gaming cpu's?

[Gamer4Lyfe]

i want to get a new cpu...but i don't know what to pick. i was thinking of getting an Intel P4 3.2 - 3.6ghz. i plan on using my computer for mostly gaming...and i don't want to spend more than the $150 range. any suggestions?

 

[fredgiblet]

Athlon 64 X2 3800 - 4600
or
Core 2 Duo 6300 - 6600

DO NOT buy a P4, they are not worth the money even with the price cuts.

However, if you insist on a P4 make sure your motherboard is Core 2 compatible, it's worth paying a little extra.

 

[chunkymonster]

IMO, for $150, your best bet would be a single core AMD Athlon 64 4000+ (2.4GHz), Skt 939...

 

[Newf]

Are you trying to just get a faster P4 than you have and not change anything else?

 

[choirbass]

IMO, for $150, your best bet would be a single core AMD Athlon 64 4000+ (2.4GHz), Skt 939...

for $150, he can even get an X2 3800+, and OC it to about the same levels a 4000+ could OC to (let alone being able to match the default clock speed of a 4000+ without a problem), so it would be a better performing system all around then.

just my 2 cents though...

 

[fredgiblet]

IMO, for $150, your best bet would be a single core AMD Athlon 64 4000+ (2.4GHz), Skt 939...

Mostly agree, but Socket 939 is going out, it's worth a little more money to go AM2.

 

[xiii]

I think more information would be useful. Do you want or need to keep your current motherboard, which happens to be only for P4's? To me, that would be the only reason not to get an AMD X2.

 

[Gamer4Lyfe]

sorry guys, i was probably being too vague. first, i'm going with pentium because amd confuses me. it says 4000x but runs at 2.4ghz? stuff like that makes me tend to shy away from amds. i like pentium because its upfront. how can an amd processor that runs at 2.4 be better than a p4 that runs at 3.4?? that is the main question for me when it comes to amd vs. pentium. i'm looking to get a new motherboard because the one i have only supports up to a 2.4ghz p4. my processor is too slow for playing the high end games nowadays. i want to upgrade it to one that is far better so i dont need to upgrade later on down the line. right now i'm playing titan quest (which is amazing btw) and it lags. i found a motherboard (Asus P5VDC-X) that supports the stuff i have now and the stuff i could get later on too. but my dad says that i have to consider things like chipsets and blah blah blah...its all over my head. thats why i'm here. i just got a new video card (nvidia 7600GS), so its time for the motherboard/processor upgrade. if anyone can tell me the best cpus out there for gaming, please do so. as for money, my brother and i are paying for half each...so i would say no more than $300 total. i'll worry about memory later.

 

[towely]

sorry guys, i was probably being too vague. first, i'm going with pentium because amd confuses me. it says 4000x but runs at 2.4ghz? stuff like that makes me tend to shy away from amds. i like pentium because its upfront. how can an amd processor that runs at 2.4 be better than a p4 that runs at 3.4?? that is the main question for me when it comes to amd vs. pentium. i'm looking to get a new motherboard because the one i have only supports up to a 2.4ghz p4. my processor is too slow for playing the high end games nowadays. i want to upgrade it to one that is far better so i dont need to upgrade later on down the line. right now i'm playing titan quest (which is amazing btw) and it lags. i found a motherboard (Asus P5VDC-X) that supports the stuff i have now and the stuff i could get later on too. but my dad says that i have to consider things like chipsets and blah blah blah...its all over my head. thats why i'm here. i just got a new video card (nvidia 7600GS), so its time for the motherboard/processor upgrade. if anyone can tell me the best cpus out there for gaming, please do so. as for money, my brother and i are paying for half each...so i would say no more than $300 total. i'll worry about memory later.

I'm sorry, but you are about to get flamed. Hard.

While questions here are always welcomed and we appreciate that you're trying to learn more, this simply isnt the place to do it. Try googling "Athlon vs Pentium" if you want a primer.

While I could try to explain to you how CPU clock speed is pretty much meaningless and how a 2ghz amd athlon will kick the crap out of a 3.4ghz p4, that would require too much energy and would unduly rob you of the epic level of stupidity you have worked so hard to achieve.

So, I'll take the lazy way out. Call you an idiot and tell you to get an AMD x2 4200+ that will beat the pants off any P4 and for a better price.

Now go ask your Dad for help.

 

[Gamer4Lyfe]

sorry the link isnt working for me...but i'll take your word for it. and i know that pentium gets beat by amd...but why?! why why why!? i always thought that processor speed was the most important thing in a processor...i guess my opinion of processors is biased. never mind me. better question: if amd is better...then which amd processor would you recommend for hardcore gaming? but not too expensive please

 

[towely]

i always thought that processor speed was the most important thing in a processor.../quote]

No no and NO. Why? It doesn't matter. You don't need to know. Just no that's completely wrong.

Here is a mildly helpful analogy for the dim-witted.

Imagine gigahertz as little men working in a factory. A Pentium 4 may have 3.6 billion men in their factory, but their all stupid and lazy as hell, so everything runs slow. Now AMD X2 may only have 2.4 billion men, but they are all smart and industrious and get things done. Now Conroe (Core 2) can get the same amount of work done with only 2 billion men because they are just fricken phenoms.

If you have the dough, get a Core 2. If not, get an X2. P4s are slow and lazy.

 

[Heyyou27]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16819103735

 

[Gamer4Lyfe]

towely...WTH!! i didnt ask to be insulted!! i dont know jack about computers...i think i know that. my dad recommended this site to get information because he's too busy. IS IT THAT HARD TO JUST GIVE ME YOUR SUGGESTION. I DONT NEED YOU CALLING ME AN IDIOT. just when i think there are helpful people in this world...i run into retards like you. please dont post here anymore. i dont want your help.

