I really want to build a gaming PC, but Intel and Nvidia cards seem to be quite a bit more expensive than their AMD counterparts. I mean, I can get an eight-core CPU from AMD for less than an Intel i5! So, if I were to go with AMD, would I be losing out? Like, are they as good as Intel CPUs and Nvidia GPUs?

Would any of these handle gaming?

http://www.ebuyer.com/amd-maf

As far as CPU's go, no. No AMD CPU can compete gaming wise with an i5-3570k. In the lower budget ranges, AMD's saving grace is it's overclocking capability which allows their CPU's to surpass Intel. But for the higher end CPU's, it's Intel all the way.

As far as GPU's go, it's pretty damn even right now. AMD actually might be slightly ahead but it's very close. I find it hard to beat the 7800 and 7900 series in their respective budget ranges though. Nvidia has the 690 which is the dominant card on the very high end and both AMD and Nvidia have a fair split of low-mid range cards.

The good thing is you can go with an intel chipset, but grab an ATI Radeon card, or go with an AMD processor with an Nvidia card. Each has their own pros and cons when you start looking deeper and deeper into things. It's all about how far you want to go down the rabbit hole to learn about things. When you start talking about varying technologies such as nanometer vs nanometer, things can get very confusing.

Intel is pretty stable for processors, however, they can be pretty expensive. Nvidia is good for GPUs, but I stick with Radeons. Only reason some go for Nvidia is the extra processor that is dedicated to physics processing. Personally, I equate the processor to an extra cherry on top. Some want it, others feel it just isn't worth it.

Recently replaced my 5870 card because the fan was humming loudly, upgrading to an ATI Radeon 7970. It runs pretty much everything I can throw at it. Far Cry 3 being a prime example where everything is cranked up to high with only a few settings turned to medium. I rarely dropped below 60fps throughout my entire playthrough. Only time I had a major fps drop was towards the end with a lot of particle effects going on. The fps drop happened two or three times, lasting for .5 to 1 second at the most.

Can their CPUs really not compete? Are they not respectable gaming CPUs at all?

Like, could this CPU run modern games?

http://www.ebuyer.com/409191-amd-fx-6300-3-5ghz-socket-am3-14mb-cache-retail-boxed-processor-fd6300wmhkbox


I don't have a lot of money, but really want to get a decent gaming PC. AMD is like buying the supermarket brand of food instead of the actual proper brands in a way.

They are respectable gaming CPU's and are not a bad choice at all for a budget-orientated build. But pound for pound Intel's flagship ivy bridge processors are just so damn good right now AMD's stuff can't match it. That CPU you linked is great and can overclock like a champ, I would take it over an Intel in that price bracket. If you are looking at spending some big bucks though, go Intel or go home. The only other choice for that price range of the FX6300 on the Intel side of things would be an i3, which can't be overclocked and therefore is not as good as the AMD processor.

You can check out the CPU section of the guide in my sig for more info.

Without over-clocking though, how would that processor fare running games like Crysis 2 and Battlefield 3? It has eight-cores and a speed of 3.5 GHz for just ￡104 GBP (around $170 USD)! That seems really good value!

UPDATE:

That CPU is only on the budget list found in your signature, which won't give the best performance and may not be too future-proof. The next model up in the range is still around ￡45 GBP cheaper than the i5-3570K. So, which of the following do you recommend? Is it really worth spending the extra cash?

http://www.ebuyer.com/349029-intel-core-i5-3570k-3-4ghz-socket-1155-6mb-cache-retail-boxed-processor-bx80637i53570k

OR

http://www.ebuyer.com/409186-amd-fx-8320-3-5ghz-socket-am3-16mb-cache-retail-boxed-processor-fd8320frhkbox

I've already said that you'd most likely be shooting yourself in the foot in terms of future upgrades if you go with AMD now. I doubt AM3+ will stick around much longer.

You'd be much better off getting a less expensive Ivy Bridge Intel CPU that uses LGA 1155. At least that way you'd likely have more upgrade options down the road.

Everyone keeps saying that the AMD are great when overclocked, but does the OP want to try over-clocking though?

I've built my own PCs for years and I never over-clock anything since overclocking tends to reduce part life and cause some stability issues. Not to mention if you start overclocking you have to spend an extra $60 on a proper CPU cooler rather then using the stock cooler.

I will say though, the cheaper AMD chips are pretty damn good for their price backet, mainly because they all compete with Intel's i3, which is a very business computer processor.

The eight-cores sound great but AMD's cores are weak compared to Intel. That stock 8 core processor will give you similar performance in games to an dual-core i3-3220. It will perform better in multi-core applications but 8 cores doesn't matter for gaming.

