the 165 can generally make 2.8 at least stable, lots of times 3+
i do agree that the fx is good for what dsl says above, adding that the ht link that you gain is not as much a benefit as the higher clock speed. plus, the higher your ht goes, the more instability you encounter. but in any event...there is no way that the fx is worth the 150 bucks. you can overclock to compensate for slower clock speeds. i would suggest as dsl does...if you are dead set against an opty, get a 3600 and it will very likely surpass the fx 60 clock speed.