Best CPU for $180 - 220 range

[Bags]

Hey goku, not up to date on the new cpus that intel just launched, what's the best value for the average game with a $1000ish budget? Lots of my friends come to me for builds and I want to get 'em the best values.

These guys pretty much just game; league of legends, dota 2, TF2, WoW, skyrim and soon to be PS2.

[Goku]

Is he near MC? If so just get the 3570K. Otherwise the 2400 or 2500K.

[Bags]

Yeah, he's not. Thanks!

[Goku]

If he wants Ivy Bridge go for the 3470 for $200.

[Bags]

He just wants best bang for buck for gaming. Mostly for PS2.. but we don't know much about the requirements for that~

[termhn]

2500k from newegg... they have a sale on that for $205 right now, and it's pretty much the same as far as gaming performance with a discrete graphics card.

[Zulthus]

It isn't Intel, but this is damn well the best processor for that price range, especially for gaming.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103960

[Goku]

I'm sorry Zulthus, but that is far far from the case. BD is lacking severely as a gaming processor at that price. Maybe is AMD priced that at below $175 it would start getting more attention. The gap between IB and BD in terms IPC is just plain sad.

[Zulthus]

Originally Posted by Goku

I'm sorry Zulthus, but that is far far from the case. BD is lacking severely as a gaming processor at that price. Maybe is AMD priced that at below $175 it would start getting more attention. The gap between IB and BD in terms IPC is just plain sad.

I honestly don't think that to be the case. Two or three of my friends have that exact processor and gaming is as good as anyone would ever need it. Even my measly Athlon x4 630 runs games and multitasks perfectly fine.

Also found a quick benchmark:
http://www.cpubenchmark.net/high_end_cpus.html

The Bulldozer performs better than most Ivy Bridge processors for the price point.
Even if the gap between IB and BD was that exaggerated, you really don't need the extra power. As a shitty example, let me think... it's sort of like choosing between a GTX 680 and a GTX 690 to play Doom at the highest settings. They can both run it perfectly fine, but you're just paying extra for the name on the 690.

[Goku]

Passmark is a awful benchmark. No real reviewer even makes use of it. Besides I'm talking gaming. Look here and here. At launch BD was show to only beat SB in certain areas like using Winrar and other instances. No idea where you are getting your info.

[Zulthus]

Originally Posted by Goku

Passmark is a awful benchmark. No real reviewer even makes use of it. Besides I'm talking gaming. Look here and here. At launch BD was show to only beat SB in certain areas like using Winrar and other instances. No idea where you are getting your info.

Both of those links you posted both point to show that the Bulldozer excels at multithreaded programs, and the framerate difference between the processors is insignificant. You don't notice a difference past 60FPS, which relates to the comparison I made earlier. You're just paying extra money on an Ivy Bridge for a minimal increase in performance that really doesn't matter in the end much anyway.

Like I said, BD vs IB is like GTX 680 vs 690

I know you're the tech master in this neck of the woods but I stand by what I'm saying

[Goku]

BD only excels at certain areas that may happen to take advantage of all its threads. Most people out there looking for a processor around this price range do not need that extra benefit and will instead be better off with the stronger cores found on SB or IB. Besides if someone really needs multithreading they will be looking at either a i7 quad or moving up the 3930K. Neither of which BD even holds up to.

[Zulthus]

Originally Posted by Goku

BD only excels at certain areas that may happen to take advantage of all its threads. Most people out there looking for a processor around this price range do not need that extra benefit and will instead be better off with the stronger cores found on SB or IB. Besides if someone really needs multithreading they will be looking at either a i7 quad or moving up the 3930K. Neither of which BD even holds up to.

Perhaps the IB is much stronger than the BD. All I'm saying is the performance from both brands is exceptional.

I'm running a very old Athlon ii x4 630. I haven't even upgraded from that yet because there's no need. High end games run perfectly, I render videos often, lots of photoshop/aftereffects work, etc. It's really fast... and it's so much worse than the more modern processors. I'd in fact say the IB and BD are too good.

[Vancha]

Originally Posted by Zulthus

It isn't Intel, but this is damn well the best processor for that price range, especially for gaming.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103960

Why would you even do that to people?!

[Zulthus]

Originally Posted by Vancha

Why would you even do that to people?!

The people who bought it in the reviews seemed to be happy about their purchase