Should I go with an i5 or AMD? Budget of >$500CAD for the rest of the parts I need.

[JonTheJew]

Hey there! I recently traded away my first ever gaming computer with an fx6300 and r7 260x because I got gifted an Alienware Aurora r3 but It wont run my r9 380 so I'm looking to build a new PC. Here are the parts I currently have:

RAM: 8GB (2x4) of G.SKILL 1866GHz
GPU: XFX R9 380 2GB DDR5
MOBO: AM3+ Gigabyte 78LMT (this is the only reason I am even considering AMD again because I will be saving quite a bit)

I was thinking about the i5 4460 which I can get from mikescomputershop.com for a pretty decent deal. But any help would be awesome. Just cant make up my mind on what to do so I thought I'd come here and see what you guys think.

Also I live in Canada so the prices will be a quite different from USD.

 

[TJ Hooker]

How much would the i5 cost you? If you can get the 4460 for a good deal, I'd just go with that and a relatively cheap mobo. AMD CPUs these days just aren't great for gaming, that i5 should outperform them across the board.

 

[geofelt]

If a fx-6300 will not run your graphics card, I don't know why a FX-8xxx would do any better.
FX cores are slow, and more of them is not much help.

For gaming, Intel of some sort is the way to go.

For most games, a good I3 will be a good budget pick.
Here is a series of comparisons which include a older i3-4340.
I would propose a current gen skylake i3-6100 which is somewhat faster.
http://www.hardwarepal.com/best-cpu-gaming-9-processors-8-games-tested/

 

[JonTheJew]

How much would the i5 cost you? If you can get the 4460 for a good deal, I'd just go with that and a relatively cheap mobo. AMD CPUs these days just aren't great for gaming, that i5 should outperform them across the board.

Thanks for the reply! Taxes + Shipping in it'd cost me $282.50 total just for the i5 4460. Then around $107 for the mobo. What are your thoughts about buying used or refurbished parts? Should I steer clear of doing that to save some money? Because I was thinking about one of these two if I did go for the used option:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/201546173057?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Intel-Core-i7-3820-3-6-GHz-Quad-Core-lga2011/252327342630?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140620091118%26meid%3D89c242c2fb0a44d49c05bc271ef29c91%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D111925871543

 

[JonTheJew]

If a fx-6300 will not run your graphics card, I don't know why a FX-8xxx would do any better.
FX cores are slow, and more of them is not much help.

For gaming, Intel of some sort is the way to go.

For most games, a good I3 will be a good budget pick.
Here is a series of comparisons which include a older i3-4340.
I would propose a current gen skylake i3-6100 which is somewhat faster.
http://www.hardwarepal.com/best-cpu-gaming-9-processors-8-games-tested/

Thanks for the reply! I think I'm going to stay away from getting a dual core cpu. And I could run the r9 380 on the fx6300 no problem. It's just with my Aurora R3 that I am having issues with that. Something to do with the bios being too old or what not. What are your thoughts on buying a used cpu? I found some semi-decent deals on eBay and not sure if it'd be worth the risk or not. Here's the links if you're interested:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/201546173057?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Intel-Core-i7-3820-3-6-GHz-Quad-Core-lga2011/252327342630?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140620091118%26meid%3D89c242c2fb0a44d49c05bc271ef29c91%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D111925871543

 

[PatrioticPickle]

If a fx-6300 will not run your graphics card, I don't know why a FX-8xxx would do any better.
FX cores are slow, and more of them is not much help.

For gaming, Intel of some sort is the way to go.

For most games, a good I3 will be a good budget pick.
Here is a series of comparisons which include a older i3-4340.
I would propose a current gen skylake i3-6100 which is somewhat faster.
http://www.hardwarepal.com/best-cpu-gaming-9-processors-8-games-tested/

Thanks for the reply! I think I'm going to stay away from getting a dual core cpu. And I could run the r9 380 on the fx6300 no problem. It's just with my Aurora R3 that I am having issues with that. Something to do with the bios being too old or what not. What are your thoughts on buying a used cpu? I found some semi-decent deals on eBay and not sure if it'd be worth the risk or not. Here's the links if you're interested:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/201546173057?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Intel-Core-i7-3820-3-6-GHz-Quad-Core-lga2011/252327342630?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140620091118%26meid%3D89c242c2fb0a44d49c05bc271ef29c91%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D111925871543

With second hand parts, some times you can get good deals, but there is quite a risk factor involved as you don't have any warranty on the parts and you don't know how its been treated. Eg. If a processor has been thermal throttled for long periods of time.

You'll have to also make sure you can still get a used board that will suit the processor. In my country (Australia), its easy to find the CPUs, its very hard to find the older boards that suit the CPU's that are in decent condition.

 

[JonTheJew]

If a fx-6300 will not run your graphics card, I don't know why a FX-8xxx would do any better.
FX cores are slow, and more of them is not much help.

For gaming, Intel of some sort is the way to go.

