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going for an overhaul
keviny1:
Alright so I'm planning and upgrading my cpu to the I5 3.2 ghz but to do this I will also need a new motherboard and possibly new ram aswell. So I was wondering if this upgrade is going to be worth the 400$. And am I going to be able to tell a big difference of not.
Current specs:
Windows 7 64bit
AMD Phenom 9500 Quad-core 2.2GHz
4 GB DDR2
xfx radeon 5770 1gb
fohfoh:
Depends on your reasons for upgrading.
x5ga:
That depends on what you use your computer for... if it's just web browsing, music and movies/anime then most likely the difference is not noticeable, but if you use it for gaming or video editing or other CPU-heavy tasks, then yes, there will be a bit of a speed boost. You will definitely need new RAM, since the i5 only supports DDR3. Even though the i5 you are talking about (I think it's the i5-650) has only 2 physical cores (but 4 threads -will show up as 4CPUs in Task Manager- due to HyperThreading), it is faster than the phenom II you currently have. The jump from DDR2 to DDR3 will also make a difference. So... if you use your system for heavy tasks, then the upgrade is worth it, though the i5-750 (which has 4 physical cores) is much better and it's almost in the same price range.
keviny1:
the one I'm using I don't even think its phenom II. Also the I5 750 is only 2.66 ghz where the 650 is 3.2 ghz does that make a difference? Sorry don't have much knowledge with processors
also i mainly use my pc for gaming and anime, with a bit of editing for friends skate videos
datora:
.
The 4 true cores running at lower GHz will outperform the 'virtual' hyperthreading cores at higher GHz .. but, I can't tell you where the crossover is. Maybe 3.2 beats out 2.6 here, but I'm thinking they're either comparable or the true x4 will still beat out. Needs research.
As already asked, it'll help a lot if you can give a better idea what you want to do with the machine (how cutting edge are your games? do video editing? Encodes?). A lot of apps can't really use all 4 cores today, but in the fairly near future x4, x6 and x8 cores will be used more efficiently. A bit of guess how fast that'll happen, though. Seems a year or a bit more before it's really common.
Other considerations:
What sort of connectivity do you have between your computer & 'other things?'
If you are currently using SATA 3GB/s drives and USB 2.0, but your upgraded mobo gives you SATA 6GB/s and USB 3 ... that is quite an improvement in transfer speeds. Maybe it's important to you ..? Even if not today, it would give you more future capability if the system is still running three years out.
The question is sort of about your money availability, too. Is $400 a firm number for you, or do you have flexibility for other related upgrades ..?
There are also hard drive options to consider if you're really trying to tweak performance, like jumping to a SATA 6GB/s performance drive, or even an SSD. But, it'll be easy to blow through a $400 budget that way.
Also, +1 what x5ga said here:
--- Quote from: x5ga on September 03, 2010, 04:45:02 PM --- [ ... ] the i5 you are talking about (I think it's the i5-650) has only 2 physical cores (but 4 threads -will show up as 4CPUs in Task Manager- due to HyperThreading), it is faster than the phenom II
[ ... ]
though the i5-750 (which has 4 physical cores) is much better and it's almost in the same price range.
--- End quote ---
Even jumping to an i7 if you can. I assume you're talking i5 due to budget.
If your budget is more flexible, then maybe ...
If you're going new mobo, and the new RAM is pretty much required, have you looked at the performance from something like:
AMD Phenom II X6 1090T Black Edition Thuban 3.2GHz
- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103849
These overclock pretty safely/easily into the 4.0 GHz range. Don't know how those prices might compare with the performance you're interested in.
I've been eyeing this mobo:
MSI 890FXA-GD70 AM3
- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130274
with either that x6 Phenom or it's kid brother, a x4 core:
AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition Deneb 3.4GHz
- http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727
[ EDITS: ty00ps & more specific questions on use. ]
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