SOLVED Should I Swap the 1090T for the FX-8320 In My Son's Gaming Rig?

[neo668]

I need to build a work computer with an Asus M3A78-EM mobo. I have a lot of DDR2 RAM. But I can't find any new AM2/3 CPUs on sale in Hong Kong. I could import them from Amazon but they are just a little cheaper than the FX-8320 here (US$155). The FX-8350 is in limited supply here and I don't know its price.

My son has an AM3+ MSI 990XA-GD55 mobo. So I could swap out his 1090T and put it in the M3A78-EM and then replace my son's 1090T with a FX-8320/8350.

Or, I could get a used Athlon64 5200+ for US$20, or a used AM2/3 4-core AMD CPU for US$64 and put them in the M3A78-EM. Though I think the 2-core 5200+ might be a bit slow.

What would be my best option?

Thank you for any suggestions.



PS I just checked my computer store and they have the FX-8350 for US$193.

 

[RGone]

used AM2/3 4-core AMD CPU for US$64 and put them in the M3A78-EM = seems best to me since I would only trust an MSI 990XA-GD55 in a purely stock situation but you have to clock an FX-8320 to at least 4.5Ghz to equal a 1090T at 4.1Ghz.

 

[neo668]

Thanks RGone.

And you are right. The MSI 990XA-GD55 is a terrible overclocker. It heats up too fast.

So you are saying that there will be no improvement with an 8320/8350 over the 1090T at stock? Right now I have only slightly OC'd the 1090T from 3.2 GHz to 3.6 GHz without touching voltage.

 

[RGone]

Normal default frequency of FX-8320 is 3.5Ghz. Has TuboCore modes to 3.7 and 4.0Ghz but as you know TurboCore can only work with half or less of the cores. So with 1090T at 3.6Ghz you are actually somewhat faster than the default for an FX-8320. No I would rather have a working four core in the M3A78-EM. That is me though after answering and working with many users here in the AMD cpu forum section.

EDIT:
You say the GD55 board is >> My Son's Gaming Rig >> I certainly would not be taking the 1090T from him.
END EDIT.

 

[neo668]

You say the GD55 board is >> My Son's Gaming Rig >> I certainly would not be taking the 1090T from him.

Thanks again RGone.

Am I to understand that the 1090T is a pretty good gaming CPU?

 

[ShrimpBrime]

Thanks again RGone.

Am I to understand that the 1090T is a pretty good gaming CPU?

The FX-8320 isn't going to be better.

The 1090T is an excellent gaming processor for AM2+/AM3/AM3+.... meaning even if it was running DDR2, there's no sense to upgrade if the money doesn't justify the 2 fps.

Keep the 1090T in the son's PC for now. Get him a bigger video card or two for x-mas instead

 

[woboy]

I think RGONE is missing the point. Going to an 8320 or 8350 so you can use the 1090T in an AM2/AM2+ workstation (Asus M3A78-EM motherboard) is a reasonable exchange, especially under Hong Kong conditions described.

From reading there will not be any performance changes at your mild overclock speeds.

 

[ShrimpBrime]

I think RGONE is missing the point. Going to an 8320 or 8350 so you can use the 1090T in an AM2/AM2+ workstation (Asus M3A78-EM motherboard) is a reasonable exchange, especially under Hong Kong conditions described.

From reading there will not be any performance changes at your mild overclock speeds.

Typically people don't buy AMD for work horses.

R-gone was saying there is no reason to take away such an outstanding processor to give him one that isn't exactly better in more ways than one.....

 

[manu2b]

^absolutely.

With a good cooler, 4GHz+ is attainable easily.

And the 1090T is a real 6 cores. No shared ressources between them, which is the case with the FX line.

 

[neo668]

Thank you guys for all the feedback.

My original intention was to build a work machine with the M3A78-EM mobo I had lying around. But since I couldn't buy an appropriate CPU for it (they've gone the way of the dinosaurs) I thought I might as well give my son's gaming rig a boost with the 8320/8350 and take his 1090T for the M3A78-EM.

But thanks to everyone I now understand that the 1090T is not such a bad CPU compared to the 8320/8350. I already knew that the per core performance of the 1090T maybe better than the 8320/8350 as all its 6 cores were true cores. Unlike the 8320/8350 which had to share a controller (or something) for each 2 cores. But I wasn't sure in the beginning as the 8320/8350 was newer technology.

Anyway, I'm going to take RGone's advice and just get a used AM2/3 4-core CPU. I could save US$130 this way. I wouldn't mind spending the money if I could see the improvement in my son's rig. But I now doubt it.

Thank you everyone.

 

[neo668]

UPDATE

So I spent US$58 and got a used Phenom II X4 940 (Deneb). The woman at the shop said it was 4 years old but I think it's 5. And if I'm not mistaken I think it is a Black Edition. I must say I'm very pleased with it. It runs hot though. If I'm going to play with this baby I think I will need to get a custom cpu cooler like the CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus. It uses a lot less voltage than the 1090T but core temperatures were already shooting over 70 C even before Prime 95 had finished its first pass. No OC. All at stock. It might have been because I only used the stock AMD cooler which I had sitting around.



