AMD Rolls Out Athlon II X2 280 Value Dual-Core Processor

[Casecutter]

This for $50, then Egg's got a MSI 880GMS-E41 AM3+ 880G HDMI Micro-ATX for $30 -AR$15, and 4Gb of 1333 (PC3 10666) say $25. So, just breaking $105 provides a great base for any home use build... you got to like that.

Although, the AMD A4-5300 $55, a FM2 (D2) mobo are like $50-60, your still it right in there. Then my gut compels me to go with 1866 (PC3 14900), and them I'd get a case of "the might as wells" going the 8Gb option which is judicious, so that's $50-55. That's work to like $160'ish, which is still nice. However seat-of-the-pants you won’t feel much, other than a little better 3D graphics prowess from the HD 7480D while being a little more frugal to the wall socket.

A-typical little quandary... but it’s really based on getting that 880G for a great price of $30. Say it's $45; the $40 difference ($120 vs. $160) for the new technology, efficient, APU with a bump in graphics, and mo-better memory is the elegant purchase.

This might be a case of a little too late, I feel the parade has passed by for this, unless you got parts lying around and just need a CPU.

 

[TheGuruStud]

well it is an AMD product...

Bingo, execution is their problem, not the products as the haters proclaim.

 

[Domokun]

No way I'd consider this at $50 when the Intel Celeron G1610 is being sold at $42.

 

[BrooksyX]

Agreed, I used to be a huge AMD fanboy but right now I don't see why anyone would buy this chip over a sandy/ivybridge cpu in the same price range.

 

[TheGuruStud]

Agreed, I used to be a huge AMD fanb. but right now I don't see why anyone would buy this chip over a sandy/ivybridge cpu in the same price range.

Phenom X2s on eBay for 50 bucks. Unlock, OC (or undervolt) and enjoy
I stuck one in my server. I would have used the 4100 if Microcenter had the combo sooner.

 

[cdawall]

IIRC none of the dual cores could be unlocked. Some single core Semprons could be unlocked to two cores (iirc), tons of X3's could be unlocked to either just four cores or four cores + level 3 cache.

There are a handful of the Athlon II X2's that would unlock I had one. Just depended on the core you got. If you were buying from MC or frys you could have them look for the correct steppings.

 

[BrooksyX]

Phenom X2s on eBay for 50 bucks. Unlock, OC (or undervolt) and enjoy
I stuck one in my server. I would have used the 4100 if Microcenter had the combo sooner.

But how is that relevant to the cpu this thread is about...

 

[antuk15]

Phenom X2s on eBay for 50 bucks. Unlock, OC (or undervolt) and enjoy
I stuck one in my server. I would have used the 4100 if Microcenter had the combo sooner.

And yet would still not offer any higher gaming performance then a 1155 Pentium

 

[cdawall]

And yet would still not offer any higher gaming performance then a 1155 Pentium

Your point being what? There is a heck of a lot more upgradability buying an AM3+ platform than a dead socket intel chip.

Oh and try running some multithreaded apps on the 1155 pentium over the FX chip and watch which starts to shine.

 

[TheGuruStud]

Your point being what? There is a heck of a lot more upgradability buying an AM3+ platform than a dead socket intel chip.

Oh and try running some multithreaded apps on the 1155 pentium over the FX chip and watch which starts to shine.

He's full of it. BF3 would die on that CPU.

But how is that relevant to the cpu this thread is about...

Price. It's a great option as a low cost chip.

 

[BrooksyX]

Price. It's a great option as a low cost chip.

Again how does comparing a used phenom x2 from ebay have anything to do with me comparing this chip to an same priced intel chip?

Yeah thats great that you can buy a used phenom x2 on ebay for $50 but I still fail to see how that is relevant to my comment.

I'm comparing a NEW AMD chip to a NEW Intel chip.

 

[Fourstaff]

Your point being what? There is a heck of a lot more upgradability buying an AM3+ platform than a dead socket intel chip.

