CPU recommendations

[Burchell]

Hey folks,

 

After hours, and hours, and countless hours of research and review reading, I'm still unsure what CPU to buy for my new build.

 

I'm hoping I can get a few recomendations that will help me decide what to do.

 

I'm building a PC for general use with a focus on media playback and photo editing. I would like to be able to do some light gaming if possible, but this is not a priority. I will elaborate later.

 

This PC will mostly be used for HD video playback and Lossless audio playback. It will use either dedicated or discrete graphics and a high quality sound card (asus xonar essence). I do some light photoediting in lightroom and photoshop as a hobbyist photographer.

 

I suppose I would like some recomendations on some good CPU choices in the $100 and $200 price ranges.

 

I am debating the following

 

AMD APU (a10-7850k). The cpu performance seems to be decent, probably more than good enough for my needs. The integrated gpu seems to be powerfull enough for any games I may opt to play (Im fine with low-medium details and 720p). The added HSA support is what intrigues me most. Since this computer will likely be in service for 5 years give or take, the speed boost from HSA (if it catches on) will likely help prolong the life of the cpu.. me thinks. Also, the thing I like about APU's (as a casual gamer) is that a CPU upgrage also brings with it a GPU upgrade.

 

AMD FX-6300/8320. The performance for the dollar here seems high, but the dated socket scares me in the event I decide to upgrade someday.

 

Intel i5 (which ever I can afford). Seems like a popular "jack of all trades" cpu. Though I wonder if I need to spend the money on this much speed given my relatively low requirements.

 

AMD x4-760k. Modern socket, quad core, performance seems resonable and the price is attractive.

 

Intel Pentium G3220. Value seems to be very high here. Although I hesitate to purchase a dual core cpu for future reasons.

 

So, with that said I am searching for a cpu that will provide plenty of grunt for my basic needs, last a few years and not break the bank. I would like to keep the price down, unless more money buys me a lot more performance.

 

Also, I will be using an SSD for my OS, 8 gigs of ram and could recycle an old nvidia 7900gs if need be.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

[flibberdipper]

An i5 and a Z97 board are what my votes go to. That way you can get a Haswell/Haswell Refresh CPU now and then get Broadwell later on down the line.

[Polyvalent]

I love my athlon x4 760k but thats not really a good choice for something you want to last.  

By the way, its a dual core with 4 threads

I'd personally go with an i5, but if you want to spend more in the $100-150 range I'd go with an FX8320.

[helping]

high quality sound card (asus xonar essence). 

uh..

 

I urge you to visit the audio forum or nb&p, I would probably try and help you out, but this isn't really the forum for that.

 

If you can afford an i7 unlocked or locked with a non Z87/Z97 chipset, then that's fine. If you can't, I would probably go with an 8350 on a M5A97 EVO R2 board. 

 

All the sockets are more or less dead. I don't consider the Haswell refresh new either, since it is a refresh. 

[Sintezza]

I love my athlon x4 760k but thats not really a good choice for something you want to last.  

By the way, its a dual core with 4 threads

I'd personally go with an i5, but if you want to spend more in the $100-150 range I'd go with an FX8320.

 

agree, 100-150 doller point just grab the 8320. AM3+ socket is totaly not outdated.

 

i5-4570 could also be a good choice.

Decend descrete gpu, is something you want anyway for photo editing, in my opinnion.

[Burchell]

Thanks for the quick responses!

 

I was origionally set on the fx-8320 as the price seems reasonable. I just read a lot of the Intel or amd love and get a bit confused. I wont lie, I keep gravitating towards the APU's for some reason. Not sure why. Im mostly torn on the idea of spending more than I really need too on a cpu that will mostly be used for media playback. I should add that I currently use a dated, core 2 duo e6300 with 2 gigs of ram. Served me well for 8..ish years but is starting to show its age. Im sure anything would be a tremendous upgrade!

 

 

uh..

 

I urge you to visit the audio forum or nb&p, I would probably try and help you out, but this isn't really the forum for that.

 

If you can afford an i7 unlocked or locked with a non Z87/Z97 chipset, then that's fine. If you can't, I would probably go with an 8350 on a M5A97 EVO R2 board. 

 

All the sockets are more or less dead. I don't consider the Haswell refresh new either, since it is a refresh. 

 

Would you be able to elaborate on the sound card portion? Hifi audio is a passion of mine, and I'm quite experienced with speaker and amp building (I run a small, local speaker building business), but the whole "computer as a quality source" thing is a bit new to me. Cd's and vinyl have been my choice material, but digital is just so much more convenient.

[helping]

Would you be able to elaborate on the sound card portion? Hifi audio is a passion of mine, and I'm quite experienced with speaker and amp building (I run a small, local speaker building business), but the whole "computer as a quality source" thing is a bit new to me. Cd's and vinyl have been my choice material, but digital is just so much more convenient.

A sound card is convenient or used to fix onboard. 

 

The best sound card is beaten by a 'meh' external DAC and amp.