Spend money on GPU or CPU for gaming?

[transfan]

Hi all,

Right now I'm looking at an i5-3570k and either a gtx 650 or radeon 7750, so my budget is approx $300-320

For gaming, should I stick with this, or would it make more sense to get a less expensive cpu and a more expensive graphics card?

Can I do any better-performance wise-than the above?

 

[prototype18]

Well games are GPU demanding . So get a better GPU and maybe an I3 3220


http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=75429&vpn=BX80637I33220&manufacture=Intel&promoid=1030 110$

http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=73627&vpn=HD7870-DC2-2GD5-V2&manufacture=ASUS&promoid=1030 230$

=340 $ 20 more and u get higher perfromance increase

 

[MajinCry]

@Proto An i3? Might as well get the 965 BE.

@OP I'd say get the 965 BE. With the money saved from that, get a 7850/7870.

 

[prototype18]

Well that better than 965 Be. He has Upgrade possibility . And he is looking to i5 3570K that means he has intel mobo not AMD one. So he would have to buy a new mobo. I3 is a beast at gaming so it will suffice him.

 

[transfan]

well I haven't purchased a mobo yet, either. I was going to get a gigabyte z77 for $100

 

[prototype18]

Asrock Extreme 4 Z77 . A great mobo for 104 $

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/pzqT

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/677?vs=102

Considering tha P4 is a quad core should be really faster than I3. But it doesnt . And in games a review from tom's conluded that even the intel bottom line can surpass AMD in gaming. So get the I3 . Not worth getting the P4 now.

With I3 now you can add I5 later while with P4 u cant.

I5 cant be beaten by any AMD CPU so just go for it

 

[lostgamer_03]

It's all about balance!

i5-3470 with either GTX 660, Radeon 7850 or Radeon 7870 would be the best choice.

 

[prototype18]

It's all about balance!

i5-3470 with either GTX 660, Radeon 7850 or Radeon 7870 would be the best choice.

Well he wanted to stay withing budget. And I3 isnt going to Bneck that 7870 i linked. So he dont need to spen money on that CPU . He would be better getting the 3570K than I5 3470.

Look my sig. I can max out any game with 60+ Fps except Bf 3 where i get 50+ Fps .My Cpu costed 20$ so that I3 its te best for him as he wants gaming !

 

[dheeraj9933]

@prototype
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=h77&x=0&y=0

u gave him an i3 3220, he is probably not going to overclock, so an H77 mobo would make more sense and he could save some more money
and maybe buy a PSU, he hasn't told anything about it yet.

 

[heavymetal2000]

Xfx 7870 cnfc gpu 189.99 @ ncix
AMD 965 be cpu 79.99 @ ncix
Asrock 970 rxtreme3 mobo 69.99 @ newegg

You didnt mention you needed mobo with original budget if thats the case you can downgrade the gputo a 7850 and stay in budget.

Intel cpu's may "bench" higher consitently but that doesnt mean amd cpu's cant game. The above build gives solid performance for price and wont force you to buy and even lower end gpu to stay in budget.

 

[prototype18]

Well if he decides to get I5 3570 he would have to change the mobo .So why not buy it now.

Also OP said he was going to get a z77 100$ mobo.

So lets wait his response of what he needs.

 

[coolermaster_72]

Look at my sig, I'm having a core i3 - 3220 and Asus GTX 660 - All I can say is I'm more than happy with this rig and can handle any game that I throw at it!

I agree with prototype18 , i3 is a beast at gaming and you can buy an i5 in the future when its time for upgrading.

 

[coolermaster_72]

we have different suggestions here, let the OP decide now

 

[lostgamer_03]

Well he wanted to stay withing budget. And I3 isnt going to Bneck that 7870 i linked. So he dont need to spen money on that CPU . He would be better getting the 3570K than I5 3470.

Look my sig. I can max out any game with 60+ Fps except Bf 3 where i get 50+ Fps .My Cpu costed 20$ so that I3 its te best for him as he wants gaming !

You can't be getting 50+ fps? I got i5-3570 and GTX 660, I owned GTX 560 ti as well until it died at the GTX 660 and GTX 650 launch.

I had it overclocked to 1020 mHz on the core and 1250 mHz at memory and even with that overclock I didn't get 50+ fps. Same goes for my GTX 660 right now, it's 45-55 fps.

 

[transfan]

coolermaster_72: Do you overclock that setup at all?

 

[prototype18]

You can't be getting 50+ fps? I got i5-3570 and GTX 660, I owned GTX 560 ti as well until it died at the GTX 660 and GTX 650 launch.

I had it overclocked to 1020 mHz on the core and 1250 mHz at memory and even with that overclock I didn't get 50+ fps. Same goes for my GTX 660 right now, it's 45-55 fps.

I can make a video if u want. Check on you tube. A 7770 can ultra Bf3

 

[prototype18]

coolermaster_72: Do you overclock that setup at all?

He has a beast PC. He dsnt need to.Later he will need to do that to the GPU

 

[lostgamer_03]

I can make a video if u want. Check on you tube. A 7770 can ultra Bf3

on a 720 p resolution maybe, not on 1080p.

 

[lostgamer_03]

@prototype
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=h77&x=0&y=0

u gave him an i3 3220, he is probably not going to overclock, so an H77 mobo would make more sense and he could save some more money
and maybe buy a PSU, he hasn't told anything about it yet.

A h77 isn't even needed. A b75 could do just as good, and is so cheap.

 

[prototype18]

on a 720 p resolution maybe, not on 1080p.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eFwCSaGu80

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3u8_ErvsAg4
Mine

Edit : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXuUBj07JVY&feature=related

 

[dheeraj9933]

A h77 isn't even needed. A b75 could do just as good, and is so cheap.

yea that would go too

 

[prototype18]

As i said he wanted to go with I5. He cant get the K series with such mobos.

So why not.

Thats what i did too.

I got this 20$ CPU and now saving to get I5 3570 K

 

[transfan]

What's a good power supply for the 7870?

 

[dheeraj9933]

amd's website says 500W
http://www.amd.com/us/products/desktop/graphics/7000/7870/Pages/radeon-7870.aspx#2
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&N=-1&isNodeId=1&Description=500w&x=0&y=0
choose ur fav brand

 

[prototype18]

Well 7870 needs 165W so that will be basen on your cpu too

But

165W GPU
15W Hdd
16W Ram
25W Dvd
=221W

Add 55-77W CPU

=270-300W so u are ok with a 500W psu.

Maybe Xfx 550W Core Pro

http://us.ncix.com/products/?sku=59615&vpn=P1550SXXB9&manufacture=XFX&promoid=1257