Help with selecting AMD CPU

[AMDHero]

Im planning on building a my 1st Gaming rig and planning to use AMD just because PS4 and XBOX 720 will be using the 8 core AMD chip.

So I was planning going cheap now and later splashing out for the new chip Steamroller FX, I havent really researched into it just read about it here.

The options I have are either go cheap and buy Phenom II X4 965 (£63) or FX 6300 (£82) or go all out and buy the FX 8350 (£144).


Also I need help to choose a good mobo, Im looking at:

Asus Sabertooth 990FX AM3+ AMD 990FX (£128)

Asrock 990FX Extreme4 Socket AM3+ 7.1 (£93)

Once I have decided what mobo and cpu to get then will need help with selecting a good cooler, been looking at liquid cooling and I dont have the cojones afraid of water damage so most likely will go for air cooling so will need some low profile rams for those huge coolers.

 

[elemein]

I highly suggest going with an FX this time around since then you'll be sure that your motherboard will support FX processors well. Getting a Phenom II now may come up with unexpected problems later with drivers and compatibility in the upgrade.

Nonetheless, if you have a very high budget now, I definitely reccomend going FX-8350. The 8320 is also an option. If your budget is not large, go for the 6300. It's a good idea to wait for Steamroller as the improvement over Piledriver is projected to be large.

Anyways, it's a question of budget. If your gaming isnt extreme and you dont mind waiting till June for an upgrade and your budget isnt very high, 6300. If your gaming is very high and your budget is ample; 8320. If you need the performance now, 8350.

I cannot help you with the motherboard though, sorry.

 

[simon12]

Depends how much of the budget id left for the GPU. If you are going AMD for that as well I recommend:
<7850 Phenom 2 x4
7850-7950 FX6300-6350
>7950 FX83XX
Don't spend more on the board than you do on the CPU, Cooler master 212 EVO is a great cooler for a budget I would not spend more unless its a £1000+ rig.

 

[AMDHero]

thanks for your replys

I have already bought a graphic card it was an impulse buy "KFA2 GTX 660 EX OC 2GB GDDR5 Dual DVI HDMI DisplayPort PCI-E Graphics Card"

As for the motherboard I would like it to be compatible with steamroller so I wouldnt need to buy it again if you guys think thats a bad idea then please do suggest an alternative.

The FX 6300 is quite close to the 8350 performance and will save around £62. As for budget I would like to keep it to £600

heres the current temp list feel free to improve it http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/

Im really liking the noctua cooler and its on the same level as Corsair Hyrdo series

 

[elemein]

thanks for your replys

I have already bought a graphic card it was an impulse buy "KFA2 GTX 660 EX OC 2GB GDDR5 Dual DVI HDMI DisplayPort PCI-E Graphics Card"

As for the motherboard I would like it to be compatible with steamroller so I wouldnt need to buy it again if you guys think thats a bad idea then please do suggest an alternative.

The FX 6300 is quite close to the 8350 performance and will save around £62. As for budget I would like to keep it to £600

heres the current temp list feel free to improve it http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/

Im really liking the noctua cooler and its on the same level as Corsair Hyrdo series

If you already have a 660, why are you buying a cheap 7850?

Also, the build looks good so far. The 6300 is a great CPU, you wont be dissapointed. Steamroller should be supported by AM3+, just as the 6300 is.

 

[AMDHero]

thanks for your replys

I have already bought a graphic card it was an impulse buy "KFA2 GTX 660 EX OC 2GB GDDR5 Dual DVI HDMI DisplayPort PCI-E Graphics Card"

As for the motherboard I would like it to be compatible with steamroller so I wouldnt need to buy it again if you guys think thats a bad idea then please do suggest an alternative.

The FX 6300 is quite close to the 8350 performance and will save around £62. As for budget I would like to keep it to £600

heres the current temp list feel free to improve it http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/

Im really liking the noctua cooler and its on the same level as Corsair Hyrdo series

If you already have a 660, why are you buying a cheap 7850?

Also, the build looks good so far. The 6300 is a great CPU, you wont be dissapointed. Steamroller should be supported by AM3+, just as the 6300 is.

Im not it was recommended by simon because he assumed I didnt have a GPU

 

[8350rocks]

The FX6300 goes great with either motherboard you chose. The Asus sabertooth 990FX is a great board, and has more "fluff" features than the Asrock 990FX extreme4. If you like the features on the Asus, it's a good buy. If you are less concerned with features, the Asrock 990FX extreme3 or extreme4 will both do a fine job for you and will support steamroller fully.

