What is the best quad core processor under $140?

[tygasp]

Hi, I'm looking for a new quad core processor for a gaming build but I'm on a budget. I want to get the most bang for my buck, I don't care if it AMD or Intel but I would like to go with a quad core or better. I had a few in mind like the FX-4100,FX-4170, and any of the A6 or A8 processors but I'm open to whatever you think is the best processor with the most power for the price. Also I am not going to overclock and I am not interested in anything more expensive than $140. Thank you for anything that you can tell me.

 

[rolli59]

960T possible unlock to a X6 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103995
965BE faster but a native X4 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

 

[Demon slayer]

Phenom II x4 980 BE $150 with $15 off w/ promo code EMCNGJG53, ends 3/19 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103935&Tpk=x4%20980

 

[quilciri]

Your goals of 1. quad core and 2. not overclocking are conflicting in the the current crop of sub $140 cpu's.

The 4170 is the best quad-core @ $140 or less, but the dual-core i3 2120 is much better for gaming unless you overclock the 4170.

The fusion processors are not worth considering for an enthusiast gaming rig.

*edit*
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-5.html

tom's chart ranks by stock performance.

 

[Guest]

Hi, I'm looking for a new quad core processor for a gaming build but I'm on a budget. I want to get the most bang for my buck, I don't care if it AMD or Intel but I would like to go with a quad core or better. I had a few in mind like the FX-4100,FX-4170, and any of the A6 or A8 processors but I'm open to whatever you think is the best processor with the most power for the price. Also I am not going to overclock and I am not interested in anything more expensive than $140. Thank you for anything that you can tell me.

for gaming that would be an i3 2120 period.

but since you want a quad core, that disqualifies it.

 

[Demon slayer]

Your goals of 1. quad core and 2. not overclocking are conflicting in the the current crop of sub $140 cpu's.

The 4170 is the best quad-core @ $140 or less, but the dual-core i3 2120 is much better for gaming unless you overclock the 4170.

The fusion processors are not worth considering for an enthusiast gaming rig.

OP will not notice even a scant bit of difference gaming between an phenom x4 980 BE or i3 unless you consider SC2 LOL.

 

[Demon slayer]

for gaming that would be an i3 2120 period.

but since you want a quad core, that disqualifies it.

Phenom II x4 980 BE for $135 with $15 off w/ promo code EMCNGJG53, ends 3/19 is much better deal than a core i3 and there is no difference in gaming even an Athlon x4 645 is good enough for gaming LOL.

 

[Guest]

Phenom II x4 980 BE for $135 with $15 off w/ promo code EMCNGJG53, ends 3/19 is much better deal than a core i3 and there is no difference in gaming even an Athlon x4 645 is good enough for gaming LOL.

*sigh*

another ignorant amd fanboy . .

 

[quilciri]

OP will not notice even a scant bit of difference gaming between an phenom x4 980 BE or i3 unless you consider SC2 LOL.

Processor reliant games have nothing to do with my comments.

The difference depends entirely on his graphics card setup. You need enough processor to not gimp you graphics cards.

Most new builds aren't balanced and have way more processor capability than graphics. In that case you would be right.

However, as quality of your graphics setup rises, you will notice the *stock* 980 or 4170 gimping gaming performance before the 2120.

 

[Demon slayer]

*sigh*

another ignorant amd fanboy . .

Not at all just a realist I will want you to show me the links where core i3 out performance Phenom II x4 980 in gaming by such a huge margin so I can learn the higher path that is Intel but please don't show SC2 we all know that game was coded to run better in Intel CPUs.

 

[Demon slayer]

Processor reliant games have nothing to do with my comments.

The difference depends entirely on his graphics card setup. You need enough processor to not gimp you graphics cards.

Most new builds aren't balanced and have way more processor capability than graphics. In that case you would be right.

However, as quality of your graphics setup rises, you will notice the *stock* 980 or 4170 gimping gaming performance before the 2120.

Funny cause an Athlon II x4 645 pushes an Radeon 7970 to very very playable levels of performance and the difference between 60fps and 100fps in nothing on a 60hz monitor.

 

[Guest]

Not at all just a realist I will want you to show me the links where core i3 out performance Phenom II x4 980 in gaming by such a huge margin so I can learn the higher path that is Intel but please don't show SC2 we all know that game was coded to run better in Intel CPUs.

how about a crysis bench?
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpus/2011/07/01/intel-core-i3-2100-review/6
and thats a 2100 not 2120

 

[Demon slayer]

how about a crysis bench?
http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/cpus/2011/07/01/intel-core-i3-2100-review/6
and thats a 2100 not 2120

 

[tygasp]

Please understand that all I really want is something that can get me above 30fps in something like fallout. If that is a i3 then fine, but I was under the impression that AMD best chips in the gaming hierarchy charts would be pretty good for gaming, especially since they make graphics card too which would complement their chips. I could be wrong but that was my thinking. So what should I do?

 

[quilciri]

Funny cause an Athlon II x4 645 pushes an Radeon 7970 to very very playable levels of performance and the difference between 60fps and 100fps in nothing on a 60hz monitor.
http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o607/headspin146/Screenshotat2012-03-16202751-1.jpg

Photobucket? How about posting the link to the reviewer. I don't think photobucket is qualified

Lol that's just flat out wrong and ignorant of facts. I don't even have to leave the site to disprove that one....

