Is an OC'ed FX 4100 a better deal vs i3 2120?

[Pedal2DMetal]

Priced about the same, I wonder if the FX4100's massive overclocking headroom could at least best the i3 2120 in some games?

Can you go 4.2 Ghz on stock cooling? Thoughts please?

 

[RGone]

Can you go 4.2 Ghz on stock cooling? = NOT LIKELY.

Thoughts please? = ALL you have to do is type into g00gle FX 4100 vs i3 2120 and the thoughts are all over the map. Yes it is the Intel. Oh no it is certainly the FX that will be better. No nO, I said the Intel, followed immediately by no go get the FX-4100 and overclock it.

The problem is that the two cpus do n0t compare well. Due to the change in architecture for the AMD cpu in my mind they do not really compare as apples to apples but more like apples to oranges. Win 7 does not treat the FX-series nicely after AMD went to the current cpu architecture. There are patches to Win 7 that help the FX-series on Win 7 but not much. Maybe on the order of 1% to 2% increase in performance. Some say Win 8 helps AMD architecture by roughly 10%. So to really get all you 'could get' out of the FX-series you need Win 8. Many do not like Win 8 GUI.

You really do not sound like a true overclocker with plenty of experience or you would not have asked the question as you did. An Intel i3 2120 without turbo boost shoud be bested by an FX-4100 run in a greatly overclocked condition. The FX-4100 in a greatly overclocked condition with the resultant heat to deal with. Right there we get away from apples to apples comparison. Price is only a comparator if you cannot afford to get some adjustability out of the Intel cpu line-up.

I am not like some in that I already know to get a case that will allow fitting a 163mm tall cpu cooler into the case. That means 8 inches wide. I know for 4.2Ghz on FX-4100 to run stable, it will require a minimum of the aftermarket CM 212 Plus or EVO cpu cooler.

Now all of a sudden the FX-4100 requires more monies to best the i3 2120. Unless I was at penalty of death, would not upgrade in this particular time frame to AMD. I would wait out the next couple of months for the newer PileDriver AMD cpu and see if they had lowered temps and upped IPC any and if so, then I would go with the newer PileDriver for the fun of it.

Now the get this, no man get this, oh crap man get the; can begin.

 

[Liquidsky561]

i know i am new here but i just went through this dilemma building my first PC.. i was back and forth between fx4100 vs i3-2120.. since i was building for gaming, MMORPG gaming, i felt even though the DUAL core intel was rated better at single thread than the fx 4100, or phenom2 965, i cnanot see buying a dual core CPU, in 2012+ i have read that the FX does not play well with win7, and there has been a hotfix for it so it should run better, and windows 8 will fully support the fx architecture.

so in the end, if your going intel, spend the extra 50$ on the i5-2400.. if your going FX, skip the 4100 as its really similair to dual core with hyperthreading. go for the fx 6100 and overclock it with a good cooler and decent board.

in the end, i went for the amd phenom2 965 and an am3+ board the m5a97, and 8gig ram and hyper 212 cooler for 270$ shipped.... i am learning how to overclock, this thing runs all my games flawlessly, and i am ready to drop in the new piledriver if it turns out to be great...

an i5 2400 build would run you 190 cpu + 120 board 50-60 for ram = 370ish. but you cannot overclock the 2400, but the 2400 should outdo any overclocked quad amd has atm...

 

[RGone]

i know i am new here but i just went through this dilemma building my first PC.. i was back and forth between fx4100 vs i3-2120..

LS561, your time in the forum means nothing when you "have done" what the other user was asking about. You went a good route as far as I can see. Been a couple of complete rigs spec'd out similar to how you went for others here lately.

My problem is that 10% increase of whatever the FX is behind, well that is not catching up and takes an O/S I have no use for.

I am waiting on the PileDriver since I am now on fixed income and cannot just buy like I used to do. I am not benching against those on HWBot anymore so a little less in gaming benches will not bother me. In fact I am actually looking to the new Trinity APUs as that is AMD's actual direction. I need to get my head around those new multiplier unlocked APUs and then I may well go APU instead of regular desktop thinking.

All that said, we appreciate your concise reply and good luck to you sir. RGone...ster.

 

[Buddywh]

Can you go 4.2 Ghz on stock cooling? = NOT LIKELY.... I know for 4.2Ghz on FX-4100 to run stable, it will require a minimum of the aftermarket CM 212 Plus or EVO cpu cooler....

