100 or less to spend...

I

ITSTHINKING

[H]ard|Gawd
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Mar 1, 2006
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Hey guys, my brother has about 300 dollars to spend and needs a computer. I am willing to throw in a case and hd that i have around here and maybe a couple of other parts. I need a suggestion. What is the best possible proc for $100 or less? I was looking at this list http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007671 4026&IsNodeId=1&name=$50 - $75

there is a triple and a quad on there, as well as a couple of intel dual cores, i don't know much about the celerons, are they just core 2's with less cache and less mhz? This list is the 50-75$ range so there are other options. The most intense game he will be playing is Hawx and steam games (source engine). I can't spend more than 100 because otherwise he won't have enough for 4 gigs of ram and a motherboard (but if something is like 110 then theres no reason not to spend 10 more). Thanks for the help.
 
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103871

The 555 is great but I assume this computer is to be used for quite a while no? More and more games including source are making use of all 4 cores and some even 6.

If you are willing to go middle ground to get that L3 back and are willing to do the work to install a 3rd party cooler you can try this

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103699

That is a better binned version of my 720 And let me tell you this 720 even with its worse binning is one KICK ass CPU. The major issue with that tho is it is OEM. You get no support. After 30 days I doubt you can RMA an OEM. So what that means is simply for atleast 6 months make no attempt to raise the Vcore past stock. Raising the Vcore to unsafe levels is usually what ends up doing the actual damage to the CPU. Undervolting ought to be fine and with that binning you might be able to push 3.2Ghz if you do it slowly. Oh and don't attempt to unlock. people here make it seem like its the best thing in the world but I actually tried it (Laugh it up fuzzballs I reverted back after testing and ill explain why) but what they dont tell you is that AMD disables these cores for a reason. With it unlocked I had to run at an unsafe Vcore to keep the 4th core from failing. And it actually limited my overclock.

If you want to try for the OEM and need a cooler I am using this http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...re=Rosewill_CPU_cooler-_-35-200-014-_-Product
 
if you can cover 400$ tom's hardware has put one together or you could at least get some ideas.
 
i'd get an amd athlon II x4 combo with a mobo for around 120-130ish and work from there.. the phenom II may be faster clock for clock, but not by too much.
 
need to know budget for mobo as well, could very well pair up a good mobo that can unlock a 555 to quad.
 
Lanx said:
need to know budget for mobo as well, could very well pair up a good mobo that can unlock a 555 to quad.
Click to expand...

Can we stop with the unlock antics? You make it sound like it is all flowers when in reality you have to run the whole kit at a higher voltage and heat than a stock quad greatly limiting overclocking. Not to mention loss of Core temp readings, Instablity.. The works.

And don't use the BS excuse that AMD purposely turns off good cores. That was a C2 stepping thing where AMD had fixed an issue and had a surge of good cores. That is not the case for a LONG time now. Athlon II fills the hole completely now and AMD can afford to run out of stock of Phenom II X2s and X3s which they are not considering OEM versions are offered on Newegg.

Look at the numerous reports of failed unlocks in the past half year and even when they do unlock usually you have to bump the voltage up to deal with the crappy silicon on the disabled core. My testing revealed my ole C2 720 has the same issue and it was just after the surge.

That kind of talk puts thoughts into people's minds that they can get a quad for free. And when it dosent happen naturally they are not happy with an otherwise great processor. When it magically does work it steals AMD money. Even when I unlocked my 720 for testing I felt dishonest and I am happy to be back at a tri again. And got an extra stable 200Mhz added to my overclock as a bonus for being nice to it again :D I could likely push another 200 out of the same voltage but I like to keep it extra stable for computing work.
 
+3 on the x4. I got one because I wanted 4 guaranteed cores and because long term gain of that outweighed 2 faster cores and a gamble. My c3 X4 635 runs cold, and its runs undervolted, but thats because this AM2+ board is weak and overclocking isn't much of an option right now. When I do get an am3 board, im sure what I can do with an overclocked x4 will atleast match a unclocked x2 requiring heavy voltage to be stable, and the percentages of success are better.

But then again, I would of bought the x2 if I already had the tools to unlock and overclock the chip without it hindering the overclock.
 
Simpson5774 said:
+3 on the x4. I got one because I wanted 4 guaranteed cores and because long term gain of that outweighed 2 faster cores and a gamble. My c3 X4 635 runs cold, and its runs undervolted, but thats because this AM2+ board is weak and overclocking isn't much of an option right now. When I do get an am3 board, im sure what I can do with an overclocked x4 will atleast match a unclocked x2 requiring heavy voltage to be stable, and the percentages of success are better.

But then again, I would of bought the x2 if I already had the tools to unlock and overclock the chip without it hindering the overclock.
Click to expand...

