For a couple of years now, since I found out that hidden cores could be unlocked, I have been offering PH2 x3 720’s that have been unlocked to a PH2 x4 20 to my customers that want a budget build with more bang for the buck than they thought possible. I have had extreme luck unlocking the 720’s and even when I get one that will not unlock, I offer it as a Tri core with L3 cache for a dual core price and we both benefit.. For some time now I have wanted to try my luck at unlocking a PH2 x2 555 BE to a quad PH2 x4 B55 because it’s a C3 stepper and has the same specs as a PH2 970 except it’s 2 cores short, 300MHz slower and $100 cheaper. But, if it didn’t unlock I would be stuck with an over priced dual core (and not a reasonably priced Tri core) therefore, I was a little reluctant to try it. After reading Newegg reviews and seeing that so many were having luck with unlocking, I bit the bullet and ordered 3 PH2 x2 555 BE’s. All 3 unlocked as stable as a rock and OC’d to 3.7GHz with no bumps to voltages. Ran Everest benchmarks and beat a stock 970 in all of them for $100 less. After seeing this, my friend and customer wanted a $600 budget gammer for his son for Christmas. This is what we came up with and would appreciate any input: CPU PH2 x2 555 BE $89.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16819103846 Unlocked to PH2 x4 B55 BE – Burned in at stock speed 12hrs Prime95 to check core stability then OC’d to 3700MHz (200 Ref clock x18.5 HT at 2000 x10, NB at 2400 x12, auto voltages) and stressed 12hrs Prime95 again…. Temps in low 50’s all the way. MOBO Gigabyte GA-880GA-UD3H $109.99 got it for 89.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16813128444 USB 3, SATA 6 First one I’ve used and it’s a keeper.. RAM G.SKILL 4GB DDR3 1333 CAS 7 $59.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231276 Tightened timings to 6-6-6-24 1t. May be able to get 5-5-5-24 1t with voltage bump but haven’t tried yet. HDD WD Black 500GB $59.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822136320 enough to start with on a budget build. GPU SAPPHIRE HD 5670 1GB 128-bit $89.99 (3.99 S&H 15 MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814102869 Great unless you’re a dyed in the wool Hard Core Gammer. PSU APEX AL-D500EXP 500W $44.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16817154026 Have used this psu and had a lot’s of luck with it so far.. CASE APEVIA X-DREAMER3 case $54.99 (14.99 S&H) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16811144249 3 fans and Eye candy for the kid.. HSF Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus $29.99 (7.56 S&H 15 MIR) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065 Reasonable price and great if he decides to do some extreme OCing. I feel it will reach 3.9 or 4 if pushed…. DVD/CD LITEON 24X $16.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16827106289 cheap, nuf said.. Total: 556.91 S&H 26.54 MIR 30.00 + got 20 off mobo on Black Friday. Thanks in advance for any input….. 2oG
CPU: 8/10 - Unlocking is always a YMMV, I normally suggest an Athlon II X4 630 over attempting this, but if you're dead set on it, go for it. M/B: 10/10, decent board, though be careful with heavy overclocks. RAM: 8/10 - Good latency and price, but G-Skill memory can cause random compatibility issues. HDD: 10/10 - small, but fast. Suitable for an OS/games drive GPU: 5/10 - The HD5670 is a good choice, but Sapphire is not. I would choose this instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150467 Is fine to use the sapphire, but you may go through a fair few faulty cards before you get a good one. PSU: 0/10 - Deathtrap. Use this instead: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033 Don't be fooled - 380W is ample power for this system. Case: 5/10 - $70 is a lot to pay for a bottom-tier quality case, you can get one of these for that money: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129066 Cooler: 8/10 - Not the best performer, but cheap enough.
