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Gaming Processor Predicament

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Doc03

n00b
Joined
Jan 16, 2009
Messages
14
Hello, I've been brainstorming a new budget gaming computer and I was interested in your opition on the processor. I'm at a cross between a slower quad core (Intel Core 2 Quad Q9400 2.66GHz) or a faster dual core (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor E8400 3.5GHZ, overclocked I believe).

As of now, the budget will be under $1200, likely running either a GTX 260 or GTX 275 GPU, and a 1680x1050 monitor. 99% of the work I'll be doing on this computer will be gaming, only minor multitasking. I understand that because I won't be doing much multitasking, the dual core is currently the better option for gaming, however I was curious as to how that will hold up in the future (say...2-3 years from now). Are games moving towards quad cores?

Lastly, I havent really considered an i7 build yet. At this point, is it even possible to build an i7 gaming computer at my budget without sacrificing the things that make it a "kick@#$" gaming computer?

As always, you guys have been a huge help and I'm very gratefull for the advice.:p
 
E8400 is still a good option I think, atm processor performance is not the priority on gaming, mostly graphics cards are important to final rendering speed of most today's games.
 
I'm very happy with my E8400 @ 3.6GHz. I run games with a GTX 260 at 1920x1200 beautifully. Most games can be maxed, and for the games that can't be, it's usually the game's fault.
 
If you have 1200, I would'nt even think Socket 775. I7 is where I would plan to spend the money on my next computer.
 
go with the quad and OC it :)

yes, games are moving towards heavy multithreading along with applications. Unless you're on a very tight budget, going with anything less than 4 cores seems pointless IMO (unless your current mobo doesn't support quad cores). My q6600 is OC'd to 3.0ghz which really isn't much compared to some but it's never held me back yet when it comes to gaming and more importantly, it's more than capable when it comes to multi-tasking :)


edit: I agree with the poster above, you might want to look into the i7's. I doubt you'll see much of a difference in gaming performance when it really comes down to it, but if you're building a whole new rig, why not go for the latest and greatest?
 
i7/6GB/mobo can be found for,
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115202 (if you have a microcenter nearby you can get it $50 cheaper)
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227375
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130220
Would that leave sufficient room elsewhere for a GTX295 or a couple GTX285 and the rest of what you need? People have different requirements as to what constitutes a gaming build, as well as what parts are being reused.

s775 can be upgraded to a (already released) quad in the future if needed. s1366 will be upgradable to at least a sexa-core. Most games dont need a quad. Yet. You decide.
 
Doc03 said:
Lastly, I havent really considered an i7 build yet. At this point, is it even possible to build an i7 gaming computer at my budget without sacrificing the things that make it a "kick@#$" gaming computer?
Click to expand...

Easily doable:
PC_User said:
i7 build for $1000 (monitor included):

$280 - i7 920
$180 - Foxconn FlamingBlade GTI LGA 1366
$84 - OCZ 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 ($15 rebate)
$110 - MSI Radeon 4850 512mb
$80 - BFG LS-550W ($20 rebate)
$55 - WD Caviar Blue 320GB
$55 - Antec 300
$23 - SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner
$130 - Hanns·G Hi-221DPB Black 22" (with $10 off coupon)

TOTAL: $997 before rebates and shipping
Click to expand...
 
i also think you should go i7 just to futureproof. the build immediately above looks ok, but id combine it with the one from danny bui on that other thread. go with:

$280-i7 920
$240-Asus P6T
$90-G Skill 3x2GB DDR3 1600
$180-HD 4870 1GB
$80-BFG LS-550
$75-Western Digital WD6401AALS 640GB
$55-Antec 300
$23-SAMSUNG 22X DVD±R DVD Burner
$130-Hanns·G Hi-221DPB Black 22"

thats $1153 before rebates. it will def be worth the extra $160 to get faster ram, better mobo, and better video card with a slightly less expensive case. with that extra 50 bucks you can get a nice hsf to improve your overclock, which should then be substantial with a 920 and 1600 ddr3. or you can go for a bigger hdd if you think youll need it. if you dont want either, get yourself a hooker off craigslist or something. :D
 
+1 for that i7 as people have said.

There is a case for a cheap 775 if you want performance at minimal price and people will offer recommendations here and that's perfectly fine. But with your budget, I would suggest that the i7 is the way to go.

And don't believe the negative people that say that the i7 is expensive and a niche product purely for high end enthusiasts. Most of these guys are six months behind in their pricing estimates and just guessing, or merely depressed because they just spent about the same on their brand new obsolete 775 system and want to convince themselves, and, as an unfortune side-effect, people like you, that they made the right decision.
 
I just bought:

i7 920 = $280
P6T open box = $170
4850 = $90
12gb ddr3 OCZ 1600 = $160
samsung dvd burner = $27
1366 cooler = $45 (should have bought a TRUE)

I had the rest but that is only $772 and you can fill in the gaps you need and stay under $1200
 
Danny Bui said:
Easily doable:
Click to expand...

That is an entirely backward gaming build if you ask me. Nearly $600 for the CPU/Mobo/RAM and only $110 for the GPU and $130 for the monitor. The GPU and display are two of the most important components of a gaming rig. They should be bought first with the rest of the build being the best that will fit with the rest of the budget.

Personally I would recommend the AMD X3 720 / Gigabyte MA790X-UD4P / 4GB DDR2 and then use the money saved to upgrade to an ATI 4890 or GTX 275 and a Dell 2209WA E-IPS monitor.

The difference between the X3 720 and the Core i7 920 is going to marginal at best in games especially going forward.
 
Last edited:
echn111 said:
And don't believe the negative people that say that the i7 is expensive and a niche product purely for high end enthusiasts.
Click to expand...

Why? It is the truth. A typical i7 configuration costs twice as much as the recommendation I made above without providing an equivalent improvement in gameplay experience. The X58 chipset that i7 is married to provides a lot more functionality (Tri-SLI + Crossfire, etc) than the typical gamer needs. There is no cheaper, mainstream alternative like there is with LGA775 / AM3 / AM2+ until i5 / P55 comes out at which point the sockets won't be interchangeable. That kind of makes it a bad deal.
 
That i7 build is way underbudget. Which is good as he can get that Dell 2209WA E-IPS, upgrade the GPU and "still" get an i7. Unless he is purely limiting himself to pure 3d shooter games, any games that take advantage of the CPU, such as games where you need to wait for the computer to calculate, will run faster on the i7 than the amd.
 
echn111 said:
That i7 build is way underbudget. Which is good as he can get that Dell 2209WA E-IPS, upgrade the GPU and "still" get an i7. Unless he is purely limiting himself to pure 3d shooter games, any games that take advantage of the CPU, such as games where you need to wait for the computer to calculate, will run faster on the i7 than the amd.
Click to expand...

Not exactly. He asked for under $1200 which would only give him enough wiggle room to upgrade the monitor, possibly.

If he can swing the budget for an i7 great, but it doesn't change the fact that it currently will provide little value for his usage model and that he should pick out the important components first - fast GPU, high quality LCD display, nice keyboard, mouse, and headset (and even sound card) - and then spend the rest of his budget accordingly. His overall gaming experience will be better if his money is invested in the right components. Fortunately as it is right now, it has been shown that a $140 AMD X3 720 can provide an excellent gaming experience at high resolutions, better than anything on LGA775 at a similar price point, which frees up his budget to upgrade the other components that provide more value for gaming.
 
I'll second this. An i7 is a waste for gaming unless you have spare cash. It is just too expensive for the gaming benefit it provides to be worthwhile.
 
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