The 7970 cost me around $400, but I think the 7870 can run pretty much any game you can throw at it. If you go lower than that, though you will suffer a bit, you can probably still run some decent games. Went with the mentioned card because I do some video editing, and the program I use can take advantage of my card. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202004 can suit your needs with the price being around $200 on Newegg.

A proper cooler costs half of that, and overclocking isn't going to noticeably reduce part life either. It's not like most of us keep the same hardware until it literally dies anyway. Not overclocking a capable CPU pretty much means you just wasted your money on that CPU.

You don't need a higher quality cooler for overclocking. My Phenom II X4 is overclocked from 3.0GHz to 3.6GHz on stock cooling. I've read reviews that state it's virtually impossible to overclock it higher than that and maintain stability even on aftermarket cooling. Granted, it might be different for the FX series. It also only causes stability issues if you overclock it too much, or don't correctly balance the voltage. I've had mine overclocked for a few years now and have never had a crash that was related to overclocking issues.

Games at most current take advantage of about 2 cores, in the next year years they might move up to quad cores. Eight cores/threads are overkill at the moment, unless you are running a ton of stuff n the background your computer wont be able to take advantage of the extra cores at times.

That CPU is only on the budget list found in your signature, which won't give the best performance and may not be too future-proof. The next model up in the range is still around ￡45 GBP cheaper than the i5-3570K. So, which of the following do you recommend? Is it really worth spending the extra cash?

http://www.ebuyer.com/349029-intel-core-i5-3570k-3-4ghz-socket-1155-6mb-cache-retail-boxed-processor-bx80637i53570k

OR

http://www.ebuyer.com/409186-amd-fx-8320-3-5ghz-socket-am3-16mb-cache-retail-boxed-processor-fd8320frhkbox

EDIT: And, no, I don't want to try over-clocking because I wouldn't know how.

If you refuse to overclock get the i5-3470 or the i3-3220 whichever is closer to what you're willing to spend. AMD CPU's are a waste if you aren't going to overclock, and so are Intel's high end CPU's.

Well, what do you recommend for preferably below ￡200 GBP (around $300 USD) in terms of a CPU? I want to be able to run all modern games with good FPS. Also, are AMD's GPUs comparable to Nvidia? Which is better? I know AMD are cheaper, but is Nvidia worth the extra?

There's no point to spending even close to that amount of money if you are not going to overclock. You are doing nothing but throwing your money in the garbage if you do that. If you want to be able to run all the latest games on the highest settings you need to get into overclocking otherwise you need to be satisfied with less performance. The guide covers GPU's as well if you want to look into that.

I didn't say run all the games on the latest settings. I just want them looking good, like at least on-par with consoles and at a solid FPS (above 30 always). Preferably, a little bit of future-proofing in terms of picking parts would also be good. With that in mind, I am looking for a good CPU - any recommendations? Also, I doubt you need to over-clock to run games on high settings. You could just buy a really good CPU to begin with, surely! I'll check out the guide for GPUs and mind having a look at the PM I sent you?

Just like at benchmarks and prices and decide for yourself based on that.

Nvidia and AMD GPU's offer very comparable performance this generation, but AMD (usually) will give more performance per dollar. The benchmarks http://www.anandtech.com/bench/GPU12/372 are a great way to compare the relative performance of specific GPU's in different games.

You should really post a total build budget and whether you need to buy peripherals (monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers/headset) so we can help you maximize your budget in regards to all components. A good CPU and GPU won't do you much good if you skimp on the PSU and your system blows up.

Ok, in that case like I said an i5-3470 will be as good as it gets for you and yes that CPU runs circles around even the next generation consoles CPUs. Your budget of $300 for a CPU is too high for your needs and you're better off saving your money and just going with the i5-3470. It's just when I hear someone willing to spend the amount of money you were talking I was thinking you wanted something different.

http://sprng.me/hgu4a

It is a notebook containing all the parts I plan on using to build a gaming PC (just haven't picked the case yet). Could you have a look and tell me if there are any parts that I could save money on and manage on a cheaper model?

EDIT: The reason I was looking at the i5-3570K is because I can get it as part of a bundle with RAM and a motherboard. Have a look at the notebook and tell me if you think it is a good deal, or should I go with the i5-3470 still?

Intel CPUs are more efficient than AMD at the moment. Even though a few games are starting to utilise multiple cores, AMDs run hot and use more power.

http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,review-32546.html

I have issue with the wording here. Lets say can rather than tends to.

I have been OCing my I7 950 (3.07Ghz stock) at 4.2Ghz for a few years now with no issues what so ever.

Check your PM's, but just to clarify, the motherboard that comes in that bundle is also more then what you need. That board is made for overclocking with and since you won't be doing that a cheaper B75 board will suit your needs better.