@sammorris, thanks so much, sam. That is the kind of response I was looking for. I'm too tied up to respond at this time but will respond and post as soon as possible. Again, Thanks..... 2oG
A 630 is probably what I would do if I didn’t have an advantage. I have 13 Grand kids, all computer nerds that I use as my Quality Control Victims. ddp referred to them as my Baker’s dozen Guinea Pigs for testing purposes. Lol I never order a Tri-core or Dual for a customer with the hopes of unlocking it to a quad. What I do is; orders 3 to 5 Tri’s and unlock, test them for stability and offer a rock solid Cheap X4 to my customer. The dud’s go to my Guinea Pigs as a Tri core, to replace a Simpron 1 or 2 core and they are happy lil dudes… An unlocked PH2 X4 20 can beat a Atalon II X4 630 hands down. It will Benchmark “muzzle to butt” with a PH2 X4 965.. Unable to get the PH2 X3 720 anymore I must turn to the 740 or 555/560 and am so pleased that the first 3 555’s I got all unlocked perfectly stable… My Guinea Pigs can kiss that one goodbye for a while.. I only do moderate OC’ing for my Customers.. If they want Extreme, I can provide it with no warrantee and a few $$ My main criteria is price, latency, lifetime warrantee and do I get good response on a RMA… On AMD I always use DDR3 at 1333 or DDR2 at 1066 as tight as I can get them. My goal being 5-5-5-24 1T. As per these articles and my personal testing: http://techreport.com/articles.x/16382 http://www.overclock.net/amd-memory/555061-guide-am3-cpus-ram-speed-faster.html http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php/topic,2515.0.html 10/10 nuff said.. Thanks for this, I’m not a gamer and needed an alternative. I will surely give the XFX a whirl… This was a thorn in my side, I had it in stock and have been trying to get rid of it. All my Guinea Pigs have Antecs so I offered it to this customer at a killer price with the guarantee that I would give him full price back on an Antec, if it failed. Just CODB the cost of doing bidness… I know, and offered but, this is a Christmas present and the kid wanted “This One”! These do the job for any of my moderate OC’s. Have had good luck with them and they are cheap. I have an AC V8 in one of my personal machines but don’t use them on low budgets. Any other suggestions for a Budget build, PH2 AM3 OEM (no HSF). Thanks Sam you have given me some ideas that I can use. 2oG
Hi Sam, Hope you still have a link on this one; I have a couple of questions. I have been reading your threads and comments for some time and have a high regard for your opinions. Not that I always agree with them but that’s what makes horse racing…. If everyone bet on the same nag, life would be a drag… lol As I said, I purchased 3 PH2 x2 555BE’s and all unlocked to x4 stable. Two of them OC’d to 3.7 before getting flaky and the 3rd went to 3.852 and held for 4 hrs on prime 95. I sold the first 2 and the last one went into my pocket for a build (for ME) that I hope to get 4GHz+ and have fun doing it…. CPU PH2 x2 555BE unlocked to x4 B55 MOBO Have done much research and looking closely at the Biostar 890FX at NEWEGG 149.99 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138193&Tpk=TA890FXE at TigerDIRECT 119.99 http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=6076244&CatId=5528 Good price at TigerDirect. Your thoughts on this mobo is appreciated and do you have an alternative that I might consider?? RAM Cannot find the RAM QVL for this Mobo but I will be down-clocking to 1333MHz and tightening the timings. Since I won’t be running the RAM over 1333MHz the QVL is of little concern to me. Have used G.Skill for a couple of years now and never had a compatibility issue as long as I run it at 1333MHz. The Memory Controller on the AMD AM3 CPU is set for DDR3 at 1333MHz memory modules or slower but If I desire to run faster memory, I make sure it can be found on a QVL list. Would like to have your thoughts on this one: G.SKILL 1600 CAS 7 1.35V http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321 Thanks Sam,
Latterly Biostar boards have been good. I have no problems with people using them, other than to verify that in this case, they do in fact need a $150 board for their system. The only Gigabyte 890FX board is more expensive than the Biostar, but that of course, is 890FX necessary over cheaper chipsets?
Have been a Gigabyte fan for a long time but after reading the reviews and looking over the Bios on the 890FX it turned me off. This is not a necessary item for me. it's a Just because I want to do it, thingy..... I am very impressed with the potential that's locked in this B55 I have in my hand and if I don't explore it I'll never forgive myself. We only regret the things we don't do, not the things we do! I am prepared and happy with investing 150 in a good Mobo but would be happier at 120 and pat myself on the back for finding a good deal.....
Maybe a Gigabyte 890 GX for the mobo. Really don’t need the FX and if it doesn’t come with ACC can download ver. F7b bios. It should also be a good over-clocker. I would really like to push this little B55 past 4GHz….. CPU PH2 x2 555 BE (unlocked to x4 B55) http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16819103846 MOBO GIGABYTE GA-890GPA-UD3H http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128435 RAM G.SKILL 1600 CAS 7 1.35V F3-12800CL7D-4GBECO http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231321 is on QVL for GA-890GPA-UD3H Mobo PSU Rough estimate for psu = 355w (high est.) Antec 380 be OK? Or maybe a 430. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817371033 CASE Antec Nine Hundred always wanted one of these for my very own… http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021 HDD WD black 1TB http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?item=N82E16822136533 GPU XFX HD-5670 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814150467 HSF CORSAIR H50 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835181010 CD/DVD http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827136177 SSD Trying to decide on an 80Gig.. recommendations?
