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A little
more than a month ago I built a computer for a new customer of mine; he wanted a
very fast computer but he did not want to spend over a thousand dollars on just
the processor. So instead of getting the
AMD Athlon 64 FX-57, I recommend this AMD
Athlon 64 FX-55 processor. I went online to newegg.com and ordered it
for about $815 (shipping included). I chose the
DFI LanParty
UT nF4 SLI-DR motherboard for this job; after all I was building one
of the best systems I have ever put together.
Please refer to the
How to purchase a processor guide for
full details on what questions to ask yourself before purchasing a processor.
INSTALLATION :
Installing this AMD Athlon 64 FX-55 processor was a breeze; well for me anyways,
since I have been doing this for some time now. These AMD processors are also
very easy to install and if you do get stuck, you can simply follow the
instructions in the quick install guide. The quick installation guide comes in
handy if you are doing this for the first time, even the second time, or if you
just want to refresh your memory. If you follow the steps in the setup guide
properly, you should not encounter any problems. If you want to use a heatsink
and fan other than the once that came in the box, then you may have to follow
the installation instructions that come with the other fan and heatsink.
If you choose to install the stock heatsink and fan, I would highly advise
against overclocking this processor (plus it is already one of the fastest
processors). One thing I would like to suggest is that if you are planning to
install it yourself, always use Arctic Silver thermal grease to install the
heatsink; it will help keep your processor cooler or make it cooler faster and
run cooler at all times. Arctic Silver thermal grease helps transfer heater more
efficiently so your computer always run cool. You can purchase it from your
favorite computer hardware store for around $5.00 to $11.00.
Heatsinks do tend to accumulate dust and dirt on them over time, so I suggest
doing a clean up every two to three months or so. I had not cleaned mine for
about six months and the processor started over heating; when I opened it up I
noticed a lot of dust and dirt on the heatsink. Now it runs much cooler after a
good cleanup. You can use the
Falcon Dust Off duster to blow all the dirt and
dust off; you can get these for around $4.00 to $9.00 a can.
The first time you boot-up your newly built or upgraded computer with this
processor, you may be required to clear your CMOS/BIOS settings to factory
defaults to make sure you start out with a clean system (this will reduce the
chance of crashes and conflicts); plus some systems just will not work properly
without resetting. You may not have to do this if you are just replacing or
upgrading your processor.
The next step is to 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 in the beginning is to keep an eye on the processor and memory (RAM)
temperatures, especially if you used a different heatsink and also overclocked
the processor. I also suggest that you make sure the memory sticks you have
installed are compatible and can overclock without problems.
WHATS HOT?
The rated speed for this processor is 2.6 GHz and that is the main reason my
client and I purchased this processor. I showed him my
AMD Athlon 64 4000+
and told him that the FX-55 was way faster. If you compare this processor to its
competitor Intel, you may think that it is slower (because of the speed
ratings), but when you use it, you will notice huge differences in overall
performance and power. I would recommend any AMD processors over any Intel just
because they are easy to overclock, install, use, maintain, and plus they
perform better. Windows (or any other) operating system(s) will boot up way
faster and your applications will startup much quicker, so you have a much more
stable computing experience. So far I have not used a processor that is faster
than this FX-55 because all my other processors are just bit slower; but I
overclocked my 4000+
to 2.67 Ghz once and I did experience major performance boost. If you cannot
afford the Athlon 64 FX-55 or the
FX-57, I would highly recommend the
AMD Athlon 64 4000+
as an alternative.
A lot of my clients ask me if the 64-bit processors are really better than the
older 32-bit ones, and I always assure them that it is the future and the right
way to go. Once they try it for their selves, they know right then that I
steered them in the right direction with AMD's 64-bit processors. If the client
does not mind paying a bit more for the upgrade I would highly recommend the
newer dual core (X2
or these FX series)
processors. Although, the dual core processors are more powerful and they will
probably replace the FX
series.
These processors use the 939 pin design like most of AMD's 64-bit line of
processors. The 1024 KB L2 cache memory will run the 2000MHz (1000 * 2) of FSB
(Front Side Bus) without any problems. If you get a motherboard that will speed
up your DDR memory, it will just add to the performance and power of your new or
upgraded system. You will be able to run almost anything many times faster than
before.
WHATS NOT?
Frankly, a review is not complete without the cons or not so hot part of the
product. But for this processor, I have not noticed any problems or any AMD
processors I have ever used or installed in my clients computers. I have not
experienced any problems or crashes as I always update all software, drivers,
and games to make sure there were no problems. I do not like to take any chances
with the systems I build; now I do not want a return job. I would recommend that
you check for driver and software at least once a month or as needed. I would
also recommend updating you motherboards bois regularly too.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE :
I had a whole week to test and play around with this new setup for my newest
client. During the testing I did not notice any problems or crashes of any kind.
It does not overheat (my client did not want to overclock it yet) ever. My
client said the computer is running really faster than he expected. I did
perform some benchmarks with 3DMark 05 and 03. I got a score of 4795 with 3DMark
05 and 12321 with 3DMark 03 (actual data). These benchmarks are accurate as of
December 20th, 2005 and were performed on my client's new system. The computer
runs very fast with Windows XP Pro SP2 installed on it.
WARRANTY INFORMATION :
AMD provides a three-year limited hardware warranty that includes phone support.
You can visit
www.amd.com or dial (408)
749-3060 to get warranty support. You may be asked for the serial/model
number and date of purchase for this unit, which can easily be found by
following instruction in the manual or asking one of the representatives on the
phone.
FINAL THOUGHTS :
If you want a very fast computer and do not care too much about the price, I
would highly recommend the FX series processors from AMD. You will definitely be
amazed by the speed and power for these processors. Best of all, your computer
will startup faster, all applications will run quicker, and you will be able to
multi-task seamlessly. So if you are interested, do not wait any longer. |