For most games, a good I3 will be a good budget pick.
Here is a series of comparisons which include a older i3-4340.
I would propose a current gen skylake i3-6100 which is somewhat faster.
http://www.hardwarepal.com/best-cpu-gaming-9-processors-8-games-tested/

Thanks for the reply! I think I'm going to stay away from getting a dual core cpu. And I could run the r9 380 on the fx6300 no problem. It's just with my Aurora R3 that I am having issues with that. Something to do with the bios being too old or what not. What are your thoughts on buying a used cpu? I found some semi-decent deals on eBay and not sure if it'd be worth the risk or not. Here's the links if you're interested:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/201546173057?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Intel-Core-i7-3820-3-6-GHz-Quad-Core-lga2011/252327342630?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140620091118%26meid%3D89c242c2fb0a44d49c05bc271ef29c91%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D111925871543

With second hand parts, some times you can get good deals, but there is quite a risk factor involved as you don't have any warranty on the parts and you don't know how its been treated. Eg. If a processor has been thermal throttled for long periods of time.

You'll have to also make sure you can still get a used board that will suit the processor. In my country (Australia), its easy to find the CPUs, its very hard to find the older boards that suit the CPU's that are in decent condition.

Yeah I just researched the motherboards for the LGA 2011 CPU and it looks like I wont be getting that one haha. The prices are insane for a LGA 2011 motherboard. So I guess my only other real decent option would be that i5 3470s. Think that would be enough to handle my r9 380 and let me play the division on like medium?

 

[PatrioticPickle]

If a fx-6300 will not run your graphics card, I don't know why a FX-8xxx would do any better.
FX cores are slow, and more of them is not much help.

For gaming, Intel of some sort is the way to go.

For most games, a good I3 will be a good budget pick.
Here is a series of comparisons which include a older i3-4340.
I would propose a current gen skylake i3-6100 which is somewhat faster.
http://www.hardwarepal.com/best-cpu-gaming-9-processors-8-games-tested/

Thanks for the reply! I think I'm going to stay away from getting a dual core cpu. And I could run the r9 380 on the fx6300 no problem. It's just with my Aurora R3 that I am having issues with that. Something to do with the bios being too old or what not. What are your thoughts on buying a used cpu? I found some semi-decent deals on eBay and not sure if it'd be worth the risk or not. Here's the links if you're interested:

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/201546173057?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Intel-Core-i7-3820-3-6-GHz-Quad-Core-lga2011/252327342630?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140620091118%26meid%3D89c242c2fb0a44d49c05bc271ef29c91%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D111925871543

With second hand parts, some times you can get good deals, but there is quite a risk factor involved as you don't have any warranty on the parts and you don't know how its been treated. Eg. If a processor has been thermal throttled for long periods of time.

You'll have to also make sure you can still get a used board that will suit the processor. In my country (Australia), its easy to find the CPUs, its very hard to find the older boards that suit the CPU's that are in decent condition.

Yeah I just researched the motherboards for the LGA 2011 CPU and it looks like I wont be getting that one haha. The prices are insane for a LGA 2011 motherboard. So I guess my only other real decent option would be that i5 3470s. Think that would be enough to handle my r9 380 and let me play the division on like medium?

Yeah that would be fine, an i5 can pretty much handle any gpu without bottlenecking it.
You just gotta make sure you can find a decent board at a reasonable price. From what I have seen the 1155 boards are also very expensive for something half decent with overclocking capabilities.

I bought a 3570k and a z77 board second hand. The CPU was fine, but the board had audio issues and 2 of the USB ports were faulty. I could not find another z77 board at a reasonable price, they all were nearly twice as much as they were when they were new!

I ended up selling both the board and cpu off due to being so annoyed with it

 

[geofelt]

I3 parts are 4 thread parts. 2 very fast threads, and 2 not so fast hyperthreads.
The i5-3470S is not so great for gaming. the "s" suffix denotes a lower performing but energy efficient version.
The i7-3820 is a much better deal, 4 cores plus hyperthreads and a reasonable multiplier.
The required lga2011 motherboard at new list is usually very expensive.

FWIW, I have no problem buying on ebay.
Provided:

1. you deal with a seller with good feedback.
2. Preferably an individual and not a corporation who is expecting to make a profit.
3. Know your prices. Look for the item and select completed auctions. In green is what it actually sold for.
4. Look for a no hassle return policy.
5. buy used parts. Those selling new parts must make a profit. Used parts come from those who are upgrading and only need to recoup what they can.
That is my motivation when I sell on ebay.
6. Be prepared to test promptly so you can request a return if not satisfied.
7. Pay only with paypal.

In disputes, ebay will side with the buyer 98% of the time.

 

[JonTheJew]

I3 parts are 4 thread parts. 2 very fast threads, and 2 not so fast hyperthreads.
The i5-3470S is not so great for gaming. the "s" suffix denotes a lower performing but energy efficient version.
The i7-3820 is a much better deal, 4 cores plus hyperthreads and a reasonable multiplier.
The required lga2011 motherboard at new list is usually very expensive.