That would have been possible during that few month period where AMD was dumping good silicon on the market to plug a hole due to slowing of 65nm work. But a 1000 Perfect AMD mobo isnt going to beat bad silicon.

My personal choice would be the middle ground of X3 because with the L3 it is nice good silicon with OEM price. Yes that means no stock cooler but the stock cooler completely sucks for overclocking anyway.

However yes overall P2 X3 and Ath X4 is going to kick butt.
 
If you've got a microcenter around you, you can get a 555 and motherboard for about $100 after rebate. You MIGHT unlock extra cores, but it's a good processor and board combo for 100 either way.
 
Zachstar said:
Can we stop with the unlock antics? You make it sound like it is all flowers when in reality you have to run the whole kit at a higher voltage and heat than a stock quad greatly limiting overclocking. Not to mention loss of Core temp readings, Instablity.. The works.

And don't use the BS excuse that AMD purposely turns off good cores. That was a C2 stepping thing where AMD had fixed an issue and had a surge of good cores. That is not the case for a LONG time now. Athlon II fills the hole completely now and AMD can afford to run out of stock of Phenom II X2s and X3s which they are not considering OEM versions are offered on Newegg.

Look at the numerous reports of failed unlocks in the past half year and even when they do unlock usually you have to bump the voltage up to deal with the crappy silicon on the disabled core. My testing revealed my ole C2 720 has the same issue and it was just after the surge.

That kind of talk puts thoughts into people's minds that they can get a quad for free. And when it dosent happen naturally they are not happy with an otherwise great processor. When it magically does work it steals AMD money. Even when I unlocked my 720 for testing I felt dishonest and I am happy to be back at a tri again. And got an extra stable 200Mhz added to my overclock as a bonus for being nice to it again :D I could likely push another 200 out of the same voltage but I like to keep it extra stable for computing work.
Click to expand...

dude, chill out.

my phenom runs 4 cores at stock voltage. I can overclock pretty darn high on stock.

lmao that you make it a moral thing. I woulda bought an x2 no matter what, it unlocks so bonus to me and good for AMD because I am a loyal fan because of time and time again getting more than I paid for, when I never would have paid more.

get off your high horse.

you are a bad person if you unlock your extra core, hahahahahahaha....haha


as for the OP, I vote phenomII x2 550 black edition. And even if you don't unlock you can still overclock unless that is evil too...
 
Overclocking is not evil. What you buy is quality of silicon not deliberately disabled inner working to increase sales without demonizing upper part sales.

Almost always quality of overclock depends on the quality of the silicon of the good cores. That is why going for a black edition with it's usually superior silicon gives you better overclocks. In a way that is why the new 45W cores are so expensive. But overall you arent denying AMD or Intel profit by overclocking in most situations.

When one unlocks and intends to keep that unlock it usually is followed by time not updating the system or outright refusal to buy what they think they unlocked to. Worse than that it has caused AMD bad face for the past 6 months as people whine and complain when unlocks fail and try to get rid of the core. And yet people wailed and complained when companies changed their policies to keep people from RMAing good cores because they wont unlock.

So when someone comes on here and says "Heh heh buy an X2 and unlock to a quad for free!" As an actual and serious recomindation and it fails to unlock? Then the damage to AMDs rep is double. Even in your stituation and say "If you get lucky" As they "expected" a quad for a duo. Built their system around an expected quad.

It is not moral any way you look at it.

Your phenom running at stock unlcocked is PURE luck. Likely because you snagged either a C2 during the dump times or a C3 that mistakenly got a bad report on a core. Either way it is NOT likely to happen to others as the general rule is "Unlock higher than stock"
 
Zachstar said:
Can we stop with the unlock antics? You make it sound like it is all flowers when in reality you have to run the whole kit at a higher voltage and heat than a stock quad greatly limiting overclocking. Not to mention loss of Core temp readings, Instablity.. The works.
Click to expand...

you don't know what the hell you are talking about...

I just picked up a Phenom II x2 555 and it unlocked to quad, hit a solid 3.6ghz on only 1.325v
 
Zachstar said:
That kind of talk puts thoughts into people's minds that they can get a quad for free. And when it dosent happen naturally they are not happy with an otherwise great processor. When it magically does work it steals AMD money. Even when I unlocked my 720 for testing I felt dishonest and I am happy to be back at a tri again. And got an extra stable 200Mhz added to my overclock as a bonus for being nice to it again :D I could likely push another 200 out of the same voltage but I like to keep it extra stable for computing work.
Click to expand...

How is it stealing AMDs money? What if you buy a 955BE and up the multiplier one notch? Your CPU is now the same speed as a 965BE, but you paid less. Is that stealing AMDs money?
 
EricFX1984 said:
you don't know what the hell you are talking about...

