Amd vs intel

[andreas_vak]

hey guys thanks for reading....so i have about 750 pounds to spend.....i was thinking i5 3570k but i would like you to suggest me an amd if possible so i can afford a greater gpu...i play baf3 (cod4 all)and some new dishonored borderlands 2 and max payne 3....my resolution is 1920 x 1080 and if possible high settings or regular.....many thanks in advance...any suggestion is acceptable and very usefull

 

[nekulturny]

All of the COD games are easy to max out on pretty much any modern CPU. They're not very intensive. Max Payne is much the same, easily maxed out. The AMD FX-83xx's will run BF3 very well. Dunno much about the other games mentioned.

Your video card is the most important choice. What are the prices of the 3570K in relation to say the PD FX-8320s and 8350s where you live? Also, do you plan on overclocking? For the video card, I would suggest bare minimum 7850 or Nvidia equivalent, the more powerful the better.

 

[9a3iqa]

At 1080p processors don't matter that much anymore in terms of games. So I would say get yourself an AM3+ motherboard with an FX-8350 (not the FX-8150 which you don't want to get anytime soon). This would workout cheaper than the i5-3570k with a z77 motherboard and you would get better performance for non-gaming tasks.

Its true that the i5-3570k would be better for gaming but at 1080p the graphics card is what matters more so if you get an i5-3570k + 7850 it would be the same price as FX-8350 + 7870 but the latter configuration would outperform the first configuration at 1080p.

 

[andreas_vak]

thanks for ur answer....i'm thinking for 7870 for now and in a couple of months i will crossfire....my mobo is asus p8z77....not overlocking and i'm from cyprus which is expensive so i'm ordering from uk and a friend will bring it for me so no shipping.....i will be very gratefull for a last answer if you can....many thanks in advance

 

[wr6133]

AMD FX-8320 Eight Core CPU
http://www.cclonline.com/product/93470/FD8320FRHKBOX/CPUs/AMD-FX-8320-Eight-Core-CPU/CPU0154/

Gigabyte 970A-D3 Socket AM3 Motherboard
http://www.cclonline.com/product/65506/GA-970A-D3/Motherboards/Gigabyte-970A-D3-Socket-AM3-Motherboard/MBD0219/

Corsair CML8GX3M2A1600C9 LP Vengeance Memory 8GB 1600MHz CL9 DDR3 Two Module Kit
http://www.cclonline.com/product/61774/CML8GX3M2A1600C9/Desktop-Memory/Corsair-CML8GX3M2A1600C9-LP-Vengeance-Memory-8GB-1600MHz-CL9-DDR3-Two-Module-Kit/RAM0336/

Seagate Barracuda 500GB Hard Drive
http://www.cclonline.com/product/66223/ST500DM002/Hard-Drives/Seagate-Barracuda-500GB-Hard-Drive/HDD1190/

Xigmatek Asgard Pro Gaming Case
http://www.cclonline.com/product/79782/CCC-AE37BS-U02/Cases/Xigmatek-Asgard-Pro-Gaming-Case/CAS0584/

CCL Choice 22x DVD+/-RW Drive
http://www.cclonline.com/product/92980/CCL-DVDRW-BLK-525/Optical-Drives/CCL-Choice-22x-DVD-/-RW-Drive-/CDR0150/

OCZ ZS Series 550W 80+ Bronze Power Supply
http://www.cclonline.com/product/60911/OCZ-ZS550W-UK/Power-Supplies/OCZ-ZS-Series-550W-80-Bronze-Power-Supply/PSU0243/

Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO CPU Cooler
http://www.cclonline.com/product/76740/RR-212E-16PK-R1/CPU-Coolers/Cooler-Master-Hyper-212-EVO-CPU-Cooler/CLR0412/

EVGA GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB Graphics Card
http://www.cclonline.com/product/86926/02G-P4-3660-KR/Graphics-Cards/EVGA-GeForce-GTX-660-Ti-2GB-Graphics-Card-PCI-E-DVI-HDMI-DisplayPort/VGA0693/

120GB OCZ Agility 3 2.5" Solid State Drive
http://www.cclonline.com/product/58355/AGT3-25SAT3-120G/Hard-Drives/120GB-OCZ-Agility-3-2-5-Solid-State-Drive-/HDD0547/

Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
http://www.cclonline.com/product/55272/GFC-02050/Operating-Systems/Microsoft-Windows-7-Home-Premium-64-bit-SP1-/SFT0066/

TOTAL - £763.28

Now if you do not need windows you could get this GPU instead and max out anything

MSI NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670 Graphics Card
http://www.cclonline.com/product/81334/MSI-GF-Card/Graphics-Cards/MSI-NVIDIA-GeForce-GTX-670-Graphics-Card-/VGA0616/

or you could ditch the SSD and get the GTX670

The motherboard does not support SLi if you really want a 2nd card SLi'd get this board for a bit more

