Which processor is better? AMD vs Intel

[Bellus88]

Like the title says, what do you guys think?

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...729&CatId=1946 AMD

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applicatio...4&Sku=I69-0950 Intel

Which one would be best to get? Going to buy one of them some day.

[Gooles]

The AMD selection. You'll probably see 5-10% more performance in the i7, but it is 25% more expensive. It's also nice that the AMD CPU will allow you to use DDR2 RAM instead of spending $100+ for a negligible speed boost by switching to DDR3. All current CPU sockets will be phased out within the next couple years, starting with AMD's AM3+ Bulldozer next year.

Including the $10 gift card, purchasing at Newegg would ~$20 cheaper, btw. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819103849

[GasMask]

Intel you got the money then go crazy.

AMD have better Graphics cards than Nvidia.

And yes its AMD NOW NOT ATI so GTFO.

[mrcrusty]

AMD. It has an upgrade path, the Intel one doesn't.

The Phenom II x6 CPU is compatible with upcoming AM3+ Bulldozer motherboards but Intel's i7 processor is not compatible with the new LGA 2011 motherboards coming out. Means when you next upgrade your computer, you can keep your CPU with AMD but you'll need to change the whole thing with Intel.

As for actual performance, the i7 is better but unless your daily routine includes running several rounds of SuperPi, you will not notice.

[Gooles]

AMD. It has an upgrade path, the Intel one doesn't.

The Phenom II x6 CPU is compatible with upcoming AM3+ Bulldozer motherboards but Intel's i7 processor is not compatible with the new LGA 2011 motherboards coming out. Means when you next upgrade your computer, you can keep your CPU with AMD but you'll need to change the whole thing with Intel.

As for actual performance, the i7 is better but unless your daily routine includes running several rounds of SuperPi, you will not notice.

If he's going to keep his CPU, why would he bother changing his motherboard?

[mrcrusty]

If he's going to keep his CPU, why would he bother changing his motherboard?

Maybe it breaks and he doesn't want a replacement, or there is a motherboard he would want for it's features, or whatever.

No idea, but the point is the choice and option is there.

[Phier]

AMD. It has an upgrade path, the Intel one doesn't.

The Phenom II x6 CPU is compatible with upcoming AM3+ Bulldozer motherboards but Intel's i7 processor is not compatible with the new LGA 2011 motherboards coming out. Means when you next upgrade your computer, you can keep your CPU with AMD but you'll need to change the whole thing with Intel.

As for actual performance, the i7 is better but unless your daily routine includes running several rounds of SuperPi, you will not notice.

How often does one upgrade their motherboard and not their processor?

[Dewy]

How often does one upgrade their motherboard and not their processor?

not very often if ever.

[Big Boss]

Intel clearly, they're more reliable, easier to insert into the motherboard without breaking.
AMDs may be more easier to modify (& are of course cheaper) but you'd have a tough time
not breaking a pin, it would have a shorter lifespan compared to a Intel chip & are less compatible
than Intel.

This doesn't even make sense. You're just as likely to break a pin on an intel mobo than a pin on an amd chip. And the chances of either happening are very low if one is not stupid.

How often does one upgrade their motherboard and not their processor?

It happens quite often in the enthusiast world actually. Many people on x58 jumped from the Rampage II Extreme to the Rampage III Extreme without switching the processor, and that's just one example. People also made the jump from the 790fx chipset to the 890fx chipset without getting a new processor. The thing here is with AM3 processors being compatible with AM3+ mobos, if you're tight on cash you can buy a cheap AM3 mobo now and an AM3 chip, keep the AM3 chip when you upgrade to the AM3+ mobo, then buy a new bulldozer chip when you can afford it. You never hear about this though because AM3/G34 is the first forwards compatible chip, at least that I've ever heard of, so people haven't had the opportunity to do this before.

All that aside, upgrading the mobo and not the processor is more common than you would believe.

[Karklos]

Deffinately get the i7 it is a much better processor.