FWIW, I have no problem buying on ebay.
Provided:

1. you deal with a seller with good feedback.
2. Preferably an individual and not a corporation who is expecting to make a profit.
3. Know your prices. Look for the item and select completed auctions. In green is what it actually sold for.
4. Look for a no hassle return policy.
5. buy used parts. Those selling new parts must make a profit. Used parts come from those who are upgrading and only need to recoup what they can.
That is my motivation when I sell on ebay.
6. Be prepared to test promptly so you can request a return if not satisfied.
7. Pay only with paypal.

In disputes, ebay will side with the buyer 98% of the time.

Yeah buying the i7-3820 is out of the question considering how much the mobo is going to cost me.
I really think it's going to be between the used i5 3470s (have to buy an aftermarket fan) and the new fx 8320e from NCIX because there's a sale at the moment. I would go with the i5 4460 but it's going to cost me $250 + %13 in taxes alone + buying a suitable mobo. The i5 3470s might be a bit better in the end but will cost me a bit more and I'm taking a risk. Hard decision but I appreciate you helping me out here.

 

[eatmypie]

You would be better off just paying the extra money for an i5. If you bought an AMD processor you would need to pay a decent amount to get a motherboard that would properly support AMD thermals. You could buy the cheapest lga 1151 board you could find and an i5 and it would destroy pretty much everything. If you need to buy a cooler to go 3rd gen really just spend the money on the current gen i5.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/dmhWhM
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/dmhWhM/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-6400 2.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.00 @ B&H)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Total: $223.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-22 23:00 EDT-0400

Only $223 for an i5 setup. The box cooler is just fine, they wouldn't ship you a heatsink if it wasn't adequate enough to cool the chip it comes with.

micro center also has nice CA prices and combo deals if you go into the store.

 

[JonTheJew]

You would be better off just paying the extra money for an i5. If you bought an AMD processor you would need to pay a decent amount to get a motherboard that would properly support AMD thermals. You could buy the cheapest lga 1151 board you could find and an i5 and it would destroy pretty much everything. If you need to buy a cooler to go 3rd gen really just spend the money on the current gen i5.

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/dmhWhM
Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/dmhWhM/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-6400 2.7GHz Quad-Core Processor ($179.00 @ B&H)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-H110M-A Micro ATX LGA1151 Motherboard ($44.99 @ Micro Center)
Total: $223.99
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-03-22 23:00 EDT-0400

Only $223 for an i5 setup. The box cooler is just fine, they wouldn't ship you a heatsink if it wasn't adequate enough to cool the chip it comes with.

micro center also has nice CA prices and combo deals if you go into the store.

Thanks for info! Unfortunately I checked microcenter's FAQ and they don't ship to Canada but the i5 6400 was a good find!

 

[eatmypie]

I'd just check on NCIX for a cheap lga 1151 motherboard then. You would be set for quite a while with a setup like that.

 

[TJ Hooker]

Only $223 for an i5 setup. The box cooler is just fine, they wouldn't ship you a heatsink if it wasn't adequate enough to cool the chip it comes with.

I think you're forgetting that the OP lives in Canada. A new i5 setup is going to cost at least $100 more than that for him.

 

[eatmypie]

I didn't forget, Op said the processor I mentioned was a good find. So I'm guessing it's something within their price range.

 

[geofelt]

Games, in general, depend on the single master core for performance.
Few games can use more than 2-3 threads.

The FX-6300 has a passmark rating of 6394. That is the capability if all 6 threads are used fully.
Unfortunately, the single thread rating is 1408.

The FX-8320 has a total rating of 7443 which is nice with 8 threads, but the single thread rating is 1354. More threads, yes, but really, no more gaming power.

Another choice, the i5-3470s has a total rating of 6199, and a single thread rating of 1858.'
We are getting better here. Used @$156 + $26 shipping. Total $182 Cdn.

You will need a two gen old lga1155 motherboard. They go for about $90 new on newegg.ca.
I did find one for $60 after rebate:
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157515

A i3-6100 is the latest gen processor. It also has 4 threads. It is $165 on newegg.ca. Shipping is minimal.
The total passmark rating is 5584. Not quite as strong as the 3420s.
But... the single thread rating is 2102, considerably better.
That is what most games need. Particularly sims, mmo, and strategy games.
Read the reviews.
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=9SIA9H53MK8071

You will need a lga1151 motherboard, and they also are around $75.
Here is the cheapest one I can find at $65 after rebate.
http://www.newegg.ca/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128873

You will find that DDR3 and ddr4 prices are about the same, so that should not be an issue.

If you go amd and FX, you will have NO processor upgrade.
If you go Intel, you will have upgrades available via i5, i7, and perhaps kaby lake with lga1151.

For other options, google "passmark (desired cpu)" for a reasonable metric of performance.