 

[Gamer4Lyfe]

stranger, thank you. i guess there are some decent people out there. and yeah...i know...dont rush into a purchase...but its so hard lol. i can manage with what i have though.

 

[towely]

towely...WTH!! i didnt ask to be insulted!! i dont know jack about computers...i think i know that. my dad recommended this site to get information because he's too busy. IS IT THAT HARD TO JUST GIVE ME YOUR SUGGESTION. I DONT NEED YOU CALLING ME AN IDIOT. just when i think there are helpful people in this world...i run into retards like you. please dont post here anymore. i dont want your help.

Oh, don't be so sensitive.

 

[ryokinshin]

u can always get a core 2 compatible 975x mobo, buy a pentium d805 and overclock it to 3.33ghz from 2.66, u dont need to change cooling or raise voltage either

a easier way to explain the whole ghz war, is that if the processor itself has a better arch(is made better), even though the speed is lower it performas better

 

[towely]

lol, towely you would know what it is like to be wrong about something and get flamed eh. lol, HDR, lol.

oh and gamer4lyfe, you don't need to know why it is just that it is. look up the toms interactive CPU charts on their home page. if it has been updated it wil provide a comparison of all the procs available right now. just use that. also remember that alot of games you will be cpu limited so for gaming a cpu doesn't really affect it roo much. IMO get a nice dual core like a core 2 duo 6600 or a amd 4200.

it is best search the forums as there have been alot of posts recently about this thing. don't take my advice alone. search around and build a biut of knowledge up before buying. it'll take time but it will be worth it.

EDIT: oh and don't listen to towely not only does he know nothing but he is arrogant and an idiot. like i say ignore.

here he is in action, lol http://forumz.tomshardware.com/hardware/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&p=1213660#1213660

Hell, that's nothing. I thought you were going to link the thread with the guy boasting about his 6k falcon mach v. I tore him a new one and got the thread locked. Also got accued of being a racist. Good times...

 

[IcY18]

ok ok, all this suggestions about overclocking, since the OP doesn't have alot of experience regarding computers/cpus overclocking is not something to recommend, so he needs a cpu that will be good out of the box rather than some suggestion to get a crap 805D and oc it, so lets try to make this as simple as possible

first if you can give us a budget that you have, then we can fix you up with the best mobo/cpu/ram combination we can get you...otherwise its a shot in the dark,

i see you said $150 for the cpu, but you'll have to get an new motherboard too which will run you another 100, and probably atleast 1 gig a ram which will run you another 100 or so...so right now your looking at spending $350-400 atleast for this new cpu/mobo/ram... if this discourages you then you should wait till you have some more money to use

 

[Gamer4Lyfe]

i'm not planning on spending more than $500 total for the three of them. as i said...my brother and i are splitting the cost, so around $200 - $250 each is fine. i already have an agp video card...so i need a motherboard that works with agp and pci-e for later upgrades. and it would seem that amd fares much better in the benchmarks...so possibly a 4000+. i'm still not sure if i want a dual core...i dont do a lot of multitasking. mostly single threaded apps. i'm planning on mostly gaming. if you need more info...ask away.

 

[xiii]

First, please don't take it personally when you get flamed, it will happen to everyone eventually and it's only due to lots of bottled up stress! AMD's are much better than Pentium 4's because they are more efficient. They do more each clock cycle (which is what is referred to in the GHz). I myself bought an Athlon X2 4200+ for $198. If can spend a little more, you can go with Intel Core 2 Duos, which kick Intel's own P4's ass. Seriously though, googling will save you from getting flamed again. It's a wild world out there!

 

[towely]

**** off, plain and simple for you.

Reported.

 

[chunkymonster]

sorry the link isnt working for me...but i'll take your word for it. and i know that pentium gets beat by amd...but why?! why why why!? i always thought that processor speed was the most important thing in a processor...i guess my opinion of processors is biased. never mind me. better question: if amd is better...then which amd processor would you recommend for hardcore gaming? but not too expensive please

Processor speed became moot when AMD released the AthlonXP mostly due to the difference in core architecture. You'd be better off doing a google search for more in depth info.

For the 2nd time, for the $150 you are willing to spend, get an AMD Athlon 64 4000+ San Diego 2000MHz Socket 939 Processor or as a second choice in your price range, check out an AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ Manchester 2000MHz Socket 939 Dual Core Processor...for $150, these are good overall processors for games...

 

[Gamer4Lyfe]

thanks, i'm looking up those two right now.

 

[YO_KID37]

There is this Board

http://www.tomshardware.com/2005/09/16/asrock_939dual/

I suggest You go with a 2X 3800 And Learn to overclock from websites then overclock to 4000 Levels. And the Reason that we are saying these Weird numbers like "3800+" and "X2" because X2 means Double If you know your math. And These numbers came from the time Pentium 4 Got intruduced Because AMD wated to Create P-rating(pentium rating) I have a AMD 1700+ that means its supposed to be able to match a 1.7Ghz Pentium 4 Processer. And AMD has kept it at these numbers just to make fun of the Pentium 4 Processers Like the Latest AMD Athlon64X2 5000+ would make it a rating of a a 5.0 Ghz Pentium Processer Not a Pentium D or a Core 2 duo But the Processer you are thinking is better than anything AMD

 

[Gamer4Lyfe]

And AMD has kept it at these numbers just to make fun of the Pentium 4 Processers

lol that would explain it.