2-core/4-thread VS. 4-core/4-thread: do they perform nearly the same?

[Hectorino]

hi guys!

im just having a hard time understanding this topic, im gonna buy a new budget cpu to keep up with current pc games from 2014 to the future releases.

im choosing between intel i3-3220 and intel i5-3470

i3 2-cores/4-threads/3.30ghz ($32)
i5 4-cores/4-threads/3.60ghz ($85)

what do u think is good for gaming and for budget cuz the price difference is kinda big do they perform nearly identical on cpu intensive games?

is it worth it to buy a 3rd gen i3 now? or an i5 is better for future upgrades?

btw. i have gtx 750 ti and an amd a4-5300 if thats necessary to add.

p.s. coming from a dual core to i3/i5 would i get a huge performance gain? cuz nba 2k16 is 15-40 fps stuttering and gta v is 20fps below on my a4 apu.

thank u for reading this thread and have a good day sir!

edit: oh and yea these two procies are used, i saw an ad near my area.

 

[JohnnyBoy05]

The i5 really makes a difference. 2c 4t does help and makes it a decent budget gaming cpu. But 4 true cores is a much better choice and is considered the go to processor for gaming. And you are aware that you will have to get a new mother board as well right?

 

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HyperThreading / Simultaneous Multi-Threading gives you a 30-40% performance boost per core under ideal conditions while having twice as many cores give you up to 100% extra between two CPUs using the same architecture at the same frequency.

 

[IInuyasha74]

Yes like the other's said. Hyper-Threading is certainly helpful, but having more cores boost performance even more.

Before you buy either, however, make sure you can find a motherboard. LGA 1155 motherboards have been getting somewhat hard to come by. A Z77 board would be best, but most LGA 1155 motherboard will work fine too.

 

[Hectorino]

The i5 really makes a difference. 2c 4t does help and makes it a decent budget gaming cpu. But 4 true cores is a much better choice and is considered the go to processor for gaming. And you are aware that you will have to get a new mother board as well right?

just wanna ask, is it still worth it to buy a 3rd gen i5 now?
and ye they will include a mobo for $32 asrock lga1155 idk the specific name tho

 

[Supernova1138]

The i5 really makes a difference. 2c 4t does help and makes it a decent budget gaming cpu. But 4 true cores is a much better choice and is considered the go to processor for gaming. And you are aware that you will have to get a new mother board as well right?

just wanna ask, is it still worth it to buy a 3rd gen i5 now?
and ye they will include a mobo for $32 asrock lga1155 idk the specific name tho

CPU advancement has stagnated over the past few years, Ivy Bridge CPUs are still pretty good performers, only being about 15% slower than current generation Intel CPUs if run at the same clockspeed with the same core/thread count. $85 for an i5 plus $32 for a compatible motherboard is certainly not a bad deal if you're looking to get the best gaming performance possible for the least amount of money.