Best sub-$100 CPU/APU for everyday use?

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rayden54

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May 14, 2013
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I'm a lot more familiar with the gaming side of things. What's the best CPU/APU for everyday use (web browsing, Netflix, GIMP(?), etc.)?

I'd prefer not to overclock.

(Also is an APU just AMD's way of saying CPU with integrated graphics or is it something else entirely?)
 
Solution
Cristi72
Hello,

For your budget, you can go with this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113334

But, for 20$ more, you have this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116995, which will blow that AMD APU out of the water and is also close in graphics performance (it has HD4400).

mlga91, I wouldn't recommend a Celeron, it is the cheapest and offers atrocious performance (open 3-4 browser tabs at the same time or play an 1080p Youtube video, it quickly goes 100% usage). A Pentium Dual core is also steadily losing its attractivity because of its performance in multi-threading environments.
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boosted1g

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Jun 12, 2013
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APU is a specific line of amd cpus that have a gpu that is better then intel's integraged graphics.

These APUs though are junk for daily tasks and that integrated GPU is its only selling point. These are noticeably slower then an i3 or an fx-6300

For $100 I would get the i3 or the fx6300 when they are on sale.

If you cant cant wait until one of them is on sale for a price you want I would get a Pentium g3258 and Z series board to overclock it.
 
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iballew

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Jun 29, 2014
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Cristi72

Cristi72

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Jun 25, 2014
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Hello,

For your budget, you can go with this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113334

But, for 20$ more, you have this:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116995, which will blow that AMD APU out of the water and is also close in graphics performance (it has HD4400).

mlga91, I wouldn't recommend a Celeron, it is the cheapest and offers atrocious performance (open 3-4 browser tabs at the same time or play an 1080p Youtube video, it quickly goes 100% usage). A Pentium Dual core is also steadily losing its attractivity because of its performance in multi-threading environments.
 
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DubbleClick

DubbleClick

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Jun 16, 2014
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Actually intels hd 4400/4600 encoding performance is better than kaveris one, while kaveri has much stronger 3d performance. If you are to game on low res, amds apus are a great choice, but for general usage, office work or web browsing and watching videos, an I3 is superior in every way.
 
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Abedsbrother

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Feb 4, 2015
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General usage, office work or web browsing don't require "the latest," an APU is more than competent. Heck, you can still browse the internet & watch HD content on a Pentium 4.

And the encoding performance advantage depends on which encoding tests are being run and the ram / mb chipsets being used. Either the i3 or APU could have an advantage.

Yeah, I know, here comes the "Intel is better in single-threaded apps" argument. Fact is, Intel's slight advantage is barely noticeable in "general use." Add in the fact the HTML 5 likes physical instead of virtual cores (yes, it can take advantage of multiple cores) and Intel's advantage shrinks even further.

The i3 is superior in every way? No. In some ways? Yes (especially performance-to-power-consumption ratio).

Same for the APU. Except the APU has the added benefit of the superior graphics chip. Which is why an APU is a great budget chip for "general" use.

Now if you were talking about the 5th-gen i3 (the i3-5157U) with Intel Iris Pro graphics, then yes, the i3 becomes the better option.
 
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IamTimTech

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Oct 13, 2014
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This is the best answer, 90% if the computers we sell at work come with the Pentium G series and they are exactly for daily use by non gamers. The i3 goes in our professional pc, "gaming machines" get paired with an GTX 750. For our budget machine I just today convinced my boss into trying an APU for our basic pc. This will be the first time in a decade that he will be selling AMD, I hope AMD doesn't let me down lol.

Intel Core i3 ($99-$110) is probably the best for a $100 cap cpu, Both the i3 and an A10 APU both have significant pros and cons depending on what you are using them for. The problem with an A10 is not $100 and an A8 is not in the same bracket as the i3. If you are going to have a GPU then the i3 is the better choice. No exactly right answer. The i3 paired with a GTX 750ti or 960 is going to please 95% of people trying to use their pc for a little of everything



The FX series for an average user (one who does not intend to buy a gpu) is not a good choice. The FX is great for the hobbyist who wants to game and do multithreaded applications not on the professional level.

H81 and H97 boards are perfect for overclocking the Pentium G3258
 
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DubbleClick

DubbleClick

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Jun 16, 2014
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@Abedsbrother

An I3 4130 beats an A10 APU in every way but 3D gaming power. Even in 4 threaded applications, AMDs APUs are struggling to match a pentium g 3258, let alone an I3. The one advantage A8/10s have is gaming performance without dedicated GPU. Aside of that, as already said, the I3 is superior in every way.
 
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DubbleClick

DubbleClick

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Rendering? Rendering and encoding with support for iqs runs much better on intel cpu's than on amd cpu's thanks to Intel Quick Sync. It even surpasses dedicated gpus in various tests. And if you're talking about 3D gaming performance, then you're right, integrated graphics on intel cpu's are awful for that. Amd's apus too, though, just not as much as. A $100 dedicated gpu blows both out of their shoes either way.

Amd still has it's strength in offering great value in multithreaded, static environments, such as non accelerated rendering. A $150 fx 8350 with a $80 motherboard does certainly come close to a xeon e3-1231v3 for $220 with a $50 board. But anything else than that, there is literally no reason to invest into an amd cpu right now.
 
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