I would hold off buying anything right now until intel's next CPU set - sandybridge is released, I think it is expected in January, I know review samples have already been sent out.

[Pantsalot]

Intel clearly, they're more reliable, easier to insert into the motherboard without breaking.
AMDs may be more easier to modify (& are of course cheaper) but you'd have a tough time
not breaking a pin, it would have a shorter lifespan compared to a Intel chip & are less compatible
than Intel.

[mrcrusty]

Intel clearly, they're more reliable, easier to insert into the motherboard without breaking.
AMDs may be more easier to modify (& are of course cheaper) but you'd have a tough time
not breaking a pin, it would have a shorter lifespan compared to a Intel chip & are less compatible
than Intel.

Lolwut?

How often does one upgrade their motherboard and not their processor?

Maybe it breaks and he doesn't want a replacement, or there is a motherboard he would want for it's features, or whatever.

No idea, but the point is the choice and option is there.

[GasMask]

If your gaming get the I7.

or the I5.

[Bellus88]

I don't know much about processors but the AMD is a 6 core and the Intel is a 4 Quad core, the AMD has slightly more Ghz to, wouldn't it run better for games?

[mrcrusty]

Not really. Numbers are important, but Intel's processors have the superior architecture. The truth is though, that they are both good enough that the average person won't notice a difference between the two.

[Lysimachus]

AMD processors are far easier to overclock, and provided you get one with a high multiplier then you can boost the processing speed enormously. My Intel Q8300 could probably be clocked up to 3.5GHz (if i'm lucky, and carefully tweak the voltages and CPU frequency along with getting new fans and coolers) but I think it really has the potential to do more if it was better made and besides, most of the time Intel computers are locked from overclocking IIRC.

[Big Boss]

AMD processors are far easier to overclock, and provided you get one with a high multiplier then you can boost the processing speed enormously. My Intel Q8300 could probably be clocked up to 3.5GHz (if i'm lucky, and carefully tweak the voltages and CPU frequency along with getting new fans and coolers) but I think it really has the potential to do more if it was better made and besides, most of the time Intel computers are locked from overclocking IIRC.

Not really, the Core i-series routinely overclock far better than either Athlon II or Phenom II processors. Sure you can get an unlocked multiplier for cheaper on a Phenom II, but it won't really make a difference when your Intel chip will basically always hit at least 4ghz, and the AMD won't.

[Achilla]

If you want a CPU primarily for gaming, forget AMD and forget i7. Get i5-760. Cheap and does the job, moderately friendly for an i-5/7 when it comes to overclocking (just turn off turbo boost ... on a fair model you'll have no probs OCing to 4.0Ghz per core, if you happen to get a more inferior copy it'll still reach 3.8Ghz without hassle). Just make sure you have a quality motherboard, fair CPU cooling and GPU to match your quad (I'd start with 6950 HD/570 GTX and up). Getting i7's in the 9xx range is largely pointless now, as far as gaming is concerned.

[Top-Tier-Tech]

If you want a CPU primarily for gaming, forget AMD and forget i7. Get i5-760. Cheap and does the job, moderately friendly for an i-5/7 when it comes to overclocking (just turn off turbo boost ... on a fair model you'll have no probs OCing to 4.0Ghz per core, if you happen to get a more inferior copy it'll still reach 3.8Ghz without hassle). Just make sure you have a quality motherboard, fair CPU cooling and GPU to match your quad (I'd start with 6950 HD/570 GTX and up). Getting i7's in the 9xx range is largely pointless now, as far as gaming is concerned.

I support this. An i7 would hardly give you any more FPS in games than this i5.

Personally I have an i7-920, when I bought that the i5 didn't exist. The i5 performs better in games than the AMD hex-core even though it is at a higher clock. intel builds very solid chips that always out-perform similar AMD CPU's even with higher clocks.

[Jaketh]

Intels are always better but they always more expensive, sometimes ludicrously so