I5 2500k or AMD 955

[user_account_]

Hi

I would like some help as I am currently looking to get a i5 2500k and a new motherboard
though I currently have a 955BE and motherboard-M4A78LT-M. But I wish to see some improvement in my system ie in gaming. I have a ASUS GTX 570 Direct CUII. Will going all out for a i5 and good board really improve to what I currently have ?. I have 6GB ddr3 @1066 but will get more if need be for the i5.

Please all comments welcome.
Thanks

 

[mcnumpty23]

would have to say the 2500k will slaughter the 955BE in gaming

even before overclocking it

 

[Brett928S2]

Hi

Depending on the games you play , I SERIOUSLY doubt you will see ANY difference at all...most games are more dependant on Graphics cards GPU`s Not Cpu`s ....

All the best Brett

 

[ringzero]

Hi

Depending on the games you play , I SERIOUSLY doubt you will see ANY difference at all...most games are more dependant on Graphics cards GPU`s Not Cpu`s ....

All the best Brett

What Brett says. But if you want the fastest gaming CPU between the two, the one that will handily beat the other in benchmarks, then it's the 2500K, hands-down. It's just by far a superior CPU in almost every respect. Except price.

I currently have a 955 BE. I overclocked it from 3.2 to 3.8 and noticed absolutely zero difference in my gaming experience. I have no desire to upgrade to a 2500k, even though it's a better CPU.

It was kind of a sad moment for me when I realized that, for the money, there really was no more point in me upgrading my system any further until the next generation of chips are available. I have a lot of fun upgrading, but I finally realized I hit a point where it was good enough for me to stop upgrading and just enjoy my current system.

 

[mcnumpty23]

there are quite a few games where the cpu does actually make a difference--some games are cpu intensive like

flight simulators for example

so maybe telling us what sort of games you want to play might clarify it a bit

 

[HugoStiglitz]

if ur building new get the 2500K

if u already have the PhenomII 955, stick with it. its not that huge of a diff to justify the $400-500 change over.

 

[amuffin]

Overclock your phenom.

 

[amuffin]

I wouldn't sell it anyways, keep it safe and sound because one day the Phenom II's Denebs and Thubans are going to be collector items.
6 years from now when AMD is broken up because of the failed CPU dept, you can say that you still have the last line of AMD CPU that performed best...

 

[Raidur]

Are you unhappy with your current performance?

You will see little to no performance increase getting ANY new CPU with a single GTX 570.

Hold onto your money, save up until you can afford a 2nd GTX 570+CPU/Mobo and by then IvyBridge will be out (April) and you'll have the ultimate gaming system.

 

[FinneousPJ]

I agree it doesn't make sense to go upgrade your CPU now. What exactly is wrong with your current system?

 

[4745454b]

You are looking at ~$200 for the 2500k, but probably at least another $100 or more for a new motherboard. Is the 2500(k) $300 better then the 955? No. (although if you can find someone willing to buy your current setup for $??? then it might make more sense.) I too would stick with what you have unless the 2500(k) performs much better in your favorite games.

 

[sarinaide]

You will see improvements in CPU intensive games, Shogun, StarCraft the big real time strategies, Metro, Skyrim etc, but if you are playing GPU orientated games like BF3 you will not see much difference, if you can tell the difference in and up to 10FPS then fine. As already said, save up money and put dual GPU's in.

 

[internetswag]

 

[sarinaide]

Whatchoo talkin bout willis?

 

[user_account_]

Thank you all very much for your time, help and advice. I think I am going to go SLI with another gtx 570 and get a good motherboard. I will reply individually to you all for some more help

 

[user_account_]

rid your self of the 6GB DDR3 1066MHz and grab a 8GB(2x4GB) kit DDR3 1600MHz.
regardless if you stay with your 955BE or get the i5-2500K.
are you at least running your RAM in dual channel mode now.?
and if your 955BE isn't overclocked then you not really pushing you GTX 570
(still playing well I know but more CPU power is better)

I don't think I am running dual channel. I guess that is something to do in bios I see DC mode in CPU-Z Unganged which I think is better for gaming. I totally agree with getting rid of the ddr3 @1066. Just got the 6GB for 30 pounds roughly 37.50 dollars and cents. How would I go about getting my ram into dual channel. Thanks for help and advice.

