AMD FX-6300 + Sapphire Radeon R9 270X/280X

Toggle sidebar Toggle sidebar
C

cwb50

Reputable
May 22, 2014
205
0
4,680
I am completely new to PC building, but I have learned a lot and I have a bit more understanding that before.

I just want to know, would the AMD FX-6300 + Sapphire Radeon R9 270X be effective and satisfactory to a person with these intentions:

Types of games: Minecraft, Sims 4, Elderscrolls (Skyrim, not online elderscrolls), Valve (half-life, portal), Real-Time Strategies (Age of Mythology, Anno, etc), some steam games, etc.

Streaming video, recording video, editing video


I also have a build that has the AMD FX 8320 and Sapphire Radeon R9 280X, but I am starting to think that is overkill for my plans maybe. However, if I go from 270X to 280X then will spend $50 more dollars and maybe be happy I did.

Opinions?

I will list the part list links below, but I really am not concerned with the whole lists.

AMD FX-6300 + Sapphire Radeon R9 270X
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/caleb50/saved/8PyV3C

AMD FX-6300 + Sapphire Radeon R9 280X
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/caleb50/saved/MVdxFT

AMD FX-8320+ Sapphire Radeon R9 280X
http://pcpartpicker.com/user/caleb50/saved/VZ448d
 
Solution
logainofhades
I would go with this. Better CPU, will have an upgrade path on CPU, less power and heat. Skyrim in particular is not a very well threaded game and benefits a good deal from Intel's stronger per core performance. A little overkill is good, means the system lasts that much longer.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PRO4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($86.66 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Fury Red Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($72.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.92 @ Amazon)
Video Card:...
Sort by date Sort by votes
I would go with this. Better CPU, will have an upgrade path on CPU, less power and heat. Skyrim in particular is not a very well threaded game and benefits a good deal from Intel's stronger per core performance. A little overkill is good, means the system lasts that much longer.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PRO4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($86.66 @ Newegg)
Memory: Kingston Fury Red Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory ($72.99 @ Amazon)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.92 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($259.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair SPEC-01 RED ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($48.91 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: AOC E2360SD 60Hz 23.0" Monitor ($113.36 @ B&H)
Keyboard: Logitech MK120 Wired Slim Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($14.18 @ B&H)
Total: $885.97
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
Solution
^^^ I agree with the above build, provided its in your price range.

The R9 280X will have some overhead available in these games but I don't think its overkill, especially if you plan to really mod the hell out of Skyrim. Running many graphics/texture mods at once can demand a lot of really fast VRAM, and the 280X will let you really go nuts and have some longer legs for future games.

Note there is an R9 280 (non-X) in between those cards, and its a reasonable option as well. If it means anything to you, the equivalency between generations is roughly as follows:
R9 270X = Radeon HD 7870
R9 280 = Radeon HD 7950
R9 280X = Radeon HD 7970
 
Upvote 1 Downvote


So 280 is a lot better than 270X, but 280X is just a tad better than 280?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


Intel just ends up costing so much more....
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


Well I am kinda leading toward the AMD FX-6300 + Sapphire Radeon R9 270X/280X as posted now as it seems a lot cheaper... Now I know you and a lot of people prefer the intel, but is there anything wrong with this particular duo? I understand there is better, but is there something particularly bad about these?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


I actually already had an intel build, what do you think of this:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($199.99 @ Newegg)
Motherboard: ASRock H97 PRO4 ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($76.66 @ Newegg)
Memory: Crucial Ballistix Sport 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.91 @ OutletPC)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($249.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Corsair 200R ATX Mid Tower Case ($59.62 @ Mwave)
Power Supply: EVGA 500W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($34.99 @ NCIX US)
Optical Drive: Asus DRW-24B1ST/BLK/B/AS DVD/CD Writer ($16.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: AOC E2360SD 60Hz 23.0" Monitor ($113.36 @ B&H)
Keyboard: Logitech MK120 Wired Slim Keyboard w/Optical Mouse ($14.18 @ B&H)
Total: $878.67
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
would you guys agree with this statement
"Generally speaking, AMD’s chips are cheaper than their Intel counterparts. If your budget is tight, an AMD CPU is likely the best way for you to go. Once you’re above the $150 price point, Intel processors offer quicker and more powerful performance overall. Cost efficiency on AMD chips drops off when you’re in that area. Intel Core i5 CPUs have an entry level price point of roughly $200.

Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/here-we-explain-the-basic-differences-between-intel-and-amd-cpus/#ixzz36A8LWlYH
Follow us: @digitaltrends on Twitter | digitaltrendsftw on Facebook"
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


That build is ok too.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


Cannot see the links, they are broken I guess...though I would definitely recommend the FX6300 + Sapphire R9-280X combo to anyone wanting to game. The FX6300 is a great CPU for many things, and should hold it's own just fine. For your budget, the 6300 will be able to take advantage of multiple threaded software. As a game developer, I cannot stress enough how much this will be key in the coming years between now and your next upgrade. The FX line is not as new as what Intel offers, though it holds up well against the newest Intel hardware. I think your decision to use that pair would be a good one, and would pay off in the long run.

EDIT: While logain's build is nice, he skimped on some areas to spend more in other areas. For the same money spent on that Intel build, you could get a modular power supply, and a nicer board, plus some other areas could be upgraded. That or you could get a SSD for your PC instead of spending other areas.

