I3 2100 or FX 4100

[charon711]

I'm planning a gaming build for when i get my income tax. Because I'll probably be on a budget of ~$700 I am looking for the best CPU I can get for around the $100 mark.

So I've came to 2 conclusions. Either the i3 2100 or the FX 4100. Here's the pro's and cons I have gathered.

i3 2100

Pro's
ITS A FREAKING SANDY BRIDGE!!!! so obviously its a beast and i know it has out done some of the Phenom II quads.

Con's
Not able to overclock.

FX 4100

Pro's
Fast and can be overclocked through the roof.

Con's
.... well not sure of the con's except its not a sandy bridge.... but it is very reliable.

So for a budget gaming system what would be recomended. I'm not really drawn to one side or the other. I was for the longest a AMD fan but with the awesomeness of sandy bridge i now find myself in the neutral.

Also if there are any other recommendations i would take them into consideration. My max cpu budget though is probably going to be under $150.

Thanks in advanced.

 

[FinneousPJ]

If you like overclocking then I'd go with AMD If you don't care about that, I'd go with the i3. The performance difference isn't that big, you'll do fine with either. I'd recommend the 960T over the FX however.

 

[xaira]

i also used to be an amd die hard but sandy is epic, i would go with the 2100

 

[charon711]

Well i guess my biggest confusion is on the overclocking. Will it allow the processor to be more relevant as games demand more processing power? As to where the 2100 i cant overclock and eventually will be "out dated"?

What are the overall benefits of overclocking? It is something I am thinking about doing if the CPU allows it. I know for sure i'll be over clocking my 6870(s).

 

[FinneousPJ]

An overclocked Phenom II should outperform the i3 slighty. A stock Phenom II should lose to an i3 slightly. All of this also depends on the task the CPU is performing. Overall the benefits of overclocking are relatively low, it's more of a hobby.

 

[we1shcake]

amd 960t, it can even be unlocked to a 6 core, and oc'd to about 4ghz on average

 

[iam2thecrowe]

fx4100 is crap. get the i3. if your going amd, go for the phenom II range before they disappear from shelves, fx cpu's are slow. i would go for the i3, at least you have a good upgrade path to an i7/i5 cpu.

 

[charon711]

I've decided to probably go with the i3, from what i've found here and from other reviews it seems to be the better of the 2, plus as was stated when prices drop i could upgrade to the i5.