Is the Intel i5 2500k worth the extra $$ over the AMD PHENOM II X4 945

[mario333]

Is the Intel i5 2500k worth the extra $$ over the AMD PHENOM II X4 945???

I mostly do Music & photo edit (photoshop cs5)

 

[barrymobiel]

Yes, its even better then amd x6 1100T, read the reviews on the website.
The 2500K comes near the 980 intel six core

 

[BaronMatrix]

You must be new. No matter what benchmarks say different, You will only hear what you heard in the first post.

The real truth is that after you go above $200, you are wasting your money. It doesn't matter if it's Intel or AMD, VERY FEW PEOPLE NEED A CPU THAT COSTS MORE THAN $200.


Photoshop CS5 even supports GPGPU\rendering so save money and buy a faster GPU.

 

[jj463rd]

No getting a CPU above $200 can be worthwhile.Profitable if one is using the system professional for a business,developer etc and in fact there is already 1 gaming title out there ( a combat flight simulator) that the recommended CPU is a 6 core i7 970.So there is already a need for faster more powerful CPU's.

Yes,the i5 -2500K is worthwhile.Here are some bechmarks.I had to pick the Phenom II X4 940 BE rather than the 945 because it was not there but it should come very close to the 945.
Also Photoshop CS4 is only there and not CS5.The i5 easily outperforms the Phenom by far in CS4
http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/80?vs=288

 

[bearclaw99]

Lol. Yes, by far!

 

[excelerater]

for photo editing and music......NO........

benchmarks will not help your purpose

 

[amnotanoobie]

You should probably go for the 2500K for the power consumption figures alone. You should also consider getting a larger amount of ram, 4GB or more.

As for the video card, you could buy just a decent video card, $100~ or so.

 

[whyzee]

If it was for me I would try to spend less on the CPU and more on the GPU.

Just my two cents.

 

[saaiello]

Considering the I5 2500K can be had for around $200 it does not make sense at all to try and save $40 or $50 to buy the Phenom II. The I5 2500K smashs the Phenom II and with more and more programs coming out that can take advantage of the new architecture get the I5 2500K it really is the best buy right now even if you don't need all the power of it right now it just is the best bang for the buck at the moment.

If you are not going to be overclocking the I5 2500 is even cheaper so I would not recommend a Phenom II to anyone really unless you have the AM2+ or AM3 board already.

 

[saaiello]

I wish AMD was quick on it's Bulldozer.........I've got nothing to throw at Intel supporters..............

I am almost 100% confident that even when Bulldozer arrives you still will have nothing to throw at Intel supporters. I myself am not a fanboy I just like having the best performance for the money and at the moment its all Intel in almost all price ranges except the super low budget boxes where the Athlon II x4's are still the best choice for a cheap box.

 

[saaiello]

You are absolutely right this time last year I was recommending Phenom IIs and Athlon IIs, but now I really have trouble recommending them unless they already have the boards for them. Depending on where you are at you can get the I5 750 for as little as $20 more then the Phenom II and we all know that it is a faster chip all around and then we got the I5 2500's now that just totally smash everything and pretty much keep pace with a $1000 CPU when gaming so tell me this why wouldn't you spend the extra $50 or so on it.

Its not like it was last year when it cost almost a good $150 to $200 more to go Intel over AMD it is much closer in cost now.

 

[David Tingley]

"The real truth is that after you go above $200, you are wasting your money. It doesn't matter if it's Intel or AMD, VERY FEW PEOPLE NEED A CPU THAT COSTS MORE THAN $200. " - BaronMatrix

The total cost of a computer system includes an operating system, case, power supply, HDD(s), optical drive, keyboard and mouse, monitor, motherboard and memory. So by the time you buy the CPU you've already spent about $500-600 excluding the CPU and mobo, which are the components that mainly determine performance. Let's call it $550 for argument's sake.


The i5-2500k can be had for around $225
A good P67 motherboard will cost at least $200, so the cost of an i5-2500k build:
$200+225+550=$975

The X4 945 is $150 for the 95W version, a little lower for the 125W.
A decent AMD mobo would be around $125,
You save about $150, for a total parts cost of $825
What looks like a 30% savings if you only consider the CPU/motherboard is only a 15% savings considering the entire system. That's one thing to consider.

What about two or three years down the road? Unless this is your first computer you already know that the system that is just adequate today will very quickly reach the point where you're wanting to replace or upgrade it.

For that $150 spent now, you may get another 2 or even 3 years out of the more expensive system, plus you get the benefit of having had a better system for those 4 or 5 years.

Spend 15% more. Have a better machine that lasts twice as long. To me that's not a hard decision.

 

[1965ohio]

I am starting to believe a lot of newcomers aren't reading before they post. This subject has been debated and compared top to bottom about 50 times a day for the last 2 months. They should read the board before creating a new thread... or perhaps some of the people who always like to argue are just creating new accounts to start the argument again since their posts keep getting closed by mods over fighting.

Any poster that has the ability to create and account, make a thread and upload a picture should have no trouble reading before they post or just using google before they post. It can save themself and countless others on answering the same question in great detail 50 times a day.

