AMD vs INTEL build

[kyleaudley]

I am building a pc after xmas and i dont know whether to buy AMD or intel i-7. I have a £1000 limit and have two possible systems, which one will get better performance? AMD Black edition 965 @ 3.7Ghz MSI 790FX MOBO 8GB Corsair dominator RAM 1600MHz HD 4870 1Gb in crossfire 850W Corsair TX PSU HAF 922 Corsair H50-1 cpu cooler i7: i7 920 @ 3.6Ghz 6gb corsair 1600mhz ram HAF 922 HD4870 1Gb crossfire MSI X58 Pro-E 850W corsair tx ill be using it entirely for gaming and web browsing so which will be better?

 

[dpaul8]

The AMD 965BE will outperform the i920 in some games, and visa versa. Here are some tests run by Tom's Hardware that compare the two processors:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/core-i5-gaming,2403-4.html

The bottom line is that they are both good systems. It is interesting, that in the same tests in the above link, they also test the i5-750 processor and it does better or just as good as the i7-920 processor. A i5 build generally costs about $200 USD less than a i920 build, so you might want to consider this as an alternative.

Good luck in your search!

 

[p55ibexpeak]

Websuring can be done even on cell phones now, but if you elaborate on what games you play, we can help you make a more informed decision.

 

[kyleaudley]

Its for playing crysis and flight similutor X mainly, maybe empire total war too.

 

[MadAdmiral]

Just to throw in my 2 cents, but don't get the 965 if you go the AMD route. Go with the 955. The 955 is cheaper, but is essentially the same CPU. What you're paying extra for is a mild factory overclock, which you can get with minimal effort on the stock cooler.

I would look at the newer HD 5xxx series. These support DX11, which may not be important now, but will keep the computer current longer. The cards perform almost identically to the older versions, but run cooler and quieter. Usually, they're about $30 US more than the older versions.

Another quick suggestion I have is to replace the DDR3 1600 RAM with DDR3 1333. There is basically no performance gain for going up to the 1600 mhz. It's more expensive too. Also, I wouldn't go with Corsair for the RAM. Typically, Corsair is a lot more expensive than other equivalant sticks. Make sure it's CAS Latency 7 RAM (usually runs $100 here in the US).

EDIT: You probably don't need 8 GB worth in the AMD build either. If you scale down to 4 GB, you might be able to pick up an HD 5850, which is the best card on the market that costs less than an entire build.

 

[p55ibexpeak]

You definitely need a quad-core cpu for FSX. I'd get an nVidia card for Crysis, but their cards are DirectX 10 only. i7 edges out 965 in FSX benchies:

http://www.overclock3d.net/reviews.php?/cpu_mainboard/amd_vs_intel_-_the_gaming_sweetspot/3

http://www.jetlinesystems.com/performance.html