AMD Brings in New Desktop CPUs, Cuts Prices

[blueskynis]

i know i've seen the odd ram speed bug before on A64 chips with half multis, i dont know WHY it happens but it gives you some odd ram speeds - usually underclocked by a lot, or minorly overclocked.

It is not a bug, it is by design.

 

[Mussels]

a design that runs your ram speed over or underclocked? sounds like a crap design then, blue.

 

[Wile E]

a design that runs your ram speed over or underclocked? sounds like a crap design then, blue.

It will never run your ram overclocked at stock settings. The ram divider is a function of cpu speed, and the dividers are only whole numbers. AMD sets it up so you don't exceed the recommended JEDEC specs on the ram, as letting it go above rated spec could cause problems with some ram.

So if your ram's SPP is 800 Mhz DDR, but your CPU speed is 2300MHz, 2300/any whole number ≠ 400Mhz(actual speed). The closest divider without the ram going over it's rated 800Mhz would be 6, giving you 766Mhz DDR ram.

So the overall limitation is the fact that the ram dividers only come in whole numbers and the mem speed is linked with cpu speed. From what was said above, I guess Phenom must have gone to either dividers that allow fractions, or they went unlinked on the mem controller.

 

[Ju1i@~]

My 4200 has a 10.5 multiplier(200*10.5) so will 800 Mhz be uberclocked on mine?
I read something in about this in a magzine but I didn't quite understand it.

I have a 4200+ too but its multi is 11 giving 2.2 GHz. max core speed. Cool&Quiet is enabled in my system. The multiplier decreases to 5 when idle, enabling 200 MHz. memory speed but generally it's 9 while on the net giving 360 MHz actual speed. I see 399 MHz rarely. Also, the FSB/DRAM divider changes according to the CPU speed. You can have a look at the "Timings" section under CPU-Z memory tab.

 

[Ju1i@~]

More info: http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/cpu/di...Planned_for_September_Launch_Say_Sources.html

It's the first desktop CPU featuring L3 cache, isn't it?

 

[xfire]

I have a 4200+ too but its multi is 11 giving 2.2 GHz. max core speed. Cool&Quiet is enabled in my system. The multiplier decreases to 5 when idle, enabling 200 MHz. memory speed but generally it's 9 while on the net giving 360 MHz actual speed. I see 399 MHz rarely. Also, the FSB/DRAM divider changes according to the CPU speed. You can have a look at the "Timings" section under CPU-Z memory tab.

Which motherboard is that?
At the present I have ddr667Mhz but I'll be getting ddr800mhz soon.
On mine its a 10.5 multi.
Is yours a brisbane?
edit:
Is mine running at 300Mhz?

 

[Ju1i@~]

Yes, a Brisbane. Mobo is Asus M2A-MX featuring AMD 690V and SB600 chipsets identical to yours.

edit:
It seems 300x2=600. But it often changes depending on the workload if C&Q is enabled.

 

[xfire]

Could you tell me how to get it to 667 Mhz.

 

[Ju1i@~]

I don't know how to do it exactly, I heard about this issue yesterday. Another user "Wile E" advised me to change the multiplier to an even number or overclock the system a bit to match the expected memory speed. There isn't a setting about core multipliers in my BIOS but I can change the FSB. In your case if you increase FSB to 222MHz you'll get 666 MHz mem speed and 2330 MHz. CPU speed. But this seems risky.

 

[Wile E]

I don't know how to do it exactly, I heard about this issue yesterday. Another user "Wile E" advised me to change the multiplier to an even number or overclock the system a bit to match the expected memory speed. There isn't a setting about core multipliers in my BIOS but I can change the FSB. In your case if you increase FSB to 222MHz you'll get 666 MHz mem speed and 2330 MHz. CPU speed. But this looks risky.

Nah, the 4000+ should do that clock speed on stock volts. Both of mine did.

 

[Ju1i@~]

Nah, the 4000+ should do that clock speed on stock volts. Both of mine did.

Yes, I think it'll probably do. I overclocked mine to 218 MHz FSB and it is running quite well.

 

[blueskynis]

It's the first desktop CPU featuring L3 cache, isn't it?

Yes, it will have 2MB L3, according to the article.

 

[Ju1i@~]

Could you tell me how to get it to 667 Mhz.

There is also an option in BIOS to change DRAM timings manually. If you set it to 333 MHz rather than Auto, that can help.

 

[xfire]

I ran mine at 250x9 and the temp went up 10 degrees more on load(from 30 to 40 C)
I do have the ram clock option, will check that.Thanks.
A new version of dual core optimizer has been realesed.

 

[Andy_007]

Yes, I think it'll probably do. I overclocked mine to 218 MHz FSB and it is running quite well.

Im sure you can clock much higher than that, my 4200+ does 3ghz stock voltage and 3.25ghz 1.45V .

 

[xfire]

Mem set gives a better picture

 

[Ju1i@~]

Im sure you can clock much higher than that, my 4200+ does 3ghz stock voltage and 3.25ghz 1.45V .

It is said Athlon X2 processors can't be overclocked much, so it is better to buy the fastest one you can afford. But this one is different. 3.25 GHz is nearly %150 of the standart speed.

 

[blueskynis]

No one mentions: When can we expect this price drop to happen?

 

[Kei]

It's the first desktop CPU featuring L3 cache, isn't it?

Do you mean the first Dual core cpu with L3 cache? The Phenom's (all of them) have had L3 cache from the beginning.

K

 

[Kei]

No one mentions: When can we expect this price drop to happen?

Go to newegg as they're already implenting a price drop on some of the cpus. I'm not sure when all of them are going to be effective, but right now they list the 9950BE AND 9850BE for $179...yea that's right, the same price. Free 3 day shipping as well. Sweet sweet sweet deal indeed.

K

 

[Mussels]

Do you mean the first Dual core cpu with L3 cache? The Phenom's (all of them) have had L3 cache from the beginning.

K

first AMD dual core... intel had L3 cache on the P4 EE gallatin cores.

 

[Kei]

Thanks, I forgot about that part of the world for a second.

K

 

[Andy_007]

It is said Athlon X2 processors can't be overclocked much, so it is better to buy the fastest one you can afford. But this one is different. 3.25 GHz is nearly %150 of the standart speed.

X2's can overclock quite well, not aswell as Intel though. Most Brisbanes will do 3ghz quite easily, I actually find that AMD's higher end CPU's dont overclock aswell as the cheap ones, as long as you have a MB that will do high FSB.

 

[eidairaman1]

X2's can overclock quite well, not aswell as Intel though. Most Brisbanes will do 3ghz quite easily, I actually find that AMD's higher end CPU's dont overclock aswell as the cheap ones, as long as you have a MB that will do high FSB.

that is any given CPU, because they are practically overclocked, ran at maximum Stable Clocks.