AMD v/s Intel

[asprin]

I've finally decided to do away with my 8-year-old system. Let me start off my specifying my current configuration:

• Intel Pentium Dual Core 1.8 GHz
• Mercury PI945GCM Mainboard
  
• 2 GB RAM

So in order to upgrade from my current setup, I initially thought of going with the following:

Intel Setup
Intel i5 3450 (4 cores) + Compatible Motherboard
4GB RAM
Intel 3.1 GHz LGA 1155 Core i5 3450 Processor - Intel : Flipkart.com

While browsing the store, I also came across the following config:

AMD Setup
AMD 4 GHz AM3+ FX-4300 (4 cores)
Gigabyte GA-78LMT-S2 Motherboard
AMD 4 GHz AM3+ FX-4300 FX-Series Four-Core Edition FD4300WMHKBOX Processor - AMD : Flipkart.com


Now I seek the help of you knowledgeable folks to guide me in my selection process. If I choose Intel i5, I get only the processor whereas at the same price I get an AMD processor + the Motherboard + RAM

Why is AMD that cheap? Also I've seen numerous times people stating that AMD is the way to go if you're building a gaming rig. Going by that, it would seem that I should choose AMD but the huge price difference between that and Intel processors has left me confused.

Which do you think would be a better value for money in terms of gaming?

 

[MattW]

Well AMD are cheaper because they have to be, there'd be no reason to buy their products otherwise. I've bought AMD for all but one of the machines I've had in the last 10 years, and I've had no problems and got a much faster machine at a lower cost than the Intel equivalent.

Worth noting that on that specific AMD chip - and the FX line in general - there's no GPU on chip, so you'd be left to what's on the motherboard which will mean absolutely nothing will play on it. If you can afford an external graphics card that doesn't matter at all, and will be good value - but if you can't, then the 2000 extra to get the otherwise identical A8-6600K will be worth it - AMD 3.9 GHz FM2 Quad-Core A8-6600K Processor - AMD : Flipkart.com - and certainly better than any 2000 Rs. graphics card would be.

 

[Chewie]

AMD is better for budget systems imo, while for the high end Intel performs better. If you're not getting a separate graphic card and relying on internal graphics for gaming, AMD is the way to go as well, unless you're not intending on using the computer primarily for gaming

 

[asprin]

Worth noting that on that specific AMD chip - and the FX line in general - there's no GPU on chip, so you'd be left to what's on the motherboard which will mean absolutely nothing will play on it. If you can afford an external graphics card that doesn't matter at all, and will be good value - but if you can't, then the 2000 extra to get the otherwise identical A8-6600K will be worth it

If you're not getting a separate graphic card and relying on internal graphics for gaming, AMD is the way to go as well, unless you're not intending on using the computer primarily for gaming

Thanks! I do have a graphics card (forgot to mention it in my current config). My primary purpose is to have a semi-gaming config and I think with AMD, I'd be able to achieve that. I might even go for A8-6600K if things fall in place.

 

[MattW]

Thanks! I do have a graphics card (forgot to mention it in my current config). My primary purpose is to have a semi-gaming config and I think with AMD, I'd be able to achieve that. I might even go for A8-6600K if things fall in place.

As I mentioned - the CPUs are otherwise identical - so if you've got the graphics card to move across then the FX-4300 is exactly the same and cheaper. Here's a comparison.

 

[SambarVadai]

I'd be thinking of replacing my Core 2 Duo processor with an AMD one mentioned above.How can I check if my Gigabyte Motherboard will support it or not.?

 

[MattW]

You need a new motherboard if you want to go from Intel to AMD - and in most cases to make any worthwhile upgrades.

 

[Villain]

You'll be getting the maximum performance of your graphics card using i5 when compared to AMD FX 6300 only if you're going to use a high-end graphics card like a GTX 780, which doesn't seem to be your option right now. A solid mid-range graphics card like a Nvidia GTX 650 would give you the maximum performance on the AMD one(FX 6300). So I don't find any reason for you to go for the high-priced, Intel. Also, you should rather go for a AMD 3.5 AM3+ FX 6-Core Edition FX-6300 (FD6300WMHKBOX) Processor - AMD : Flipkart.com

 

[Villain]

Thanks! I do have a graphics card (forgot to mention it in my current config). My primary purpose is to have a semi-gaming config and I think with AMD, I'd be able to achieve that. I might even go for A8-6600K if things fall in place.

What graphics card are you gonna go for/you got currently?

@MattW what are your PC specs buddy? I'll be building up a mid-range gaming PC lately, so just curios to know what system are you using and what games it can play and on what settings. Of course, there are benchmarks of the specific part of the system over the internet but I'd like to have your personal opinion on the system of yours.

 

[SambarVadai]

Turns out I have an Intel supporting Motherboard...that'd be quite a pain when ill migrate to AMD

 

[asprin]

You'll be getting the maximum performance of your graphics card using i5 when compared to AMD FX 6300 only if you're going to use a high-end graphics card like a GTX 780, which doesn't seem to be your option right now. A solid mid-range graphics card like a Nvidia GTX 650 would give you the maximum performance on the AMD one(FX 6300)

I'm not aiming to have a very high end system, a mid range will do for now. I've the NVIDIA 9500GT 1 GB card and even though it's quite old, it has been doing the job as I'm content with games which are not very graphic heavy.

 

[Villain]

I'm not aiming to have a very high end system, a mid range will do for now. I've the NVIDIA 9500GT 1 GB card and even though it's quite old, it has been doing the job as I'm content with games which are not very graphic heavy.

Then I don't find any reason to go for i5 as the AMD one would work really well with that graphics card. And it wouldn't even bottleneck a solid mid-range graphics card like a GTX 650 in case if you wish to upgrade to a higher one. Good luck.

 

[MattW]

@MattW what are your PC specs buddy? I'll be building up a mid-range gaming PC lately, so just curios to know what system are you using and what games it can play and on what settings. Of course, there are benchmarks of the specific part of the system over the internet but I'd like to have your personal opinion on the system of yours.

About the only thing new is the graphics card, and I moved to 8 from 4GB of RAM early last year, but not for gaming reasons:

CPU: AMD Athlon II X4 640
M/B: GA-880GM-UD2H
RAM: 8GB DDR3-1333
GPU: AMD Radeon R9 270
OS: Windows 8.1 Pro x64

I don't play all that many graphically demanding games, so can't be much help - I get a solid 1080p at 60fps with everything on maximum in DBC 14, FIFA 14. In NFS Rivals I get the capped 30fps most of the time on High, but it drops down to 20fps in some of the city areas.

Turns out I have an Intel supporting Motherboard...that'd be quite a pain when ill migrate to AMD

Pretty much anytime the CPU upgrade you intend to do can be done without changing your motherboard, you're not going to get a large performance boost. It's pretty much always essential.

 

[asprin]

Well, I went ahead and bought the following config:

AMD 4 GHz AM3+ FX-4300
Gigabyte GA-78LMT-S2 Motherboard
4GB DDR3-1033
1TB WD HDD

It cost me Rs.14,750 in total so I guess I got a reasonably good deal. Thanks everyone for the advice/suggestions.

 

[zeustrojanstark]

Graphic card?