YellowDragon's Basic CPU Guide

[YellowDragon]

This is meant to be a basic CPU guide, covering various price points, although largely focusing on gaming performance.

The main highlights to choosing a purchase will be listed with the information of each processor.

For help on selecting a GPU, I recommend that you visit TechFan@ic’s guide to GPUs

LINK>>> http://linustechtips.com/main/forum/computer-hardware/graphics-cards/5795-techfan-ic-s-gpu-guide

All pricing are from NCIX.com and newegg.com, with retail listed boxes. OEM and sale prices are not included. Pricing and availability in other countries will depend, and may not follow this guide completely.

Any input is always welcome.

$75

Highlight - Use With Integrated Graphics Card, overclockable, low power usage at stock:

AMD A6-5400k (Trinity)

FM2 Socket

65w TDP

Dual Core / 1 module

$100

Highlight - Low Power Consumption, Playing Older (or single threaded) Games

Intel Pentium G2120 (Ivy Bridge)

LGA 1155 Socket

65w TDP

Dual Core

Versus:

Highlight - Integrated Graphics, Overclocking,

AMD A6-3670k (Llano)

FM1 Socket

100w TDP

Quad Core

Versus:

Highlight - Overclocking, multitasking performance, quad threaded performance.

Phenom II X4 965 (Deneb)

AM3 Socket

125w TDP

Quad Core

$125

Highlight - Low Power Consumption, Playing Single threaded games

Intel Core i3-2120 (Sandy Bridge)

LGA 1155 Socket

65w TDP

Dual Core + HT

Versus:

Highlight - Integrated Graphics, Overclocking, Quad threaded Performance

AMD A8-5600k (Trinity)

FM1 Socket

100w TDP

Quad Core / 2 module

$150

Highlight - Low Power Consumption, single threaded performance

Intel Core i3-3240 (Ivy Bridge)

LGA 1155 socket

55w TDP

Dual Core + HT

Versus:

Highlight - Integrated Graphics, Overclocking,

AMD A10-5800k (trinity)

FM2 Socket

100w TDP

Quad Core / 2 module

Versus:

Highlight - Multitasking, Able to be Overclocked

AMD FX-6300 (Vishera)

AM3+ Socket

95w TDP

6 Core / 3 module

Versus:

Highlight - Gaming Performance, Able to be Overclocked easily

AMD FX-4300 (Vishera)

AM3+ Socket

95w TDP

Quad Core / 2 module

$175

Highlight - Multitasking, Number Crunching

AMD FX-8120 (Zambezi)

AM3+ Socket

125w TDP

8 Core / 4 module

$200

Highlight - Stock Gaming Performance, Power Consumption

Intel Core i5-3470 (Ivy Bridge)

LGA 1155 Socket

77w TDP

Quad Core

Versus:

Highlight - Multitasking, Able to be Overclocked, Number Crunching

AMD FX-8320 (Vishera)

AM3+ Socket

125w TDP

8 Core / 4 module

$250

Highlight - Lower Power Consumption, Performance at Stock

Intel Core i5-3570 (Ivy Bridge)

LGA 1155 Socket

77w TDP

Quad Core

Versus:

Highlight- Able to be Overclocked, Performance When Overclocked

Intel Core i5-2500k (Sandy Bridge)

LGA 1155 Socket

95w TDP

Quad Core

Versus:

Highlight - Multitasking, Able to be Overclocked, Number Crunching

AMD FX-8350 (Vishera)

AM3+ Socket

125w TDP

8 Core / 4 module

$350

Highlights - Performance at Stock, Power Consumption

Intel Core i7-3770 (Ivy Bridge)

LGA 1155 Socket

77w TDP

Quad Core + HT

Versus:

Highlight - Able to be Overclocked, Performance when Overclocked

Intel Core i7-2700k (Sandy Bridge)

LGA 1155 Socket

95w TDP

Quad Core + HT

[skitz9417]

nice guide

[TechFan@ic]

Nice guide, I probably should put a link to this in the GPU guide, to help people who are going to be building new systems and in need of advice.

[YellowDragon]

Nice guide' date=' I probably should put a link to this in the GPU guide, to help people who are going to be building new systems and in need of advice.[/quote']

I put a link to your guide at the top of the post, thanks :D

[crispy345]

Great guide, will be very handy for people who wants to know what CPU they should get, so they don't overspend it.

[Andriko]

This is the wrong section, it should go here: http://linustechtips.com/main/forum/news-reviews-article-guides/guides-and-tutorials

[YellowDragon]

This is the wrong section' date=' it should go here: [url']http://linustechtips.com/main/forum/news-reviews-article-guides/guides-and-tutorials

Just because it has guide in the title does not make it a guide per say, a guide is a step by set set of instructions, this is merely a conglomerate of info on processors and matching them up with there Price/Performance counterparts. I am not interjecting my own bias as the end user has to make a choice for themselves based on there own needs. Im not essentially guiding anyone as merely providing the tool to make your own informed decisions. So you might as well call this the gray area as it sits on the fence. So I could put this for lack of a better term "guide" in the guide section, when it is in essence "technically correct" to be in the CPU and motherboard section of the site. So in short I'm just putting all the info on the table and letting you decide what to make of it.

[SammichThyme]

Slap a 'K' onto that 3770 and I'd put my sticker of a approval on this post.

[YellowDragon]

Slap a 'K' onto that 3770 and I'd put my sticker of a approval on this post.

Whoops, thanks for the catch on the typo :P. I'll have to dredge up the copy on google docs as I cant edit just one letter due to the broken post edit system.

[Jozi]

Looking good :)