AMD Phenom II X4 940 vs Intel core2 duo e8500

[jkool55]

What is the best cpu for a machine that is mostly gaming with some video/picture editing the

AMD Phenom II X4 945 or Intel core2 duo e8500?

Price right now is about the same on newegg, I like the fact that the AMD can run with DDR3 whereas the e8500 intel does not. I am thinking of putting in a gtx260 or a 4870, but if i can find a deal with the newer versions (gtx275 or 4890 would consider it).

 

[GhislainG]

I like the fact that the AMD can run with DDR3 whereas the e8500 intel does not.

It uses DDR3 if you buy a motherboard that requires DDR3, but DDR3 provides minimal benefits over DDR2.

You title refers to the AMD Phenom II X4 940 and the text to the AMD Phenom II X4 945. The CPU charts should help you decide: http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009-desktop-cpu-charts/benchmarks,60.html.

 

[Helloworld_98]

you need the 945 if using DDR3, and the e8500 can run ddr3 aswell, providing you have a DDR3 board.

 

[Raidur]

E8500 would be best for games that use 2 or less cores (which is most games) because it will clock higher and is better clock for clock, core for core. But since you do vid editing I'd probably go with a quad. See if the progs you use for your editing use 4 cores and if so I'd go with the PII 945. Remember Q9550 is only $40 more and out-performs both in almost everything (besides a high OC on the E8500 in games/progs with 2 or less core optimization).

 

[jkool55]

sorry for the confusion on the 940 and 945, i meant so put the 945 in the post title. i agree with everyone and have to say my last build I did for my friend utilized the e8500. there is just something about building one year later and still using the same processor and keeping the same budget. i will check the charts but to incorporate the q9550, makes me want to just spend a few more dollars and go i7. this build is not for myself so i don't think they will overclock at all.

 

[jennyh]

You have to compare the 9550 to the 955 BE phenom II...the numbers sorta give it away.


Anyway, http://www.anandtech.com/bench/default.aspx?p=88&p2=50

19 wins for the Phenom II, 13 wins for the 9550. Both cpu's are clearly very close in capability but the Phenom II just wins by a small margin in more.

 

[jkool55]

ok so, lets say we make the comparison to the 9550 intel and 955 amd. we are getting the facts from anandtech showing the amd chip is slightly ahead. well at a 10 dollar less price tag on newegg, why don't i want to go amd? i can find similar motherboards and buy the same ram so all else being equal, the amd is newer and slightly on top. how close can the amd build come to an i7 build? is it worth it to spend a few extra dollars and get an i7 build? i am looking at a 800 dollar budget, os not included and i want to pop in at least a gtx260

 

[GhislainG]

Check this review of the 955: http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3551&p=1

If you really need the fastest system, then go with an i7. Just bear in mind that you initially were trying to decide between an AMD Phenom II X4 945 or an Intel Core2 Duo E8500.

 

[mike pyne]

Hi jkool55,
Actually the comparison should be between Intel's i7 vs AMD Phenom II, because they both are though competitors.

Regards,
Server Rentals

 

[Raidur]

Of course the 955 wins in those, it is stock clocked almost 400mhz slower. Look at a benchmark with them at even stocks (mind you the Q9550 will overclock as high and sometimes higher than the 955).

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww252/2MCHBoost/deneb_vs_kentsfield_yorkfield_bloom.png

If you plan on OCing the Q9550 wins, if not the 955 wins, up to you.

 

[jennyh]

Of course the 955 wins in those, it is stock clocked almost 400mhz slower. Look at a benchmark with them at even stocks (mind you the Q9550 will overclock as high and sometimes higher than the 955).

http://i725.photobucket.com/albums/ww252/2MCHBoost/deneb_vs_kentsfield_yorkfield_bloom.png

If you plan on OCing the Q9550 wins, if not the 955 wins, up to you.

Actually, that was taken with the original 940 BE @3.7ghz, which only has a DDR2 controller, and the 945 and 955 BE have a higher overclocking margin than the 940 as the node matures.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3551

If you can't get at least 4.1ghz out of a 955 BE on decent air cooling you are probably doing something wrong. Getting 4ghz out of a 9550 takes a minor miracle. Even with both oc'd to the max, the 9550 only becomes 'as good as' the 955 BE.

Edit - having read some more on overclocking the 9550, there is no way at all that anyone can reasonably claim that overclocking a 9550 would give better results than overclocking a 955 BE in average cases.

 

[jennyh]

To shorten that, a 'good overclock' on a 9550 is probably considered to be between 3.4ghz-3.6ghz where a 'good overclock' on a 955 BE is probably considered 4ghz.

 

[xaira]

get more cores, a dual core will make absolutely no sense 2 years from now

 

[Raidur]

A good OC on a 9550 is 4.0... I got 3.6 on my Q9550 without raising voltages. Average OC w/o raising Vcore on the 9550 is 3.4.

What do you consider a 'good overclock'?

 

[xaira]

to me anything thats 300mhz above stock can be concidered a good oc

 

[Raidur]

Not to mention 955 vs 940 clock for clock with ddr3 is only like a 5% difference. And you can get DDR3 for Core2Quad if you really want to.

 

[jennyh]

A good OC on a 9550 is 4.0... I got 3.6 on my Q9550 without raising voltages. Average OC w/o raising Vcore on the 9550 is 3.4.

What do you consider a 'good overclock'?

If you checked out that link I gave, you'd see that the 955 was at 3.8ghz at stock voltages. The average stock voltage OC on a 955 BE will be 3.6-3.7ghz.

I really don't believe that the average 9550 will overclock to 3.6ghz without a voltage increase. What fsb is that? Way more than the average FSB of an average intel mobo for sure.

 

[Raidur]

I said average OC w/o voltages on 9550 is 3.4 =P, I got lucky at 3.6 I've actually seen a guy get his to 4.0 without voltage increases, not that it is relevant. Yeah I have read of some 955s doing very well, and some only going to 3.8 and hitting a hard wall, its the luck of the draw as we all know. But I can see average max oc of both being around 4.0ghz, both getting lucky and unlucky at times. It's probably very even, with the 955 getting a little luckier at times?

Oh yeah, fsb was 423 I believe. (I'm at work atm)

Lets just call it even!

 

[jennyh]

I'm sure some 9550's will go to 4ghz, I'm just wondering what sort of mobo and memory is required in order to get there.

When I say 'average', what I mean is, I can plug my 940 BE into a $50 mobo and it will overclock to 3.7-3.8ghz. A 955 BE will probably go to 3.9ghz-4ghz in the same mobo. I think the average q9550 in an average intel mobo will be doing well and lucky to get to 3.4ghz.