My personal recommendation based on your choices is the Asus, simply because if you want to OC later, the Asrock board will do it well, but the Asus provides ever so slightly more consistent voltage control for hardcore overclocking (The VRM is slightly better on the Asus, but not by much). Though if that is not your intention, and you are sure it never will be...you can choose plainly as you see fit.

 

[AMDHero]

The FX6300 goes great with either motherboard you chose. The Asus sabertooth 990FX is a great board, and has more "fluff" features than the Asrock 990FX extreme4. If you like the features on the Asus, it's a good buy. If you are less concerned with features, the Asrock 990FX extreme3 or extreme4 will both do a fine job for you and will support steamroller fully.

My personal recommendation based on your choices is the Asus, simply because if you want to OC later, the Asrock board will do it well, but the Asus provides ever so slightly more consistent voltage control for hardcore overclocking (The VRM is slightly better on the Asus, but not by much). Though if that is not your intention, and you are sure it never will be...you can choose plainly as you see fit.

I havent really looked into the features, my aim is to OC and have no idea how it works and really have no idea on the difference of the 2 boards. I have only selected those 2 boards due users who have already recommended them in other forums. Have no idea what VRM is and how voltage control works.

 

[8350rocks]

Then buy the Asus board, it has a slightly more user friendly BIOS, (where you will tweak your overclock settings)

Basically here's how it works:
1.) Your motherboard VRMs control the voltage going to the CPU, better VRMs have less fluctuation.

2.) In the BIOS, you want to disable all C-States (powersaving functions, if you're OC'ing they're worthless). You will also want to begin adjusting your clock multiplier up in small increments, you should be able to set the multiplier to the correct setting for the Turbo Core clockspeed without voltage adjustment.

3.) Once you have booted with the BIOS, run Intel Burn Test and/or prime95 or wprime to test the stability, if you're still stable after about 30 minutes of those benchmarks...go back into your bios and begin adjusting upward in 0.5 increments and rebooting each time. Then re-run your benchmarks to test for stability, if you get errors in one of the benchmarks go back into your BIOS and adjust the core voltage up. When you do this, there is a feature called "Load Line Calibration" in your BIOS, you want to set it to maximum settings to keep the voltage as controlled as possible (for maximum stability).

4.) Once you get to where you want to be in terms of clockspeed, boot up and make sure you're stable by running your benchmarks...(always keep an eye on temperature when you're doing this...anything 60C or higher is VERY bad for the FX series...so keep your CPU cool). Also, keep in mind, some core temp sensors in some boards have been less reliable, though the Asus boards tend to be better than many of the others.

 

[AMDHero]

Then buy the Asus board, it has a slightly more user friendly BIOS, (where you will tweak your overclock settings)

Basically here's how it works:
1.) Your motherboard VRMs control the voltage going to the CPU, better VRMs have less fluctuation.

2.) In the BIOS, you want to disable all C-States (powersaving functions, if you're OC'ing they're worthless). You will also want to begin adjusting your clock multiplier up in small increments, you should be able to set the multiplier to the correct setting for the Turbo Core clockspeed without voltage adjustment.

3.) Once you have booted with the BIOS, run Intel Burn Test and/or prime95 or wprime to test the stability, if you're still stable after about 30 minutes of those benchmarks...go back into your bios and begin adjusting upward in 0.5 increments and rebooting each time. Then re-run your benchmarks to test for stability, if you get errors in one of the benchmarks go back into your BIOS and adjust the core voltage up. When you do this, there is a feature called "Load Line Calibration" in your BIOS, you want to set it to maximum settings to keep the voltage as controlled as possible (for maximum stability).

4.) Once you get to where you want to be in terms of clockspeed, boot up and make sure you're stable by running your benchmarks...(always keep an eye on temperature when you're doing this...anything 60C or higher is VERY bad for the FX series...so keep your CPU cool. Also, keep in mind, some core temp sensors in some boards have been less reliable, though the Asus boards tend to be better than many of the others.

Thanks thats really helpful, There have been some issues with the Sabertooth with them being DOA how do you check for that? also theres an added bonus with Sabertooth it comes with 5 year warranty so I will go with that.

 

[8350rocks]

That's simple...your PC won't boot if it's DOA. Now, if it doesn't boot, that does not instantly mean the motherboard is DOA; however, the MB can be one of a few reasons that it won't boot.