Introduction

As discussed in yesterday's AMD Phenom II 955 launch article, the new 3.2GHz 955 is now the king of the midrange. Intel Core i7 still owns the very top of the performance pyramid, but the 45nm Phenom II is now our CPU of choice for buyers that can't (or won't) move to Intel's LGA-1366. The Phenom II 955 beat the more expensive Intel Q9550 in application performance and in overclocking performance. Today at least the best processor choice for an upper entry to midrange PC is the Phenom II.

That could change with deep Intel price reductions on Core 2 Quad and Duo processors or possibly the coming introduction of Core i5 processors, but AMD's long catch-up strategy is finally starting to pay off in the latest 45nm Phenom II offerings. With the new 955 and 945, and with Phenom II now the CPU of choice where it competes, it is time to revisit Phenom II system components in an update to our last Phenom II System Buyers' Guide.

In January AMD launched their new quad-core Phenom II processors that were compatible with existing AM2+ motherboards and DDR2 memory. The new Phenom II processors were the first truly competitive CPUs since Intel's introduction of Core 2. The Phenom II 940 and 920, then priced at $275 and $235, performed better than the equivalently priced Intel Q9400 and Q8200. However, the first Phenom II processors support only DDR2 memory and can only be mounted on an AM2+ motherboard. A few weeks later AMD filled out the Phenom II line downward with five new models with integrated DDR3 and DDR2 support. These new AM3 processors could mount in socket AM3 and support DDR3 memory or mount in AM2+ and support DDR2 memory.

As is generally the case, Intel responded quickly with Core 2 price cuts, which we discussed in our Phenom II X4 810 and X3 720 article. AMD followed suit with price adjustments that placed the Phenom II processors at price points where they compete very well with similarly priced Intel Core 2 processors.

Yesterday AMD filled in the top of the Phenom II line. In just three months, Phenom II has gone from introduction to a new socket and expanded socket compatibility. It now provides a complete processor lineup covering the price range from $125 to $245, with stock processor speeds from 2.5GHz quad to 3.2GHz quad. Here's a quick rundown on the Phenom II parts, including the original Phenom 9950.

With the latest additions to the Phenom II line, the processors are now achieving what AMD hoped for with their introduction. In testing the new 45nm CPUs are at the worst competitive with the latest Intel Core 2 Quad (Penryn) processors. However, in most cases the Phenom II processors are the top performer at each price point, making the Phenom II the current midrange processor of choice. They are also the first AMD processors in over two years that can also compete with Intel processors in overclocking. In our own tests we were able to overclock to the 3.8GHz range at stock voltage with some Phenom II samples, and we reached 4.2GHz with voltage increases and beefed up cooling. The new Phenom II does exactly what AMD needs it to do to compete and win through the midrange.

The first Phenom II processors, the 940 and 920, feature a DDR2 only controller and an un-core bus speed of 1.8GHz. These two models will be phased out over time. The rest of the Phenom II line is designed for socket AM3 or AM2+ and feature a dual mode DDR3/DDR2 memory controller. Yesterday's 955BE and 945 include an updated core and new stepping, and the new core will eventually find its way into the entire Phenom II line. The new 955/945 are the best overclockers ever from AMD and they reflect a more mature 45nm core that will likely benefit other Phenom II models as well.

Keep in mind that Intel's latest Core i7 is still as much as 30% faster in some applications than the Core2/Phenom II processors, so AMD did not reclaim the ultimate performance crown. However, Core i7 is at present a high-end CPU, with prices starting at $300 and extending to over $1000 just for the CPU. If you're not concerned with overclocking, one alternative for a complete Core i7 system is to just pick up something like the Dell studio XPS. Or if you prefer a bit more flexibility, you might want to look at our last Buyers' Guide. As you approach the upper range of Phenom II performance, we would certainly suggest looking at Core i7, but for now let's return to the midrange.

With AMD now the best performer through the midrange of CPU space, it is time to take a closer look at putting together systems with the latest Phenom II processors. With a broad CPU price range of around $120 to around $245 there are quite a few choices in processors for a Phenom II system. This Phenom II Buyers' Guide looks at three different builds that you might be considering. For builders who want a Phenom II system for as little money as possible we put together a Phenom II budget system. The goal is simple: build a competent and balanced Phenom II system for as little money as possible.

