Best budget Processor/Graphics card combo

KiwiMan · Apr 11, 2013

I am looking to build my first computer on a budget. I am looking to spend around 500-600 USD. I was looking at 2 combos to try and save some money, one from AMD and one from Intel. I have experience with computers, but not with all the wording stuff on products. On the products below, are they both just graphics card and processor? The type of games I am looking to play are things like BF3, L4D2, TF2, GMod and Counter Strike, so will these processors be able to handle those games on high/medium quality?
The AMD one:http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113280&nm_mc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r&cm_mmc=OTC-pr1c3grabb3r-_-Processors+-+Desktops-_-AMD-_-19113280
The Intel one: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116504

clutchc · Apr 11, 2013

If you are looking to buy a processor with on-die graphics for gaming, go with the A10-5800K. The Intel graphics 4000 can't compare to the on-die GPU the A10 has. However, If you plan on eventually going to a discrete gfx card, the i5 will be the better processor to buy.

imomun · Apr 11, 2013

KiwiMan :

Your best budget combination:

CPU $124: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115077

GFX CARD $94 after rebate: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814127687&nm_mc=AFC-C8Junction&cm_mmc=AFC-C8Junction-_-na-_-na-_-na&cm_sp=&AID=10446076&PID=3938566&SID=

Free FarCry 3 game.

This setup will perform much better when Gaming.

Thanks

KiwiMan · Apr 11, 2013

clutchc :

So now that we established that the A10-5800k is better, do you think that it will be able to handle to games I listed above with about 30 FPS on medium graphics settings?

JD88 · Apr 11, 2013

Check out this build. It's going to be quite a bit better than an APU.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($97.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 Extreme3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($74.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($35.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($67.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Tempest 210 ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($93.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $578.87
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-11 18:17 EDT-0400)

DarkSable · Apr 11, 2013

imomun :

KiwiMan :

Your best budget combination:

CPU $124: Sandy Bridge i3

GFX CARD $94 after rebate: 7770

Free FarCry 3 game.

This setup will perform much better when Gaming.

Thanks

You could afford an ivy bridge Pentium and a 7850 for roughly the same amount, I believe, gaining gaming processor power and graphics power for the same price while losing out on hyperthreading for general use.

KiwiMan · Apr 11, 2013

JD88 :

Check out this build. It's going to be quite a bit better than an APU.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant / Benchmarks

CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965 Black 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor ($97.98 @ Outlet PC)
Motherboard: ASRock 970 Extreme3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($74.99 @ Amazon)
Memory: G.Skill 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR3-1333 Memory ($35.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($67.98 @ Outlet PC)
Video Card: MSI Radeon HD 7770 GHz Edition 1GB Video Card ($94.99 @ Newegg)
Case: NZXT Tempest 210 ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: Corsair Builder 500W 80 PLUS Bronze Certified ATX12V Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: LG GH24NS95 DVD/CD Writer ($17.98 @ Outlet PC)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 8 (OEM) (64-bit) ($93.98 @ Outlet PC)
Total: $578.87
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-04-11 18:17 EDT-0400)

This list looks very good, but what performance would i get from this set up based from the games I listed above?

JD88 · Apr 11, 2013

All of those are going to play on high or near high settings at 1920x1080 other than Battlefield 3. You will either have to turn the resolution or settings down for it to play well. Probably down to medium.

8350rocks · Apr 11, 2013

KiwiMan :

You might have to play BF3 on medium settings, you wouldn't be able to run Anti-Aliasing but you could probably keep the settings on medium and keep those frame rates in multiplayer...depending on your monitor resolution, you could run BF3 at 720p I would imagine. The others you should be fine for 30 fps on high and you would likely get even higher on medium settings with the APU.

For your budget...if you were to spend $200 on a CPU/GPU combo, I would highly recommend looking at something like JD88 posted...the Phenom for $100 is a lot of bang for your buck, if you're willing to spend about $600 on the build. Take his build and buy a FX6300 and don't touch anything else. The FX6300 is about $129 right now...so for $30 more.

I would not recommend an i3...gaming in this day and age demands more than 2 cores, and I wouldn't personally tell anyone to buy an i3 over a quad core anything.

I don't care for intel and I would rather see you get a Pentium Quad core then an i3...because the performance difference between 2 cores and 4 cores is only going see a gap widen more and more in the next 12 months.

JD88 · Apr 11, 2013

8350rocks :

KiwiMan :

You might have to play BF3 on medium settings, you wouldn't be able to run Anti-Aliasing but you could probably keep the settings on medium and keep those frame rates in multiplayer...depending on your monitor resolution. You could run BF3 at 720p I would imagine. The others you should be fine for 30 fps on high and you would likely get even higher on medium settings with the APU.

For your budget...if you were to spend $200 on a CPU/GPU combo, I would highly recommend looking at something like JD88 posted...the Phenom for $100 is a lot of bang for your buck, if you're willing to spend about $600 on the build. Take his build and buy a FX6300 and don't touch anything else. The FX6300 is about $129 right now...so for $30 more.

I would not recommend an i3...gaming in this day and age demands more than 2 cores, and I wouldn't personally tell anyone to buy an i3 over a quad core anything.

I don't care for intel and I would rather see you get a Pentium Quad core then an i3...because the performance difference between 2 cores and 4 cores is only going see a gap widen more and more in the next 12 months.

This is all very true although I would almost rather take the $30 and add $20 to it for a 7850. I think the 7850 with a PII x4 would be better than a 7770 and a 6300. Both would be ideal.

It all depends on how far the budget will stretch and what can be found on sale. The Phenom was on sale for $85 last week which would have helped a lot.

Definitely skip the i3 and Pentiums.

KiwiMan · Apr 11, 2013

8350rocks :

JD88 :

Considering I can get Windows through alternative means for a lower price, about $40-50, i have the extra for what you suggested, although i am most likely going to find Windows 7, as Windows 8 is aweful in my opinion. A six core seems like a lot more power to the computer, but how much of a difference will the 7850 make over the 7700? I am considering getting both over the original suggestion, as my budget cap is around $650, although i don't really want to go that high.

8350rocks · Apr 11, 2013

KiwiMan :

Well, that 6 core is only 95W which is a middle power consumption rating in AMD speak. The FX6300 will also be about 15-25% faster in many things over the Phenom II.

The HD 7850 will make a pretty big difference in graphic performance and frame rates.

Personally, a happy middle ground might be to go with the FX6300 over the Phenom II, and get a HD 7790, which is about 90% of the HD 7850 performance for a little less money...worth looking into anyway.

If you can afford FX6300+HD 7850...that would be a great combination that would put you in great shape for gaming and most other things for a couple years.

JD88 · Apr 11, 2013

Right now the 6300 and the Phenom perform about the same in most games, but as newer games come out they will be able to take advantage of the additional cores. The 6300 is more about future proofing.

The difference between the 7770 and 7850 is sizable. It's the difference between Battlefield 3 on Mostly Ultra/High and Medium.

photonboy · Apr 11, 2013

KiwiMan :

This is arguably the best you can do for the money. It's far, far better than the APU or the Intel using only its graphics. Anything I could add would be minor tweaking or recommending more money.

Tweaks:
Definitely buy Windows 8, but get Start8 as well ($5 from Stardock.)

Buy a CPU cooler to replace the stock one. You don't HAVE to do that now, but it's a hassle later.

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