| Best Gaming CPUs: $110 To $200 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Gaming CPU for $120 (Honorable mention) |
Best Gaming CPU for $130 |
Best Gaming CPU for $180 |
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| Product | 
AMD FX-4300
|
Intel Core i3-3220
|
Intel Core i5-3350P
|
| Your Price | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Analysis | At stock clock rates, AMD's FX-4300 is able to keep up with the Phenom II X4 965 and just about reach the Core i3-3220. However, its TDP is 35 W lower than the Phenom, and an unlocked multiplier is an advantage over the Core i3. We're giving it an honorable mention for the few reasons folks might want to consider a low-cost CPU built on the Piledriver architecture. Read our review of the Vishera-based FX CPUs. |
Intel's Ivy Bridge-based CPUs are very capable gaming processors, though we're increasingly seeing dual-core derivatives of the design lagging behind in our favorite titles. Conversely, benchmark data makes it clear that the company's Hyper-Threading technology is effective in helping improve the performance of a dual-core CPU in threaded games.
Although a locked multiplier limits overclocking to a few-megahertz bump in BCLK frequency, we still consider Intel's Core i3-3220 to be a good starting point for gamers who might upgrade to a faster LGA 1155-based processor in the future. Read our review of the Ivy Bridge-based CPUs. |
Intel's Sandy and Ivy Bridge-based Core i5 processors are well-known for their gaming prowess at reasonable prices, and the Core i5-3350P is a particularly interesting option at $180. The P suffix is an indication that Intel disables its HD Graphics engine, but we're perfectly alright with such a decision. If you're buying a gaming processor, you're going to want discrete graphics anyway. Consequently, this CPU ducks in under 70 W. Read our review of the Ivy Bridge-based CPUs. |
Performance (indexed to 100%)
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 |
 |
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| Architecture | Vishera | Ivy Bridge | Ivy Bridge |
| Frequency (Turbo) | 3.8 (4.0) GHz | 3.3 GHz | 3.1 (3.3) GHz |
| Cores (Threads) | 4 (4) | 2 (4) | 4 (4) |
| Cache (L1, L2, L3) | 2 x 64 KB + 4 x 16 KB, 2 x 2 MB, 4 MB | 2 x 64 KB, 2 x 256 KB, 3 MB | 4 x 64 KB, 4 x 256 KB, 6 MB |
| Integrated GPU | N/A | HD Graphics 2500 (650 MHz, 1.05 GHz Turbo) | N/A |
| Memory Support | DDR3-1866, dual-channel | DDR3-1333/1600, dual-channel, up to 32 GB | DDR3-1333/1600, dual-channel, up to 32 GB |
| TDP | 95 W | 55 W | 77 W |
| Process | 32 nm | 22 nm | 22 nm |
| Socket | AM3+ | LGA 1155 | LGA 1155 |
| Your Price | Buy | Buy | Buy |