Like this:
[PCPartPicker part list](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/RL3rYJ) / [Price breakdown by merchant](http://pcpartpicker.com/p/RL3rYJ/by_merchant/)

Type|Item|Price
:----|:----|:----
**CPU** | [AMD FX-6300 3.5GHz 6-Core Processor](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/amd-cpu-fd6300wmhkbox) | $114.97 @ OutletPC
**CPU Cooler** | [Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/cooler-master-cpu-cooler-rrb10212pg1) | $19.99 @ Newegg
**Motherboard** | [Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/gigabyte-motherboard-ga990fxaud3) | $124.00 @ Newegg
**Memory** | [Kingston Blu Red Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/kingston-memory-khx16c9b1rk28) | $71.88 @ NCIX US
**Storage** | [Corsair Force Series GS 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-internal-hard-drive-cssdf128gbgsbk) | $98.95 @ Amazon
**Storage** | [Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/seagate-internal-hard-drive-st1000dm003) | $52.91 @ OutletPC
**Video Card** | [Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/sapphire-video-card-100363l) | $299.99 @ Newegg
**Case** | [Rosewill CHALLENGER ATX Mid Tower Case](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/rosewill-case-challenger) | $34.99 @ Newegg
**Power Supply** | [Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/corsair-power-supply-cx600m) | $49.99 @ NCIX US
**Optical Drive** | [Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer](http://pcpartpicker.com/part/lite-on-optical-drive-ihas12414) | $14.99 @ Newegg
| | **Total**
| Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available | $864.66
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
FX 6300 @ 4.5ghz cannot even beat my 3570k at stock, much less an i5 4460 or 4590. I am still running a TX 750w, with its mile long cables, from 5yrs ago. :lol: Performance over fluff. SSD is a luxury item that does 0 for FPS. Drop the SSD and switch to an FX 8320, and you would have a decent build, but still 0 upgrade path. Also, the CX series is not all that great. Here is a better FX build, even threw in a modular PSU. 😛

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz 8-Core Processor ($149.98 @ OutletPC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus 76.8 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.97 @ OutletPC)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3 ATX AM3+ Motherboard ($124.00 @ Newegg)
Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($73.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($52.92 @ Amazon)
Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280X 3GB Dual-X Video Card ($309.99 @ Newegg)
Case: Enermax OSTROG ATX Mid Tower Case ($44.99 @ Amazon)
Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 750W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($78.24 @ Amazon)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($14.99 @ Newegg)
Total: $861.07
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

 
Upvote 0 Downvote


I am actually kind of leaning towards Intel now, but you said something I have heard a lot and want to know a little more about.

"switch to an FX 8320, and you would have a decent build, but still 0 upgrade path."

Why is there no upgrade path for the AMD CPU but there is for the Intel?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
AMD is not going to release any new CPU's for AM3+. The reintroduced the space heater of an FX 9590, with a Seidon 120 series cooler, but you have to have a more expensive board to handle the 220w TDP. The cost involved would be similar to that of a 4790K on air cooling, that would surpass it. An FX 8350 is the next step from an FX 8320, but the FX 8320 can easily match the FX 8350 and average overclock of the two is only about 100mhz or so different.

If you get an H97/Z97 board, you can go Haswell now, and upgrade to Broadwell when it is released.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


So what you are saying is: with my current CPU and MOBO, I am never going to be able to upgrade my CPU. BUT if I get a different MOBO I will be able to upgrade one day?
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


Upgrade path is largely irrelevant, by the time you would upgrade a system from any company these days...(outside of something like a new GPU)...you will be buying a whole new platform. For example, those who bought haswell with Z87 boards will have to buy a new board + CPU to go to broadwell. This will continue with Intel...

AMD has, historically speaking, had a better upgrade path, however, at this point, AM3+ is a bit long in the tooth, and so there is speculation that you may not be able to put a next gen CPU into the same board. Of course, this does not take into account that most people do not swap CPUs in their builds but every 2-4 years, and by that time, upgrade path is a distant memory.


 
Upvote 0 Downvote


If you are going to build for a broadwell system...why spend the extra $200 total to get something now...why not just wait until broadwell is out?

Looking forward for a build now is a fool's errand. You will not have $200-300 to spend on a CPU in a year's time...and if you do, you are better off upgrading a GPU or getting a SSD that would be FAR more impactful than buying a new CPU. It is key to a build when you first build it, but honestly one of the last things you ever upgrade.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


990FXA UD3 will handle FX9590...you know this logain.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


If you go with an FX 8320, there are no upgrade options available to you. H97 and Z97, you will at least have one generation of CPU available to you. Whether Broadwell will be a major improvement or not, is unknown, but should you buy an i3 or i5, and find yourself wanting an i7, (or the cheaper Xeon E3) within the next year or so, you will have the option of a Haswell, Haswell refresh, or broadwell based chip. Going with FX 8320, and you find yourself wanting more, you are forced into a new board and CPU.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


Nope, you can go to FX9590 if you so desire on the 990FX UD3...it has 8+2 VRMs

Plus: Tom's agrees that AMD offers more value:

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106-2.html
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
The FX 9590 is nothing more than a very expensive space heater. You are better off pushing an FX 8320 as much as you can. Nobody in their right mind would buy one. You get past FX 8320, AMD's value is pretty much 0. Unless you need the extra heat in the winter, you are better off with being able to upgrade from an i3/i5 to an i7/Xeon. Personally, I would choose an i7 class, E3 Xeon, for about $50 less than an i7.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


A space heater that can hit 5.8 GHz on good water cooling...show me a Xeon that does that...as a matter of fact, show me an Intel i7 that is not a LGA2011 platform CPU that even runs close in performance...
 
Upvote 0 Downvote


I said GOOD water cooling, with a kraken x60 you see 5.5+ pretty common, though overclocking sites report you can hit 5.7+ with really good cooling.
 
Upvote 0 Downvote
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Latest posts

Share this page

COMPANY
RESOURCES
FOLLOW
Top Bottom