I5 vs AMD PII 955

[Max1s]

Hey guys, first post here...
So I'm building my first system and I have to decide between these:

Intel Core i5 2400 4x 3.10GHz So.1155 BOX
AMD Phenom II X4 Black Edition 955 4x 3.20GHz So.AM3 BOX

The AMD will cost me 90 euro, and the i5 will cost me 150. So is it worth spending an extra 60 euro on this cpu? The amds clock is faster, but I have read online that the i5 is still faster, and that it does much better with overclocking. (I do plan to overclock, but not immediately, maybe when I can afford a cooler...)

Also, the AM3 motherboards are much cheaper and have alot more features for less money. I'm looking at a 50 euro AM3 motherboard, and a 70 euro 1155 mobo, and the AM3 still has WAY more slots and supported RAM speeds.

I think I'd rather buy the i5, but I'm not sure if its worth it....

I plan on doing internet surfing, word, and gaming. (Crysis, shogun total war 2, cod 6, etc.)

FYI: I have already got my hands on everything I need except for CPU, mobo, and RAM, so dont say I should buy the AMD and then spend the extra money on a better graphics card.

Recommendations?

-Thanks!

 

[saint19]

Hi and welcome to Tom's forum.

That's rig, the I5 SB CPU is much better that the X4 955, but keep in mind that the i5-2400 can't be overclocked as the "K" series, the 2400 is limited due to locked multiplier.

 

[Max1s]

Ah, ok... so your saying I should go with something more like the 2500k.
http://www.mindfactory.de/product_info.php/info/p688677_Intel-Core-i5-2500K-4x-3-30GHz-So-1155-BOX.html

But that, plus the very hard time Im having finding a good mobo for that socket make a very big price difference, is it worth it? Will I see a big real world difference?

 

[saint19]

Gamed depends more from your GPU that from CPU, how much is that difference? For you needs and unless that you plan overclock and overclock contest the AMD is a price option.

 

[Raidur]

If you get a good overclock with the 2500k you can be looking at up to a 50% increase (4.6ghz) in clock speed over the 2400.

Very much worth it IMO.

http://www.mindfactory.de/product_info.php/info/p721965_Asus-P8P67-PRO-P67-Sockel-1155-ATX-Rev3.html

I'd go for that mobo, however somewhat expensive. If you don't plan on doing a SLI/Crossfire setup then you can save little and go for something cheaper. I prefer to stick with Gigabyte/Asus however.

 

[Max1s]

This is very cool, I had a few questions, decide to sign up to this site, and within hours I have some feedback! Thank you Tomshardware and others!

So I guess it just comes down to price vs. performance. But to get up to that 4.6 ghz, how much would I need to invest in a cooler? At least 60 euro right?

Here would be the non-sli/crossfire board I guess...
http://www.mindfactory.de/product_info.php/tab/reviews/info/p729789_ASRock-P67-PRO3-B3--16x-DDR3-SATA3-USB3-R-.html#reviews

 

[kristina_kim]

It's not just price vs. performance, the i5 2500k is a beefy processor that will perform well for years. And personally, I think it's always better to have a powerful single card than it is to have a dual-card set up. It's also much easier on your power demands.

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

The Intel® Core™ i5-2500K is very easy to overclock and is a fairly cool running processor so a nice cooler like the Cooler Master Hyper 212+ that is low cost and can keep you running even with a solid overclock running.

That board should work well for you on overclocking the Intel Core i5-2500K.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[Max1s]

I know, I know, I want the Intel.... it'll mean a little more saving though. But its an investment.

But is it really worth TWICE the amount for the 955?

How much overclock with that board and a Scythe Mugen 2 REV B do you think I would get?
http://www.mindfactory.de/product_info.php/info/p632637_Scythe-Mugen-2-REV-B-AMD-und-Intel-S754--939--AM2--AM3--775--1366--1156--1155.html

 

[saint19]

That overclock depends of your settings, CPU batch and temps. I think that ~4.5GHz are very possible with good temps and settings.

I'm overclocker guy, so, the twice price works for me. (If I have it :lol

 

[edgaraslt]

i5 is far ahead, but as for me, I saw no difference in games i5 2500(non k) gtx275 vs 955 gtx460.

955 would definetly be enough for atleast 2 years. So I went for a price,not the performance.

 

[geekapproved]

The bottom line is, you get what you pay for.

At $110, the 955 is surely a really really good bargain, and all you need if your only running a single video card for the next couple years.

A single video card and a i5-2500K at 4.6ghz, is just a waste of electricity if you ask me, unless your doing number crunching tasks and you simply need that kind of speed.

 

[simon12]

The 955 setup is half the price and not close to as good but it is good enough for what most people need

 

[kajabla]

What is your GPU? That's what will determine if this is worth it.

