CPU Advice needed

[hotroderx]

I am looking to upgrade my CPU in the next few days and I am not sure what path to take. The system is primarily used for Gaming and Internet.

My current specs as follow

MB: Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD3
CPU: AMD Phenom II X6 1055T 2.8ghz
Memory: 16gigs Gskill
HD: 2x's Intel SSD 80gig (Raid 0)
Video: Nvidia GTX560 Ti
PW Corsair 750watt PSU

I have always been a AMD guy but lately I have not really been pleased with AMD's driver support. I have also read very mixed reviews on the new FX processors.

I have started to kinda lean towards building my first Intel system the current processor and mother board I am looking at is

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115230&Tpk=Intel%202550k

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128502

I am still not sure that's why I decided to Post on tomshardware for help. I am still open to both AMD and Intel suggestions. I like to keep everything under or around 350 dollar mark.

If do go with a Intel solution my current motherboard and processor will be used in my home server.

 

[WR2]

Is there a particular game that isn't running as well as you'd hope?
For everything else but gaming that system is pretty potent.

 

[rolli59]

+1^ Cheap solution would be overclocking that X6 or get a fast X4 and sell the X6.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103924

 

[WR2]

THG article: Best Gaming CPUs For The Money: March 2012
Gaming CPU Hierarchy Chart
THG suggests a 3-tier upward move as one that's worthwhile.
The Z68 motherboard and i5-2550K CPU upgrade is a 4 tier move.

On the other hand - getting a 2 tier upgrade to the X4 980 won't require a motherboard change and allow you to get both the X4 980 CPU and a 2nd GTX 560ti.

 

[rolli59]

The X4 suggested are higher clocks and unlocked multipliers (easy overclock)! The X6 has no benefit over them for gaming!

 

[rainman34]

THG article: Best Gaming CPUs For The Money: March 2012
Gaming CPU Hierarchy Chart
THG suggests a 3-tier upward move as one that's worthwhile.
The Z68 motherboard and i5-2550K CPU upgrade is a 4 tier move.

On the other hand - getting a 2 tier upgrade to the X4 980 won't require a motherboard change and allow you to both the X4 980 CPU and a 2nd GTX 560ti.

I would leave the cpu and go sli 560 ti also the i5 is a gr8 chip but ivy bridge an piledriver just around the corner, buy the 560 ti and upgrade power supply and you ve got a cracking pc

 

[hotroderx]

I am thinking I am going to go with the

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819106009&Tpk=FX-4170

My current processor is locked which is the biggest reason I want a upgrade I got one of the Corsair H60 Water cooling systems and I like to be able to overclock a CPU using it. The other big thing is I want to re use my current processor in my Server I have noticed the only time the 6 cores seem to really make a huge difference is when I am multi tasking heavily, which is almost never. I think the 4 core processor will give me a nice bump in speed at a very reasonable price point with some money left over for other things.

I do wanna make sure the FX processor I linked to is unlocked I would like to over clock it.

Thanks guys for all your help

 

[rolli59]

Yes it is unlocked but the FX series does not have the gaming performance of a highly clocked Phenom II X4.

 

[WR2]

I would not have made that choice.
The X4 975/980 would be a better choice for gaming.

I haven't seen any reviews of the FX-4170 yet. I'm not convinced it deserves it's place on that THG CPU Hierarchy Chart (based on the FX-4100 performance).

 

[hotroderx]

Best answer selected by hotroderx.