X2 5600+ 65W vs X2 5050E 45W

NimlhÃ»g · Post by **NimlhÃ»g** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 1:11 am

Hi folks,

I'm considering getting one of these two CPUs. Judging by the TDPs I'm inclined to get the 5050E, but I could use the 5600+'s extra performance every once in a while (and I don't really care about peak power consumption). Just wondering how big the difference in power draw would be at idle (or near idle). Would anyone know? Or perhaps point me in the right direction?

Ta

psiu · Post by **psiu** » Mon Mar 30, 2009 5:45 am

I would *guess* that power consumption at idle should be fairly similar. Basically the same chips, the energy efficient ones are just binned as being able to run cooler probably.
How about the 7750 Black Edition at Newegg? 95W part, but it's basically a dual core Phenom. Includes unlocked multiplier and L3 cache at the same price and should be able to utilize the ACC overclocking.

Moon GT · Post by **Moon GT** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 1:35 am

I guess even at peak power consumption, it will finish quicker anyway so not really use any more in total.
Like PSIU said, the 5050e is pretty much a power optimised 5000+ (65W down to 45W), the 5600+ used to be an 89W part, and they got it down to 65W, which is about the same kind of reduction, so it probably is essentially the same chip, just higher rated.

BillyBuerger · Post by **BillyBuerger** » Thu Apr 02, 2009 6:54 am

psiu wrote:How about the 7750 Black Edition at Newegg? 95W part, but it's basically a dual core Phenom. Includes unlocked multiplier and L3 cache at the same price and should be able to utilize the ACC overclocking.

Yes, but everything that I saw also had it using way more power at idle than the old X2's do.

I like the X3's as well but I don't know if I could buy one until they get their idle power down some more. I don't know if there are any real good power measurements of the PII X3/X4's out there. SPCR only review the 940 and with a big video card too. I doubt they can get down to the 30-40W idle that the old X2's can.

RedAE102 · Post by **RedAE102** » Tue Apr 07, 2009 12:52 pm

If you're using Windows, you can undervolt using CrystalCPUID and effectively eliminate any possible differences between the chips. At default voltages, the 5050e will idle lower because the default voltage at 1GHz is 1.0V versus 1.1V for the standard X2 5600. My Brisbane G2 5400 runs at 53.3W at full bore with undervolting from 1.325V & 65W default to 1.225V VID (1.200V actual), and at 2.6 GHz, 1.120V actual, down from the original 1.275 VID, reducing it from 55.9W stock to 43.1W at that speed. It runs at .768V (0.775VID) at 1.2 GHz, which makes a sizeable difference in idle wattage compared to the stock 1GHz @ 1.1V. Even running Linux (at least in Ubuntu), I was able to modify the powernow-k8 driver to feed it the lower voltages. So at default voltages, you're better off with the 5050e, but when undervolting, you might as well get the extra speed of the 5600.

QuietOC · Post by **QuietOC** » Wed Apr 08, 2009 4:33 am

RedAE102 wrote:If you're using Windows, you can undervolt using CrystalCPUID and effectively eliminate any possible differences between the chips. At default voltages, the 5050e will idle lower because the default voltage at 1GHz is 1.0V versus 1.1V for the standard X2 5600.

Yes, and even my new X2 5800+ runs fine full load at the 0.800V setting at +1GHz (actually 0.784V). I haven't figured out the maximum speed it will run at that voltage, but my other "G2" Brisbanes have been stable at 1.5 to 1.7GHz @ 0.784V. The 5800+ was $55 shipped and runs fine at 3.15GHz at default voltage (my $40 740G motherboard is probably the limitation there.)