CPU for gaming? AMD or Intel?

[Daratum]

I've recently found out that I'll be getting an ASUS SABERTOOTH motherboard for Christmas and because my old CPU is a 1156 chipsets I'll have to get a new one. I've always bought intel processors and even my latest one was an i7 980 but when I mentioned I was in the market for a new one a colleague of mine recommend I go for an AMD.

He said ," I recommend an AMD chip with an ASUS board. Intel hyperthreads their chips which means a quad core i7 is actually dual core. AMD chips at true to what they are. If it says quad core it has four physical cores."

I have a price range of around $330 (give or take an extra $50 from Christmas) so was wondering what you all think would be a good processor for gaming? Intel i7, perhaps an i5 or should I enter the world of AMD?

 

[johnsonjohnson]

For gaming? Intel i5. With your budget: i5-3570K so you can overclock it if you want to.

 

[payturr]

He is 100% wrong. Core i7s are quad cores with hyper threading that make them act lke they have 8 cores, not 2 cores acting like a quad core. All the latest AMD CPUs like the FX are fake, as the "8 core" is really a quad core, with just slighty better hyper threading compared to the i7, but the i7 has better single thread performance.
I recommend you buy a 2500K if you're an overclocker, its a great chip and it overclocks high. If you need the extra threads for stuff like video editing, a 2600K or 3770K. But for gaming, the 2500K (Core i5) or 3570K are EXCELLENT chips. Highly recommended.

 

[Daratum]

For gaming? Intel i5. With your budget: i5-3570K so you can overclock it if you want to.

He is 100% wrong. Core i7s are quad cores with hyper threading that make them act lke they have 8 cores, not 2 cores acting like a quad core. All the latest AMD CPUs like the FX are fake, as the "8 core" is really a quad core, with just slighty better hyper threading compared to the i7, but the i7 has better single thread performance.
I recommend you buy a 2500K if you're an overclocker, its a great chip and it overclocks high. If you need the extra threads for stuff like video editing, a 2600K or 3770K. But for gaming, the 2500K (Core i5) or 3570K are EXCELLENT chips. Highly recommended.

I had considered getting an i7 3770K for a little while now but a few people (including yourself johnsonjohnso) have been recommending the Intel Core i5-3570K. Is there any significant difference between the i7 and i5 other than additional threads on the 7? Any downsides to choosing an i7 over i5?

 

[johnsonjohnson]

If you're choosing a CPU strictly for gaming and nothing else, then you're better off using the money you save on a better graphics card and go with the i5. There's no upside to go with i7 over i5 in gaming.

Edit: Here's one of the many threads with a similar question to yours:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/334252-28-3570k-3770k-gaming

 

[Daratum]

Best answer selected by Daratum.

 

[Daratum]

If you're choosing a CPU strictly for gaming and nothing else, then you're better off using the money you save on a better graphics card and go with the i5. There's no upside to go with i7 over i5 in gaming.

Edit: Here's one of the many threads with a similar question to yours:

http://www.tomshardware.com/forum/334252-28-3570k-3770k-gaming

I do a bit of video/image editing but nothing I thnk that would warrant an i7. Many thanks you two!

 

[johnsonjohnson]

You're welcome and good luck with the upgrade!