Intel Q8200 vs Phenom II X4 920

[sleepymatt2007]

Hey all...

I'm planning a dreaded upgrade and rather than entering the lottery blind I thought I'd seek out some expert advive this time...

Right... I want to be future proof(ish!) for a couple of years and want to play some games (let's say COD 4 / Farcry 2) and use it generally for bits and bobs at work (I'm not a 3D animator requiring rendering machine - I'm a science teacher who deals mainly in *.ppt presentations)

I've narrowed it down to either the Intel Q8200 or the AMD phenom II X4 920...

1. First of all these are both quad core - is it worth it or will dual core keep me going for a couple of years yet for considerably less cash?

2. Now the big question - AMD or Intel? Which will give me the biggest bang for my buck?

3. Finally, any tips on a graphics card is also welcomed - I'm not looking for super high-end stuff - let's say $120 max...

Thanks for any advice in advance...

 

[flyin15sec]

1. You can actually take the middle road, if you opt for a AMD 720BE, it is priced lowered than both the quad. However it does have extra core, over a dual core.

2. AMD if you choose 720BE tri core, Intel E8400 best bang for buck dual core.

3. at $120, you're looking at low end HD4850 or GTS 250, good quality HD4830 or 9800GT.