Originally Posted by Pao  Your definition of a few $$$ more must differ from my definition, but that's ok! It's a bit of a toss up, especially when you say it's for gaming. Yes the 940 has the extra core, but for straight gaming the 720 has more L3 cache per core then the quad, not to mention it's AM3, so you can use ddr2 or ddr3 with it if you chose to take that upgrade path at some point. They both overclock similarly so if for a gaming solution i'd say the 720 for $85 less. |
Originally Posted by Shift. Bingo. If you were multitasking, video editing, ect.. I'd suggest the quad. But since you specify this is a gaming computer, go with the X3. It fairs a lot better in games than the X4. Mainly because of what Pao said - The X3 uses more cache per core than the X4. |
Originally Posted by pixie shift, i looked at the guru3d review you posted in another thread... wow, *** was that?!?! the 810 X4 @ 3.0 was within 1% of the 720 X3 @ 2.8... so how does the X3 fair a lot better in games? add to that, they tested the X3 @ 3.7 vs the X4 @ 3.0 - now that's a fair comparison. 
honestly, the X4 and the X3 are very close clock for clock when it comes to gaming at resolutions less than anyone would play at, and the X3 might even come out on top by a few frames. however, the X4 has the same OC potential as the X3's and will be overall faster. - wait a few months and get the 945 BE socket AM3 |
Originally Posted by pixie shift, i looked at the guru3d review you posted in another thread... wow, *** was that?!?! the 810 X4 @ 3.0 was within 1% of the 720 X3 @ 2.8... so how does the X3 fair a lot better in games? add to that, they tested the X3 @ 3.7 vs the X4 @ 3.0 - now that's a fair comparison.
honestly, the X4 and the X3 are very close clock for clock when it comes to gaming at resolutions less than anyone would play at, and the X3 might even come out on top by a few frames. however, the X4 has the same OC potential as the X3's and will be overall faster. - wait a few months and get the 945 BE socket AM3 |
Originally Posted by kcklub get tri core and enable the 4th core, thats what everyone is doing, , up the voltage for the 4 core and you can be stable is the word |
Originally Posted by Cdpkook132 Ya because I want to bet on him getting the correct stepping and have the correct board to unlock it. People really need to stop assuming that the x3 can be unlocked like that and it is a super cheapo quad because it is not. It is a tri-core in the end |
Originally Posted by pez They do those tests at such low resolutions, because resolutions like 1024x768 and 1280x1024 are CPU bound res's. |
Originally Posted by Pao Very true, but most result differences now a days are in the multitude of a few fps, we all have very capable equipment to run current games. For me it fairs better when you look at the better results and keep in your mind the $30 price difference between the two. We're all very lucky right now. 
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Originally Posted by pixie dude, i know why they do testing at those speeds. but if you're gonna buy a CPU based on it performing a couple frames better than another CPU at a low resolution, then logic would dictate that you're gonna play at that resolution. but since even CRT monitors have resolutions of at least 1280x1024, the quad and the tri are basically equal. and if you have an LCD with, more than likely, 1680x1050 resolution... the differences in frames is nil. if you have the money and want a more powerful CPU, get the quad core. if you game at 1024x768 and are strapped for cash, get the tri core. it's true, we are all very lucky with either CPU. but like i said before, if you can afford the more expensive CPU (in this case), you will have the more powerful CPU. and if you can't afford it, then the tri core will be a great deal and give about the same performance in games as the quad. in every other situation, thought, the quad will smash it. |
