Fastest 95W AM3 processor

[alexb75]

Hi everyone,

I have a hybrid HTPC/Gaming AMD machine built with the following components:

- MSI 890GX Mobo
- Athlon II X4-640 CPU
- SSD/HDD combo
- Antec Fusio case
- AMD Radeon 7700 Graphics card

I use the gear for a lot of HTPC tasks, watching 1080P movies, Netflix, and music. Plus, playing BF3, STWOR, Rfactor, and a few other SIM Racings. I also do quite a bit of encoding of Audio/Video using Handbrake, iTunes, FLAC and similar tools.

My #1 processor need is to make encoding via Handbrake faster, and secondary need is to improve some gaming performance and overall system performance going to Windows 8.

I like to know what is the fastest 95W CPU I can add, Would a Phenom processor be better? or a 6-core? WITHOUT getting it too hot, being an HTPC setup?

I appreciate some feedback as to best CPU upgrade for my rig.

Thanks

 

[8350rocks]

To my knowledge, there is a Phenom II X4 955/960 95W CPU and there is also a Phenom II X6 1090T 95W as well(I think...). Though they tend to be pretty rare birds at this point, and cost is whatever you encounter since there aren't a great many of them left (there are also lesser models with 95W TDP but you specifically asked for the fastest).

 

[Spaniard United]

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-1045T-2-70GHz-Processor/dp/B006G76LZY/ref=pd_cp_e_2

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-Processor-Black-Socket/dp/B0056D5AMY/ref=sr_1_3

 

[alexb75]

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-1045T-2-70GHz-Processor/dp/B006G76LZY/ref=pd_cp_e_2

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-Processor-Black-Socket/dp/B0056D5AMY/ref=sr_1_3

Thanks, would a 2.7 Phenom X6 be faster than 3.0GHz X4 for Handbrake job? Isn't encoding job purely dependent on CPU speed?

 

[8350rocks]

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-1045T-2-70GHz-Processor/dp/B006G76LZY/ref=pd_cp_e_2

http://www.amazon.com/AMD-Phenom-Processor-Black-Socket/dp/B0056D5AMY/ref=sr_1_3

Thanks, would a 2.7 Phenom X6 be faster than 3.0GHz X4 for Handbrake job? Isn't encoding job purely dependent on CPU speed?

I think handbrake is core sensitive, but I am not 100% sure on that. I know iTunes isn't and POV RAY can be single/multi core...I think handbrake can use more than 1 core...