According to Tom's, the 7970 is slightly better than a 5970
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

Also according to tom's Balanced pc guide

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/balanced-gaming-pc-overclock,2699-8.html

the 5970 is VERY gimped by even an overclocked 640, so I'd imagine the 645 isn't going to fare much better, and will certainly gimp the crap out of a 7970.

Seriously. It was posting 45 fps in Crysis with the 5970 at 1920 with settings maxed. Metro 2033 at those settings would likely be under 30.

 

[quilciri]

Please understand that all I really want is something that can get me above 30fps in something like fallout. If that is a i3 then fine, but I was under the impression that AMD best chips in the gaming hierarchy charts would be pretty good for gaming, especially since they make graphics card too which would complement their chips. I could be wrong but that was my thinking. So what should I do?

If that's all you want, then don't worry about all the replies here. Either processor would be more than adequate. There's no real benefit to using an AMD card with an AMD processor, at least not yet, so get whatever your personal preference is.

 

[Guest]

http://i1150.photobucket.com/albums/o607/headspin146/Screenshotat2012-03-16202751-1.jpg

thanks for that, i can never get enough how a little dual core @ 65W can hang with a quad core @125W

less power, less heat, longer life

 

[Guest]

Please understand that all I really want is something that can get me above 30fps in something like fallout. If that is a i3 then fine, but I was under the impression that AMD best chips in the gaming hierarchy charts would be pretty good for gaming, especially since they make graphics card too which would complement their chips. I could be wrong but that was my thinking. So what should I do?

it ALWAYS turns into a flame war, the AMD fanboy get diaper rash rather quickly.

btw, here is a guide for buying CPUs for gaming. not the end all but a comparison of choices.
Picking A Sub-$200 Gaming CPU: FX, An APU, Or A Pentium?
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-fx-pentium-apu-benchmark,3120.html

 

[Demon slayer]

Lol that's just flat out wrong and ignroant of facts. I don't even have to leave the site to disprove that one....

According to Tom's, the 7970 is slightly better than a 5970
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-graphics-card-review,3107-7.html

Also according to tom's Balanced pc guide

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/balanced-gaming-pc-overclock,2699-8.html

the 5970 is VERY gimped by even an overclocked 640, so I'd imagine the 645 isn't going to fare much better, and will certainly gimp the crap out of a 7970.

Seriously. It was posting 45 fps in Crysis with the 5970 at 1920 with settings maxed. Metro 2033 at those settings would likely be under 30.

 

[quilciri]

P.S. @ Demon I'm using an fx-4170 right now, and I'm rooting for AMD. I bought that mobo a while back with an x3 450, hoping that bulldozer would eat intel's lunch.Unfortunately the 4170 overclocked is the first one to be competetive with sandy bridge as a gaming platform. I'm just as unhappy about that as you are.

 

[Demon slayer]

P.S. @ Demon I'm using an fx-4170 right now, and I'm rooting for AMD. I bought that mobo a while back with an x3 450, hoping that bulldozer would eat intel's lunch.Unfortunately the 4170 overclocked is the first one to be competetive with sandy bridge as a gaming platform. I'm just as unhappy about that as you are.

Unhappy about what ? my Phenom II 955 is great and in maybe a year or 2 I will get the FX - 8120 or a 2500K or the like if something better is out for cheaper at that time.

 

[quilciri]

even your own post shows the weakness of the 645, sorry.

the first couple games are both limited by some aspect of the card (I'd guess memory throughput),
but the 645's problems become apparent in anno @ 1920 with settings cranked.

looks like a x4 970 is enough, though.

 

[Guest]

P.S. @ Demon I'm using an fx-4170 right now, and I'm rooting for AMD. I bought that mobo a while back with an x3 450, hoping that bulldozer would eat intel's lunch.Unfortunately the 4170 overclocked is the first one to be competetive with sandy bridge as a gaming platform. I'm just as unhappy about that as you are.

hey don't you know the one that posts the most images of irrelevant benchmarks wins?

actually i thought the FX 6100 is a pretty decent chip, keeps up with the 8120 at a little more than half the cost.

 

[Demon slayer]

even your own post shows the weakness of the 645, sorry.

the first couple games are both limited by some aspect of the card (I'd guess memory throughput),
but the 645's problems become apparent in anno @ 1920 with settings cranked.

LOL it's still Perfectly playable LOL so the 645 is not a detrimental bottleneck unless you have two 7970s and are shooting for 120fps on a 120hz monitor but even then 120fps min framerate is not possible in every high end game even with he best of the best hardware. Point is even a lowly Athalon II x4 offers up perfectly acceptable framerates that are competitive with an i3.

 

[quilciri]

hey don't you know the one that posts the most images of irrelevant benchmarks wins?

actually i thought the FX 6100 is a pretty decent chip, keeps up with the 8120 at a little more than half the cost.

You're right, it does, mostly because games aren't well threaded at all, so a 4 core fx will game as well as an 8 core part at any given clock speed.