Another typical buyer is attracted to the Phenom II because they want the best bang-for-the-buck. For these buyers we have put together two value systems, one based on the socket AM3 DDR3 standard and another based on the AM2+ DDR2 platform. Value for some means bringing over as many of their current components as possible, and that often means reusing DDR2 memory. With two options buyers can mix and match what they have, go for a new DDR2 720BE system overclocked to the hilt, or go somewhere in between.

Finally, there is the full-blown performance Phenom II system. We hesitate to call this a high-end system, since the most expensive Phenom II is just $245. This is an upper midrange CPU price. Performance, however, is the best you will find with any CPU south of the Intel Core i7. Going along with the CPU, our system components for the performance system are more upper midrange than high-end. That means we will not be pairing the Phenom II with a $1200 30" LCD monitor for 2560x1600 gaming. However, the CPU power is there if you aspire for more. You could definitely use a high-end graphics card and 30" monitor on a Phenom II 955 or 945 or 940 if you choose, and you would achieve superb performance.

Phenom II Budget

Our aim in the Phenom II budget system is to provide a configuration that allows for a nice balance of performance at stock speeds. This doesn't mean you have to spend a lot of money though, as Phenom II prices start at $120 now that the competitive dust has settled. In addition, other component prices have dropped in the past six months and performance for the dollar has definitely increased.

The budget build is around $750 complete with a 1080p LCD Monitor, speakers, Vista Home Premium OS (OEM), and a mouse and keyboard. The basic box is just over $400 with a case and Gold Editors' Choice 550W PSU. If you are pinching pennies, you can go with a name brand case/power supply combo and get the basic Phenom II box below $400. The assembled system is balanced for a wide variety of computing tasks, but final tweaks can tilt it toward gaming and graphics for example, if that is what you aim for.

Generally we consider PC gaming rigs to begin at the next price category (i.e. the low end of midrange), but adding a decent graphics card will definitely make the Phenom II budget system, built around the AMD Phenom II X3 710, a good choice for entry gaming at around $850. Just add the $100 Radeon 4850 from the value systems on the next page.

The Phenom II x3 710 is the least expensive Phenom II you can buy, but it is still a tri-core design clocked at 2.6GHz with the same L1/L2/L3 cache as the more expensive Phenom II designs. The 710 provides plenty of power at stock speeds, but if you want more the 45nm Phenom II processors overclock very well. If you want a bit more performance, overclocking the 710 should be fine, but if you want to seriously explore overclocking you can spend $20 more for the 720BE that has an unlocked multiplier.

We've paired the Phenom II 710 with the ASRock 790GXH/128M AM2+, a perfect match for those looking to squeeze as much performance out of their money as possible. The ASRock is loaded with overclocking features and includes integrated AMD HD 3300 graphics with an HDMI/DVI interface and 1080p support. This means very decent performance using the onboard graphics. This ASRock board offers both AM2+ and AM3 CPU support for processors like the Phenom II 710 when used with cheaper DDR2 memory. ASRock includes 128MB DDR2 sideport memory for improved GPU performance, VIA VT1708S 7.1 Audio codec, Gigabit LAN, 16GB memory support, six 3Gb/s SATA ports capable of RAID 0/1/10/5, a PATA port, 10 USB ports, two PCI-E x16 slots (dual x8 CF), one PCI-E x1 slots, and two PCI slots. The BIOS caters to the casual overclocker and this board performs very well in a variety of tests.

We've chosen OCZ Reaper 4GB DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) in a 4GB kit for just $36 after a $25 rebate. This is a great value in DDR2-1066 memory from a top memory supplier. The extra 1066 speed combined with the fast 5-5-5 timings lets you run your memory at a faster speed or provide reserves for overclocking the CPU. OCZ is a great memory choice, but there are many memory options at great prices today. Quality DDR2-800 and DDR2-1066 RAM from Corsair, OCZ, G.Skill, Mushkin, Patriot, and GeIL are available at any of the major online retailers. Just be sure to look for RAM with better timings if you can afford it.

The hard drive is a 500GB Seagate Barracuda at just $59. If you'd prefer a larger drive you can substitute a 1TB Seagate for just $85 - only $25 more for twice the capacity. The DVD burner is a dependable Samsung 22X often chosen for budget builds. If you want alternatives, as always you can look to the other builds for larger drives and Blu-ray support.

