Unleash the Power of AMD Phenom II 955 BE and GTX660

Unleash the Power of AMD Phenom II 955 BE and GTX660

Table of Contents:

1. Introduction
2. Hardware Overview
3. AMD Phenom2 955 Black Edition CPU
   • Overview
   • Release Date and Manufacturing Node
   • Specifications
   • Pros and Cons
4. Gigabyte GA-970-D3 Motherboard
   • Overview
   • Features
   • Pros and Cons
5. NVIDIA GTX 660 Graphics Card
   • Overview
   • Specifications
   • Pros and Cons
6. Corsair Vengeance Pro RAM
   • Overview
   • Specifications
   • Pros and Cons
7. Storage Devices
   • SSDs and HDDs
   • Pros and Cons
8. Operating System
   • Windows 10 Build 2004
   • Pros and Cons
9. Synthetic Benchmarks
   • 7-Zip Performance
   • CPU-Z Benchmark
   • Cinebench R15
   • 3D Mark's Fire Strike
   • Pros and Cons
10. Gaming Performance
    • Sea of Thieves
    • PUBG
    • Hitman
    • Star Wars Battlefront 2
    • Pros and Cons
11. Conclusion
12. Highlights
13. FAQ

🎮 Introduction

Welcome back to The Off Bit. In this show, we put hardware to the test with the latest games. If you're new here, make sure to subscribe and join our friendly tech community. We provide tutorials on modding hardware for better gaming performance and offer system upgrade breakdowns. We value your comments and are here to help. In today's episode, we'll be taking a closer look at the Phantom 2 Black Edition with the GTX 660.

🖥️ Hardware Overview

Let's start by giving an overview of the hardware components we'll be discussing. The main components of this build include the AMD Phenom2 955 Black Edition CPU, Gigabyte GA-970-D3 motherboard, NVIDIA GTX 660 graphics card, Corsair Vengeance Pro RAM, storage devices (SSDs and HDDs), and the Windows 10 operating system. These components will be put to the test using various synthetic benchmarks and gaming performance evaluations.

🧩 AMD Phenom2 955 Black Edition CPU

The AMD Phenom2 955 Black Edition is a K10 CPU based on the Deneb core architecture. It was released on April 23, 2009, and is manufactured using the 45 nanometer process. This 4-core, 4-thread CPU is clocked at 3.2 GHz with a 6 MB level 3 cache. With a TDP of 125 watts, it is known as an AMD Black Edition CPU, which means it has unlocked multipliers for easy overclocking. Despite its age, the Phenom2 955 Black Edition still has its strengths and weaknesses.

Pros:

• Unlocked multipliers for easy overclocking
• Decent gaming performance
• Affordable price

Cons:

• Older architecture
• Limited instruction set support for newer games

⚙️ Gigabyte GA-970-D3 Motherboard

The Gigabyte GA-970-D3 motherboard is an AM3+ motherboard that supports both AMD Phenom2 CPUs and the AMD FX series. It features the AMD 970 northbridge chipset and the AMD SB950 southbridge. With four DDR3 DIMM slots, multiple PCI slots, AMD CrossfireX support, and various USB ports, this motherboard offers a range of features for gamers and enthusiasts.

Pros:

• Broad CPU compatibility
• Supports AMD CrossfireX for multi-GPU setups
• Ample USB ports for peripheral devices

Cons:

• Limited upgrade potential for newer CPUs

🎮 NVIDIA GTX 660 Graphics Card

The NVIDIA GTX 660 is a graphics card from the Kepler architecture family. It features a 2 GB GDDR5 memory clocked at 1527 MHz on a 192-bit bus. With a GPU core clock of 1006 MHz and a boost clock of 1072 MHz, the GTX 660 offers decent gaming performance for its time. It supports various APIs, including DirectX 11, OpenGL 4.6, and Vulcan 1.1.

Pros:

• Good gaming performance for its time
• Support for multiple API standards
• Affordable Second-HAND prices

Cons:

• Limited VRAM capacity
• Might struggle with newer games at high settings

💾 Corsair Vengeance Pro RAM

The Corsair Vengeance Pro Series RAM is a DDR3 memory kit that offers high-performance capabilities. With clock support of up to 1866 MHz, this kit delivers smooth multitasking and gaming experiences. While the AMD Phenom2 CPU may limit the RAM to run at 1600 MHz, it still provides satisfactory performance for most applications.

Pros:

• High-performance DDR3 RAM
• Good for multitasking and gaming
• Reliable brand reputation

Cons:

• Limited overclocking potential with the CPU

💽 Storage Devices

Our storage setup consists of two SSDs - a 120 GB and a 240 GB Western Digital Green SSD - and a 1 TB magnetic Western Digital Green hard drive. The SSDs provide fast boot times and quick access to frequently used applications, while the larger HDD offers ample storage space for larger games. This combination strikes a balance between performance and storage capacity.

Pros:

• Fast boot times and application loading with SSDs
• Ample storage capacity with the HDD
• Good combination for gaming and general usage

Cons:

• Limited SSD capacity for storing large Game libraries

💻 Operating System: Windows 10 Build 2004

Our operating system of choice is Windows 10 Build 2004. Installed on the 120 GB SSD, Windows 10 provides a user-friendly interface and compatibility with a wide range of applications. While newer builds of Windows 10 are available, Build 2004 offers a stable and reliable platform for gaming and everyday tasks.

Pros:

• User-friendly interface
• Wide application compatibility
• Stable performance

Cons:

• Not the latest Windows 10 build

(Continued in the article...)