Which AMD processor would be best?

[rdsn]

After reading through these forums for sometime, I have finally decided to join. Anyway, I have to chose between two processors, the AMD X6 1055T or AMD X4 980 Black Edition. I cannot chose Intel because their motherboards are too expensive. Both of these CPUs literally cost the same, about $160. I use my computer for gaming (skyrim, fsx), video and audio processing, and general use. Also, the processor should still be able to run games and do things six years down the road. It will be mildly overclocked. Which one would be best for me. Thanks.

 

[jihe]

After reading through these forums for sometime, I have finally decided to join. Anyway, I have to chose between two processors, the AMD X6 1055T or AMD X4 980 Black Edition. I cannot chose Intel because their motherboards are too expensive. Both of these CPUs literally cost the same, about $160. I use my computer for gaming (skyrim, fsx), video and audio processing, and general use. Also, the processor should still be able to run games and do things six years down the road. It will be mildly overclocked. Which one would be best for me. Thanks.

X6

 

[ZipSpeed]

Video work benefits from moar cores so definitely the X6.

 

[Chiropteran]

I'd go with the 980. It's much faster on a per thread basis, and handily beats the 1055 on single threaded workloads. When the 1055 can use all 6 threads it pulls ahead, but not enough to justify the sacrifice in single-threaded programs.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/147?vs=362

 

[Smoblikat]

Since you said youre spending dollars, why not get teh best of both worlds? The 960T for 124$.

 

[grimpr]

Get the Thuban, the 1055T is a great chip and will outlast the X4. It has Turbo Core and overclocks really nice.

 

[richierich1212]

Overclock the 1055T to 4GHz and the Northbridge to 2600 or 2800MHz and you're golden.

 

[Maximilian]

X6 ftw!

 

[gmaster456]

I would go with the X6.

 

[EskLuxor]

if there the same price, id go for the x6. more programs down the road will be optimized for more threads.

 

[rdsn]

Yeah, that was what I was thinking. If the software industry is anything but stagnant, we should all be able to fully use our hex core CPUs in a couple of years. Thanks for the replies guys, I am going with the X6. Have any of you run a processor at 4ghz for years? I would overclock that high but I would not like to see my PC in flames anytime soon. Especially since I will be keeping the processor for the next 5-6 years.

 

[denev2004]

Absolutely X6 1055T
2.8GHZ K10 is enough for most games, more cores will definately benefit video & audio processing

 

[PhoenixEnigma]

Yeah, that was what I was thinking. If the software industry is anything but stagnant, we should all be able to fully use our hex core CPUs in a couple of years. Thanks for the replies guys, I am going with the X6. Have any of you run a processor at 4ghz for years? I would overclock that high but I would not like to see my PC in flames anytime soon.

I've got a Thuban I've had at between 3.7GHz and 4GHz most of its life, depending on ambient temperatures (that's close to 2 years now). The CPU isn't the thing to worry about going up in flames, trust me.

 

[sequoia464]

Since you said youre spending dollars, why not get teh best of both worlds? The 960T for 124$.

I have two of these - one didn't unlock - the second however is running six cores @ 3850MHz. I got mine for $110 at Amazon - best price that I know of now is the $124 Smoblikat mentioned at Newegg.

 

[Stuka87]

Go for the x6. Bit slower in single threaded stuff for sure, but once you get all the cores going to does very well. Especially once you bump its clocks up.

 

[Red Hawk]

After reading through these forums for sometime, I have finally decided to join. Anyway, I have to chose between two processors, the AMD X6 1055T or AMD X4 980 Black Edition. I cannot chose Intel because their motherboards are too expensive. Both of these CPUs literally cost the same, about $160. I use my computer for gaming (skyrim, fsx), video and audio processing, and general use. Also, the processor should still be able to run games and do things six years down the road. It will be mildly overclocked. Which one would be best for me. Thanks.

Now here's a problem. AMD's old K10 processor architecture is already outdated and obsolete compared to Intel. In six years, consoles will have leapt into the next generation, meaning the minimum requirements for "console port" PC games will soar across the board. You can't really trust any AMD CPU to be able to run the latest games six years from now. I mean, who uses a Pentium 4 for games nowadays?

My advice would be to get an Intel LGA 1155 motherboard and one of their inexpensive CPUs. Even Intel's less expensive CPUs blow away AMD when it comes to things like gaming. Then, in 4 or 5 years when Ivy Bridge's prices have dropped, you can pick up one of the high-end Ivy Bridge processors.

 

[richierich1212]

OP said he does more than game. And will not choose intel due to motherboard cost. Why would he want to pick up an IB processor 4 or 5 years from now? lol.

 

[tulx]

Have any of you run a processor at 4ghz for years? I would overclock that high but I would not like to see my PC in flames anytime soon. Especially since I will be keeping the processor for the next 5-6 years.

I still (!) run my Phenom I Agena 9850 OC'd from 2,5 to 3,1 GHz, it's four or five years now.

 

[AtenRa]

New AMDs FX series models are coming shortly with price reductions already on the older models. I would wait a couple of days, perhaps a few weeks and see if the FX8120 is close to your budget.

The FX6100 and FX8120 already have seen a price reduction here in Greece and i believe when the new models will hit retail stores in the States, those two CPUs will be priced lower than now.

 

[Red Hawk]

OP said he does more than game. And will not choose intel due to motherboard cost. Why would he want to pick up an IB processor 4 or 5 years from now? lol.

Because he'd have a motherboard that would be compatible with it and it would be less expensive then. One could mitigate the cost of the motherboard by getting a less expensive CPU. It would still outperform AMD in anything short of heavily multi-threaded apps.

Perhaps my point should be, you get what you pay for. AMD being less expensive comes with the caveat of it having worse performance now and shorter useful life. The K10 architecture is not going to last another 6 years with regards to gaming, and Bulldozer is, well...Bulldozer.:\

 

[nemesismk2]

I would get the X6 1055T

 

[BD231]

If ur gonna keep it for five years go intel and buy it all at different times if money is an issue. Currently buying into anything amd for longevity is a terrible move, dont invest in a dead platform.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

Get bulldozer?

 

[dguy6789]

+1 vote for X6. It's better than Bulldozer

 

[rdsn]

I don't go all out on graphics anyway. Processors don't seem to matter too much in games. I am running vanilla Skyrim on high to medium settings with a amd athlon 64 x2 4800+ completely stock, albeit at 15FPS in Markarth. The only thing wrong seems to be bottlenecking of the GPU. I would say that is really not bad. I don't know what will happen in the future, but I expect the much higher tier x6 to keep up just as well.