What's the best CPU for as low price as possible for gaming?

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meandnobodyelse

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Nov 11, 2014
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Hello, lovely TomsHardware community!

I'm upgrading my current pc (See specs at the bottom of the post) to a PC with a newer CPU, MOBO and RAM, since those components are way too old to play games on.

My budget for the upgrade is very strict, and I've come to the conclusion that I can't spend more than 117 USD on a CPU. I've already picked out a mobo and RAM.

So, what would be the best CPU for me to buy? I plan on gaming with the PC (Maybe not the latest AAA titles, but I want to be able to run Civ 5, Minecraft, CSGO, Outlast, etc) with it.

Below are the specs of my current PC:

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ (3.01 GHz)
Motherboard: An old one that came with the PC
RAM: 4 GB DDR2 (unkown speed)
Power Supply: Corsair VX 550W
Video Card: ATI Radeon HD 5850 (1 GB Vram)

Please help me decide what CPU would give me the best performance/price ratio?

Thank you!
 
Solution
madmatt30
^ the old HD 5850 is still stronger than any apu out there although that 1gb vram is out of touch for newer titles.

You have 3 choices on a strict budget

Amd 860k +a68 or a88 board
I3 4130/4150/4170+ cheap h81 board
Fx6300+cheap 760g board (primarily the Asus m5a78-usb 3 or gigabyte 78lmt-usb3) both decent quality.

The 860k is substantially cheaper than the other 2 so is better bang for buck
Any if these CPU's will play those mentioned games - the 5850 will be the weakest component by far.
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dark_lord69

dark_lord69

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Jun 6, 2006
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"I've already picked out a mobo and RAM."
"So, what would be the best CPU for me to buy?"

The CPU you can use depends on the motherboard you've chosen. So we need to know which board you've chosen. (Or at least what socket type)

If you will use Intel 1150 socket --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819117543
If you will use Intel 1151 socket --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=2MN-0004-00002
If you will use AMD AM3+ socket --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113286
If you will use AMD FM2+ socket --> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113360

"help me decide what CPU would give me the best performance/price ratio?"
The best price/performance ratio is actually achieved at a higher price. (You are selling yourself short at $117)
 
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Calculagator

Calculagator

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Nov 18, 2014
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Your question is unfortunately impossible to answer. You say you have already picked a motherboard, but without knowing which motherboard you have picked, it is impossible to know which CPUs would be compatible.
I would strongly recommend that you consider various CPU/motherboard combinations--if you tell us how much you can spend on both, we can recommend combos that fit your budget and will be compatible with eachother.
 
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meandnobodyelse

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Nov 11, 2014
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Thank you for your answer!
Oh, right, I forgot to tell you what socket I chose..I've decided on a cheap mobo (Gigabyte GA-F2A88XM-DS2) which hosts the FM2 socket. But I am also willing to change the mobo to a Asus H81M-C, with the 1150 socket if it turns out that I'd get the most out of my money there.
 
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meandnobodyelse

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Nov 11, 2014
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Thanks for your answer!

I forgot to mention that the mobo(s) I'm choosing between are Asus H81M-C (Socket 1150) or a Gigabyte GA-F2A88XM-DS2 (Socket FM2), depending on which socket type would give me the most out of my money. As for the money part, I won't be able to spend more than 115-120 bucks on the CPU, and as little money as possible on the mobo, hence the very cheap mobo choices
 
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realnoize

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Jan 5, 2015
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Usually, even if Intel fanboys will hate anything AMD with a passion, for people looking at the lowest end of the spectrum, AMD CPUs or APUs usually gives you a better bang for your buck. At this price point, there's the AMD A10-7700K, which goes for about $105 on Newegg that fits within the FM2+ socket your board supports.

Although, at that price point, don't expect miracles. It'll do, it'll work, but don't expect playing very demanding games at high details, but depending on how you set details in games, you'll manage just fine. Although, not sure about that Radeon HD 5850. It'll work, but you might feel a little bit limited with some games. It's hard recommending anything without a better picture of your total budget and parts you already have.
 
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meandnobodyelse

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Nov 11, 2014
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Thank you for helping me :)

Yes, I'm not exactly looking to be able to play very demanding games at the highest settings actually. This build is more of an upgrade to a very old PC I already have. I know that I'll be limited by my GPU, but I'm trying to scrape together money to replace every part of my build sooner or later. My budget goes somewhere around the 300 dollar mark, and I'm looking to get the most value possible out of every component, since money for a 16-year old is quite hard to come by haha :)

Basically, I haven't purchased any parts yet, I want to make sure I get the most bang for my buck as possible, and I am willing to experiment with CPU/mobo combos before buying anything. You can take a look at my original post for my PC's specs. As I mentioned there, I already got a decent PSU (550 W Corsair), and I also got a SSD, a HDD (if that matters) and a HD 5850, as well as a case with fans and the likes from my current potato PC

 
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madmatt30

madmatt30

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Jan 1, 2013
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^ the old HD 5850 is still stronger than any apu out there although that 1gb vram is out of touch for newer titles.

You have 3 choices on a strict budget

Amd 860k +a68 or a88 board
I3 4130/4150/4170+ cheap h81 board
Fx6300+cheap 760g board (primarily the Asus m5a78-usb 3 or gigabyte 78lmt-usb3) both decent quality.

The 860k is substantially cheaper than the other 2 so is better bang for buck
Any if these CPU's will play those mentioned games - the 5850 will be the weakest component by far.
 
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Solution
M

meandnobodyelse

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Nov 11, 2014
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4,510


Thank you very much for your answer, as well as you other people helping me! This answer puts it straight, I will take some time and decide which mobo/CPU I'll buy. Thanks yet again!
 
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