Gigabyte GA-990XA-UD3 Socket AM3+Motherboard
http://www.cclonline.com/product/60859/GA-990XA-UD3/Motherboards/Gigabyte-GA-990XA-UD3-Socket-AM3-Motherboard/MBD0167/

If you prefer AMD to Nvidia Grpahics cards then use this

http://www.cclonline.com/product/94218/90-C1CS52-S0UAY0BZ/Graphics-Cards/Asus-2GB-Graphics-Card-Radeon-HD-7870/VGA0853/

or if you dont want windows or SSD then this

http://www.cclonline.com/product/82561/90-C1CRN0-UOUAY0/Graphics-Cards/Asus-AMD-Radeon-HD-7950-DC2-Edition-3GB-Graphics-Card/VGA0649/

Hope that helps

 

[andreas_vak]

very very very helpfullll....thank you very much...god bless you

 

[stickg1]

One thing to be careful about is a lot of the current motherboards being sold (especially a 970 chipset) are not going to come with the Piledriver ready BIOS on them. So you would need another chip to flash the BIOS with. Also, I love AMD but if I had 750 pounds or $1200 and my sole purpose was gaming, I would be using an Intel CPU.

So if you really want AMD then you should get the newest revision of the 990FX chipset motherboards. The M5A99X Evo Rev 2.0 would be good. The sabertooth Rev 2.0 is also a good choice although much more expensive.

 

[wr6133]

Your friend may want to assemble the parts and then if asked by customs say its for a LAN party if he/she gets pinged carrying all that over brand new in boxes you may get stung hard for unpaid duty

 

[wr6133]

One thing to be careful about is a lot of the current motherboards being sold (especially a 970 chipset) are not going to come with the Piledriver ready BIOS on them. So you would need another chip to flash the BIOS with. Also, I love AMD but if I had 750 pounds or $1200 and my sole purpose was gaming, I would be using an Intel CPU.

So if you really want AMD then you should get the newest revision of the 990FX chipset motherboards. The M5A99X Evo Rev 2.0 would be good. The sabertooth Rev 2.0 is also a good choice although much more expensive.

I would agree Intel is a good choice but really unless he ups his budget £60-ish the AMD build there is offering better quality and features

Your chipset statement is somewhat wrong though. Yes it may not have the latest BIOS but an expensive 990FX is no more likely to have the latest BIOS (infact whichever shifts the most units so gets reordered the most is likely to have the latest BIOS so the cheaper board may have a better chance). There is no need to buy a more expensive chipset than needed and the sabertooth is a terrible terrible choice its overpriced for what it is, you pay for the sabertooth name its no more featured or better quality than any other board in its range.

 

[stickg1]

Also you mentioned you already have an ASUS P8Z77 motherboard. Therefore an i5 is a no brainer. And if not overclocking save some money and get the i5-3550.

 

[wr6133]

Also you mentioned you already have an ASUS P8Z77 motherboard. Therefore an i5 is a no brainer. And if not overclocking save some money and get the i5-3550.

lol I misread that ok my bad he should get intel all the way... why he even ask if he has the mobo

 

[andreas_vak]

sorry my bad...i dont have...i consider...sorry sorry...and many thanks for your answers...

 

[stickg1]

I would agree Intel is a good choice but really unless he ups his budget £60-ish the AMD build there is offering better quality and features

Your chipset statement is somewhat wrong though. Yes it may not have the latest BIOS but an expensive 990FX is no more likely to have the latest BIOS (infact whichever shifts the most units so gets reordered the most is likely to have the latest BIOS so the cheaper board may have a better chance). There is no need to buy a more expensive chipset than needed and the sabertooth is a terrible terrible choice its overpriced for what it is, you pay for the sabertooth name its no more featured or better quality than any other board in its range.

Right, I'm just going by what members of another forum I hang out at are experiencing. In the 8320/8350 owners thread a lot of people are stuck needing to borrow a chip to flash their BIOS or having to send the motherboard in to the manufacturer to get the latest BIOS flashed for them. I already had a 8150 before I got my 8320 so I had my motherboard ready. Numerous people have bought brand new Rev 2 and Rev 3 boards that have recognized the chip without flashing. Also that board you picked will not be good for overclocking. Here is why: 4+1 phase power design with NO VRM heatsinks. My Gigabyte UD3 is 8+2 phase and heatsinked and my VRM heatsink gets up to 75C under heavy load. With no heatsink and a less efficient phase control this is a disaster at anything over stock voltage. On further inspection the 8320/8350 are not on the supported CPU list for some reason. Although the 4300/6300 are so maybe its just a mistake.

