Can't Decide which MB & CPU

[raidenraccoon]

So, I'm building a mini ITX PC for the sole purpose of playing the Sims 2 (All Expansion Packs & Stuff Packs). The 'Store Edition' launcher crashes while my main PC is connected to the internet and it's becoming a pain to reach back there and keep unplugging my ethernet cable just to play it.

 

I'm stuck between 2 CPUs:

The i3-3240 & the i3-4150.

Really the only differences are that the 3240 has a slightly larger L2 cache, but the 4150 has extra instruction sets the latter lacks.

 

I already have a MB chosen for the 3240

 

However, with the 4150, I've got 2 I cant decide which would be better. One's got an H81 chipset, the other has B85. They're basically the same save for that and brand.

 

So, any opinions to help tip my decision? Any are appreciated!

[Tmh85]

Personally if you are going to be going the i3 route I would go with an AMD 8320 and a Gigabyte 990fxa-Ud3

[raidenraccoon]

Personally if you are going to be going the i3 route I would go with an AMD 8320 and a Gigabyte 990fxa-Ud3

 I would, but I'm mainly trying to keep the system small form-wise. If you know where I can purchase a mini ITX AM3+ MB, please tell! Would make this easier and I could just throw a 4300 in it (Sims 2 doesn't need something like an 8320- saving that for my main computer)

[TheSLSAMG]

 I would, but I'm mainly trying to keep the system small form-wise. If you know where I can purchase a mini ITX AM3+ MB, please tell! Would make this easier and I could just throw a 4300 in it (Sims 2 doesn't need something like an 8320- saving that for my main computer)

Get the 4150. It's Haswell, so you will be able to get a new motherboard that is of good quality. If you already have an LGA 1155 ITX motherboard, just get the 3240.

 

There aren't any miniITX AM3+ motherboards and I find that the APUs have only decent performance.

[Tmh85]

 I would, but I'm mainly trying to keep the system small form-wise. If you know where I can purchase a mini ITX AM3+ MB, please tell! Would make this easier and I could just throw a 4300 in it (Sims 2 doesn't need something like an 8320- saving that for my main computer)

Oh shoot! I totally forgot!

Go with the 4150

[Stefano]

i7 4790k and whichever one looks best.

[patrickjp93]

i7 4790k and whichever one looks best.

He said he's only playing SIMs...

 

I would suggest the G3258 on a Z87/97 board since it shows in game benches to be on par with most quad+ core processors. And on air you can still overclock the snot out of it.

 

Of course, if he wants to play on just the iGPU, then the 4690k/4790k make sense.

[Stefano]

He said he's only playing SIMs...

 

I would suggest the G3258 on z Z87/97 board since it shows in game benches to be on par with most quad+ core processors. And on air you can still overclock the snot out of it.

 

Of course, if he wants to play on just the iGPU, then the 4690k/4790k make sense.

Yep I realised a bit too late... I my defence, I tried to abort.

[patrickjp93]

Yep I realised a bit too late... I my defence, I tried to abort.

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