I told him about these X2 series processor and he readily agreed to get this 4800+. The X2 series of processor are just the FX processor with dual cores and some other enhancements, so you can only expect the best power and performance from these. AMD says it is their intention to make the FX series processors the ultimate desktop PC processor, therefore the jump to dual core technology. AMD claims that these new processors are perfect for not only games, but for all multi-thread projects that would require a dual core processor. After some benchmark tests, I can confidently say that Intel is not even close to these AMD processors; now that AMD has the new FX-60 available, I think Intel will have a hard time just trying to catch up.  Please refer to the How to purchase a processor guide for full details on what questions to ask yourself before purchasing a processor.


THE INSTALLATION :
I think AMD’s choice to stick with the 939 socket design is great because it will compatible with you current 939 socket compatible motherboard. Since this is a 939 socket compatible processor, it is as easy to install as all previous 939 processors that AMD made. If you have installed as many processors as me, by now you will be able to install these correctly and quickly without any problems. And AMD makes their processors easy to install anyways. But if you are still not sure about some steps or if it is just your first time installing these--follow the instructions in the quick installation guide. If you follow the steps listed in the guide properly, you should have no problems what so ever. If you install the stock heat sink and fan, your job will be even simpler, but you may need to follow instructions for the other heat sink if you choose not to use the manufacturer supplied one.

Overclocking: This 4800+ is a very overclocking friendly processor, just like all AMD processors; this was the main reason I switched from Intel a while back. Even though, this processor is fast, you can easily achieved an overclocked speed of about 2.6 GHz without much effort; I did not have the cooling system to go any higher (I used the stock heat sink and fan for this overclock). If my client wants I can always get better cooling on it and try to go higher (I am pretty sure it can achieve higher speeds). I have read many articles that suggest this processor can be safely overclocked to 2.7 GHz with better cooling. If you want to overclock your system, here are some tips you may need: you should lower the HT (HyperTransport) multiplier to 3x or 4x or the HT frequency to 1.1 GHz or lower; the default HT multiplier is set to 5x; I did not have to raise the vcore voltage from 1.4V; I did have to raise the memory voltage to 2.9V and had it run at 333 MHz instead of 400 MHz; you will definitely need a very good cooling system; also use good thermal grease like Arctic Silver for optimal performance. By now you are probably wondering about the temperature… right? Well guess what, with good cooling or even the stock cooling at 2.6 GHz, the temperature never went over 45 degrees. At 2.7 GHz I was able to keep it well below 55 degrees. So basically, you will be pleased with the low voltage needs of this processor. I always like to recommend against overclocking your processor if you use the stock heat sink and fan for cooling it because you can seriously hurt your system. But in this case, I was able to overclock about 8 percent without it overheating or crashing. But I would still advice caution as it is an expensive processor and I assume everyone would regret frying it. And this processor is very fast already so you technically do not have to overclock it (for a little while anyways). I would highly recommend you use Arctic Silver thermal grease to install your heat sink because it transfers heat more efficiently to keep your processor running cooler at all times. You can purchase these from your local computer store or online for about five to eleven bucks a piece.

Suggesstions: Even with normal usage, your heat sink will/may accumulate dust and dirt over time, so the best thing you can do to prevent this is to clean the inside of your computer every two to three months or so. Some months ago, I had not cleaned mine for over six months and I noticed that the processor was running hotter than usual, but after I good clean up of the head sink and the inside of my computer, it was back to normal again. You can use the Falcon Dust Off duster to blow all the dirt and dust off; it will only cost you between four and nine dollars per can.

The First Boot: The first boot is always the trickiest one of all as anything can happen; you will never be able to predict if the system will work proper or not. So, it is best to clear your CMOS/Bios settings to factory defaults to start out with a clean system and avoid any complications that can cause serious crashes or problems. Some new systems will not work properly if you do not reset the settings anyways. You may not have to do this if you are just replacing or upgrading your processor only. You can always go back and change the settings to your needs once you have it working properly. Some motherboards now allow you to have multiple settings saved which will come in handy in situations like this.

Installing the Operating System: Once you have the system running up to where stops and asks for an operating system, you can then go ahead and install your favorite operating system or if you already have an operating system installed, just boot up. One thing to keep in mind when booting up for the first few times, is to keep a close watch on the processor and memory (RAM) temperatures; especially if you used a different heat sink and even more if you overclocked the processor. I also suggest that you make sure the memory sticks you used are compatible and can overclock without problems. If your memory sticks are one of the cheaper one’s or are not compatible, you system may be unstable or will not boot at all. I can say this from experience.