AMD Athlon II X2 250 CPU Review - bit-tech.net Forums

Tim S · 30th Jun 2009, 11:04

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...0-cpu-review/1

The Athlon brand lives on! AMD's latest CPU is a 45nm, 3.0GHz exceptionally budget friendly processor, ready for DDR3 as well as DDR2. Is it a monster overclocker and all round Intel E5200 killer?

OWNED66 · 30th Jun 2009, 11:31

hmmm
good cpu
+ EPIC overclocking skillz

Ending Credits · 30th Jun 2009, 11:37

AMD, when are you going to catch up?

I've got 4 of your bloody CPUs.

Gremlin · 30th Jun 2009, 11:52

Any idea on when we are going to see the Phenom II X2 550 review show up Bindi?

The L3 should really help it in some scenarios like gaming etc and give it up to another 5-10% or so

Lizard · 30th Jun 2009, 12:10

The Phenom II X2 550 BE review should be making an appearance later this week

GeorgeStorm · 30th Jun 2009, 13:56

The 550 is the cpu to buy right now, hopefully bit-tech dont get a dud.
What voltage were you using on the e5200 to get that overclock btw?
Im surprised you didnt gain any more results from putting more voltage through the 250, they can take 1.45v no probs, and was I was hoping to see you get 4, ah well.

Bindibadgi · 30th Jun 2009, 14:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by GeorgeStorm

The 550 is the cpu to buy right now, hopefully bit-tech dont get a dud.
What voltage were you using on the e5200 to get that overclock btw?
Im surprised you didnt gain any more results from putting more voltage through the 250, they can take 1.45v no probs, and was I was hoping to see you get 4, ah well.

It's the way the MSI board works - the VDD is recorded as the actual, effective voltage, while the setting for "CPU vCore" is in fact an offset - and while that was set to 1.45-1.5V, the VDD is much lower. It's a bit convoluted and other AM3 boards are different.

It'll boot at 3.9/4GHz ~ish but it wasn't stable.

trig · 30th Jun 2009, 14:26

wonder what the newer e6300 does...can it hit 4 ghz easily? how much would the extra bus speed improve its performance over the e5200? tell you what though, if i was starting from scratch, and only wanted a dual core rig, this amd chip would be the way to go. i doubt the 550 will give a 20% improvement in performance to justify the price. if it gives 10% more i'd be amazed. would anyone buy this or the 550 over the 720?

Hustler · 30th Jun 2009, 14:33

I thought it was only the 550 which was a Black Edition with unlocked multipliers???........

Its the reason why i was ignoring the 250....until now.

Is it just as easy to overclock this as the 550 is?.

Bindibadgi · 30th Jun 2009, 15:00

Quote:

Originally Posted by trig

wonder what the newer e6300 does...can it hit 4 ghz easily? how much would the extra bus speed improve its performance over the e5200? tell you what though, if i was starting from scratch, and only wanted a dual core rig, this amd chip would be the way to go. i doubt the 550 will give a 20% improvement in performance to justify the price. if it gives 10% more i'd be amazed. would anyone buy this or the 550 over the 720?

We didn't get one in time for the review

However the E7400 we have hits 4.2GHz.

The 550 is £18 more now, and at only ~£72-£76 it's a lot cheaper than the 720 BE at £115ish.

Bindibadgi · 30th Jun 2009, 15:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hustler

I thought it was only the 550 which was a Black Edition with unlocked multipliers???........

Its the reason why i was ignoring the 250....until now.

Is it just as easy to overclock this as the 550 is?.

Black Editions are not the only ones you can overclock - all AMD CPUs can overclock using the HyperTransport bus, it just means the motherboard choice is more important. The 250s will overclock just as well as the 550 BE with the right mobo under it.

Dave_M · 30th Jun 2009, 16:49

Take a look at the Athlon 5050e. I would say that would be a compeditor to the E5200. 5050e is cheaper and only a 45w CPU.

I would say get a 5050e or a Phenom 550 BE depending on who you are and what you are wanting to get out of it.

Bindibadgi · 30th Jun 2009, 17:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave_M

Take a look at the Athlon 5050e. I would say that would be a compeditor to the E5200. 5050e is cheaper and only a 45w CPU.

