Best processor for am3+

[aliwali0203]

hello toms hardware forum i rarely post on here unless i really need help, i am a pc gamer but im not a genius about the parts that go into it but i know the basics. basically i am saving money up to buy a new CPU for my pc and i have a am3+ socket and i was wondering what is the best processor for the GTX 970 with a budget around £150-£250. note its in pounds please
Thanks

 

[sizzling]

Which exact motherboard? Some don't support all CPU's due to the power requirements.

 

[geofelt]

Unless you have a very good quality AM3+ motherboard, it will not be suitable for a high end FX processor.
Find your motherboard here to see what your options are:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/id-2383150/motherboard-tier-list.html
I would not today do any sort of an upgrade to AMD. The cores are just too slow for a gamer.

For about £210 you can buy a bundle which includes a I3-6100, H110 motherboard and 8gb of DDR4 ram.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skylake-3-7Ghz-Motherboard-2133Mhz-Crucial/dp/B01ALSKH76/ref=pd_sbs_147_t_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=6RBMK7YPG2GW3PWEYA1D
Here is a review of the i3-6100 which includes comparisons with FX-8370.
Spoiler, FX loses:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/10543/the-skylake-core-i3-51w-cpu-review-i3-6320-6300-6100-tested

 

[aliwali0203]

how do i find out what motherboard i have i have no clue haha

 

[Justiceinacan]

Look at the box
Download a system info gatherer program, there's plenty
etc.

I wouldn't bother with an upgrade to your AM3+ unless you are getting a fine deal on it used in good condition or something. Intel CORE i3 6100 beats basically all of the big guns in the AM3+ lineup. Unless you play old games like me (and I reused a 6300 anyways) then going with an LGA1151 and updating later is simply a better choice

 

[aliwali0203]

while looking down there i saw "gigabyte" but i also noticed that my fans on my graphics card arent spinning at all

 

[aliwali0203]

ah i had to turn them on in afterburner

 

[Justiceinacan]

I think CPU-Z should be able to detect your motherboard, download and run that and see what it turns up.

 

[jeffredo]

Your model number is on the board itself. You might have to remove the video card to see it.