Best CPU for the job?

[techandoutdoors259]

Hello people of TomsHardware: I have a pre built dell, and I am getting tired of the low quality CPU, so I am looking to upgrade. My price range is $200 for the CPU, and I am going to be doing heavy HD video editing, photo editing, heavy gaming, and HD video watching. Games Im gonna be playing: Minecraft, Skyrim, Call of Duty, Battlefield, TF2, Batman Arkham City.
If I get a new CPU, I am gonna need a new motherboard; if you have anything in mind can you make a suggestion.
Thanks Guys

 

[Deeks]

Need more info on your pre existing rig. Like motherboard type ( socket especially ), your current gpu, the resolution you will be gaming /editing at . If you have a 1155 socket then i would say try to find either a 2500k or a 3570k on sale you wont get anything better then that in that price range. Again though to give you proper suggestions need more info on your current rig.

 

[nekulturny]

If you're thinking about upgrading a Dell.. There are some things you need to be aware of..

Dell is famous for proprietary (non standardized) components. This may be a much bigger project than you think and may be more trouble than its worth.

For instance.. You're on the right track, a CPU upgrade is going to almost certainly require a motherboard. What about RAM (this is true even with non-Dell), is it DDR2 or 3? DDR1? lol? Power supplies. Plan on buying one of those. Dell has been known to use standard plugs with nonstandard pinouts. Not to mention, a standardized power supply may not physically fit into the Dell case. Maybe they stopped doing that I dunno. But that presents a serious risk of frying stuff. And, if you're going to be doing a more powerful system, the power supplies that comes with pre-builts are just powerful enough for the system as configured... So plan on a power supply.

Video card? Your video card is the most crucial factor in gaming performance, moreso to an extent than the CPU. Thats not to say you should cheap out on the CPU. Back to the power supply, a high end video card is going to want more juice, and a Dell stock PSU may not have the right connections for one.

What resolution are you playing these games at? Do you have an HD monitor?

Case.. Dell case, another source of proprietary. I have an older case (circa 2001), the pinout for the front panel buttons is proprietary. Meaning if I wanted to use the case, I'd have to figure out what wire does what and splice it.. (more trouble than its worth)..

What I'm getting at is, this is going to be a bigger project than you probably anticipate. You might find you're better off planning out a new build entirely and shedding the Dell completely. What are the full specs of this system anyway?

 

[Goodeggray]

What cpu is in the Dell now? Depending on the socket you maybe able to just replce it with a more powerful cpu if they motherboard can deliver the wattage. If you go for a unlocked cpu you will have to replce the motherboard in order to overclock.

 

[darksparten]

How old is your comp, what's the mobo socket, LGA1155, 955, 1366(Well probably not that lol)?

Dell and other generic cheap brands like Compaq use generic Chinese components that generally aren't nice in the cooperation with others area, find out your socket, if it's an LGA1155, go for a 2500k, 3570, or 3570k on sale/used. If you have 1156, try to find an old i7 920 floating around somewhere.

Honestly I just reccomend selling it for a cheap price and starting over. You'll have bottlenecks everywhere and by the end when you're done upgrading the entire computer will be changed, the only thing left will be the original case.

Good luck!

 

[techandoutdoors259]

Well the plan was to rebuild a pc from scratch anyways, and sell the dell. But I plan on gaming at 1080p res. I upgraded my Graphics to a AMD Radeon 6870, and my PSU to 700W. My CPU currently is an AMD Athlon II X3 435. The Dell itself is a Dell Inspiron 570. With 6GB of RAM.

 

[dansgas1000]

if you want to build a new PC i'd always recommend the i5 2500K.

 

[Goodeggray]

You can replace your athlon x3 425 with a athlon x4 645. It's $100 at newegg. Both have 95 watt tdp. The socket will also fit a phenom x4 965, but that hasd 125 watt tdp. Not sure if the mobo in your Dell can handle the additional wattage.

 

[thepksloth]

i'd recommend getting an 3570k for gaming and video editing ect. its a really solid cpu and is only $169.99 at microcenter i believe, although you can easily find them for under $200 if you cant get one there

 

[nekulturny]

Well the plan was to rebuild a pc from scratch anyways, and sell the dell. But I plan on gaming at 1080p res. I upgraded my Graphics to a AMD Radeon 6870, and my PSU to 700W. My CPU currently is an AMD Athlon II X3 435. The Dell itself is a Dell Inspiron 570. With 6GB of RAM.

Sounds to me like someone else has already done something to it... Dell has exclusively used Intel CPUs for over a decade, that Athlon II isn't stock. At least, I don't think so, maybe I'm wrong.