The case/PS is the Cooler Master Elite 330 and our AnandTech Gold Editors' Choice BFG Tech LS Series LS-550 550W power supply. The BFG currently has a $20 rebate that reduces the final cost to $60. The BFG is a great power supply, but you could save a few dollars here with an OCZ, Corsair, or PC Power & Cooling PSU, which are often on rebate in recent months. It all depends on the timing of your system purchase.

The LCD display was an easy choice with the full HD Viewsonic 16:9 widescreen for just $180. A 21.5" monitor with 1920x1080 resolution with a 3-year warranty from a major monitor maker is certainly a good value. If you prefer a larger screen, you can find a 23" widescreen starting at $190, though most 24" are $250 or more. If you need to save a few dollars a lower resolution 19" or 20" would do.

If you want more video power for gaming you can add an ATI HD 4830 for just $75-$90. This will get you into gaming and it is a terrific value at this price according to our Graphics Editor. He recommends the Radeon HD 4850 as the start of true HD gaming starting at just $100 after current rebates, or a Radeon HD 4870 512MB which you can find for as little as $155. Any of these three cards would still keep your total well below $1000.  Even with the addition of the powerful 4870 512MB the complete system price would be just $910.

Phenom II Value

It has been quite a while coming, but AMD fans can once again put together a capable value priced and very competitive computer with screaming overclocking capabilities with Phenom II. There are two apparent CPU candidates for the Phenom II value system. The obvious choice might appear to be the 810 or 920, but the new 720BE has many charms at a lower price.  Reality also sets in when you see the Phenom II 940, which was introduced in January for $275, now selling at some etailers for as little as $170. For those reasons we chose the unlocked AM3 720BE for a DDR3 value system, and the unlocked AM2+ 940BE - at closeout pricing - for a DDR2 value system.

As discussed in many overclocking articles here, there are normally two types of overclockers. First are those who overclock for value, which are those that select cheaper parts rated at lower specs for their ability to overclock to much higher performance levels. The other group consists of overclockers trying to reach the highest overclock possible, who usually choose the highest priced and higher-performance parts to overclock even further. This last group should likely look to the 955BE in the Phenom II performance system on the next page. That system is built around the new 3.2GHz Phenom II 955BE, which distinguished itself as the best overclocker from AMD we have ever tested.

The choice of the $145 Phenom X3 720BE for the value DDR3 system pushes our perspective on other parts toward the value side of the overclocking equation. That means we have paired the 720 with a new DDR3 $135 motherboard instead of the very best $200 ASUS M4A79 Deluxe. It also means we matched the Full HD monitor with a cheaper video card that can deliver performance as good as you will likely get on a 1920x1080 monitor. It makes little sense to suggest a higher performing video card or CF or SLI graphics system if you can only see the better performance on a 30" monitor that is not part of this system. The same thinking went into the 940BE DDR2 system, which is built around the close-out priced 940BE.

Generally, parts were selected because they are a good value that can become an even better value should you decide to overclock. Below are both DDR2 and DDR3 Phenom II systems. Most components are the same, but the CPU, motherboard, and of course memory do differ between the two value builds.

With the careful selection of components, there is no real penalty in choosing DDR3 for your Phenom II OC system. If fact the choice of the cheaper 720BE CPU for the DDR3 offsets the slightly higher cost of DDR3 memory. As a result, the DDR3 build is about the same cost as the DDR2 value build. Of course, you also give up one CPU core and 200MHz stock clock speed.

Some may already have very good DDR2, and they may prefer a mature DDR2 board. Below are the component selections for a Phenom II DDR2 OC system. The closeout pricing of the DDR2-only 940BE also makes building a DDR2 Phenom II very tempting as long as those cheaper 940BE processors remain in the market.

The ASUS DDR3 motherboard is very cost effective, and the DDR3-1800 memory costs all but the same as the DDR2-1066 selected for the DDR2 value system. The ASUS M4A78T-E has proved to be a very capable overclocker with the latest BIOS. In the lab, 3.9GHz was easily reached with the Phenom II 720BE processor. That is as good as we have achieved with the best Phenom II DDR2 motherboards. You may squeeze a bit more from our top overclocking ASUS M4A79 Deluxe, but at a cost of $200 versus $140 for the ASUS M4A78T-E you have to ask whether the cost justifies the possibility of overclocking a bit beyond 3.9GHz.

