Mid-range CPU for gaming?

[overheat]

My current CPU is AMD Athlon X2 5000+, and it is a clear bottleneck in the more demanding games (BF3, ARMA II) as lowering video settings wont do a thing to increase FPS. I have been looking at the phenom X4 9XX CPUs, would they be good for gaming for the next few years? Intels CPUs seem a bit overkill and are too pricey, as my price range would be about 140€ tops for the CPU and ofcourse about a hundred more for the mobo.

Also, my GPU is Nvidia GTS 450, not the greatest but it gets the job done.

 

[FlutterGuy]

I can personally vouch for the Phenom II X4 955. It runs BF3 seamlessly at 1920x1080 and high settings, paired with a HD 6870 GPU. It would be well within your price range, so you could get a 965 instead. Or your could spend the extra money on a decent aftermarket CPU cooler, since the stock fan with this processor can be a bit noisy when it gets hot.

As for longevity, this processor should be good for at least a couple of years. And it's apparently not bad as far as overclocking goes, which is a good option to have in reserve

 

[overheat]

Ok, what about FX-4100, would it compare to Phenom X4s?

 

[nnorton44]

Phenom X4 > FX-4100

 

[FlutterGuy]

I can't speak for the FX-4100. But there has been a lot of disappointment with the Bulldozer chips, mostly because they suck compared to Sandy Bridge.

Read this:

http://www.techspot.com/review/452-amd-bulldozer-fx-cpus/

and make your mind up.

tl;dr There probably won't be much difference for gaming. But they're about the same price, and the Bulldozer one is newer and technically better, so I'd probably go for that

 

[Raidur]

The disappointment with BD is that they suck against Debeb/Thuban (Phenom II) per core/mhz.

If you don't plan on overclocking go for the i3-2100 if you have a tight budget.

If you do plan on overclocking, a Phenom II X4 may be a stellar deal.

 

[FlutterGuy]

The disappointment with BD is that they suck against Debeb/Thuban (Phenom II) per core/mhz.

If you don't plan on overclocking go for the i3-2100 if you have a tight budget.

If you do plan on overclocking, a Phenom II X4 may be a stellar deal.

That was my plan for my 955 - use it stock for a while, then overclock it at some point in the future. But I've got a bit of spare cash now, so I'm probably just going to sell it and get an Ivy Bridge i5 next year.

On a budget the 955 is a really good processor, I would definitely recommend it