Oh and try running some multithreaded apps on the 1155 pentium over the FX chip and watch which starts to shine.

Currently we have 8350 for AM3+, and 3770K for 1155. We might/might not get Steamroller on AM3+, or we might get Steamroller but not compatible with some of the current boards. What we can say for certainty is that 3770K is better than 8350 in almost all metric, which doesn't really say much about AM3+'s upgrability (unless you count the possibility of Steamroller).

Multithreaded apps are still currently the small minority, 1155 is usually better for most consumer tasks.

 

[antuk15]

Your point being what? There is a heck of a lot more upgradability buying an AM3+ platform than a dead socket intel chip.

Oh and try running some multithreaded apps on the 1155 pentium over the FX chip and watch which starts to shine.

:shadedshu

1. So there's no upgradability going from a Pentium to a 3770k?

2. 1155 might be 'dead' but it'll still be years before AMD offers comparable gaming performance.

3. Oh and now we're comparing a Penitum to an FX now are we? Why don't we compare the FX to a socket 2011 CPU while we're at it

 

[Fourstaff]

3. Oh and now we're comparing a Penitum to an FX now are we? Why don't we compare the FX to a socket 2011 CPU while we're at it

He is probably comparing the G860 against whatever AMD has got to offer (I guess 5400K will be the best competition price wise), G860 comes ahead in most non specific tasks other than those which strongly require multithreads.

 

[TheGuruStud]

Again how does comparing a used phenom x2 from ebay have anything to do with me comparing this chip to an same priced intel chip?

Yeah thats great that you can buy a used phenom x2 on ebay for $50 but I still fail to see how that is relevant to my comment.

I'm comparing a NEW AMD chip to a NEW Intel chip.

There's no pleasing you or the other guy that might as well start trolling.

What does new matter? Do CPUs all of the sudden start dying? They are the same generation, anyway... Pick a used intel CPU, then, and compare... Point is that the price isn't good. Pentium's price sucks, too, imo.

 

[BrooksyX]

There's no pleasing you or the other guy that might as well start trolling.

What does new matter? Do CPUs all of the sudden start dying? They are the same generation, anyway... Pick a used intel CPU, then, and compare... Point is that the price isn't good. Pentium's price sucks, too, imo.

You are cracking me up man. I dont think you are understanding what I am trying to tell you.
Oh well I tried

 

[symmetrical]

Lemme be rude and say this CPU should be priced at 39$

And if it was $39, you would probably say "Lemme be rude and say this CPU should be priced at $29"

 

[suraswami]

I would definitely buy one if I decide to sell my perfect working X2 4800 AM2 from my media center, which is still fast for what PC is intended for.

oh wait I have a PII 555 that unlocks to X4 and works fine @ 3.8 perfect all day sleeping in my closet, a X2 240e sleeping.

hmm if MC sells this as a combo I might get one just for kicks!

 

[sergionography]

Currently we have 8350 for AM3+, and 3770K for 1155. We might/might not get Steamroller on AM3+, or we might get Steamroller but not compatible with some of the current boards. What we can say for certainty is that 3770K is better than 8350 in almost all metric, which doesn't really say much about AM3+'s upgrability (unless you count the possibility of Steamroller).

Multithreaded apps are still currently the small minority, 1155 is usually better for most consumer tasks.

that is so not true, its ridiculous how everyone keeps saying that now adays. many games are becoming multithread friendly, and while most apps/games still use 3-4 cores to their full potential, no one wants a computer that will be pretty much be throttled playing a game or running an app even if the app does the job quicker or the game runs higher fps, the more cores that are idle the more headroom you have for more stuff in the background(keywords here multitask vs multithread). anyone here has their computer with skype open? a gazillion tabs on the browser open 24/7? steam for some people? the java update thingies? the anti virus updating? daemon tools with a bunch of games mounted? and not to mention the many ghetto key gens that keep running in the background from downloading all the torrents XD?(while most of these fill up the ram or chock the hard drive, some can easily use up a core or 2), not everyone is computer savvy enough to know how to keep their windows clean(me on the other hand im lazy to do so, and im sure im not the only one ), my point is when comparing the same price range amd almost always has the better computational capability when you keep in mind that most people wanna MULTITASK, not MULTITHREAD(this is for the engineers to worry about, and for the enthusiasts like people here in this forum to care about).
and trust me when more apps are to start using 8 cores, i will like to see 12-16 cores standard from amd for extra multitasking leg room

