Did somebody say megahertz myth? You need to learn the concept of IPC. Clock speed x Instructions Per Clock (IPC) is going to get your performance. The AMD FX processors have a notoriously low IPC even when compared to AMD's last generation Phenom II parts. Compared to Sandy/Ivy Bridge, there is simply no competition. IPC is why a Core i5 2500 4-core part beats an FX-8150 8-core part in most benchmarks. For gaming, the Phenom II X4 is going to be your best option, especially with overclocking. IPC really comes into play with less threaded applications like games, web browsing, music, etc. The Phenom II X4 will outperform all of your listed processors in those tasks, but the FX-8100 will give the X4 a run for its money in rendering tasks that are more thread heavy.