AMD CPUS: Zambesi vs Phenom... vs... baby zambesi

[TheTwitchizzle]

I'm comparing the zambesi line to the phenom II line of amd processors with a gaming pc in mind. Heres the issue...

Zambesi (bulldozer) processors are typically high # of cores but slower Ghz per core. As I understand it pretty much all games use only 4 cores or less at the moment so wouldn't less cores and more Ghz per core be better? Which brings me to....

Phenom II's are typically 4 cores and very high GHz per core and therefore, by my logic considering core usage of current and near future games, are better at the moment for gaming. HOWEVER, the problem I'm seeing is the Phenom II line runs on the AM3 socket which as I see it now has a limited lifespan. In my mind if I want to build a computer that will continue to only need upgrades for the next "#" of years I would want the AM3+ socket because that should keep upgrading for now or at least the next few years. Which leads me to...

Baby Zambesi, such as the AMD FX-4100 Zambezi has only 4 cores but it runs on the AM3+ socket AND better yet it runs at ~3.6Ghz per core! and 'turbo mode' makes it go up to ~3.8Ghz per core which rivals most Phenom II 4 core speeds. However, the baby dozer has the benefit of running on the AM3+ socket which to me says it has about the same speed as the phenom II but does not make me have to upgrade most of my system when win8 or higher core using games come out and instead will only have to upgrade my cpu.

So the question: are my deductions correct? or is there some key element I'm missing? All of the newegg customer reviews saw the cpu as a good cheap cpu but not at all in the way I have seen it, which leads me to believe i'm missing something. BTW, sry for the text wall

the question is AM I MISSING SOMETHING? (got my post closed by another forum that said i didn't ask a solvable question.... fools)

Note: i'm sticking with amd, so lets please skip that part of the conversation

 

[patonb]

Right now, BD sucks. And they consume more power than the PIIs. Which btw you forgot all the Phenom x6 procesors.
Newegg.com - Computer Hardware, AMD, Processors - Desktops, Phenom II X6

Biggest question is whats your purpose.

 

[TheTwitchizzle]

gaming, as stated. 6 core phenom all well and good but i'm also looking at longevity, so would it not also be beneficial to have that AM3+ socket because its the newest socket and will last longer? possibly with newer cpu lines on the same socket..? And in the meantime a bulldozer thats 4 core but almost as fast as most phenoms?

 

[Roark]

the baby dozer has the benefit of running on the AM3+ socket which to me says it has about the same speed as the phenom II but does not make me have to upgrade most of my system when win8 or higher core using games come out and instead will only have to upgrade my cpu.

is there some key element I'm missing?

Considering the research you've done I feel silly putting this out there, but you are aware that PII X4 can run in an AM3+ board as well right?
So you can get a PII X4 or FX-4100 and use the same motherboard for either, and have the same upgrade options later.

I think a big piece of the puzzle is, are you going to overclock?

@ stock, personally would probably go with the FX-4100 for the higher clocks per core.
W/ OC, from what I've been reading I'd probably go with the PII X4 960T; which is essentially a PII X6 with locked cores.


*Edit - So I was mis-reading charts and thought the 960T was OC'd to 3.6, @ stock would take the 960T as well.
Apparently the only gaming comparison that has been made that is available:
960T Vs. FX4100

 

[TheTwitchizzle]

in response to the last post, i wish i had read it before calling ASUS, but finally came to that realization. Theres so many details out there that I have a difficult time catching all of them, especially considering I only play catchup every 2 years or so. Yes am3+ is backwards compatible, which after having found that out, saves me a lot of pain. Now the question is the "ASUS M5A88-V EVO AM3+ AMD 880G HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard" capable of underclocking 1866 ram to 1333 so i don't have to upgrade ram when i eventually upgrade the cpu

 

[patonb]

Your board runs at whatever your ram is. So if you put 2000 in, it'll run at 2000, 1333 and your at 1333.

 

[TheTwitchizzle]

once again patonb not very thorough or helpful. While the computer may try to run at whatever speed the ram is the CPU can only handle so much of 'each' speed. For instance the Zambesi product line can only handle 2 sticks of 1866, while the phenom II line is based on 1333 ram. Some boards can underclock ram for this purpose. Thanks anyway though.

 

[Shaynk]

You're looking to much at clock speeds, currently a lower clocked Phenom will outperform a higher clocked Zambezi.

Right now bulldozer is in a bad place, when compared to Phenom 2 much less Intel. The only advantage to bulldozer is they seem to overclock very well.

 

[Trotter]

The ASUS M5A88-V EVO AM3+ board will run RAM up through 2000 if you set it in the BIOS. patonb is correct, technically.

 

[Slaymate]

capable of underclocking 1866 ram to 1333 so i don't have to upgrade ram when i eventually upgrade the cpu

For instance the Zambesi product line can only handle 2 sticks of 1866, while the phenom II line is based on 1333 ram. Some boards can underclock ram for this purpose. Thanks anyway though.

I think your confused about how all of this stuff works. My CPU is rated for 1333MHz memory but it will still run memory rated for a much higher speed. I've ran 2133MHz memory with no problems. And I can also run my memory at lower speeds, 1066MHz is as slow as it will go.

And the Zambesi product line has a dual channel memory controller. This means it's designed to use memory two sticks at a time, if the motherboard has four memory slots it can use all four.

All in all if I was choosing from the AMD product lineup I would go with the fastest PII X4 I could afford.

If you can swing it the Intel i5 2500K is more cash but it's a much better cpu than anything AMD has.