As shown in the Phenom II X4 810 and X3 720 launch review, the new 720BE is something of a value builder's dream. For just $139 you get an unlocked multiplier, three cores each with 512KB of L2 cache, and the same 6MB L3 cache used in the X4 Phenom II processors. Rated speed is 2.8GHz, which basically makes this an unlocked 920 with a disabled core. In bench testing we easily reached 3.8GHz, about the same as the most expensive first generation Phenom II, and you will only miss that fourth core in a few applications that actually take advantage of parallel processing. On the whole the 720BE is a dream of a value CPU, and you will likely see even further improvement in performance capabilities as the latest AMD Phenom II cores migrate to the 720BE in the future..

We've paired the Phenom II 720BE with an AMD DDR3 motherboard that emerged as a fast and stable computing tool in our test labs. With the latest BIOS, the ASUS M4A78T-E is very stable at standard speeds and a prolific overclocker with good quality DDR3 memory. This is quite an accomplishment for a new technology motherboard that sells for just $135. The socket AM3 790GX M4A78T-E easily reached 3.9GHz in our testing with the Phenom II 720 and quality DDR3 memory.

The DDR2 version of the Phenom II value system combines the 940BE with the well-regarded Gigabyte GA-MA790GP-UD4H at $129. This Gigabyte is one of the best overclocking boards in this price range. The $200 ASUS M4A79 Deluxe is a slightly better overclocker but you will pay a good deal for the small increase in OC ability. Those who want the very best overclocker to combine with their bargain 940BE, however, will not be disappointed in the abilities of the ASUS M4A79 Deluxe.

While the stock AMD cooler is adequate for normal cooling and modestly overclocking a Phenom II, better cooling is needed to push the CPU to its limits. The Xigmatek Dark Knight-S1283V cooler did very well in the lab and it is a good match to the Phenom II 720BE or the 940BE at a price that won't break the bank. You also will not need to remove the motherboard to attach the Dark Knight since it uses a push clip to mount to the existing AM2/AM2+/AM3 CPU cage.

The Cooler Master Centurion 534 is a good value no matter how you look at it. It does come in different configurations, and the RC-534-SKN2-GP case is a good choice since it comes with three 120mm fans (front, side, and back) for cooling and installation requires no tools other than a screwdriver for mounting the motherboard. There are also plenty of drive bay options with five external 5.25" bays, one external 3.5", and four internal 3.5". Front USB/Firewire/Audio connectors are also featured. Builders report smooth edges and no sharp pieces to cut your hand during assembly. Even the expansion slots are screwless in this design. Our selection at $50 is black with a brushed aluminum and mesh front, but the case is also available in all black if you prefer.

The power supply for the Phenom II OC system is the winner of the recent 500W to 550W roundup. The BFG Tech LS-550 grabbed our Gold Editors' Choice in the roundup for its great balance of performance. The BFG delivered good performance in every aspect, with tight voltage regulation and ripple well within specifications. Efficiency was through the roof, with 86% efficiency at 20% load. It also generated the highest maximum efficiency of 88% on 230VAC and 86% on 120VAC. With a good selection of connectors and reasonable cable lengths, the LS-550 is a great PSU for a value-oriented overclocking system.

We have paired the Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 512MB video card with both Phenom II Value systems. As pointed out in the Multi-GPU Update, the 4850 is one of the best values in resolutions up to 1920x1080. At the value price of just $100 after a $20 rebate the Sapphire 4850 is the best price we have even seen for a name brand 4850. It was hard to resist, particularly when you consider that Sapphire is the major AMD/ATI video card manufacturer. If you want more performance, add a second 4850 in CrossFire mode and you can even drive a 30" monitor very adequately for gaming. For a total investment of just $200 the 4850 CrossFire will provide performance for the price that nothing else can really touch. That is a very good match to the goals of a Phenom II value system.

The hard drive used in the Phenom II value systems is the Seagate Barracuda 1TB (1000GB) with true 7200RPM speed, 32MB cache, and 3-year warranty. The Seagate is an outstanding value in 1TB drives at just $85. Early 1.5TB and 1TB Seagate drives did have issues, but the latest firmware has been trouble-free. Still the early problems have forced Seagate to go for a lower price to attract market share, and $85 for a 1TB hard drive from a major manufacturer is a superb value.