and before anyone jumps into the amd is more power hungry arguement remember that most benchmarks measure maximum power meaning when every gflop on that cpu is being stressed, and in real scenarios thats hardly the case, and when an 8350 is running at 100% taking advantage of all the cores then trust me its very much competitive with a 3770k(see linux reviews for evidence on that), a fair comparision would be to run a certain app and measure how much each cpu consumes, and in such situations amds gap in power consumption is much smaller(4 piledriver cores vs 4 intel cores, even tho the intels are faster no doubt)

 

[TRWOV]

At $50 I wouldn't say this is a value proposition considering that the A4-5300 sells for $60 or so and a Celeron G555 will eat it for breakfast at $55. Put it at $30 and we may talk.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

It was definitely possible to unlock Phenom II X2s, in fact I've never known anyone try this and fail.

Well Hello!
I'm running a Ph II x2 560 that unlocked but I also have a PH II x2 555 that did not...

Now you know someone that tried and failed.

Oh yeah This is an awesome CPU for $25...oh wait its $50...well as long as you can find a mobo for $10 or free its all good.

 

[a_ump]

At $50 I wouldn't say this is a value proposition considering that the A4-5300 sells for $60 or so and a Celeron G555 will eat it for breakfast at $55. Put it at $30 and we may talk.

That. On newegg i keep a budget build updated about once every month or two with the celeron G540 being my cpu gem for budgets; according to xbitlab's benchmarks, a celeron G540 pretty much smokes an athlon II 250. I know the 280 is 600mhz faster but i can't see that making up for 20-40 fps difference between the 2 in games, and since the celeron G540 is the same price($49.99) its not exactly a tough call.

 

[jihadjoe]

Gotta keep those old 45nm fabs rolling I guess, and they probably don't want to produce Phenom IIs as those might embarrass their shiny new FX chips in gaming.

 

[Fourstaff]

most people wanna MULTITASK, not MULTITHREAD

Even with multitask in mind alongside running multithreaded programs both of them are still pretty similar at any price point below the 3570K/8350 boundary. AMD can pull even (and in a lot of cases beat Intel) with overclock, but ordinary folks don't do that. At $50 price range the Athlon II architecture shows its age, and struggles against the similarly priced Sandy Bridge processors. At about $100 it will be AMD for overclocking folks, before swinging back to Intel at the 3570K price point (minority who needs 8threads aside)>

 

[cdawall]

Even with multitask in mind alongside running multithreaded programs both of them are still pretty similar at any price point below the 3570K/8350 boundary. AMD can pull even (and in a lot of cases beat Intel) with overclock, but ordinary folks don't do that. At $50 price range the Athlon II architecture shows its age, and struggles against the similarly priced Sandy Bridge processors. At about $100 it will be AMD for overclocking folks, before swinging back to Intel at the 3570K price point (minority who needs 8threads aside)>

You would be surprised how many people would see an improvement with the fx chips. Video encoding with a proper encoder, transcoding while playing the game you are recording, new games that use all 8 threads, etc.

Also remember piledriver is at the heart of Sony's console. Do you not think the coding is going to bleed over with the port industry we call gaming?

AMD has a superior product for certain scenarios with the data as it sits now and the trends of current products utilizing more and more threads it would be stupid to think a 3570k will outperform an FX 8350 6-18 months down the road. Most people don't rebuild their pc's annually, AMD represents a better long term purchase as things sit now. Period end of story.