I just picked up a Phenom II x2 555 and it unlocked to quad, hit a solid 3.6ghz on only 1.325v
Click to expand...

Oh yes I do and again your just another who thinks because he got lucky AMD is raining down good unlockable chips. That isnt true and you know it.
 
z3r0- said:
How is it stealing AMDs money? What if you buy a 955BE and up the multiplier one notch? Your CPU is now the same speed as a 965BE, but you paid less. Is that stealing AMDs money?
Click to expand...

Did you hear nothing of what I said about Silicon quality? Obviously not.
 
Thank you guys, and I really want to apologize for taking the advice and running so to speak. I forgot to report what I did. I got the 250, and did a very modest oc of 400 mhz with no voltage needed. I ran prime for 4 days no problems at all, even on the stock cooler it had good temps. I gave him my very much loved 4870, damn thats a good card even today it runs everything him and I play on high settings, some newer or poorly coded games med/high which is damn good for an older card. I thought it would be a perfect fit to be paired up with a 250. His Monitor is a 22 inch westinghouse that is a tank but only does 16x10 but thats just great for him. I believe he went with 4 gb of xms ram. I donated an extra corsair 650 power supply and a dvd burner. So all in all it came to about $320 out of his pocket, and he doesn't get anything for christmas from me since I gave him a corsair psu, a 500 gb caviar, an armor case, and my beloved 4870 :( But I had a good excuse to get a 5870 which I got brand new for 300 bucks. So far I love it and I feel good about helping my bro, he has been wanting a gaming pc for 5 years now, and he should be able to play games for at least 2 more years on that thing. Thank you to those of you who gave the recommendation of the 250, I am very pleased and surprised at how quick that little bugger is for being a sub $100 dual core. Also I am not trying to say that I don't appreciate the other recommendations. It was very hard to come to a decision. But given his needs, and the ability to plug in another proc in the future when he gets more money, is why I went with the 250

OH and please stop arguing, I just wanted advice and I didn't mean to cause a discussion that made people upset.
 
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Zachstar said:
Can we stop with the unlock antics? You make it sound like it is all flowers when in reality you have to run the whole kit at a higher voltage and heat than a stock quad greatly limiting overclocking. Not to mention loss of Core temp readings, Instablity.. The works.
Click to expand...

yeah uhmmm no... mine unlocked & undervolted (with a small underclock as well) ti meet the 95w tdp of my asus mini itx..
 
novadaemon said:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.480268

150 shipped

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121393&cm_re=gts_450-_-14-121-393-_-Product

137 shipped

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0144266&cm_re=4gb_ddr3-_-20-144-266-_-Product

73 shipped

that's a solid combo for ~$360 shipped. if its out of your budget then drop the quad core to a dual.
Click to expand...


OP, screw all other posts on unlocking and bullshit ... and go ahead with this...you guys will be more than happy!
 
novadaemon said:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.480268

150 shipped

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814121393&cm_re=gts_450-_-14-121-393-_-Product

137 shipped

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0144266&cm_re=4gb_ddr3-_-20-144-266-_-Product

73 shipped

that's a solid combo for ~$360 shipped. if its out of your budget then drop the quad core to a dual.
Click to expand...

Mobo & CPU are good there, but the GTS450 performs like a 5750 & since you can get a 5770 for 125 AR (140 before) that video card is not a good buy. Try This instead & shipped price is 362 for all of it.
 
get the phenom II x2 555 then unlock to x4! got mine to x4 and OC at 3.8 beastly!
 
You really should check out the Egg's combo deals. They make purchasing systems cheaper.

For example this combo includes 4 parts:AMD Phenom II X2 555 BE cpu, CM case, CM power supply, and a motherboard for $232. Leaving you $78 left over to buy 4GB of ram.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.511478

4GB Geil DDR3 $73
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...144266&cm_re=ddr_3_4gb-_-20-144-266-_-Product

Or if you can spend a little more for a quad core there's also this combo for $353 that includes the memory:
AMD Phenom II X4 955 BE, Gigabyte Mobo, 4GB Gskill DDR3, and 750GB WD hard drive.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboBundleDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.466557
 
Zachstar said:
Oh yes I do and again your just another who thinks because he got lucky AMD is raining down good unlockable chips. That isnt true and you know it.
Click to expand...

lol it sure seems that way right now... I have bought 4 in the past few weeks and all have unlocked, 3 have undervolted while OC'ed and unlocked

the chances are right now around 85% or 90% that you will get a full unlock
 
I bought one here in australia three days ago, i unlocked to four cores and booted it to 3.4 on stock voltage (1.4) on the stock cooler and it's 12hours OCCT linpack stable :D
 
My 550be wouldn't unlock, I even pounded the voltages through it @ 1.65 and nada. Lock up booting into windows.
 
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