Upgrade to AMD 965 X4 or wait for i5 2500k price drop?

[Kyou]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for an upgrade from my Intel core 2 duo that will be suited for gaming in high settings. The most I can spend due to a tight budget is $300 for a CPU and Motherboard included. I mostly play mmorpgs and am looking out for games like Diablo 3.

So far, I've come across the AMD II x4 965

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103727

And the Motherboard:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128519

The price of the 965 + the mobo fits my budget, but I'm worried about its age and if it will still play upcoming games. I am looking to keep this CPU for more than a year.

Should I buy the 965 now? How long would it take for i5-2500k prices drop after the release of Ivy Bridge if at all?

Also, are there any alternatives to the 965 that will be significantly better and still fit my budget?

~Thanks for the help

 

[absorber]

Don't buy the AMD- that socket, AM3, is pretty much dead. I would buy Sandy Bridge instead, although you'd have to be tight on your motherboard if you wanted the 2500k. if you're not into overclocking maybe consider the i5 2400 and free up $25 more to spend on your motherboard. The LGA1155 socket is a better choice as soon you will get Ivy Bridge compatibility to choose from if you choose to upgrade again later.

It's hard to say how long it'll take Sandy Bridge prices to drop, but intel seem to have a lot of the chips left around. And the replacement for the 2500k is rumoured to be released on April 29th I think, so perhaps at that point prices will drop.

I should add, however, that a 965 would be comfortably powerful enough to run new games like D3, and so if you are limited in those games I would probably look at what graphics you're running. I would buy the 965 because I already have the motherboard for it, but I can't find any left. But if you need to buy the motherboard definitely go with the SB instead.

 

[Kyou]

Thanks for the reply. So after reading your post, I've decided to buy the i5 2500k which I found on microcenter for $180.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589

I'm currently using a 5770 ATI which I will replace sometime this year, hopefully. With that said, what would be an affordable motherboard to buy for the 2500k that will still fit in my range of $300 combined?

Will the performance between an AMD 965 vs an intel 2500k have a noticeable difference in terms of gaming?

 

[Chaz21]

Thanks for the reply. So after reading your post, I've decided to buy the i5 2500k which I found on microcenter for $180.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_product_results.phtml?product_id=0354589

I'm currently using a 5770 ATI which I will replace sometime this year, hopefully. With that said, what would be an affordable motherboard to buy for the 2500k that will still fit in my range of $300 combined?

Will the performance between an AMD 965 vs an intel 2500k have a noticeable difference in terms of gaming?

Don't forget that they have a $50.00 off deal on a Z68 motherboard when you buy the 2500k. Check it out.

Edit: Page 27 of they're on-line catalog.

 

[absorber]

The difference will be noticeable, but only if you have a graphics card to match- you'd be looking at the more expensive higher end ones I'd say, probably $250 +. Otherwise your graphics card will limit performance to the point where the cpu will not matter. Nonetheless, I still think SB is definitely the best choice- the processors tend to use less power I think, they're faster for computing in general (you will notice a huge difference outside games I think), and you can upgrade to ivy bridge down the track if you so desire. I'm no expert on motherboards, so I'll stay away from that one.

 

[Kyou]

Best answer selected by Kyou.

 

[Kyou]

I'll definitely go for the i5 2500k then seeing as how its performance may outlast the 965. I saw the bundle as well! Thank you guys.