The Logitech X-540 has been a perennial favorite of users as a reasonably priced but good performing powered 5.1 computer speaker system. It will certainly not challenge the performance of a separate Dolby amplifier powering audiophile speakers, but it will provide surprisingly good sound for the price.

The last major component to discuss is the display, and here the tilt was toward best value at 1080p Full HD (1920x1080) resolution with the Acer 23" LCD. The resolution is the same 1920x1080 chosen for the budget Phenom II system, but the screen is larger and easier on the eyes for just $10 more. The monitor should be considered a nominal 24" in the new trend toward accurately describing monitor sizes in specifications.

The last area to discuss is input devices, where we went with gamer value favorites in the Logitech G11 USB gaming keyboard and the MX518 8-button laser mouse. Both are very well regarded devices that fit well with the capabilities and concept of a Phenom II overclocking system. If gaming is not your goal you could easily move to the $16 Microsoft OEM keyboard and mouse used in the budget Phenom II build and reduce the complete system prices by $83. If you will use your Phenom II value system for graphics and photo editing but not gaming, you can also drop the G11/MX518 and select precision input devices that better fit your needs.

Phenom II Performance

The addition of the 955BE and 945 to the top of the Phenom II line now provides uncompromised choices of Phenom II in the midrange. As mentioned in the launch review, Phenom II is now the top performer in the midrange, with Core i7 owning the high-end. Even overclocking is once again an area where AMD need apologize to no one. The latest Phenom II cores are incredible overclockers, yielding even better performance. With the 955BE performance fresh on our radar, it was impossible not to choose the 3.2GHz 955BE as the heart of the latest Phenom II performance PC.

For detailed information on the Phenom II, please read yesterday's Phenom II X4 955 review. The Phenom II 955 at 3.2GHz is the fastest of the currently shipping AMD Phenom II processors, and it is built on a new stepping Phenom II 45nm core. The Phenom II is very similar in L2/L3 cache configuration to the Intel Core i7. Performance is also the best among today's midrange processors, and the 955 is only outperformed by the high-end Intel Core i7 series. As the latest 45nm AMD processor the Phenom II 955 also overclocks very well, matching or exceeding the very best Intel Core 2 Quad performance.

We've paired the Phenom II 940 with the new Gigabyte GA-MA790XT-UD4P motherboard based on the 790X chipset. The 790X is very similar to the 790GX chipset except it does not provide on-board graphics. It also supports the newest AM3 Phenom II processors and DDR3-1066/1333/1600 memory. Gigabyte combines the 790X with the latest AMD SB750 south bridge. This combo provides one x16 slot running at x16, a second x16 slot running at x8, three PCIe x1 slots, and two PCI slots. There are eight 3Gb/s SATA ports, a parallel port, and support for SATA RAID 0/1/5/10, 2600MHz HyperTransport, and maximum memory of 16GB in four slots.

The motherboard rear panel provides eight USB 2.0 ports, two Firewire, PS/2 keyboard and mouse, both optical and coax SPDIF out, and six audio jacks for the I-channel on-board audio. In addition there are two USB headers for internal USB and one additional 1394a (Firewire) header. The Gigabyte 790X board provides plenty of expansion capabilities for a performance AMD system, as well as excellent overclocking capabilities for those who plan to overclock.

The 790X chipset provides a single PCIe X16 slot and a PCIe x8 slot. This is fine for a single card and many will be happy with CrossFire that works as two PCIe x8 slots on the 790GX/X motherboards. However, if you have to have the very best CrossFire performance possible you should look for a motherboard based on the 790FX chipset, which does provide true dual PCIe x16 performance. This may be important to some, which is why we point it out. Otherwise, there is little to complain about with the performance of this Gigabyte AM3 motherboard.

The Phenom II is not the hot CPU you find in the Core i7, but it still benefits from third party cooling - particularly if you plan to overclock with a CPU with OC capabilities like the 955BE. We paired the Phenom II 955BE with the same Xigmatek Dark Knight used in our value systems, which performed well in the lab. At $40 the Xigmatek is an excellent cooling value.

Since the Phenom II is dual-channel DDR3, the motherboard was populated with a 4GB kit of OCZ Intel Extreme Edition DDR3-1600. This memory is rated at 7-7-7 at DDR3-1600 and 9-9-9-at DDR3-1800.  It is even faster at DDR3-1333 or DDR3-1066.  Don't worry about the Intel designation as it will work fine with your new Phenom II 955BE.  If you plan to extensively overclock you might have more flexibility choosing an even faster memory like  DDR3-1800 or  DDR3-2000, but our overclocking tests showed the highest memory speeds were somewhat wasted on the Phenom II and fast memory timings improved performance more. This fast and flexible memory gives both very fast timings and headroom when it is needed.