 

[user_account_]

would have to say the 2500k will slaughter the 955BE in gaming

even before overclocking it

Thanks for your reply I really am considering buying it but I may be better of as some people say sli my current gpu. would that then with my current cpu bottleneck my system thanks again

 

[4745454b]

You'd have to remove a stick of ram. AMDs CPUs use a dual channel max memory controller. You need to use 2, or 4 sticks of ram at a time. Once you put that 3rd stick in, it drops back to single channel.

In some cases the extra ram outweighs the drop in bandwidth. Try testing your applications both ways to see which is best for you.

 

[user_account_]

there are quite a few games where the cpu does actually make a difference--some games are cpu intensive like

flight simulators for example

so maybe telling us what sort of games you want to play might clarify it a bit

BF3, Red Orchestra 2 & Skyrim. The reason for upgrade because I feel I am not getting what I should be out of battlefield 3 online I know on 64 player maps it can lag a little and have to turn settings to medium I don't really like v-sync as I notice the slightest input lag even with pre-rendered frames at 0

 

[4745454b]

I may be better of as some people say sli my current gpu. would that then with my current cpu bottleneck my system thanks again

This is a bit tricky to answer. Yes, if you had a 2500 your scores would be higher. But assuming you have a single 1080 screen, you're going to be limited by its 60hz "refresh rate" more then anything else. A GTX570 should be able to max out just about any game at 1080. I'd only SLI if you have an "eyefinity" setup. Perhaps an SSD?

 

[mcnumpty23]

Thanks for your reply I really am considering buying it but I may be better of as some people say sli my current gpu. would that then with my current cpu bottleneck my system thanks again

yes i think it would bottleneck it with 2 gtx570

even if it was overclocked

heres a discussion on exactly that


http://www.overclock.net/t/1181573/will-a-phenom-ii-980-be-4ghz-bottleneck-gtx570s-in-sli

 

[user_account_]

You'd have to remove a stick of ram. AMDs CPUs use a dual channel max memory controller. You need to use 2, or 4 sticks of ram at a time. Once you put that 3rd stick in, it drops back to single channel.

In some cases the extra ram outweighs the drop in bandwidth. Try testing your applications both ways to see which is best for you.

Thanks for your reply. Think im going to get another 2GB today then again I may not bother and give it next week and get a 1600 8GB kit.

 

[user_account_]

I may be better of as some people say sli my current gpu. would that then with my current cpu bottleneck my system thanks again

This is a bit tricky to answer. Yes, if you had a 2500 your scores would be higher. But assuming you have a single 1080 screen, you're going to be limited by its 60hz "refresh rate" more then anything else. A GTX570 should be able to max out just about any game at 1080. I'd only SLI if you have an "eyefinity" setup. Perhaps an SSD?

Yes I have a single monitor set up a Samsung syncmaster

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/9953978/art/samsung/syncmaster-s23a350h-23-fu.html#pix-review

 

[user_account_]

On auto its does everything on High with terrain on ultra and aa 16x I turn off aa for multi-player BF3 that is

 

[user_account_]

yes i think it would bottleneck it with 2 gtx570

even if it was overclocked

heres a discussion on exactly that


http://www.overclock.net/t/1181573/will-a-phenom-ii-980-be-4ghz-bottleneck-gtx570s-in-sli

I notice a'lot of posters are saying go for a i5 2500k lol. I think I may just get the i5 now really want to be able to justify playing @ high settings and intel are generally better than AMD I hear