Budget CPU for r9 270x: fx 6300 or pentium g3258?

ElvisOnTheMoon · Oct 12, 2015

Hi, I'm working on a budget PC build, and have recently purchased an r9 270x. I am looking to upgrade in the future but do not want this to affect the build's performance. I was initially planning on an fx 6300, but the g3258 caught my attention. Which should I buy? I intend to use this build primarily to play and develop games.

Random_tech · Oct 12, 2015

well, if you mainly play games the g3258 will out prefrom the fx 6300, but if you want to stream/record you will want the fx6300, since it has more cores.
also if you do video editing, then you will be better off getting the fx6300.
other wise go with the g3258

DonkeyOatie · Oct 12, 2015

The FX6300 is better now. It can be decently overclocked and has three modules, but there is no meaningful upgrade path.
The G3258 has decent CPU power and can be overclocked, but its two cores without hyperthreading will be a limitation with some games. There are plenty of future upgrade options for that socket/system.

You also need to look at the full cost.

This is what it takes to run a FX6300 and to overclock it to get the best out of it.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor ($104.99 @ Newegg)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-970A-UD3P ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($67.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $177.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-12 05:35 EDT-0400

This is a basic G3258 system that can be overclocked too.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Pentium G3258 3.2GHz Dual-Core Processor ($64.89 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: MSI H81M-P33 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($42.89 @ OutletPC)
Total: $107.78
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-12 05:36 EDT-0400

And this is what I would recommend that you consider for the similar budget.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($101.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($66.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $168.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-12 05:38 EDT-0400

No overclocking, but Hyperthreading and WiFi on the motherboard. if WiFi is of limited use, then you could save more.

Or even this

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4170 3.7GHz Dual-Core Processor ($114.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: ASRock H97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard ($66.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $181.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-12 05:41 EDT-0400

Hotthuizen · Oct 12, 2015

i agree with Random_tech, the fx 6300 is the best choice , but in some game's the g3258 will be faster.

Justin Millard · Oct 12, 2015

i3 6300 or FX 8320 would be my budget CPUs of choice if you can afford them.

jeffredo · Oct 12, 2015

I owned both and had both overclocked to 4.5 Ghz. I sold the FX-6300 a year ago and still have the G3258 (typing from it right now). That pretty much is my experience in a nutshell. The FX-6300 is just not as good a gaming GPU. Period. I don't do streaming or productivity apps and for straight gaming the Pentium is better. Not to mention when both are OC'd to 4.5 Ghz the G3258 is using much less power (and dumping less heat into the room). If you plan to upgrade in the future the socket 1150 at least gives you some strong, viable options. Upgrade options for AM3+ aren't worth the money vs. an FX-6300. You're pretty much at a dead end with that socket. Definitely a vote for the G3258 from someone's who's experienced both firsthand.

LookItsRain · Oct 12, 2015

I suggest an i3 over a pentium and 6300.

Random_tech · Oct 12, 2015

LookItsRain :

the only thing with the i3, is that you can't overclock it.

LookItsRain · Oct 12, 2015

Random_tech :

Dont matter, i3 is still faster than any overclocked g3258.

Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163 · Oct 12, 2015

The G3258 is not good for modern games. It'll cause stuttering because modern titles need at least 4 threads. Even overclocked it won't run smooth. I3 minimum.

NightAntilli · Oct 12, 2015

Like Suzuki mentioned, I will not recommend the Pentium G3258 for games, because more and more games are requiring at least 4 threads to run properly, and they're failing to run on dual cores. A good equivalent for the Pentium G3258 is the Athlon 860k. Good CPU capable of running 4 threads, has a slightly better IPC and power consumption than an FX-6300. Drawback is the 4 threads vs 6 threads of the FX-6300.

DonkeyOatie · Oct 12, 2015

The Atlon x4 860K is also a good choice.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD Athlon X4 860K 3.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($69.99 @ NCIX US)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($19.98 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: ASRock FM2A88M EXTREME4+ Micro ATX FM2+ Motherboard ($58.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $148.95
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-12 15:28 EDT-0400

Like the 6300, there is no upgrade path, and it needs to be overclocked to get the best out of it.

compared to PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i3-4160 3.6GHz Dual-Core Processor ($101.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Motherboard: ASRock H81M-DGS R2.0 Micro ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($47.98 @ Newegg)
Total: $149.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-10-12 15:37 EDT-0400

DonkeyOatie · Oct 12, 2015

LookItsRain :