I would say get a 5050e or a Phenom 550 BE depending on who you are and what you are wanting to get out of it.

5050e is little different from the 4850e - it's a K8 part still and the difference is considerable. There's no way a 5050 will reach in excess of 3.2GHz, whereas the 250 hits nearly 4 - plus, it has a two generation advantage in execution core.

Denis_iii · 30th Jun 2009, 17:50

which would be the best 790x/sb750 motherboard? the 790fx's are to pricey for me and i'd never use the onboard gpu.......

Ending Credits · 30th Jun 2009, 17:58

It's the 790GX with the onboard GPU unless you mean you're discounting the GX series as well.

Bindibadgi · 30th Jun 2009, 18:02

MSI 770-CD45 is good, the Asus Crosshair III Formula is quite cheap and there are a few GXs that are good value

perplekks45 · 1st Jul 2009, 00:45

Did I just miss it because I'm tired or did you not post any power consumption numbers for the overclocked CPUs?

tictactoe · 3rd Jul 2009, 22:25

Another plus point for AMD is that this CPU supports Hardware Virtualisation, where as the Intel E5200 does not. Suprised that this isn't mentioned!!

steveo_mcg · 3rd Nov 2009, 15:10

Just bought one, first CPU i've bought in many years. Thanks for the review folks

30th Jun 2009, 11:04	#1
Tim S Pewlius Caesar bit-tech Staff Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Ascot, Berks Posts: 18,021	AMD Athlon II X2 250 CPU Review http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpu...0-cpu-review/1 The Athlon brand lives on! AMD's latest CPU is a 45nm, 3.0GHz exceptionally budget friendly processor, ready for DDR3 as well as DDR2. Is it a monster overclocker and all round Intel E5200 killer? __________________ Tim on Twitter \| Tim's Blog \| Tim's Flickr The bit-tech Blog \| bit-tech on Twitter \| Join the bit-tech & Custom PC folding team (#35947)

30th Jun 2009, 11:37	#3
Ending Credits Hoot if you're a revowlutionary. Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bucks, UK Posts: 1,764	AMD, when are you going to catch up? I've got 4 of your bloody CPUs. __________________ A Little Game I made in Leadwerks AMD Phenom 9850 Black Edition \|\| DFI 790FXB-M2RSH \|\| Powercolour ATI 4870 1GB \|\| 4GB 1066Mhz GEIL Black Dragon \|\| Aplus Black Pearl WCR \|\| Yurak 24" PVA \|\| 19" Hanns-G \|\| Vista 64-bit AMD Phenom 9500 \|\| GIGABYTE GA-M720-US3 \|\| MSI 7600GT \|\| 2GB DDR2 1066Mhz \|\| bequiet 350W

30th Jun 2009, 12:10	#5
Lizard Addicted to upgrades Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 380	The Phenom II X2 550 BE review should be making an appearance later this week __________________ James Gorbold CPC Deputy Editor Folding/Gaming as Lizard More power, we need more power Join the Custom PC/Bit-tech Folding Team (#35947)

30th Jun 2009, 13:56	#6
GeorgeStorm Overclocking, a way of life.... Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 49	The 550 is the cpu to buy right now, hopefully bit-tech dont get a dud. What voltage were you using on the e5200 to get that overclock btw? Im surprised you didnt gain any more results from putting more voltage through the 250, they can take 1.45v no probs, and was I was hoping to see you get 4, ah well. __________________ Biostar TPower i45 e7300 3.57GHz (7x510) @ 1.32v (testing) with TRU120 2x1gb OCZ Flex PC9600 @ 1225 5 5 5 2.4v (testing) 512mb 9800GTX+ @ 840/2050/2500 (testing) 3dMark 06: http://service.futuremark.com/compare?3dm06=9564758 If you believe in Jesus Christ and are 100% proud of it, then put this in your sig