I really do have to disagree with that. Speaking for my experience: I have a perfectly stable 24/7 overclock at 4.5G and all I'm using is a CM TX3, considerable less than a 212 plus which won't fit my mini-tower case. Before that I was on stock cooler somewhere between 4.3 and 4.4G... also stable.

And by stable, I mean several hours prime 95 before I get bored and shut down to get back to using it. Yes, it's pretty hot (57 or 58 C core) but it was/is perfectly stable.

I really don't think I have a 'golden' CPU either 'cause I do have to bump voltage to about 1.48 to make it happen. So, from my experience alone I just don't believe you HAVE to have a top-end cooler to do 4.2G on a 4100, although I'm equally willing to believe that for some you might.

 

[Frakk]

Well, the FX-4170 runs 4.2Ghz and 4.3Ghz Turbo on the stock cooler. so heat (@ 4.3Ghz) never mind (4.2Ghz) is not a problem, i would think 4.6Ghz is very possible on a cheap cooler like the 212 EVO.

But yes a Phenom II x4 is better, and the coming 4 core Trinity APU might be even better still with the very good IGPU on them, or even without once there available.

Right now all there is in that price range from AMD is an FX4### or a Phenom II x4, the FX-4### does the job just fine for its money, the x4 is better while there still available.

 

[manu2b]

^I second Frakk and would go for a PhII x4 955BE.

WIth a 212, you reach 3.9/4GHz, which equals a fx4100@ 4.7/4.8GHz.

 

[trents]

Somebody's got a 1100T over in the classified section for $135 which is better than a Deneb 9xx but you have to have at least 50 posts to access that area.

 

[Mjolnir]

OP: what are you running right now? If you're building from scratch.. Intel is a better option IMO. The extra power and heat output for an OC'd FX chip isn't worth the 'benefits'. An i3 2120 is plenty fast for 95% of things out there right now; and is a cool running and low power consumption chip.

+ if you get say; a H77 board or something; you could upgrade easily later to a newer Ivy quad core no sweat. You've generally got better updatability IMO.

If you already have a board that supports AMD chips; and are running; say an x2 260 and looking to upgrade; stick with AMD sure. But like someone said; Phenom II > FX for the most part. I would look into that instead. =).

 

[madman7]

Somebody's got a 1100T over in the classified section for $135 which is better than a Deneb 9xx but you have to have at least 50 posts to access that area.

I was told you have to have 100 posts for the classified. I haven't made it yet. I would sure like to access the classified section.

 

[Frakk]

I was told you have to have 100 posts for the classified. I haven't made it yet. I would sure like to access the classified section.

You only have 9 posts left

 

[EarthDog]

its 100 posts + ISP/EDU/MIL email.

 

[Frakk]

its 100 posts + ISP/EDU/MIL email.

Whats "+ ISP/EDU/MIL email" ? i got automatic access after 100 posts

 

[EarthDog]

The email you have registered for the site must be an from an ISP (internet service provider), EDU (from a university), or MIL (military) email. Its in the Classifieds rules. You apparently have one as your email here.

 

[Frakk]

The email you have registered for the site must be an from an ISP (internet service provider), EDU (from a university), or MIL (military) email. Its in the Classifieds rules. You apparently have one as your email here.

erm? no, Its a Gmail. never mind, i have access to the pages but have never tried to buy or sell anything. If i did i would do it via PayPal or cash on collection anyway.

 

[trents]

My bad. 100 posts, not 50.

Earthdog, what's the reason behind those classified section parameters?

 

[Mjolnir]

You cannot POST in classifieds (or participate in the buying at all) without an ISP/whatever email. I did once and was formally warned. Since I have updated my email with an ISP based one. Just to post to help people give info about items they're buying; give bumps, and hopefully get a cheap deal on something despite being international lol.

 

[Frakk]

You cannot POST in classifieds (or participate in the buying at all) without an ISP/whatever email. I did once and was formally warned. Since I have updated my email with an ISP based one. Just to post to help people give info about items they're buying; give bumps, and hopefully get a cheap deal on something despite being international lol.

Ah, got it

 

[EarthDog]

My bad. 100 posts, not 50.

Earthdog, what's the reason behind those classified section parameters?

Scammers are less likely to find their way in to the classifieds section if they have to post 100 times just to get it.

The emails are also to weed out the scammers. Using the aformentioned methods, along with the moderators that watch over it, make it the safest place to buy and sell as far as overclocking forums go.