For the performance system, we upgraded the video card to ATI's latest Radeon HD 4890. As we stated in our review, the 4890 is basically a tweaked and overclocked 4870. It improves performance over the 4870 1GB and competes well with the GTX 275. On a pure performance level the 4890 and GTX 275 trade blows at different resolutions. MSI's overclocked HD 4890 bumps the clock speed up a little higher (880MHz instead of 850MHz), and with the current mail-in rebate it's $20 less than the GTX 275, so it gets our recommendation for the AMD performance build. Need even more power? Feel free to add a second card and run CrossFire. That should be enough for just about any current game at 2560x1600 (and is typically overkill for a 1080p display).

The case for the Phenom II performance system is a well-regarded Lian Li black all aluminum case. This Lian Li case has a reputation for being exceptionally quiet with its four 80mm fans with a fan speed controller and the excellent heat dissipation you expect from an all aluminum case. What is unique is the $40 savings on this case through the month of April, which reduces the cost to $100. There is even a side window for those who like a view of their working system.

The power supply is the IN WIN Commander 750W modular with a 140mm double ball bearing cooling fan. This superb 80 plus certified power supply would be a bit rich for an upper midrange performance rig at a normal selling price of $140. However, there is currently a $50 rebate that reduces the net price to just $90. If this PSU interests you then grab it at this great price as we're sure the rebate will go away as more buyers discover this value.

Most of our editors consider the onboard audio of motherboards to be adequate for even gaming these days. That is why we have not chosen a sound card for the performance midrange system. If you want more than that offered by onboard surround sound, the ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 is one of the top-performing audio cards on the market today. It is a great upgrade to the onboard sound if you want better sound quality. Game compatibility is excellent, but most game creators assume everyone has a Creative Labs sound card. If your main reason for having a powerful computer is gaming, you may prefer the Creative 7.1 Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium at the same price. In our opinion, the sound quality is batter on the ASUS or an HT sound card, but game compatibility will never be a question with a Creative Labs sound card. We also upgraded to the Logitech G51 speakers. The Logitech rebate has ended, so the price is now $135 or so. They are still a decent value at that price.

The LCD display resolution is still the 1920 horizontal of the 1080p value system, but the 26" displays run at a 16:10 aspect ratio and WUXGA (1920x1200). Regardless of the minor resolution differences, the size of the monitor is now 26", so everything on the screen is a little larger - great if your vision isn't the best. The ASUS VW266H 25.5" provides the preferred HDMI input, as well as DVI and an analog VGA port. Panel speed is rated at an incredible 2ms, but we have found most current LCD panels perform similarly and the speed rating does not really guarantee very much. The ASUS monitor provides a large sharp image, good colors, and fast panel speed at a very good price of $320 after rebate. It comes with DVI and VGA cables, but if you plan to connect with HDMI you will need to buy a separate HDMI cable. The ASUS is also available with a rotatable 2MB webcam attached for just $20 more.

The hard drive remains 1TB but we selected the Western Digital 7200RPM for the Phenom II performance system at $105. This was mainly a concession to those who bitterly complain whenever we choose the Seagate as our 1TB drive choice. The WD is an excellent 1TB drive and it has never had any issues with failure, where early Seagate 1TB drives were plagued with firmware issues. The Seagate drives with recent firmware have performed fine in our labs, but if you are a buyer who worries about that the WD is the better choice. Seagate still provides a 3-year warranty and our experience with filing for warranty service online with Seagate has been excellent. The choice is yours - the Seagate is $85 and the comparable WD is $105.

The remaining components are the same as our value systems. The optical drive is the LG BD-ROM. The Microsoft OEM keyboard and optical mouse provide input and Vista Home Premium OEM runs the system. For more information on these components, you can refer to the descriptions on earlier pages.

In response to those who have asked for SSD recommendations, it is possible to finally make SSD recommendations based on the months of research and testing performed on SSD drives at AnandTech. For more information on SSD test results please see our SSD Anthology and the SSD Update. In keeping with the midrange pricing, we have listed an SSD option of the 60GB OCZ Vertex for the Phenom II performance system, though you could use a larger Vertex SSD if it better meets your needs.

