I need a few CPU recommendations...

[DannyBee]

Can I ask a quick question in here? What's the best Quad-Core you can get for around >£100. Because I've been wanting overhaul my system for a while and I only have around £250 for a new case, PSU, RAM, Mobo and CPU. I'm upgrading from a 2009 Q8300 with 4GB of 1333MHz RAM and a sh*tty OEM motherboard. My GPU is a Nvidia ASUS DirectCU 550Ti 1GB and I run at 1920 x 1080.

 

Anyhow the AMD Phenom ii X4 965 Black Editon has caught my eye as it is 4-core and at 3.4GHz, but people say the stock fan is sh*te and the fact that there's no upgrade path unlike with Intel, and I also can't seem to find a AM3 motherboard at a decent price with USB 3.0. Do you guys have any recommendations? I can't afford an i5 at the moment otherwise that would be my first choice

 

 

[yoječ]

I'd recommend you to stick to Q8300 until you manage to afford an i5. Going from Quad to Phenom/i3 isn't a huge improvement.

Edited November 20, 2012 by yojo2

[xI Jakk Ix]

Not to say it's impossible, but I think with that budget, you're going to have a very hard time finding the things you want for low prices, unless you use 2nd hand parts or find good deals and offers. Even if you do manage to get all that for under £250, you're only going to be spending more money upgrading in the future, because the parts you will end up buying won't be good enough, so your money will be wasted. Especially since you want a good Quad Core CPU for under £100.

[DannyBee]

Well in that case I'll just wait until I can afford a 3570 . Thanks anyhow, I would like to get a new motherboard and RAM still though, and my PSU is like 300W below what it should be

[yoječ]

On second thought, you can afford an i5, if you don't change the RAM (assuming you have DDR3 now):

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/intel-core-...he-32x-ratio-77

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/msi-b75a-g4...-dvi-d-hdmi-atx

http://www.scan.co.uk/products/550w-ocz-te...2v-quiet-fan-at

The catch is that this mobo doesn't allow overclocking... i5-3470 doesn't overclock that well anyway.

 

//edit: damn, I forgot about case. But still, you can *almost* afford it

[xI Jakk Ix]

Well if you're going to wait for the 3570k, do not get a motherboard now as the CPU socket will be incompatible. Getting more RAM and a new PSU (I assume good quality, I use Corsair TX650M for my 3570k GTX 670 system) is always nice.

[DannyBee]

Well if you're going to wait for the 3570k, do not get a motherboard now as the CPU socket will be incompatible. Getting more RAM and a new PSU (I assume good quality, I use Corsair TX650M for my 3570k GTX 670 system) is always nice.

Ah that's a bit of a disappointment, still even if I got new RAM it would have to be DDR2. So I may just get a new PSU and Case and then save up for the rest. But nobody here would recommend the AMD Phenom 3.3Ghz Quad Core compared to my 2.5Ghz Intel one? GTA IV runs like a bitch at the moment and my GPU isn't even that bad

[yoječ]

You would definitely see a difference, but is it worth all the hassle... IMHO not.

[sivispacem]

A year, perhaps 18 months ago I would have recommended the Phenom II, but it's a generation behind all the competition now so I really wouldn't bother. I've had fun with mine but its my first upgrade part when I start building a new system.