Upgrading from a AMD ATHLON II X2 250u

[bsigg12]

Hello,
I have a MCP61PM-GM motherboard in an Emachines desktop. According to multiple sites, I need to pick a processor that is under 89w. I was split between

AMD Phenom II X2 555 Black Edition Callisto 3.2GHz 2 x 512KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Desktop Processor - C3 Revision

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103846

or

AMD Athlon II X2 265 3.3GHz Socket AM3 65W Dual-Core Desktop Processor

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103910

I'm not looking to OC this, I just want a faster processor. Installing it won't be my issue, I'm just wondering if these would even work. AMD says the 250u is an AM3 socket, so I figured I could use another AM3 socket CPU under 89w.

Also is there anything else I should look into before I buy one to make sure it will work?

 

[Motopsychojdn]

run a google on your mobo's chip support list to make sure your intended processor is supported first, it may be you need a bios update, maybe not, or worst case you may not have any options for upgrading,
out of those two I'd take the phenom though.
Moto

 

[Herr_Koos]

Why not pick an Athlon X3 or X4? Much better for multitasking/gaming than the X2.

 

[bsigg12]

Why not pick an Athlon X3 or X4? Much better for multitasking/gaming than the X2.

Well I need a low power CPU because the board I have right now won't handle anything over 85w. A 4 core 45w CPU is 60 dollars more on most sites. So if I were to say go with the Phenom, I could run it normally, then when I decide to upgrade the board, I could try to unlock the other cores.

I would take a 4 core but I want to keep it under $100. I'm not looking for anything crazy, I'm not too worried about gaming, just looking for something that'll run faster.

 

[enzo matrix]

Well I need a low power CPU because the board I have right now won't handle anything over 85w. A 4 core 45w CPU is 60 dollars more on most sites. So if I were to say go with the Phenom, I could run it normally, then when I decide to upgrade the board, I could try to unlock the other cores.

I would take a 4 core but I want to keep it under $100. I'm not looking for anything crazy, I'm not too worried about gaming, just looking for something that'll run faster.

If you aren't worried about gaming, without knowing your uses, it is most likely that you will not notice a difference between the Athlon and the Phenom you linked. Get the Athlon unless you can mention some uses that would benefit significantly from the L3 cache.

Malmental linked some excellent "e" models from AMD. For a bit of a premium in price, All those models are similar to the more power hungry "full" models but are at a lower clockspeed and run 65W or under.

Again, if you choose multi-core "e" model, the phenom or the athlon: Your choice will depend on your uses. What are your uses? If nothing specific, what specifically do you want to run faster?

 

[bsigg12]

If you aren't worried about gaming, without knowing your uses, it is most likely that you will not notice a difference between the Athlon and the Phenom you linked. Get the Athlon unless you can mention some uses that would benefit significantly from the L3 cache.

Malmental linked some excellent "e" models from AMD. For a bit of a premium in price, All those models are similar to the more power hungry "full" models but are at a lower clockspeed and run 65W or under.

Again, if you choose multi-core "e" model, the phenom or the athlon: Your choice will depend on your uses. What are your uses? If nothing specific, what specifically do you want to run faster?

Well I'm looking for better overall performance. I play some games and I'm looking into getting into some MMOs. The reason I would go with the Phenom over the Athlon is to OC it when I get a new board.

 

[enzo matrix]

Well I'm looking for better overall performance. I play some games and I'm looking into getting into some MMOs. The reason I would go with the Phenom over the Athlon is to OC it when I get a new board.

Well, if you are into the whole overclocking thing and the only thing preventing you is the motherboard until you get your new one, your options just opened up to pretty much any AM3 CPU on the market. Undervolting is the same process, but backwards. Reduce clockspeeds and voltage = reduced power consumption. The "e" models are just undervolted models. You could easily bring most mainstream models down to those voltage levels and clockspeeds.
So for $100, I think we're down to the old "Athlon IIx4 vs Phenom IIx2" argument. And it's up to you. The Athlon has all 4 cores but will never have any cache. The phenom IIx2 has the cache and a possibility of unlocking up to two additional cores and is a black edition. But if they don't unlock, or only one does, or unlocking them severely affects your overclocking in a negative way then well, it's up to luck.
(I chose the Athlon IIx4 myself, back when it was just the 620 and 630. got my 620 to 3.2GHz on stock voltage. I think the motherboard was holding me back on the overclocking though)

 

[zelman1]

I have the same motherboard, i talked to the emachine tech and the board will only support athlon 11 x 2 cpu, it wont take a quad core or anything else. The best cpu you can put in is a athlon 11 x 2 265.

 

[enzo matrix]

I have the same motherboard, i talked to the emachine tech and the board will only support athlon 11 x 2 cpu, it wont take a quad core or anything else. The best cpu you can put in is a athlon 11 x 2 265.

LOL way to respond two months later.

 

[kudinspurs]

i have amd athlon x2 250 regor 85W....but how i can check my RAM either 1333 or 1666?
if i upgrade to phenom x4, if that phenom over 85W, can i upgrade??

 

[sulumordna]

@kudinspurs the Athlon II x2 250 regor is 65w tdp not 85w. also for anyone who is curious, the emachines mobo supports 65w athlon II x2 cpus not 85w. considering it is also an am2+ board i would be wary of going higher than a 250 (since there aren't really any bios upgrades) . i have heard of people getting away with 260s, 270s, and pIIs but i think i would call BS especially on the pIIs. what i recently did was install an am3 mobo with the same chipset (mp61m nvidia i think) with the same amount of ddr3 ram with my 250 cpu and windows 7 worked fine. i am gonna install a pII soon as this mobo can handle 125w tdp. still using the emachines tower too . also my HIS hd 6790 runs so much better with the pci-e 2.0 slot instead of the 1.0 slot (i think) that the ecs mobo had. another plus is i put the old emachines mobo and 250u cpu (orginal cpu) into my sons old compaq, paired with a 9600gso "roblox" screams, lol