Well my dad doesn't know what to get me for Christmas. So he's taking me to the new Micro Center in my town. I am going before I go outta town on the 22nd so I'd like to figure out want
I'm thinking about getting a new CPU. It's the [url=http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0316707]AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition[/url]. I chose this CPU because I read on [url=http://forums.extremeoverclocking.com/showthread.php?t=323897]another forum[/url] that this CPU can be unlocked extremely easily with the motherboard I have. By unlocked I mean utilizing the other two dormant cores on the CPU making it a fully functioning quad core. Unless there is a better deal out there, I'm gonna get this one.
As for the cooler (I plan to overclock a bit, and I'm gonna need help doing it but that will come later), I have chosen the [url=http://microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0307055]Xigmatek Dark Knight[/url]. I would get a TRUE but this is cheaper and will work just fine for what I need it to do. The only thing is that I want to get this to mount vertically so that the fan is blowing air towards the back of the case as opposed to towards the top. I've seen it done but I'm not sure how exactly. I've seen a bracket that converts AM2/AM2+/AM3 to LGA775 but I can't seem to find it, and apparently it requires some modding. If there are any easier alternatives I'd greatly appreciate you pointing them out to me. Thanks ahead of time.
I would say "Go get it"
The disabled cores are usually disabled because they're defective or don't live up to their spec. If you manage to get a chip that can be unlocked, you may have two additional cores that malfunction or are slower than the deemed working ones.
Not all CPUs are the same and you're not guaranteed you'll get the same result that one guy did.
Don't gamble and hope it will work. Like Gigabite said, very few of them will be in perfect working order. You may as well shell out for a real quad core, you'll get a proper warranty that way too.
Try to pay a little extra for a tri-core, and chances for you to unlock a quad core is higher then that dual core.
So, seeing as you are in the US and have AM3. Go to newegg and get an true quad core. Its around 50 dollars more. But completely worth it rather than going and buying a dual or tri core to try and get a quad
even without the two extra cores unlocked this is still a very capable processor for gaming
[editline]06:42AM[/editline]
id say get it or get the phenom 2 x3 720 (is that still around or did they replace it with the 810 or something?)
If you're in the market for a dual core then that is one of the best AMD ones you can buy at the moment, but if you're only buying it hoping it's a quad core then don't and just buy a real one.
[QUOTE=Soviet Beef;19119349]even without the two extra cores unlocked this is still a very capable processor for gaming
[editline]06:42AM[/editline]
id say get it or get the phenom 2 x3 720 (is that still around or did they replace it with the 810 or something?)[/QUOTE]
still around.
810 is the quad.
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