AMDAthlon II X4 640 Propus 3.0 GHz 4x512 KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail ADX640WFGMBOX

if you are trying to move from the Pentium D 820 dual core to this then dont wait anymore.Right out of the box this cpu runs great perfect for gaming or multitasking a lot of programs.I got it with the GA-m68m-sp2 and it worked perfectly.Also i couple this with a gt 430 nvidia graphics computer for gaming and 4 GB of ram. I can be running 1080p youtube, installing a program, running microsoft word and some pdf files and this wont slow down a bit. its really good for the price.As for gaming (please note that i dont have the best graphics card) i was able to play MW2, crysis,crysis 2, batman arkham asylum, mass effect 2, world at war or call, black ops, and many more at high to medium settings. no lag what so ever despite my not fast graphics card.I build a computer for my friend same cpu but different graphics card ATI 5670 and he was able to have good gaming computer.The stock cooler provided with the cpu works well it keeps the cores cool and its also quiet, but you can change it if you want.you can overclock this a bit more but do not push it. Instead buy black edition amd cpus.my main purpose was to use this cpu for engineering programs. I used this cpu for moderate to heavy duty CFD (Computational fluid dynamics) Gambit, fluent.As well as solidworkds and Nx modeling. Also i use mathematica and matlab. they all ran fine. I recommended if you are using engineering programs what a difference it makes.Overall the cpu has a lot computing power for the money, if you are going to use it for gaming or engineering or even a home entertainment computer then this cpu will do best, this is not the top of the line cpu but definitely this is an amazing cpu and does the job more than i expected.

PC Specs, most current ((Scroll down and disregard if you're computer-illiterate)) :MoBo- M2N68-LA (Narra5)CPU- AMD Athlon II X4 640GPU- RaedonHD 6670PSU- SeaSonic S12II 430wRAM- 2GB total, stock.I did a mass amount of researching when choosing which parts to upgrade my computer with. This CPU, solely when describing the requirements for the CQ5600Y (M2N68-LA (Narra5) motherboard), is one of the very few affordable, but powerful options currently available. Although this is, by far, not the newest technology to date, it is a MAJOR and highly recommended buy when compared to the stock processor.I'm currently running Minecraft on all high setting graphics with normal render distance set. In game, I average about 50 FPS in a non-populated, but bustling sever. My temperatures for all four of my processor cores average about 52 C throughout game-play (I do have a liquid cooling unit installed, about $40 from Corsair, versus the stock fan that comes with the Athlon II X4 640).

yes, the Athlon II does not have any L3 cache, but that fact doesnt really hurt the performance very much, when you compare a Phenom II X4 to an Athlon II X4, the Athlon is more worth the money, but if you have a little more cash lying around the Phenom in general will offer you great performance for a modest price increase, plus the ability to overclock a great deal, where the Athlon doesnt overclock very well at all comparatively.so far it has done everything ive thrown at it quite well, compared to my old dual core intel processor, it was a HUGE improvement. the stock heat sink and fan are also pretty good, nice and quiet and also the processor doesnt heat up too much. the packaging is no-nonsense, it just comes in a small box with just enough room for the heatsink/fan and the processor itself.overall, in my opinion the Athlon II X4 is an amazing product for the price, its not built for super hardcore gaming or overclocking, but you dont expect anything at this price range to be for that.UPDATE4/5/2011:I regret skimping on the processor when I built my computer. true this is a value processor, but what Ive found is that my processor is the bottleneck for my computer's performance. its not a perfect processor by any means, If you have a little extra money on hand and plan on using your computer for moderate to heavy gaming, you should spend a little more to get a phenom II, the 20-30% more speed/efficiency will help you to no end. however, If you are not going to use it for any gaming or super heavy duty processing, an athlon II will be more than enough to take care of your needs.Build:ASUS M4A89GTD PRO/USB3 - AM3 - AMD 890GX - DDR3 - USB 3.0 SATA 6 Gb/s - ATX MotherboardAMD Athlon II X4 640 Propus 3.0 GHz 4x512 KB L2 Cache Socket AM3 95W Quad-Core Processor - Retail ADX640WFGMBOXCorsair 4GB Dual Channel Corsair DDR3 Memory for Intel Core i5 Processors (CMX4GX3M2A1600C9)OCZ OCZ550FTY Fatal1ty Series 550W Power SupplyWestern Digital Caviar Blue 500 GB Bulk/OEM Hard Drive 3.5 Inch, 16 MB Cache, 7200 RPM SATA II WD5000AAKSThermaltake V5 Black Edition Mid-Tower Gaming Chassis VL70001W2Z (Black)Lite-On LightScribe 24X SATA DVD+/-RW Dual Layer Drive IHAS424-98 - Retail (Black)

I wanted to upgrade my media center from a dual-core AMD to this quad core and then rebuild my wife's computer with the old CPU and MB. The order came in from Amazon after about a week and a half and everything was packed well. I was surprised how small the heatseak and fan were that came with the CPU and was worried I might need to replace it. I did scrape off and replace the heat transfer material with Artic Silver but have been very happy that at idle I'm seeing temps around 31c and even under load its staying pretty cool.I've only had it running a few days but so far performance looks good for what I'm doing with it and I think it will make a big difference during video processing.

This AMD quad core is great for the price, hasnt had any problems and does anything i throw at it.the heatsink is a little small so i just used my old one, ive heard the heatsink that comes with it is ok, but i just wanted to be safe.Great CPU thank you! P.S. i advise buying arctic silver 5 with this cpu, the heatsink it comes with has it planted on it, and kindof a pain to get off.