AMD FX-8120 vs Intel Core i5-2320

[andydan]

How do I compare processors from Intel vs. AMD? Specifically, I'm trying to find out how the 8 core AMD FX-8120 processor with the AMD 880G+SB710 Chipset compares to Intel's Core i5-2320 with their H67 Express Chipset.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
AndyDan

 

[Raiddinn]

What is it that you exactly want to do with the processors?

In general, you can consider second generation sandy bridge cores like those on the 2320 to be worth about 2 Bulldozer FX cores each.

That would put the 2320 about even with the FX 8120.

For anything that is limited in the number of cores, the i5 will almost certainly benchmark higher. For anything that can use the whole 8 cores it will probably be a toss up by the i5 will probably still come out ahead.

Basically they will be neck and neck except for the times when the i5 blows away the FX.

The i5-2500k is usually what the FX 8000s are compared to and the FX has to be highly OCd to equal the stock 2500k in pretty much everything.

 

[andydan]

The main thing is just that I'm looking to replace my 8 year old Dell laptop with a new desktop computer. I've been looking at a couple of systems online that are nearly identical except for 3 things:

- The processors, as listed above
- The RAM: the AMD system has 12GB, the Intel has 16GB - both are upgradeable to 32GB, if I really feel the need
- The price: the Intel system is $100 more

I don't need a screaming machine (I don't do any hardcore gaming or video editing or anything like that), but I do want something that's faster than my current machine (which should not be difficult at all), and with enough power and disk space (these 2 boxes each have 2TB) to last me for at least a few years.

 

[Raiddinn]

The RAM you will not get much value from. Anything past 8 GBs you really need to be doing high end stuff to reach into. To even hit 8 GBs you have to really be doing high end stuff to reach to be completely honest.

Even in 2012 a single 4 GB stick will get you on facebook and run pretty much any productivity app. 12 GBs and 16 GBs are the amounts that people need who have to do all the rendering who actually design the stunning 3d landscapes in today's games. That and high end audio stuff.

The percentage of people who do things that utilize the 5th core is very low, like under 1%, so I would tell you to get the Intel based on what you said so far.

Either way, it still sounds like both the systems you are looking at are going to be a lot more than what you need and you can probably get something that will do what you want for half what you are thinking about spending.

 

[ohyouknow]

They will both do those things to be honest with you. If you aren't particularly interested in the fine details go with what will cost cheaper and spend that on an SSD boot drive.

On a different note, I feel that you are going to buy a preconfig computer?

 

[iam2thecrowe]

for gaming, the intel is faster, for general use you wont notice the difference between them. If you do any kind of gaming, weather hardcore or not, you want to get something with a good dedicated gfx card and worry less about the cpu.

 

[andydan]

They will both do those things to be honest with you. If you aren't particularly interested in the fine details go with what will cost cheaper and spend that on an SSD boot drive.

On a different note, I feel that you are going to buy a preconfig computer?

Yes, preconfig systems. I'm not really interested in building one of my own.

The two computers are from ZT Systems, and the AMD runs $599 while the Intel is $699. They have everything except a monitor, but I already have a couple of nice monitors, so that's not an issue.

Do you think I can find a better price on another machine?

 

[andydan]

The RAM you will not get much value from. Anything past 8 GBs you really need to be doing high end stuff to reach into. To even hit 8 GBs you have to really be doing high end stuff to reach to be completely honest.

Even in 2012 a single 4 GB stick will get you on facebook and run pretty much any productivity app. 12 GBs and 16 GBs are the amounts that people need who have to do all the rendering who actually design the stunning 3d landscapes in today's games. That and high end audio stuff.

The percentage of people who do things that utilize the 5th core is very low, like under 1%, so I would tell you to get the Intel based on what you said so far.

Either way, it still sounds like both the systems you are looking at are going to be a lot more than what you need and you can probably get something that will do what you want for half what you are thinking about spending.

As I said in my reply to ohyouknow, the two computers are from ZT Systems, and the AMD machine runs $599 while the Intel is $699. They have everything except a monitor, but I already have a couple of nice monitors, so that's not an issue.

Any suggestions on a machine at a better price, and where I can get it?

Thanks.

 

[jaguarskx]

I was going to say that if you wanted to overclock the CPU, then the FX-8120 is the one to get because only the i5-2500k and i5-2550k in Intel's Sandy Bridge Core i5 CPU series are overclockable. Since you are buying a pre-configured CPU, then forget overclocking.

For your intended purposes either will be fine.

 

[Raiddinn]

There are plenty of computers at Newegg.com or at Micro Center that are comparable.

However, I just want to point out one thing. The hard drives get slower and slower as their storage capacity increases. That means everything you do including booting up will get slower and slower the more size is in your main hard drive.

These computers have 2 TB hard drives, that will have quite a large impact on boot performance and other stuff.

If you instead buy a computer with a 7200 RPM drive with 500 GBs of space boot drive and then just buy a second larger one and add it in as a data storage drive, then you can store all the data you want (still slow) but it won't kill your regular performance at the same time.

These are some pretty good processors we are discussing with the 2nd gen 1155 quads and so on and it would be sad to put this huge and intractable handicap on them with a slow main drive like that.

Conversely, installing a second hard drive is one of the easiest tasks people can do in a computer. Right up there with putting in and taking out RAM.

 

[andydan]

Thanks for the info about hard drive speeds. I hadn't heard that before.

I'll take a look around newegg and Micro Center and see what I can find.

Y'all have been most helpful. I really appreciate it.

 

[zenrunner92]

I'm in the same boat as the OP as far as non-gaming usage needs (massive multitasking is my main priority) and just saw this today:

http://dealnews.com/AMD-8-Core-3.1-GHz-Barebones-PC-for-350-after-rebates-11-s-h/578591.html

Good deal? Not sure about MSI, would prefer an Asus motherboard...

 

[Raiddinn]

That deal makes me cry.

Don't get it unless they will put it together for you and turn it on and make sure it works before they ship it. If you are just getting the raw parts then you could get screwed in a lot of ways.

Somebody else came in here just today with an FX 4100 and this exact motherboard and they said it was beeping and it wouldn't boot. I think they need a BIOS update to make it work, but they can't do that without another AMD processor which they don't have. MSI is one of my least favorite motherboards in general too, based on their performance. I hope you don't intend to OC at all because it probably won't happen on the MSI board.

The Corsair XMS memory is horrible. The Sony CD drive leaves a lot to be desired. The Thermaltake case too. If the PSU is built into the case it is most certainly not a great one.

I think it isn't the deal it sounds like, but maybe it will work for what you need it to do.

 

[andydan]

Best answer selected by andydan.