What AMD cpu to buy from microcenter?

[Scotty99]

So i am building a PC for my cousin (who does not game really) and microcenter gives free motherboards with AMD cpu's. Here are the choices and prices:

AMD fx-4100 99.00
AMD Phenom ii x6 1045t 109.00
AMD Phenom ii x4 960t 99.00


They all offer the same gigabye AM3+ motherboard for free, but what do yall suggest i get for him. On paper the fx-4100 seems like the logical choice...but thats why im asking. (i run intel personally, but this kind of deal for a budget build i cant pass up, especially since he does not do much gaming).

 

[akxpckwb]

What does he do with the PC?
The Phenom II x4 seems to be good for mostly everyone but if he does heavy work the x6 might be better

 

[Scotty99]

Bigmack, you suggest intel but are running a phenom ii x6? All the while running a 550 dollar GPU?

/boggle the mind.

 

[Scotty99]

Oh i know, if you read my original post i use intel CPU in my rig (2500k @ 4.2ghz). But the thing is, i cannot justify getting a 2100 for 99 at microcenter, then spending another 55-60 bucks on a cheap h-61 motherboard. The 960t would come with a free 760g chipset gigabyte (this model: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128504 )

If i was gonna go intel for his build i would get him a g620 because they are 49.99 at microcenter, then just grab the cheapest h-61 they had in stock.

 

[wr6133]

960T even if it doesnt unlock to an X6 you can still give it a beefy OC.

It beats the 4100 and costs you the same.

 

[Scotty99]

Does it beat the fx-4100? I could not find any direct benchmarks between these 2 CPU's.

 

[jaguarskx]

AMD Phenom ii x4 960t

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

IF you can find one...X6 1100T BE ....

All the best Brett

 

[cmi86]

960T For sure. My source with AMD tells me that due to the FX line being such a big flop AMD wanted to keep the well known phenom name around to try and re-coup some of the losses from FX. Basically all 960T's are 2X disabled 1075T's and like i said about 80% of them are perfectly functional and only locked to fill a spot in AMD's product line.

 

[noob2222]

960T or the 1045T. The 960T could be an x6 cpu, maybe not. The 1045 is guaranteed to be an X6 and can be overclocked just fine, just a little trickier than the easy crank the multiplier of the 960T.

http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/amd-phenom-ii-x6-1055t-overclocking_4.html

The fX 4100 is a dual module cpu that runs 80% efficiency of a quad core cpu.

While everyone boasts quad core cpus being ideal for games, there is very little if any negative effects by having more than 4 available, and more often than not its faster.

Does it beat the fx-4100? I could not find any direct benchmarks between these 2 CPU's.

http://www.legitreviews.com/article/1766/12/

 

[popatim]

if the 960T is the same price as the 4100 then its a no-brainer: 960T all the way.
But I dont see MC having free motherboards this month on AMD or Intel fwiw.

 

[noob2222]

http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/AMDbundlePROMO.html

if the 960T is the same price as the 4100 then its a no-brainer: 960T all the way.
But I dont see MC having free motherboards this month on AMD or Intel fwiw.

You'd be suprised what you can find.

 

[ebalong]

http://www.microcenter.com/specials/promotions/AMDbundlePROMO.html


You'd be suprised what you can find.

What kind of overclocking will that motherboard handle? Is it one of the boards that supports the "unlocking of the 2 extra cores"? How is the built-in audio on that micro-ATX, is it sub-par or is it pretty decent?

A cool hundred for an unlocked quad-core and motherboard seems like a sweet deal; would that processor/mobo combo serve as a good gaming/HTPC/general purpose build, or would it require a higher quality motherboard?

 

[kramerdk]

960T. Got one and runs great.

No the Gigabyte does not unlock cores. If you're hoping to get an x6, spend the $10 extra and get the Asus. It does at least have the UCC capability.

 

[ebalong]

Of those boards featured in the Microcenter deal for the 960T bundle, which are the best value, that is, how cheap can one go with regards to the chipset and still get good performance and reliability? I am not familiar with AMD chipsets. I had planned to build an HTPC/gaming rig around either a Pentium G860 or i3-2100, but this bundle saves some dough, even if it gives up slight performance to the i3-2100, but then again, the 960t is a true quad-core.

Yes, I know, I could spend a little more and get the i3 and have a slightly better gaming machine, but I already have a 2500K/GTX 570 if I wanted to play newer games on high settings. I am looking at this AMD bundle possibility as a cheaper experiment to serve several purposes:

- keep my PC building skills in practice because I probably won't assemble another system until Haswell comes around. I plan to gut an existing case I have laying around, keep the psu, the HDD, the DVD and CD-ROM. I have a couple of existing video cards.

- serve as a media server and fairly well performing gaming machine.

- multitask, general purpose pc.

- add a little diversity by going with AMD, even if it is an out-going, 45nm platform.


Sorry for hijacking the thread.

 

[EXT64]

I've got the Mid level Gigabyte board. Seems quite solid and OCes fine. I can't remember if it has core unlock as I have never put an unlockable CPU in. But at $30, I think it is a steal. (GA-970A-UD3)

 

[EXT64]

Looks like it can. Should say so in the manual according to this forum post: http://www.overclock.net/t/1147319/can-this-board-unlock-cores-on-960t-am3-chip-gigabyte-ga-970a-ud3

 

[popatim]

The gigabyte can unlock cores as can the Asus.
$99 is a heck of a deal! I wish an MC would open near me, the nearest one is 6hrs away.

Scotty, as advised - if you want a 6 core spend $10 more and get the 1045t to guarantee it.

Ebalong - it will meet your needs just fine. Actually its overkill for most of what you want to do but how can you beat that price!