I disagree with that statement, although I agree with the sentiment. Over the summer I spent a lot of time messing with Haswells and overclocking. Here's the data I got (average of at least five trial's in every case)

The G3258, which I could overclock only to 4.5Ghz, beat the i3 in many benchmarks. I expected to be able to get to 4.7Ghz, but my other G3258 would only do 4.2Ghz.

odditey · Oct 12, 2015

I'm using an overclocked a10 7850k @ 4.5 ghz doesn't bottle neck at all in fact I'm only a few points behind stock fx 6300 and when its time to upgrade the apu will make someone who needs a computer a decent Christmas build gx 6300 benchmarks 6570 a10 is 6553

DonkeyOatie · Oct 12, 2015

odditey :

And how much does it cost? (as much as an i3, and the OP won't be using the iGPU, so the 860K would be better all around)

odditey · Oct 12, 2015

but the higher clock speed and newer driver support makes up for it plus pci 3.0 (assuming ur using gddr5 gfx)

odditey · Oct 12, 2015

mine was 129 at microcenter u can pick up the atholon x2 780k which is same chip without gpu die for around 60 dollars on ebay

LookItsRain · Oct 12, 2015

DonkeyOatie :

In synthetics, a 3258 will beat an i3, but, run the 3258 vs an i3 with a various suite of games. The i3 will have higher averages, and much lower and less frequent dips. It shows in benchmarks across the web which are best case scenarios for the 3258. In the real world, the 3258 even performs worse.

DonkeyOatie · Oct 12, 2015

I didn't even bother posting the fluid dynamics, real-world benchmark, where the G3258 won by a lot, I figured the synthetics would be fairer and easier to compare across platforms and systems.

For modern games, the i3 is by far the better, but the i3 is NOT faster than ANY overclocked G3258. The i3 4160 or 4170 is better in almost all gaming than any overclocked G3258.

LookItsRain · Oct 12, 2015

DonkeyOatie :

Agreed, the 3258 can keep up in older/single threaded titles, but in games like battlefield 4, gta 5 etc, the i3 is 20-30 fps above the 3258 @ 4.7 ghz. In normal use, where someone has chrome, spotify and a few other minor programs in the background the 3258 has massive fram rate drops and variance, which is why i have an i3, and not a 3258.

jeffredo · Oct 12, 2015

http://www.techspot.com/review/1017-best-budget-gaming-cpu/page7.html

An X4 860K is slower regardless of being a quad core. As for the PCs I currently own my strongest one is an i5-4690k with a GTX 780 my third is an i5-4590 with a GTX 750 Ti (and of course the G3258 @ 4.5 Ghz with a GTX 960). I notice very little real world difference in gaming between them (current, older, whatever) on a 60 Ghz 1920x1200 monitor. Using a 1680x1050 monitor there's no difference at all between the three when swapping the same graphics card between them.

Any of those three are better than the FX-6300 @ 4.5 Ghz I sold or the Phenom II X4 980 BE @ 4.1 Ghz I still own (but currently no long use).

Suzuki@1473780084@1473780163 · Oct 12, 2015

jeffredo :

Have you tried any newer titles on that G3258 rig? It's going to cause stutter. We don't know what games OP is going to play.

Speedstang · Oct 12, 2015

The i3 is far faster than an overclocked G3258, the lack of hyper threading is a massive disadvantage for the Pentium, not to mention the i3 is more powerful per core.

DonkeyOatie · Oct 12, 2015

Speedstang :

Did you look at my figures???!

The i3 is NOT far faster then an overclocked G3258, the best you have is 3.7Ghz, vs 4.2Ghz to 4.7Ghz for the Pentium. On what basis do you claim more powerful per core?

With Hyperthreading you can argue an i3 is more powerful than an overclocked G3258, but only if you are using more than two threads. In numeric computation, even with Hyperthreading, a 4.4Ghz will out process a 3.4Ghz i3 when each is handling eight threads.

If you mean in most games, then the i3 will give better FPS than the G3258.

All I'm asking for is precise language.

Speedstang · Oct 12, 2015

DonkeyOatie :

I'm basing this on the i3 4160, and that's synthetic, not real performance. Test it for yourself in game and you'll see the difference. And even things designed on dual core can take advantage of Hyper threading, because all it does is allow each physical core to do 2 things at once. You are basically saying its faster to do one thing at a time then 2 things at a time........
Look at this: http://www.cpu-world.com/Compare/305/Intel_Core_i3_i3-4160_vs_Intel_Pentium_Dual-Core_G3258.html

Budget CPU for r9 270x: fx 6300 or pentium g3258?

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