Current best bang for buck Quad-Core CPU? AMD or Intel?

[cheekster]

Hi.

Considering the purchase of an AMD Phenom II X4 955 BlackEdition, Sok AM3, 3.2GHz, 8MB Total Cache, 125W, Retail which is on Scans Today Only page for £136.84 (sure it was £125 last night!) and thought I'd check here first to see what the more knowledgeable ones thought? Is this currently the best bang-for-buck quad-core cpu available?

Which after market cpu cooler(s) would you recommend for near silent operation and also with a view to "possibly" overclock at some stage in the future?

When are the Intel Core i5 cpu's due out? Will these wipe the floor with the AMD Phenom II X4's? Presumably they will set one back a fair amount more though?

Thanks.

Cheekster.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Hi.

Considering the purchase of an AMD Phenom II X4 955 BlackEdition, Sok AM3, 3.2GHz, 8MB Total Cache, 125W, Retail which is on Scans Today Only page for £136.84 (sure it was £125 last night!) and thought I'd check here first to see what the more knowledgeable ones thought? Is this currently the best bang-for-buck quad-core cpu available?

Which after market cpu cooler(s) would you recommend for near silent operation and also with a view to "possibly" overclock at some stage in the future?

When are the Intel Core i5 cpu's due out? Will these wipe the floor with the AMD Phenom II X4's? Presumably they will set one back a fair amount more though?

Thanks.

Cheekster.

The main issue with the Core i5 is how much the motherboards will cost and how much the RAM will cost too. The integrated memory controller in the Core i5 can only use relatively low voltage DDR3 whereas the Phenom II X4 is fine with the cheaper higher voltage stuff.

Hence it is important to look at the platform cost(CPU+Motherboard+RAM) first. I also tend not to base my decisions only on the potential overclocked performance of a CPU unless I am paying under £60 for it. If I spend over £60 currently on a CPU it should have decent enough stock performance to do the job. Also beware of spending too much on an expensive motherboard and cooler for overclocking as you might as well spend more on the CPU with a stock cooler and a cheaper(but decent) motherboard and run the whole shebang at stock.

If the Core i5 as a platform can offer better performance overall for a similar price then it will be a better proposition over a Phenom II X4.

TBH,for most single card gaming setups a 3ghz quad core will be fine for the foreseeable future IMHO. Remember most gamers are still using single and dual core processors!

[Zhaoman]

it's hard to say at this stage tbh. both the phenoms and the core2 quads offer great value for money at present and platform costs are also very light. i would lean towards the phenom955 BE simply because it has the unlocked multiplier which a core2 at that price-point wouldn't have but both platforms are very affordable at present.

of course all that could and may well change once i5 comes out, but it may not change too much. i would guess there would be a slight drop in price with some specific processors being discontinued like always.

[Terbinator]

Well if you were an early Q6600 adaoptor then its hard to argue anything else is better.

[Vimeous]

Band for Buck?
Core 2 Quad

However the platform is being replaced while the other three all have more mileage to come. If that bothers you and you don't see the point of Core 2 Quad with DDR3 then the AMD option would be next on my list of BfB.

[DeludedGuy]

AMD X4 surely.

Get an X4 945 or 955 for under £150, a 785g mobo and you are done.

[Phage]

Since we don't yet have i5 pricing it's going to be a bit hard to tell.
If we exclude the i5 then it's the AMD 955.

[aidanjt]

Phenom II X4, hands down. Intel for raw performance.

[chis]

Well if you were an early Q6600 adaoptor then its hard to argue anything else is better.

Hmm... my workstation has four cores, a healthy 6GB of RAM and a 64-bit OS already. Sure, it's first-gen Core 2 (Q6600), and DDR2, but I'm sitting here with only the mildest interest at all this new gen tech.

It's nice to feel I have enough PC to do everything (and I do mean everything, especially art, video manipulation and music production) without a hitch. Anyone else feeling similar?

Does the topic poster really feel they need to upgrade? I look at all this new tech and see DDR3 being a requirement, not to mention a new motherboard and obviously the CPU. It'll be faster... but I'm not yet convinced its worth it. Further, the i7's power requirements seem rather hefty...

[Zhaoman]

exactly how i feel. i don't expect to upgrade until 16 cores are the norm tbh. rite now my q6600 is doing everything i can throw at it with plenty of room for overclocking should i need the power. i7 is a waste of time and money if you already own a Core2 quad.

[Terbinator]

exactly how i feel. i don't expect to upgrade until 16 cores are the norm tbh. rite now my q6600 is doing everything i can throw at it with plenty of room for overclocking should i need the power. i7 is a waste of time and money if you already own a Core2 quad.

Same here. I dont buy into this hyper-threading pap either (not to be a philistine) just give me real cores instead the biggest draw for me to upgrade though is the power requirments side of things the newer i7's with there fanct DDR3 only mem controller and smaller fab process (in comparison to kentsfield) along with turbo mode makes my P45+Q6600 like a gas guzzler :/

Q6600, may you live long and prostprous.

[McstylisT]

As an Intel fan it hurts to say AMD I think.

Yes the price of the P2 955 is an attractive opposition. They do compete with the Core2 Quad well. But due to the cheaper prices and more importantly cheaper motherboards they do have the bang for buck factor. But who wants quite good. lol !!

With all this info to light I personally had the option to go p2 on a recent new build. But opted for the intel i7 instead. No contest really , you pay for what you get. I got the bang !! !!

McT

[McstylisT]

exactly how i feel. i don't expect to upgrade until 16 cores are the norm tbh. rite now my q6600 is doing everything i can throw at it with plenty of room for overclocking should i need the power. i7 is a waste of time and money if you already own a Core2 quad.

I must be honest , I do kinda agree.

I was one of the few that ditched their Core 2 Quads ( my being Q9550) for the new i7. Yep the i7 is awesome its speed is unmatched @ 4ghz and i love the system to bits. But having the experience with it now would i have still spent the money to go i7 now knowing the difference between this and the Q9550 setup. The answers NO. The Core 2 Q9550 was fine for todays workings. At least for another year or two. Lucky for me the sale of my own components paid for a fair bit of the new stuff so did not shell out to much. I will get my use's out of this i7 before i upgrade again.

JMHO.

McT

[EarlGrey]

Hmm... my workstation has four cores, a healthy 6GB of RAM and a 64-bit OS already. Sure, it's first-gen Core 2 (Q6600), and DDR2, but I'm sitting here with only the mildest interest at all this new gen tech.

It's nice to feel I have enough PC to do everything (and I do mean everything, especially art, video manipulation and music production) without a hitch. Anyone else feeling similar?

Does the topic poster really feel they need to upgrade? I look at all this new tech and see DDR3 being a requirement, not to mention a new motherboard and obviously the CPU. It'll be faster... but I'm not yet convinced its worth it. Further, the i7's power requirements seem rather hefty...

I agree. The OP has a Q6600 in their current build. Just buy a decent P45 (or P35) motherboard and clock the CPU to 3Ghz.

That is your best bang per buck by a country mile.

[s3ds]

AMD Phenom II X4
but that will/may change soon

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

AMD Phenom II X4
but that will/may change soon

The full RRP of those P55 motherboards from MSI is just insane!! Over £125!! Good thing that they are selling them much cheaper in the launch day promotion!! They probably would have to extend it indefinitely as only an idiot would be paying £135+ for a P55 based motherboard!!

I would rather spend the extra money on the CPU and buy a Core i7 920 instead!! Running the RAM even in dual channel with a Core i7 does not lead to a big performance drop either IIRC!!