30th Jun 2009, 14:26	#8
trig sweet sweet hangin joben Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: cardboard box outside of sears Posts: 1,638	wonder what the newer e6300 does...can it hit 4 ghz easily? how much would the extra bus speed improve its performance over the e5200? tell you what though, if i was starting from scratch, and only wanted a dual core rig, this amd chip would be the way to go. i doubt the 550 will give a 20% improvement in performance to justify the price. if it gives 10% more i'd be amazed. would anyone buy this or the 550 over the 720? __________________ I love me some me e8400 @ 4.45 ghz..ac freezer 7..2 gigs patriot extreme 1150 mhz..abit ip35-pro..xfx 4770 with asus top bios @ 926 core/1077 memory..antec p182b..corsair hx620..seagate 500 gb 32mb cache THE best site ever...1600 signatures under the same avatar...time for a new one

30th Jun 2009, 11:31	#2
OWNED66 Modder Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 60	hmmm good cpu + EPIC overclocking skillz

30th Jun 2009, 11:52	#4
Gremlin Multimodder Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 233	Any idea on when we are going to see the Phenom II X2 550 review show up Bindi? The L3 should really help it in some scenarios like gaming etc and give it up to another 5-10% or so

30th Jun 2009, 14:33	#9
Hustler Multimodder Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: The Dark Side Posts: 116	I thought it was only the 550 which was a Black Edition with unlocked multipliers???........ Its the reason why i was ignoring the 250....until now. Is it just as easy to overclock this as the 550 is?.

30th Jun 2009, 16:49	#12
Dave_M Minimodder Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 36	Take a look at the Athlon 5050e. I would say that would be a compeditor to the E5200. 5050e is cheaper and only a 45w CPU. I would say get a 5050e or a Phenom 550 BE depending on who you are and what you are wanting to get out of it.

30th Jun 2009, 17:50	#14
Denis_iii Hypermodder Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 874	which would be the best 790x/sb750 motherboard? the 790fx's are to pricey for me and i'd never use the onboard gpu.......

30th Jun 2009, 17:58	#15
Ending Credits Hoot if you're a revowlutionary. Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Bucks, UK Posts: 1,764	It's the 790GX with the onboard GPU unless you mean you're discounting the GX series as well. __________________ A Little Game I made in Leadwerks AMD Phenom 9850 Black Edition \|\| DFI 790FXB-M2RSH \|\| Powercolour ATI 4870 1GB \|\| 4GB 1066Mhz GEIL Black Dragon \|\| Aplus Black Pearl WCR \|\| Yurak 24" PVA \|\| 19" Hanns-G \|\| Vista 64-bit AMD Phenom 9500 \|\| GIGABYTE GA-M720-US3 \|\| MSI 7600GT \|\| 2GB DDR2 1066Mhz \|\| bequiet 350W

30th Jun 2009, 18:02	#16
Bindibadgi Richard Swinburne bit-tech Staff Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Omnipwntent Posts: 28,274	MSI 770-CD45 is good, the Asus Crosshair III Formula is quite cheap and there are a few GXs that are good value __________________ Made you look, made you stare, made you clicked this in your underwear! Den of Geek!

1st Jul 2009, 00:45	#17
perplekks45 BSc... finally Join Date: May 2004 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 3,350	Did I just miss it because I'm tired or did you not post any power consumption numbers for the overclocked CPUs? __________________ "The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far." Blame it on Cheaps! [now a social group]

3rd Jul 2009, 22:25	#18
tictactoe Modder Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: East, UK Posts: 60	Another plus point for AMD is that this CPU supports Hardware Virtualisation, where as the Intel E5200 does not. Suprised that this isn't mentioned!! __________________ E6300(one of the OLD ones)(back to 2.80GHz ) II with an Arctic Pro 7 on top II 2x2Gb Corsair Twinx@ 400MHz II Sapphire 4850 512MB II Hitachi 320GB, Samsung 500GB and (external)Samsung F1 1TB HDDs II sitting on an Asus P5B Deluxe/Wi-Fi and wrapped in a TT Tsunami Dream (Black), with a couple of Noctua 120mm fans to help keep it cool. All powered by a Corsair 550W PSU. Now showing on a DGM 22" widescreen (1680x1050).

3rd Nov 2009, 15:10	#19
steveo_mcg What owl? Join Date: May 2005 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 3,988	Just bought one, first CPU i've bought in many years. Thanks for the review folks __________________ No boom today, boom tomorrow... there's always a boom tomorrow.