AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition Callisto 3.1GHz Socket AM3 80W Dual-Core Processor HDZ550WFGIBOX

Pros: Working like a boss, unlocked and overclocked.

Cons: none!

Other Thoughts: I am sold on AMD

Pros: I have owned this proc for 3+ years overclocked up 3.7 ghz always unlocked usually run at 3.2 more efficient . runs great was surprised at the ease of unlocking with correct mother board will use this as my main computer for at least on more year

Cons: doesn't work well with ddr3 1600 MHz but only causes minute instability wish it scale better with under voltage

Other Thoughts: amd phenom II x4 3.7ghz artic silver
gigabyte GA-MA790GPT-UD3H
Ocz modxstream-pro 500w
8gb g-skill ripjaws ddr3 1600mhz\
xfx radeon hd 5770
currently running windows 8
only spent 600 hundred total on build cant say im not happy

Pros: Working great since 2009 unlocked and overclocked

Cons: none

Pros: Awesome processor and best bang for your buck by far! Got a motherboard with the 785G chipset in it and unlocked the other two cores to make it a quad core beast and OC'd to 3.3ghz (small, I know) and ran Prime95 for around 3 days when I went on vacation and came back to it still running! Im not sure what temps it was running at but I don't believe it got above 65-70C at all, on stock heatsink!

Cons: None!

Other Thoughts: Although I do love Intel and will always believe that their processors are much better over AMD all around, AMD processors are awesome for budget builds, which is what I was going for in that build. It fit perfectly and did the job I needed it to do, wonderfuly!

Pros: This proc is all I could have asked for and more. It has been OC'd running as a 3.6 gig quad core since the first week of ownership and has never given me a single issue. My box is rock solid stable to this day and has never blue screened not once (after dialing in OC). Processor scores 7.4 on windows perf index to this day. For my usage, I honestly have no reason to upgrade.

Cons: Absolutely nothing

Other Thoughts: Just built an Intel I5 3570 for a family member and for my use it is no faster than my 3 year old Callisto build. The Callisto actually scores the same as the I5 (7.4) on the Windows Performance Index. I5 is stock Callisto is unlocked and clocked, but that's fine if it is 100% stable for 3 years straight.

Pros: Never had any problems, use with Foxconn a7da mobo. Made it very easy to overclock,upgraded heatsink after 2years to coolermaster hyper 612 and easily kept cool @3.6ghz.

Cons: kinda wish i would have gone quad core. but for the price cant complain

Pros: Unlocked Quad Core
Stable at 4.0Ghz
35 Celsius at idle, 49 full load

Cons: Has pins?

Other Thoughts: I've been using this CPU for over 3 years, never given me a problem...even through my overclock testing (First time overclocking, I messed up A LOT)

Pros: Bought this over two years ago and got the two other cores to unlock on an Asrock board. Anyone who Gives this processor a bad rep doesn't know what they are doing. Keep mine at 3.1 at all times and it works great.

Cons: none yet

Other Thoughts: works great
System
Asrock AOD 790GX-128
Radeon 4850
8GB Kingston Hyper X
OC Extreme 600 watt psu
Thermaltake V9 Case
It all works well together and have had no problems

Pros: Now just let me say, this is my first AMD Product. I like it really. Although, I do feel empty without Intel and Nvidia, but I guess the void will fill itself up. I'm running this right now @ 4Ghz on a Asus M4A785-M Motherboard, with 1.55V's under a Corsair Hydro H50 CPU Cooler. I have yet to see temps above 44C under full load. This thing runs BF:BC2 Maxed out with smooth framerates (Never seen it drop below 30 when fraggin' bad guys) - I do recommed this processor for the game, if you chose to do a disk authentication if you don't have an SSD, And you have a DVD-ROM installed. If you have an SSD Paired with this, I will guarantee you that this will FLY with the SSD In the game. I can tell you, I've seen people get 4.3Ghz (only one recorded in the world, and I'm #8 in the world to Get 4Ghz recorded). So, I totally recommend this product, even if it does have C2 Stepping. On air, If you have a NH-D14, I'm pretty sure you can get to 4.1Ghz Max. Totally recommend it!

Cons: Okay, here are just a few, nit-pick things i have to HATE about this processor:
C2 Stepping - IT KILLS the overclocking potential, and this is a BLACK EDITION!

To get to 4Ghz, you have to set the Voltage to 1.55V's - Not sure if I got a great batch or not, but It takes some POWAR to get it stable. Also, the two extra cores are disabled, but I sorta expected it.

Other Thoughts: Here's my build -
Asus M4A785-M Mobo
Phenom II X2 550 BE @ 4ghz, 1.55V's w/ Hydro H50
4GB RAM
HD 4870 1GB
NZXT Vulcan
Ultra LS600 (600W)
Samsung SATA II 320GB HD
Bunch of Fans.

Pros: Fast enough as x2 for Ableton Live, RAM is more important.
More than I need as a B50--makes encoding/decoding noticeably faster.

Cons: Stock cooler was made for a dual core! However, any con is automatically offset by the possibility of a free upgrade.

Tom's Hardware brought their x4 945 down to 1.0V @2.7GHz. My x4 B50 doesn't get that low. So it is actually a lower spec processor than the legit x4's. My B50 requires ~15% more voltage. (search for 'Phenom II voltage ramps')

Other Thoughts: I have been running this for over a year at stock clock and stock voltage as a dual core. When I made it a B50, I was concerned that my old PSU (12V18A) wouldn't be able to sustain the power usage.

Looking up wattage on Tom's Hardware and other places I discovered that a B50 x4 uses only ~20W more than a stock 550 x2.

I'm running my B50 at 2.7GHz@1.152Volts. It comes up to 47°C while running TF2 without even spinning the stock cooler fan above 2900RPM. Lower temps than x2@stock(~52°C)! This B50 may be able to match a 2.5GHz Phenom II x4 910e in power usage.

PhenomMsrTweaker - Aggressive up
Gigabyte MA-770T-UD3P 1.0- F2b
MSI Radeon HD 3850 512DDR3OC 600MHz GPU
2X2GB Kingston Hyper Blu RAM 1600 DDR3 @ 1333MHz
*Thermaltake TR2-430W W0069RU 12V18A