New build based on AM3

[silent]

hi

building a machine for my dad and we have gone through loads tonight, all different combos inc phenon 2 on AM2+ format, intel cores etc and he wants the AM3 and DDR3 route so my processot is the phenon 2 810 processor.

whats the best mobo for the AM3 that averagely priced?

also, if it has 4 ddr3 lanes, can i use a tripple channel kit of 3 x 2 gig strips as there cheaper for 6 gig than 4 gig.

[Blaineoliver]

With the performance being so marginal in improvement, i would get an AM3 cpu and am2 mobo and ram and use that till ddr3 is dirt cheap

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

DDR3 shows little or no performance increase with AM3 processors. You are also only limited to 1333mhz RAM too. Since the memory controller is built into the CPU and not the motherboard this will not change. A better choice would be to use 800MHZ or 1066mhz DDR2 which will also run at lower latencies too.

Here is a test using your processor with both DDR2 and DDR3:

http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/17...ce/index9.html

Here is another DDR2 vs DDR3 comparison:

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu..._10.html#sect1

Triple channel is meant to be for the Core i7 NOT the Phenom. The Phenom processors run DDR2 and DDR3 RAM in dual channel hence your will need to use 2 or 4 dimms.

You are wasting money buying a DDR3 AM3 motherboard and RAM at the moment.

Unless you have already bought the processor either go for the Phenom II X3 720 which has an unlocked muliplier or the Phenom II X4 920 as both have more L3 cache than the Phenom II X4 810. Also some of the Phenom II X3 720 processors can be unlocked to a quad core on 790GX motherboards.

[Sputnik]

I have to agree with what has already been said. There is not any real advantage of going for an AM3 board at the moment.

[McPhee]

As CAT said, DDR3 is more than it's worth at the moment. If you were buying it to "future proof" your system then it's false economy.

On the processor front it's maybe worth waiting to find out how much the 945 and 955 come out at (only a few weeks away).

[silent]

cheers for all the replies. i did say all that to my dad but when he gets the bit between his teeth and spends then he has to have the best at the best price - I7 is way to much cash.

i know looking at all the replies and through my own PC build recently which i went the quad core intel route its better value.

i'll try talking to him but if not, whats the best AM3 mobo please? shall i get the gigabyte thats on scan? here:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Gigab...-SATA-RAID-ATX

[scaryjim]

That would probably be my choice if someone *insisted* on having AM3 at the minute - although it doesn't have integrated graphics of course, so you'll need to add a graphics card to the build. As CAT said, the X3 720 is a better buy than the X4 810 - more than £40 cheaper with more L3 cache! Also all AM3 motherboards contain the technology that gives you a chance to unlock the fourth core of Phenom II X3s - although it isn't guaranteed to work, of course.

I have to say that from my POV the AM3 launch was a bit of a damp squib, with very few mobos available and the issues that AM3 processors currently having running large quantities of DDR3 (if you use more than 1 stick per channel it'll clock your 1333 down to 1066, I believe). At this point I'd very strongly recommend getting a Phenom II X3 720 and running it in an AM2+ board - preferably 790GX based - which will give you the best bang for buck available.

[McPhee]

thats just the point though, the 810 with an AM3 mobo isn't the best for the money, the 940 on a good AM2+ mobo would be quite a bit faster. I know the problem well though, had the same issue with my father over the years.

For a mobo i'd say the Asus M4A79-T. Stuff like MagicGate swings it for me

[Sputnik]

I have to say that from my POV the AM3 launch was a bit of a damp squib, with very few mobos available and the issues that AM3 processors currently having running large quantities of DDR3 (if you use more than 1 stick per channel it'll clock your 1333 down to 1066, I believe). At this point I'd very strongly recommend getting a Phenom II X3 720 and running it in an AM2+ board - preferably 790GX based - which will give you the best bang for buck available.

I was thinking about that myself but, I could not remember if it wouldn't work or it restricted it.

In my opinion you should consider the 720be, an (AM2) 790GX motherboard and 4Gb of DDR2 RAM and you would still have change from £250.

I'd personally never buy 'cutting edge' computer parts again because the extra cost is not worth the tiny performance gain over 'mid-range'.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

cheers for all the replies. i did say all that to my dad but when he gets the bit between his teeth and spends then he has to have the best at the best price - I7 is way to much cash.

i'll try talking to him but if not, whats the best AM3 mobo please? shall i get the gigabyte thats on scan? here:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Gigab...-SATA-RAID-ATX

Show him the reviews. If he wants to waste his money after this then fair enough. You can get an i7 for much less cash now though. If you get the i7 920(around £241),the Gigabyte GA-EX58-UD3R motherboard(£156) and 6gb of 1600mhz DDR3(under £100) for a total of just under £500. Of course you have to add a graphics card and a decent PSU too that also on top of everything else.

i know looking at all the replies and through my own PC build recently which i went the quad core intel route its better value.

I have to disagree with you here. The Phenom II X4 810(£145) and the Phenom II X4 720(£120) match the Q8200 or are faster at stock speeds than the Q8200(£137) in many applications especially games:

http://ixbtlabs.com/articles3/cpu/am...10-920-p1.html

http://techreport.com/articles.x/16382/1

This is what the last review says about DDR2 and DDR3 for the Phenom IIX4 810:

"Oh, and we didn't see much in the way of performance gains when moving the Phenom II X4 810 from DDR2 memory to DDR3 memory. That's no great shock, all things considered, and no knock on AMD's implementation of Socket AM3."

Also the there are many great 780G and 790GX motherboards between £50 to £100 and with a processor like the Phenom II X3 720 having an unlocked multiplier too(makes overclocking far easier) AMD seem the better choice than Intel in the £100 to £160 CPU price range at least IMHO.

[Sputnik]

I have to disagree with you here. The Phenom II X4 810(£145) and the Phenom II X4 720(£120) match the Q8200 or are faster at stock speeds than the Q8200(£137) in many applications especially games:

Wow! Another new CPU in the range.

[silent]

ok, i will be speaking to him again over the weekend and will show him this thread.

if i convince that the x3 is the best, he will likely go x4, whats the best mobo to support them at AM2+ thats not a fortune?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Wow! Another new CPU in the range.

Oops!! I meant X3!! Although if you do unlock it the X4 moniker is correct!!

[Sputnik]

ok, i will be speaking to him again over the weekend and will show him this thread.

if i convince that the x3 is the best, he will likely go x4, whats the best mobo to support them at AM2+ thats not a fortune?

Asus M3a78 -EM or J&W 790GX Extreme IMHO.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

ok, i will be speaking to him again over the weekend and will show him this thread.

if i convince that the x3 is the best, he will likely go x4, whats the best mobo to support them at AM2+ thats not a fortune?

Is you dad trying to compete with you or something? Just show him the figures and that will back up your statements!!

If he does not want to listen after this then let him get what he wants and you assemble it if he needs help. At times it can be just simpler that way otherwise people can upperty if your selection of components even has the slightest issues(not that their selection would be any less problematic though but they tend to gloss over these things)!!

I would go with the J&W JW-790GX-Extreme or the Asus M3A78-T if you want a 790GX motherboard:

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/JandW...Board-Graphics

http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Asus-...A-RAID-ATX-VGA

For a 780G based motherboard I would get the Asus M3A78-EM:

http://www.ebuyer.com/product/150278

[Nyar]

i have just bought the jw-90gx extreme and a am3 720x3 from scan, brilliant combo. the BIOS on the scan board is bang up to date, supporting AM3 cpu's. i was going throught he same choices as you were.....was wondering if i should get the gigabyte am3 board instead but am really glad i didnt.