Buying an X2 6400+, should I trust this site?

C

Cornflake

Limp Gawd
Joined
Aug 28, 2006
Messages
135
Hi all,

I built a socket AM2 system in late 2006, and I'm planning to upgrade the CPU. I would build a Core 2 Duo system but can't afford it right now. Due to AMD being so far behind these days with their outdated dual cores, and focusing so much on their [currently expensive] tri/quad cores my only option right now is to get the fastest dual core AMD has available -- the 6400+ (Probably barely competes with the e6400/8400 series from Intel, heh).

In any case, I can't seem to find it anywhere. It's going in and out of stock and places that do currently have it available (like Newegg) have an inflated price (eg $200 or above). After serching extensively I can only find it for around $100 here, at directeasybuy.ca: http://www.directeasybuy.com/proddetail.php?prod=AMD-AMX2-ATH-6400
Can I trust buying from this vendor? Apparently they're new, and they don't have any ratings on resellerratings.com. And they're server is in New York :confused:

I can find a 6000+ for a decent price, but I'm really looking for the 6400+. I don't want to settle for the almost fastest. I feel now like I settled with my 5000+ seeing how well the Intel CPUs did, I don't want to settle with a 6000+

Thanks!
 
P.S. This is a little off topic, but I have to ask. I was reading some reviews on the Core 2 Duo e8xxx series on Newegg, and people were making some crazy claims like being able to overclock their CPU 1GHz above stardard clocks. If they can go so high, why doesn't Intel release them with higher clocks? Is there something I'm missing?
 
higher clocks = worse performance/watt, which is what intel is all about with the core 2 series

also, lower yields

edit: if you have AM2, why not get a Kuma processor?
 
Cornflake said:
.......my only option right now is to get the fastest dual dual cores, and focusing so much on their [currently expensive] tri/quad cores my only option right now is to get the fastest dual core AMD has available -- the 6400+ (Probably barely competes with the e6400/8400 series from Intel, heh).
Click to expand...

The X2 7750 is actually one of the fastest dual core AMD CPUs available. Are you sure that your mobo can't support the X2 7750 or newer AMD CPUs?

Anyway, just go with the X2 6000+. The X2 6400+ is not that much faster than the X2 6000+. It's only a mere 200Mhz faster. Totally not worth buying from a shady/newer site.
 
all just say right now.. dont waste your money on the 6400+.. my be-2350 @ 3.05ghz matches it performance wise and it has 512k L2 cache per core compared to 1MB L2 cache per core on the 6400+.. its just a big furnace..

and yes you can overclock and e7200 to 4ghz+ same goes with the e8200/8400/8500 since they are all the same core just different L2 caches..
 
Danny Bui said:
The X2 7750 is actually one of the fastest dual core AMD CPUs available. Are you sure that your mobo can't support the X2 7750 or newer AMD CPUs?

Anyway, just go with the X2 6000+. The X2 6400+ is not that much faster than the X2 6000+. It's only a mere 200Mhz faster. Totally not worth buying from a shady/newer site.
Click to expand...

Well, looking at the support list for my motherboard, I don't see any Kuma cores listed however I do see some newer Brisbanes such as the 4850e on the list. Same for the Rev 2.0 of the motherboard (I have Rev 1.0). One interesting thing, though, on the google cached version of the CPU support list for Rev 2.0, it shows the Kumas as under testing, but they never made it as OK or N/A on the official list.

So, does the 7750 perform faster than a 6400+ or a 6000+? I'm assuming then that the new architecture in the Kuma pushes more data / second than the Windsor or Brisbanes. I kind of missed it as it is the only Kuma available right now and seeing it was 2.7GHz I just assumed it was a Brisbane and didn't read the description.

P.S. I thought a 2x1MB L2 cache was better than a 2x512KB?
 
Cornflake said:
P.S. I thought a 2x1MB L2 cache was better than a 2x512KB?
Click to expand...

Yes, the more cache, the better.

The new Kuma is base on Phenom technology, Your board supports AM2+, your board can support all cpu's with a bios upgrade, just have to wait for it or email them and see.

Once it suports the 720BE get it! Its only like 145$, or are you limited on molah?
 
Alright, thanks.

One more question: The Brisbanes are clocked typically at about 100MHz faster, but have half the cache of their Windsor counterparts. Which do you think I would notice more... 100MHz or twice the cache? (Power consumption is not an issue for me on my list).
 
Arg, I'm trying to find some benchies comparing the 7750 Kuma to the 5800+, 6000+, and 6400+ but most of the ones I can find are either comparing the Kuma to Core 2 Duo's or slower procs like the 5200+ :rolleyes:
 
Thanks.

It's very strange... most independent hardware sites show the 7750 as performing just above the 6000+, yet if you look at the Tom's Hardware CPU charts it rarely pulls ahead and sometimes even performs below the 5600+: www.tomshardware.com/charts/desktop-cpu-charts-q3-2008/compare,817.html?prod[/url][2276]=on&prod[2277]=on&prod[2272]=on (6000 left, 5600 center, Kuma right).
Oh well, if I don't buy the 6400+ from this "new" canadian vendor, I'll most likely go for the Kuma.

P.S. Still bothers me that site's IP is located in NY...
 
Cornflake said:
Arg, I'm trying to find some benchies comparing the 7750 Kuma to the 5800+, 6000+, and 6400+ but most of the ones I can find are either comparing the Kuma to Core 2 Duo's or slower procs like the 5200+ :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

there is no comparison between the 6400+ and 7750 because its about 1.5 times faster clock for clock then the 6400+.. and the 6400+ is probably one of the worst processors ever released by AMD and i got snagged into buying over a year ago.. biggest mistake i ever made..
 
if you must get an old gen x2 cpu, i would find the cheapest brisbane and clock the crap out of it. most are able to hit 3ghz. i have a be2400 that does 3ghz with 1.4 volts prime stable.

what board do you have? a kuma would be a much better choice. faster clock for clock, and has HT 3.0, and will more than likely do at least 3ghz on stock volts. these can be found in the fs section for about 50 bucks us.

a better choice yet would be a phenom II x3, i just snatched a up a 720 used for 110 shipped us.

dollar for dollar, theres really no reason to get an old style x2 cpu, unless its being used in an htpc, or your goal is low power consumption. just my 2 cents.
 
Last time i looked by processor Brisbane 4000+ was like $20, overclocked from 2.1 to 3.0 prime 95 stable. running at 1.4 volts.
+1 for the Phenom II x3 for price/performance.
 
I bought my 6400+ sometime last year, it performs pretty well, but it really is a furnace. I don't even have a stock cooler nor am I overclocking currently and this thing gets toasty while gaming typically 50-60C under load. Anywhere between 38-45 idle.
 
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