Budget Gaming CPU

[zaman37]

Hi,


I need advice on a CPU, requirements as follows.

a) No Overclocking
b) Higher Clock
c) Not a top runner


There are list of i3s and i5s to choose from and then their generations which are confusing me.

i3 540, 2100, 2120, 2125

i5 2310, 2320, 655k, 2400, 3450, 3550, 2500k

+ i7s

 

[zaman37]

Also, not concerned about Integrated Graphics as I have a GPU.

 

[amuffin]

i5-2500K.

 

[nekulturny]

Forget the i5-23xx series completely. They're trash compared to similarly priced 2400 models and up. And overclocked Phenom II costs half as much as they do and matches them in performance.

For no overclocking, I'd suggest the 3450 as being your best bet, but my opinion may change depending on what you're specifically looking to do with the computer.

 

[zaman37]

Forget the i5-23xx series completely. They're trash compared to similarly priced 2400 models and up. And overclocked Phenom II costs half as much as they do and matches them in performance.

For no overclocking, I'd suggest the 3450 as being your best bet, but my opinion may change depending on what you're specifically looking to do with the computer.

What about motherboard ?


Any opinion on ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP Motherboard

 

[zaman37]

Best answer selected by zaman37.

 

[nekulturny]

What about motherboard ?


Any opinion on ASRock H77 Pro4/MVP Motherboard

Asrock in my opinion has some very nice motherboards at decent prices, although it seems they cut corners on some things to make up for it (recently learned this myself), although none of which should be an issue for a non-K (non-overclockable) Intel CPU. For myself, I prefer Asus, but the Asrock H77 Pro 4 should serve you well.

 

[twelve25]

Forget the i5-23xx series completely. They're trash compared to similarly priced 2400 models and up.

Uh, what? They are just lower clock speed. Everything else is the same. 2320 is a 3 Ghz, 2400 is a 3.1 ghz and 2500 is a 3.3 Ghz. The only difference is the multiplier.

Now if you want to argue performance per dollar, that totally depends on today's prices.

 

[nekulturny]

Uh, what? They are just lower clock speed. Everything else is the same. 2320 is a 3 Ghz, 2400 is a 3.1 ghz and 2500 is a 3.3 Ghz. The only difference is the multiplier.

Now if you want to argue performance per dollar, that totally depends on today's prices.

I know they're lower clock speed. THATS THE POINT. They have locked multipliers, and they aren't any cheaper than higher clocked i5-24xx series and up... With that dismal low clock speed, this is what happens:

 

[nekulturny]

On the subject of "Todays Prices":

i5-2300 $209.87
http://imageshack.us/a/img215/198/i52300vphenomiiat4ghz.jpg

Phenom II 965 + CPU cooler for 4.0GHZ overclock $97.26 + $20.99= $118.25

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=5312392&CatId=4431
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=4950641&CatId=798

i5-3450 (out of reach for an overclocked Phenom II to match in performance) $179.99
http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=2373006&CatId=1969

Final summation: My recommendation of the 3450 stands.

 

[twelve25]

If you had said they are not a good value, I would have agreed. "Trash" compared to the i5-2400, which is only 5-10% faster, seems like a bit of a stretch.




And you do realize comparing an overclocked processor that barely beats a stock lower end i5 means pretty much nothing, right?

 

[nekulturny]

I still never ceased to be amazed at how many people like yourself try to pick an AMD v Intel argument with me even when I'm recommending Intel. Its absurd. Yes, considering the i5-23xx series are the same price as and now more expensive than better performing processors in the Sandy/Ivy Bridge lineup, they are absolute TRASH. Thats my opinion, you're entitled to disagree with it, but whatevs.

As far as comparing an overclocked processor that barely beats a stock one, alls fair in love, war and AMD vs Intel. If Intel wants to charge a minimum of $230 MSRP to overclock, thats their loss at least as far as my money is concerned. And, taken that the fact that the Phenom II is a 4 year old design, and a relatively small overclock gets a lead in performance (no matter how small) over a relatively new design says a lot to me.

 

[twelve25]

How was that an AMD vs Intel argument? I merely thought it was crazy to call one processor Trash while recommending one not even 10% faster. 2320 and 2400 perform like 3% apart. 2380P is actually slightly faster than a 2400.

FWIW, I spend about $30,000 a year on AMD processors at work. That's all I use in my VMware farms. I'd be running an AMD at home if bulldozer wasn't such a bomb and AMD didn't kill the 1100T chips.

I also run a 2310 I got for $165 and have it running at 3.6Ghz Turbo which is roughly i5-2500 speed. It's very fast for what I paid.

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by MouseMonkey