 

[Wisecracker]

PhII 955BE versus i5 2400 comes down to the motherboard options

AM3 is more comprehensive but if you don't have AM3/AM3+ capability (for Bulldozer Zambezi upgrade) that is a much different dynamic. If you have that upgrade capability you are most likely *Gold* for a good while.

 

[Max1s]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.

My gpu is an Asus Nvidia Geforce GTX 260. (Ive already bought it.)

So I guess the smarter thing to do would be buy the 955, but I also like the idea of having a cpu (i5) that will last for a very long time and remain very fast, so I can upgrade my graphics card later. Plus, I can just use it normally, then later buy a 30 euro cooler, OC, and it'll be like having a new cpu again.

I would rather buy one intel now than buy two AMDs, one now and one later...

 

[dalauder]

If you can afford it, get the i5-2500K and a Z68 (overclocks like P67, but with more features for the same price) motherboard.

If you can't afford the i5, then the 955 and a cheap AM3 DDR3 motherboard from Asus, Gigabyte, ASRock, MSI, EVGA, or Biostar in that order. I would try to get MSI or better. Check here for a guide to AMD Chipsets: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AMD_800_chipset_series
I'd go for an ASRock 870 Extreme 3. It has two PCI-e at 8x/8x and 4 memory slots.

You won't NEED a good cooler until you overclock or if you live somewhere really hot (like I do). Frosty Tech reviews a ton of coolers and ranks them: http://frostytech.com/articleview.cfm?articleid=2585&page=5
You don't need to spend more than $30 for a great cooler--unless you want it to look pretty too.

Personally, I would wait until Bulldozer is released to buy a new computer. It is certain to drive CPU and motherboard prices down, regardless of performance.

Don't neglect your PSU. Buy from a top brand like Antec, Corsair, Seasonic, or XFX. Here's a good PSU source: http://www.eggxpert.com/forums/thread/323050.aspx

 

[Max1s]

Thanks for the tips! I'm not gonna worry about coolers now, its just good to know that there are plenty of solid coolers at only 30-40 euro.

Oh no! My PSU is tier 4! I already bought it from a friend though. (I'm only gonna need 2x 6pins for my graphics card, and then power for one HD and one DVD drive... Theres no big problem right? I mean, I payed less than 30 euro for it... Ok it might not run with all 10 or 11 extra power things plugged in but itll run fine with my setup right?)

When you guys say "p67" or "z68" you mean the FSB right?

I chose this board awhile back for the AMD, looks maybe a little iffy...
http://www.mindfactory.de/product_info.php/info/p620038_ASRock-M3A770DE-770-AM3-ATX.html

What will bulldozer be like? Better than i5? Or your saying that intel will be forced to lower the price of the i5 because of the bulldozer? Ok, I could wait, when is bulldozer gonna arrive?

 

[cronos177]

I5 will last you longer performance wise.

 

[Max1s]

What is a chipset? Is it like all the chips together?

Anyone have any info on bulldozer? I read that they are coming out 2nd quarter of 2011, but isn' that right around now?

Also not to hijack my own thread, but is there a real problem with having 4 of the same ram chip, vs 2 of the same? (Both setups would be 8gb total.)

 

[saint19]

I think that you need use Google a lot before take your decision.

 

[dalauder]

+1^ Google

Chipset is what kind of features and subprocessors your motherboard will have. Look on Wikipedia and Google for more info (I linked Wikipedia above).

Bulldozer is slated for a June release. Competition lowers prices, that's how the world works.

What's your PSU model? There's no reason to assume it can provide the power you'll require. How many amps are on the +12V rail? Check here to see what you'll require and read the footnotes: http://extreme.outervision.com/psucalculatorlite.jsp

 

[jockey]

The 955 is the best deal out right now. If you are new, you'll be best to research Intels SB, and their upgrade patterns. Performance wise, the 955 will handle every normal application just as well as anything out there. It can be very easy to over buy on the performance end. My advice is to build within your usage parameters, and for most, AMD is more than efficient. Graphics are more the components to keep up with as far as "lifespan" goes. A Phenom II X4 will be good for at least 5 years for common applications.

 

[dalauder]

I'll give you good for at least 3 years. I can't vouch for "at least 5".

I'd also wait for Llano & Bulldozer if I was considering Phenom II's. Yes, a $100 955 is amazing. But it'll be $80 when Llano's out.

If you want good for 5 years (and I don't know why you'd want a computer for 5 years when you can just spend $400 every 3 years), you should go with i5-2500K because it overclocks so well.

Either way, I'd wait 1month.

 

[jockey]

One months wait is good advice. As for 5 years, just my personal rule of thumb.