Anyway as me and several other Vishera overclockers have found out the hard way, if you go cheap on your AM3+ motherboard you're going to be disappointed. The best recorded 24/7 stable clocks so far are on Ud7, Sabertooth, Crosshair V Formula. Also the three most expensive boards. Brings up the saying "You get what you pay for"

On a side note, the OP said he didn't wish to overclock and in that case he either needs to step up to the 8350 or get an i5. The Vishera is a much more sensible option for the price when you get it up to 4.2-5.0GHz

I'm not trying to be a jerk or cause problems, I'm just summing up what me and several others are experiencing with our newly bought chips. I wouldn't wish the ensuing frustration upon anyone, so I just want everyone to be sure.

 

[stickg1]

So maybe take wr's build but switch to this motherboard:
Asus P8H77-M LE
http://www.cclonline.com/product/80560/90-MIBI80-G0EAY0DZ/Motherboards/Asus-P8H77-M-LE-Motherboard/MBD0385/

and this CPU:
Intel Core i5-3550 3.3GHz
http://www.cclonline.com/product/73988/BX80637I53550/CPUs/Intel-Core-i5-3550-3-3GHz-Processor-6MB-L3-Cache-5GT/s-Bus-Speed-Boxed-/CPU0101/

 

[wr6133]

That 970 supports 83xx http://uk.gigabyte.com/support-downloads/cpu-support-popup.aspx?pid=4395 Though admittedly it is a minefield on what supports what. There are even some that have been updated to accept 43xx or 63xx but not 83xx. If he wants to overclock (which he will even if he doesn't know it yet lol) then that 970 has a UD3 (for £75) variant using 8+2 heatsinked VRM's or the 990XA does also at a cheaper pricepoint (£81) than the the 990FX and only losing a few PCIe lanes to get the lower price.

If you need the extra PCie lanes sure get the 990FX but if it's only better control and VRM's/VRM heatsinks you want then there are cheaper options than the 990fx (personally I like the 990xa-ud3 I think it fits the gap nicely going to wait till 83xx price slides though before I upgrade me PhIIX6 though)

You do make a good point though and I think anybody buying an AM3+ board and a Vishera CPU should phone the seller 1st and ask if the BIOS is updated (I know when I bought my AM3+ board it proudly had a massive sticker announcing it had the latest FX bulldozer support, there should be something similar on board boxes from Gbyte for vishera)

 

[wr6133]

So maybe take wr's build but switch to this motherboard:
Asus P8H77-M LE
http://www.cclonline.com/product/80560/90-MIBI80-G0EAY0DZ/Motherboards/Asus-P8H77-M-LE-Motherboard/MBD0385/

and this CPU:
Intel Core i5-3550 3.3GHz
http://www.cclonline.com/product/73988/BX80637I53550/CPUs/Intel-Core-i5-3550-3-3GHz-Processor-6MB-L3-Cache-5GT/s-Bus-Speed-Boxed-/CPU0101/

+1 if he wants Intel and stick to his budget

 

[nekulturny]

Right, I'm just going by what members of another forum I hang out at are experiencing. In the 8320/8350 owners thread a lot of people are stuck needing to borrow a chip to flash their BIOS or having to send the motherboard in to the manufacturer to get the latest BIOS flashed for them.

Alot of Intel users run into that problem too when a newer gen CPU comes out, its not exclusively an AMD problem unfortunately.

Anyway as me and several other Vishera overclockers have found out the hard way, if you go cheap on your AM3+ motherboard you're going to be disappointed. The best recorded 24/7 stable clocks so far are on Ud7, Sabertooth, Crosshair V Formula. Also the three most expensive boards. Brings up the saying "You get what you pay for"

Definitely, the Sabertooth is a great board, and thats the direction I'd go. I had UD5 Gigabyte briefly, you can keep it. Thing died on me after 3 weeks. lol Asus Evo's are a more economical alternative to the Sabertooth.

On a side note, the OP said he didn't wish to overclock and in that case he either needs to step up to the 8350 or get an i5. The Vishera is a much more sensible option for the price when you get it up to 4.2-5.0GHz

If you're not overclocking, I'd probably suggest going i5. Although, overclocking is one of the big advantages of building your own machine vs buying pre-built. I get the feeling a lot of people are scared they're going to break something overclocking. Its pretty hard to fry a chip these days as long as you read up on it, its pretty simple, and "Safe" as long as you adhere to proper precautions. All Asus boards (and many others) have simple to use software bundled with the motherboard to overclock.

 

[stickg1]

Yeah if it were for me I would go with the Vishera. Some people don't have fun tweaking like I do. I've had my chip for over a week and I'm still experimenting with overclocking. It's way more fun to overclock than my i5-2500K was. I could never have a locked chip!

So OP, my suggestion is to just keep your eye on deals, whether it be AMD or Intel, and send your buddy some money so he can pounce on these deals as they happen and build yourself the best machine you can. $1200 (750 pounds) should get you a pretty awesome system.

 

[andreas_vak]

thanks guys!!!!!