DIGIT-ARC read-only archive · snapshot: July 23, 2026

Fourth core UNLOCKED in Phenom X3 720

9 posts · originally from https://geek.digit.in/community/threads/fourth-core-unlocked-in-phenom-x3-720.118221/

damngoodman999
damngoodman999 Original post #1
Jun 10, 2009 at 11:25 PM
The Hardware Enthusiasm is Still on the way with PHENOM 2 X3 720 which is 3 core Processor , with 790GX/SB750 chipset motherboard many of them unlock the Fourth core , thats really How ??

AMD is hiding the cores inside the processor ??

*img191.imageshack.us/img191/9973/4c1.jpg

Then the UNlOCKED phenom 2 X3 720 overclocks much better ??

:cry::cry::cry: how ??
dOm1naTOr
Jun 10, 2009 at 11:35 PM
its just a strategy. They use same die for x3 and x4. They find some one core/cache defective dies and make em X3. This doesnt mean all X3's 4th core is defective. To meet the market demand, they convert lot other good dies into x3 too.
around 20% of the x3 out there cant be unlocked.

btw, unlocked x3 dun oc as good as tri core. in most reviews of unlocking, x3 oc to 3.7~3.8 while after unlocking it is stuck at 3.6~3.7. But performance improvement is massive.

for unlocking, u just have to own a 790GX/FX mobo.
j1n M@tt
Jun 10, 2009 at 11:43 PM
but with all coming latest BIOS updates AMD is planning to stop unlocking of cores.
damngoodman999
Jun 10, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Ya , finding this i just bought 790Gx mobo from gigabyte most of them unlocked with this mobo , oh if i found it earlier i would have bought the phenom 2 720 instead of 940 .

Gr8 tweaking abilities

:lol: can we unlock the 5th core in PHENOM 2 940 :lol:
dOm1naTOr
Jun 11, 2009 at 12:30 AM
:lol:

btw it is said that we can unlock 2 extra cores on PII 550.
dOm1naTOr
Jun 11, 2009 at 12:34 AM
Ya , finding this i just bought 790Gx mobo from gigabyte most of them unlocked with this mobo , oh if i found it earlier i would have bought the phenom 2 720 instead of 940 .

there is still time. Get a 720 and try if it works. If, then sell off ur 940 for bout 10k.
and there wont be any warranty voiding, as we arent doin anythin flashy. Just using a 790 mobo with frequency calibration turned on, thats all.
damngoodman999
Jun 11, 2009 at 1:14 AM
Any i just luv this 940 its so sweet in OCing

i just OCed 3.6 with stock cooler on the default Vcore of 1.39 , temperature idle 43

load 53

thats good OCing with stock !!
dOm1naTOr
Jun 11, 2009 at 1:23 AM
thats a good oc on default voltage.
damngoodman999
Jun 11, 2009 at 1:17 PM
3.6Ghz on stock & default Voltage is really cool