I also got the cheapest 2TB HDD to go with the Deneb which was a Toshiba. And this is what surprised me. After installing Win 7 x64 I did a system rating and the HDD had a WEI rating of 7.7 the first time! This is what my Vertex 2 SSD got! I was actually expecting 5 point something like my Seagate and WD Green.



I didn't believe this so I rebooted the computer and ran WEI again. This time I got 7.9! This is what my Vertex 3 SSD got!



This was getting ludicrous so I installed HD Tune and did a run.



Don't quite understand it but it looks reasonable.

All in all I'm very happy that I took RGone's advice and got a used 4-core. The Deneb seems to be a very good cpu (it felt like the 1090T) and I'm thinking I might change it with the 840 in my sig.

 

[RGone]

Seems like an economical get running of your third rig. It looks like the cpu cooler you put on the 940 was one of those older block of aluminum coolers and it just is not enough. Or it is not make real good contact. But I threw an older all aluminum stock coolers on a 4 core here a month or two ago and got temps for the cpu just as you are seeing, that is why I am guessing that stock cooler is just not enough. Good luck and happy computering.
RGone...

 

[Mandrake4565]

Not exactly, apples to apples but the CoolerMaster Hyper 212 Plus dropped the temps on my 955be overclocked to 3.8, 20c. Though this will also be dependent on the airflow through the case. Anyhow for the money it is arguably one of the best coolers out there.

I didn't see anyone mention this about the Fx 8xxx cpu's, so I'll add it. They run hot, now I've never owned a 6 core Phenom. So I can't really say how much hotter, if any. Though the majority of us here that have them and start overclocking the Fx's, usually realize that they require big cooling, CM 212 need not apply here!

 

[RGone]

I didn't see anyone mention this about the Fx 8xxx cpu's, so I'll add it. They run hot, now I've never owned a 6 core Phenom. So I can't really say how much hotter, if any. Though the majority of us here that have them and start overclocking the Fx's, usually realize that they require big cooling, CM 212 need not apply here!

Manny I don't think we spoke about the heat of the FX processor as much as we might have. I mentioned it and the OP said he understood and his son's MSI board already ran hot so we did not have to mention heat anymore to the OP.

C_D that runs real applications on his FX's and does it for days on end, he has three-fan rads and 6 fans in push-pull to keep his FX-8350 within some form of heat limit when overclocked. Not sure what is used on his FX-6300 when he pushes it but I believe I remember it as having at least a three-fan radiator as well. Such is the reason why CM 212 coolers need not apply for keeping even a 6 core cool, WHEN the workload gets heavy. Gaming is one thing but work is that plus another half or so of heat to deal with. HOT is the story if pushed and worked.

When I try and cool my clocked FX-8350 at 4.8Ghz on a thick, older two fan radiator I have to use the 36mm thick Deltas to push enough air thru the radiator. No it is not silent. Hehehe.
RGone...

 

[bassnut]

There's quite a bit of difference between the FX 8 core and the 6 core PII 1090T. Here's a quick run, 20 min on prime I did with my 1090T just for ****s a giggles. I started working on this OC a while ago but have not had the time lately to finish it off. For the most part it is stable but still has some work to be done. Although this is not my big rig the water loop I have on this rig is up to the task of cooling either my FX 8150 or FX 8350 and certainly is no slouch. for example on air, coolermaster V8 or an Antec 920 my temps would be getting up into the 50*C area with this OC and closer to 1.5v VCore. By the looks of things this little chip likes to be cool.

 

[neo668]

I let the Deneb system run overnight, not running P95. The core temperatures remained at around 40 C. So I'll leave it as it is. If I'm not overclocking it and running P95, it should be fine.

 

[TeknoBug]

TBH I didn't notice that big of a difference between my 1090T (OC'd to 3.8GHz) compared to my 8320 before I gave it away, Thuban's IPC is actually comparable to Piledriver's (faster than Bulldozer lmao).

My 4350 however seems to blow it away, the 1090T still has a place in my heart though, got it sitting in a retail box right now.

 

[neo668]

Thanks Tekno.

You gave away your 8320 and kept the 1090T? LOL

So the 1090T is definitely a keeper.

 

[TeknoBug]

Thanks Tekno.

You gave away your 8320 and kept the 1090T? LOL

So the 1090T is definitely a keeper.

Well having read what you were going to do in the OP, I think you'll understand when I tell you I gave my 8320 to a friend's son for when he was budilng a PC.

 

[neo668]

Well having read what you were going to do in the OP, I think you'll understand when I tell you I gave my 8320 to a friend's son for when he was budilng a PC.

Your friend is lucky to have a friend like you. I'm sure the son would be much happier with the 8320 rather than the 1090T as the 8320 is much newer.