/off it ignores the fact that the manufacturer has activated only three cores and uses all four. Hold on for the link...

Check it: Coolness :)
http://www.guru3d.com/news/phenom-ii-x3--enable-the-4th-core/

[ghindo]

As an ATi & nVidia user, I'd also recommend nVidia. The ATi drivers are very troublesome, especially if you choose to use more advanced Linux distro's than Ubuntu; as if you do you will learn to really dislike ATi's way of doing things for Linux.
I bought a 4770, but if I could go back in time I would probably buy
an nvidia. The ati driver has major flaws (like no virtual terminal switching).I was planning to use any ATI card I buy with Windows (for gaming) - is the driver situation similarly miserable on Windows too, or is it just a Linux thing?

[Mehall]

Just Linux, AFAIK

[Wiebelhaus]

I like this. Thanks for the heads up!

[Dimitriid]

Nah, it's a bios setting on some motherboards, once turned on/off it ignores the fact that the manufacturer has activated only three cores and uses all four. Hold on for the link...

Check it: Coolness :)
http://www.guru3d.com/news/phenom-ii-x3--enable-the-4th-core/

But much like the case of GPUs they are basically recycling yields that didn't quite make it to 4 cores so its a matter of luck....it would still be very interesting to get the top of the line processor for $120 if the other 2 cores are good yields....

[Regenweald]

But much like the case of GPUs they are basically recycling yields that didn't quite make it to 4 cores so its a matter of luck....it would still be very interesting to get the top of the line processor for $120 if the other 2 cores are good yields....

I myself will just hold out till i can afford a 955 or something of the like. My next proc will be quad core. The new athlons are VERY impressive though, power on a budget ;)

[Skripka]

I was planning to use any ATI card I buy with Windows (for gaming) - is the driver situation similarly miserable on Windows too, or is it just a Linux thing?

ATi has a LONG history of gawd-awful drivers on all platforms. I remember back when HL2 came out-how many hacks it took on an ATi card to get to work.

However, their Windows driver now is GREAT. MASSIVE amounts of options to tweak (every single aspect of the card), more importantly it works, and usually works great.

ATi drivers are on Windows, what Nvidia drivers are on Linux.


I actually like the linux Nvidia driver somewhat better than their Windows driver.

[Skripka]

Nah, it's a bios setting on some motherboards, once turned on/off it ignores the fact that the manufacturer has activated only three cores and uses all four. Hold on for the link...

Check it: Coolness :)
http://www.guru3d.com/news/phenom-ii-x3--enable-the-4th-core/

Yep that is what I did. It is a neat trick, so long as you have a BIOS not new enough, the right board, and the right CPU batch. I used to have a BIOS screenshot on my box, but it got deleted when I reinstalled Arch a few days ago.

[Changturkey]

Why can't ATI just "make" their Linux drivers at least on par with their Win32 ones?

[Skripka]

Why can't ATI just "make" their Linux drivers at least on par with their Win32 ones?

Well they are...insofar as the Linux ATi drivers are now what the Windows drivers were 8-9 years back. ;)

[Firestem4]

I think you're about to make a mistake.

If your board is a true AM3 board, it will not be able to use older AM2+ or AM2 processors, because AM3 boards ONLY use DDR3, and AM2+ or AM2 processors do not have DDR3 memory controllers. However, AM3 processors will also fit in an AM2+ board because they have DDR2 RAM controllers for backwards compatibility.

In other words, if you stick an AM3 processor in an AM2+ board, it will work, but if you stick an AM2+ processor in an AM3 board, it will not work. So when the AM3 processors came out, motherboard makers started selling AM2+ boards, branded as "AM3 ready," but they will not give you the full benefit of your AM3 CPU!

The AM3 socket supports DDR2 and DDR3 memory. Your choice is only limited by your motherboard spec, it is not a CPU limitation.

[Firestem4]

My computer just gave me a kick in the nuts and I need to replace my motherboard. (I'm never buying ASUS again by the way.)

Anyways, since i now finally have a job and some money. I'm buying myself an AMD CPU to replace my pentium D.

I just ordered the new AMD Athlon II X2 250 from newegg and a Gigabyte Mobo. We'll see how it goes =)