AM3 CPU choices...

[JPLee29]

Hey was thinking of buying a Phenom II X2 545 cpu and a nice mobo to run it on but would it be worth it to buy an Athlon II X3 425 instead and upgrade to a quad or something better next year? My other choice was to order an AM2 Athlon 64 X2 6000+ cpu for my current pc but afraid my pc won't be able to handle that.

Also confused about seeing people saying some cpus only liking ddr2 ram and others liking ddr3 ram. Will both the first two cpus support using ddr3 ram with a mobo that uses that type of ram?

 

[Axon]

I stick with L3 cache chips exclusively, and given the price points between the Phenom 545 and the Athlon 425, your wallet won't take much of a hit. I believe you can unlock the extra core(s) on either of those chips, so purchase your motherboard appropriately to maximize your chances in that regard.

Personally, I would go with the Phenom II 550 BE and overclock the shit out of it; it's a beast when OCed for most games. At $90, it should be within your price range unless you're really under the gun.

I can't answer your RAM question because I have no experience with either of the two chips you've listed. I find that, in general, some RAM/CPU/Mobo combos just don't get along with no particular rhyme or reason...like cats or dogs.

 

[JimKiler]

Also confused about seeing people saying some cpus only liking ddr2 ram and others liking ddr3 ram. Will both the first two cpus support using ddr3 ram with a mobo that uses that type of ram?

If I understand the question you are referring to the fact that AM3 motherboards use DDR3 and AM2/AM2+ use DDR2 RAM. You can plug a AM3 into a AM2+ mobo and use your existing DDR2.

 

[Martimus]

I believe that any AMD processor that ends with a "5" (i.e. 925 or 545) has a DDR2 and DDR3 memory controller, while those that end in a "0" (i.e. 940) have only the DDR2 memory controller.

 

[DrMrLordX]

I believe that any AMD processor that ends with a "5" (i.e. 925 or 545) has a DDR2 and DDR3 memory controller, while those that end in a "0" (i.e. 940) have only the DDR2 memory controller.

No, not necessarily:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...AMD-_-19103843

The Athlon II X3 440 is a recently-released CPU will run in an AM3 board with DDR3 . . . and that's just one example.

 

[hans007]

I believe that any AMD processor that ends with a "5" (i.e. 925 or 545) has a DDR2 and DDR3 memory controller, while those that end in a "0" (i.e. 940) have only the DDR2 memory controller.

basically all AM3 chips can fit in a DDR2 board and use DDR2.

And all can use DDR3 on a AM3 board.

the 940 and 920 and the very rare athlon x2 5000+ based on those dies are AM+ chips like phenom I or athlon 7000 series chips so they cant do ddr3 at all.

I think their naming scheme is weird honestly. the Athlon iis all the ones that end with 5 are odd numbered ghz, like 2.7 ghz, and the 0 ones are 2.6 ghz etc. With the phenom IIs they are just random apparently. I mean there is a phenom II 905 and 910e. andthe 910 doesnt end in 5 but is am3.

 

[JPLee29]

Ah thanks for all the good info. Need to measure an old 10+ years old pc case and see if everything will fit in it before ordering haha. Will be nice to finally be in the ages of muti-cores myself, with my last pc thought going with AM2 to upgrade later was a better choice then getting a dual-core pc at that time but maybe it wasn't in the long run because AM2+ and AM3 came along after. :/ Also wondering how you know if a mobo has ACC or not....but guess better to ask that on the mobo section.