Best Gaming CPU

[Dulahey]

Okay, new to these forums but I need help. Which CPU should I get for gaming. I've been told to get the x2 4400+, but I read that the FX 53/55 are still better for gaming. How are the FX 53/55 better? Am I better off getting a dual core for the future?

Also, the x2 4400+ is almost the max i'm willing to spend. I might go for the FX 53, but the 55 is just too much.

<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Dulahey on 06/22/05 05:30 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[dunklegend]

For gaming the CPU is important, but more important is the video card. Are you gonna buy the whole system or you're just missing the CPU?

<font color=red>Left to themselves, all things go from bad to worse</font color=red>

 

[tweebel]

For now the FX series is better but in a year the X2 series might be better in new games. It depends on the software developers. Still haven't heard much about games supporting dual core, only about what would be possible (seperate physics and graphics calculations etc).

 

[fishmahn]

For gaming an AMD Athlon64 is definitely what to get (but you apparently know that). For today's games, the FX55 is the fastest available. The FX53 (and it's non-FX 'twin' the 4000+) are a little slower (200mhz) but still darn good for games. Any A64 you get will be good for games. If you don't overclock, then get a faster chip (3500 or 4000), if you overclock, get a slower one (3000 or 3200) and overclock it to the faster speed.

Dual core... (4200+ to 4800+) Today's games can't take advantage of them (some exceptions, but they don't show much if any performance improvement that I'm aware of), but in the future they will. It may take a couple years, but I think the first games to benefit from dual cores will be out in about a year, and it'll take another year for the technology to mature, so I'd guess in 2 years, a dual-core will be quite useful (if not a necessity).

Does that mean get one now? I don't think so unless you plan to keep your system unchanged for more than 2-3 years. They do have other advantages today - you can rip a dvd while you game away for example , so that decision I have to leave up to you.

Remember, you can get a socket 939 board and a 3200+ today (that's a pretty good gaming machine...), and in a year, get that 4800+ and just drop it in... Might be a good idea pricewise.

In any case, once you get a fast-ish cpu (any of the above), your biggest bottleneck for games is the graphics card, so if money is an issue, get a slower CPU and a faster GPU.

Mike.

 

[Starfishy]

I'm gonna have to agree with tweeble here. Currently the FX is a better CPU for gamers, but if the newer games are designed keeping multi-cores in mind (which I don't think they will be for at least a year because most games coming out now have been in development long before we had dual cores) then the X2's will be better.

My recomendation would be to get the FX for now, just because we don't know what the future will bring. Although if you are a gamer that likes to run other programs while gaming the X2 would be the right choice.

 

[Starfishy]

crappy... I am getting scooped all day today.

 

[Dulahey]

Thanks guys, you're pretty much saying what I was thinking. And I am spending a hefty amount of cash on a graphics card. (maybe 2x for sli)

Wish I knew more about overclocking heh, I'll prolly grab a 3500 or so. Or is it the 3700 with 1mb cache? I'd have to look.

 

[Starfishy]

It isn't hard to learn about OCing just hang around in the OCing forum for a bit.

 

[dunklegend]

What's your budget and which parts you're gonna buy with it and we can give you good options.

&#12

<font color=red>Left to themselves, all things go from bad to worse</font color=red>

 

[Dulahey]

Right now I'm looking at.

MoBo: Abit A8N-SLi
PSU: Seasonic 600w
CPU: AMD 64
RAM: 1Gb (2x512) Corsair dual channel blah blah
GPU: 6800 Ultra probably?
HD: 10k RPM WD Raptor
Monitor: Dell 2405FPW /drool

Budget without monitor is definately less than 2000. 15/1600 is what I was looking at with the 4400+.
<P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1><EM>Edited by Dulahey on 06/22/05 06:53 PM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

[dunklegend]

The 7800 video card has just been released and it's cheaper than 2 6800U with very good performance. It's at $599 in newegg.com

&#14

<font color=red>Left to themselves, all things go from bad to worse</font color=red>

 

[Dulahey]

are you saying the 7800 out performs what 2x 6800U's can do?

 

[fishmahn]

LOL!

I got scooped twice on this one - Neither of the other 2 posts were there when I started my reply.

Mike.

 

[Dulahey]

I'm thinking about the *AMD Athlon 64 3700+ with 1MB Cache* I believe this is the San Diego? Any problems with this?

http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1366616&Tab=0&NoMapp=0

I can't see Newegg.com here at work, so you get tiger instead.

 

[dunklegend]

<A HREF="http://www.tigerdirect.com/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1366616&Tab=0&NoMapp=0" target="_new">clicky</A>

<font color=red>Left to themselves, all things go from bad to worse</font color=red>

 

[Starfishy]

That is the San Diego core and no problems.