LOL :lol:

But just in case the OP has been living under a rock... if you are building a budget machine and an are not willing to spend more than $150 on your CPU, no benchmarks can help you. If you know a deal when you see one, then you will clearly see that the i5-2500k can kick AMDs butt in everything right now even the 1100T 6 core. But if you are in the sub $150 CPU market, you might as well get the AMD because you will save loads on the mainboard also and the LGA775 offerings are not going to best the AMD 945 - 965 right now. But for the $200+ range, only buy AMD if you have an AM3 board already and have no choice. If you are starting from scratch and can spend $200-300 on a CPU, then right now Intel will best the whole of AMD for that price range.

Case closed.

 

[amnotanoobie]

I agree with 1965ohio.

I am starting to believe a lot of newcomers aren't reading before they post.

And a lot of newcomers are giving advice without proper reading on the items that they actually recommend.

Examples:
- Recommend an X6 for gaming rather than the proper X4.
- Atom is a mobile i5 (wtf)
- Thinking that they need a beefy video card for workloads such as Photoshop.
- Thinking that GPGPUs can replace actual processors.
etc....

 

[1965ohio]

LOL :lol: , just a note for anyone wanting real answers... if the person answering your post cannot spell, and cannot offer proof of what they are saying, you should ignore them.

Also if said posters are pressured to provide a solid explanation or debate for their point of view... you should take note that same kind of poster will lose most of the grammar with the spelling when they argue.

So even if most of them had a point, they cannot communicate it clearly.

 

[1965ohio]

Exactly.... haha, they like to use ALL CAPS when you get them riled. ... AND TOO MANY OF THESE "!!!!!!!!!!!!"

:lol:

 

[David Tingley]

Right you are 1965ohio, on all counts. Most of the childish questions are from people who wan the final answer without having to develop the analytical skills to ask the right questions to begin with. I blame an education system where 25% of the science teachers are creationists.

 

[1965ohio]

I don't think it is a religion or fundamentals problem. Most of the people with incoherent posts are just impatient or don't actually know what they are trying to say. It's like when we're kids and have that "I'm better than you" argument. If you ask the other kid why he is better, the usual answer is "Because I say so". And just because someone says something doesn't mean it has any merit. The English here where I live in China is terrible. But even with broken English and my poor Chinese, I am still able to have discussions about computer parts and performance with these people and it still makes much more sense than a lot of what I have been reading here in the last few days.

And to the original poster, we are not saying anything about your post... but your question has been asked 50 times a day for the last 2 months. Try to read a little more before posting redundant questions. And to the incoherent people replying to questions... let it go or do a little more reading and testing on your own accounts before spewing illogical arguments and nonsense. It isn't in the nature of being helpful just to answer a post if your answer is not helping at all and just adding fuel to the fire of a brand or price war. Right now prices have stabilized enough to see AMD cannot compete with any CPU over the $150 price point.

Denial is a nasty thing. But this is a computer forum, not a psychiatry ward. LOL

I guess I'm guilty now... stirring the pot. Sorry sorry.

 

[saaiello]

I don't think it is a religion or fundamentals problem. Most of the people with incoherent posts are just impatient or don't actually know what they are trying to say. It's like when we're kids and have that "I'm better than you" argument. If you ask the other kid why he is better, the usual answer is "Because I say so". And just because someone says something doesn't mean it has any merit. The English here where I live in China is terrible. But even with broken English and my poor Chinese, I am still able to have discussions about computer parts and performance with these people and it still makes much more sense than a lot of what I have been reading here in the last few days.

And to the original poster, we are not saying anything about your post... but your question has been asked 50 times a day for the last 2 months. Try to read a little more before posting redundant questions. And to the incoherent people replying to questions... let it go or do a little more reading and testing on your own accounts before spewing illogical arguments and nonsense. It isn't in the nature of being helpful just to answer a post if your answer is not helping at all and just adding fuel to the fire of a brand or price war. Right now prices have stabilized enough to see AMD cannot compete with any CPU over the $150 price point.

Denial is a nasty thing. But this is a computer forum, not a psychiatry ward. LOL

I guess I'm guilty now... stirring the pot. Sorry sorry.

Thank You so much for posting that I have been wanting to say something like that, but every time I typed it out it just sounded too mean.

 

[saaiello]

I suck? or 1965Ohio??

@OP its been said probably 50 times by now get the I5 2500K.

I am sure this will be a closed thread real soon.

 

[1965ohio]

That was meant for Ohio, since according to him, he's in China or something

Whoa whoa... settle down. I was talking about other posters in general. It is not a matter of broken English as it is impatience.

Now you are being impatient and assuming a personal attack.

If I wanted to say something about you specifically I would. Don't lose your cool.

And most of the time I was agreeing with you above if you go back and check closely...

 

[1965ohio]

Are you sure? I don't want to accidentally group you with the people who are crazy...

Just kidding, lol

I really don't want to sound mean, I just am trying to tell anyone reading that all our points have been made in probably a 1000 different threads since last month about AMD and Intel Sandy Bridge. I apologize to anyone who has a valid point and took me wrong, to everyone I was directing my rant at... I can only forgive you if you stop being like kindergarten kids.

 

[amnotanoobie]

Then there are the other posters who are just incoherent because they're not native English speakers, but they do try. Some get their point across, some never return. lol