Need an upgrade. at a loss here

[beastxjason]

So having spent past few weeks and this morning at numerous stores I have come to the realisaztion that store employees know nothing lol. I have a geforce 550 ti that requires a x16 2.0. Im running a dual core e5200 @ 2.5ghz. I would like to find a suitable processor and motherboard upgrade to get me by the next few yrs. I have looked at quad core and I want to go this route @ 3ghz. I have $250. The 6 core unit I was looking at is no longer on sale so Im back to square one. I want to go amd with the purpose of gaming with my geforce 550 ti. I have enough power. Can anybody reccomend a good combo from somewhere in that price range?
This is what I was looking at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131767
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103996
But people are saying that cpu sucks with dual core applications

 

[jackspeed]

why do you need an amd? I guess I am an intel guy but if you need amd FX-4170
"Unfortunately the FX-4170 uses almost twice the power to accomplish similar frame rates, but from a pure price/performance perspective it's a viable competitor" but 250

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819106009&Tpk=fx%204170

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128510

I personally would go with a pentium or an i3 or wait a month and find 100 and get an i5

 

[beastxjason]

I chose amd do to affordability. Single dad with a freshman in high school so my hobbies sadly come last.

 

[strife_ff7]

If your copy of windows is oem than it's locked to it's original motherboard. You'll have to buy a new copy for $100.

 

[beastxjason]

I have a brand new windows 7 I never got around to installing do to the upgrade coming so Im covered there

 

[jackspeed]

If you are near a microcenter this is the BEST you can do i5-35xxk
http://www.microcenter.com/product/388577/Core_i5_3570K_34GHz_LGA_1155_Processor

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157303

Other intel option i5 2500k
250 after promo code
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130639

another 50 would get a good board like this instead
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157253
or
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130653

 

[strife_ff7]

Do you live near a micro center if so you could get a i5 2500k and a motherboard for $250.

*edit*
jackspeed I know you posted that first but stop copying me

 

[FinneousPJ]

He'll have to buy new RAM too.

 

[geofelt]

I chose amd do to affordability. Single dad with a freshman in high school so my hobbies sadly come last.

There are no amd cpu's that do better for gaming at any price point than Intel today.
Read these two articles:
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-cpu-review-overclock,3106.html
http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/gaming-fx-pentium-apu-benchmark,3120.html

 

[jackspeed]

dang that throws my stuff out the window I tried
So new try
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072 i5 2500k 200
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130639 40 after $10 rebate
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148538 18

only $8 over budget. :-(

 

[Onus]

That mobo can't OC your CPU. If you would have been happy with the AMD 4170, you'd be thrilled with the cheaper i3-2120 which outperforms it.
Get a dual-channel memory kit (two sticks, not just one). It should make a 5%-7% difference; I'll take the ding for being unable to cite the benchmark article.

 

[geofelt]

Intel is now shipping the i5-3350P. A $189 ivy bridge quad @ 3.1 without graphics.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116782
Good for you since you already have a nice discrete graphics card.

Pair that with an inexpensive H61 motherboard for $45:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157315
and a 8gb(2x4gb) kit of ram for $36
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231422
and you meet the $250 budget:

 

[jackspeed]

@jtt the 4170 and the i32120 are the same price. I was trying to strech a budget and fit the i5 in (which probably isn't doable). and the 1 stick left it open for an upgrade later.

but ya Realistically the i3 is the intel option.

http://www.tigerdirect.com/sectors/category/deal-of-the-day.asp 38
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157314 88
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115077 125
$1 above budget

 

[geofelt]

With intel current cpu chips, there is very little benefit from faster ram.
Read this:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4503/sandy-bridge-memory-scaling-choosing-the-best-ddr3

Ram is sold in kits for a reason.
Ram from the same vendor and part number can be made up of differing manufacturing components over time.
Some motherboards can be very sensitive to this.
That is why ram vendors will not support ram that is not bought in one kit.
Although, I think the problem has lessened with the newer Intel chipsets. Still,
it is safer to get what you need in one kit.

 

[geofelt]

OOPS!!
I misadded my costs, the total is $270.

 

[strife_ff7]

OOPS!!
I misadded my costs, the total is $270.

After shipping $278

This would be $10 under op budget
cpu - i3 3220 $130 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116775&Tpk=i3%203220
mobo - asrock h77m $70 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157303
ram - g.skill ares 8gb $40 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544
total - $240

 

[geofelt]

After shipping $278

This would be $10 under op budget
cpu - i3 3220 $130 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116775&Tpk=i3%203220
mobo - asrock h77m $70 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157303
ram - g.skill ares 8gb $40 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544
total - $240

I like

 

[jtenorj]

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727
89.99 after 20 dollar promo code

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128521
79.99 after 10 dollar mail in rebate

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128521
hyper212+ 29.99

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820220561
2x4GB patriot ddr3 1600 CL8 29.99 after 20 dollar mail in rebate

All with free shipping comes to 230 after rebates.

Overclock to 4ghz plus to rival the slower SBi5s.

 

[beastxjason]

Best answer selected by beastxjason.

 

[beastxjason]

After shipping $278

This would be $10 under op budget
cpu - i3 3220 $130 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116775&Tpk=i3%203220
mobo - asrock h77m $70 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157303
ram - g.skill ares 8gb $40 http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231544
total - $240

This looks to be great and thanks to the other post in regards to intel vs amd. So heres the kicker I guess. When you look down the line and see borderlands 2 reccomends a quad core @ 2.13. is an intel Core i3-3220 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHz going to be able to keep up with this type of requirement? I know this is not minimum. but reccomended specs etc. The entire reason for the upgrade is games like dayz/arma 2 chug with current cpu. I may just pull the trigger on this package today

 

[Onus]

I think you made a good choice for B.A.