Final Words

With the latest introduction of the Phenom II 955BE and the Phenom II 945 AMD now owns the midrange of computer performance - at least for today. The 955BE is the best performing midrange processor and as we showed in the launch article Phenom II is now the midrange processor of choice if you are building a new computer system. Across the board AMD has is now outperforming Core 2 Duo and Quad with their Phenom II line. That may change tomorrow with new pricing or the introduction of the upcoming Intel I5, but if you are building a midrange computer today, AMD is the best choice. It's also worth mentioning that socket AM3 should be around for a while yet, but we can't say the same for socket 775.

With that reality, we listed four typical Phenom II builds in this guide. At the low end the budget PC featured the cheapest Phenom II X3 710 - a 2.6GHz processor now selling for just $120. The budget system was built for just over $400 for the basic computer and around $750 for a complete system with keyboard, mouse, speakers, and Vista Home Premium. You could reduce costs even further by going with a cheaper combo case/PSU and/or using a free OS like Ubuntu. It is also worth mentioning that while the budget Phenom II was built around DDR2 it could have been built just about as reasonably around an AM3 board and DDR3 memory. Components would be the same except for motherboard and memory since the AM3 Phenom II processors feature dual memory controllers supporting either DDR2 or DDR3.

In the Phenom II value segment, we featured two builds. First was a DDR3 build around the unlocked 720BE X3 CPU, followed by a DDR2 build using the former top-of-the-line 940BE which is now being closed out at bargain prices. The cheap price of the 940BE is reason enough to build a DDR2 box; owning a lot of good fast DDR2 memory is another reason to build the value DDR2 box.

Both value systems were paired with components that almost beg to be overclocked. The base box for either the DDR3 or DDR2 value systems came in at less than $800 including 4GB of high speed memory, high-performance heatsink/fan, a 1TB hard drive, Blu-ray payer/DVD burner, and ATI Radeon 4850 graphics. The complete systems added a nominal 24" 1080p monitor, gaming mouse and keyboard, Vista OS, and a 5.1 powered Logitech Speaker system for a total system price of just over $1200.

Finally, the Phenom II performance system was built around the latest, greatest, and most overclockable 3.2GHz Phenom II 955BE. This DDR3 system features DDR3-1800 memory, an HSF for serious overclocking, ATI 4890 OC graphics card, a Blu-ray player/DVD burner, and an upgraded 1TB hard drive for $1100 for the base box, and around $1675 for a complete system with a 26" 1920x1200 monitor, Logitech G51 powered speakers, Vista Home Premium, mouse and keyboard.

You can easily push the performance system to 3.8GHz or higher with an accompanying increase in performance. In fact our testing shows you might reach 3.9GHz at stock voltage and perhaps as high as 4.2GHz at higher voltage. Of course not all 955BE processors will do this, and overclocking is never a given. However, the 955BE we tested were screaming overclockers and you will likely find the same among the 955BE in the market place based on the updated Phenom II core. In other words, YMMV; also, we had issues breaking 4GHz with 64-bit Vista on our test CPU.

All of this takes nothing away from Intel, which produces the best performing processors you can buy right now in the Core i7. The only problem is Core i7 is basically high-end only. The cheapest Core i7 920 CPU is around $300, with two more models going for up to $1010. In addition, Core i7 uses a new socket and supports the first triple-channel DDR3 memory configuration. Both the socket and memory are unique right now to the higher priced Core i7, which keeps i7 supporting component prices high. Leaving all other components the same, a Core i7 920 build adds about $175 to the price of our Phenom II performance system.

Below the very top is Phenom II, and as you have seen in this Phenom II Buyers' Guide you can build a lot of Phenom II system for a pretty reasonable amount of money. Competition between Phenom II and Core 2 Duo and Quad have driven prices in this segment down and value up. In fact we can't remember a time where so much computer power could be purchased for so little money.

While we have said that a lot lately, the bang-for-the-buck in today's systems continues to impress us. That's certainly a good thing in a worldwide economy that is struggling. Computers are really a necessity in our plugged-in world and it's very good you can get a lot of computer today for very little money. Competition makes the buyer the winner and keeps margins low. Competition also drives the innovations that fuel growth in the computer market around the world.