awesomet2005 :
NOTE! I live in Canada and I am only 11 years old so I'm saving up for the AMD FX-8350. I was going to get the i3-7100 but I realized my motherboard (GA-78LMT-USB) is not compatible with it, and I don't feel like saving an extra $120 ~ $100 for a motherboard to squeeze a few more frames.
Specs:
8GB DDR3 (don't know company since I'm upgrading pre-built computer)
TOSHIBA 1TB HDD
GTX 1060 (getting for christmas, upgrading from GT 710)
AMD FX-8350 (upgrading from AMD FX-4130)
EVGA 500W 80+ White Certified
I would say I am an entry level gamer. I don't mind if I can't run at ultra max with 60 fps, I'm okay with medium settings 1080p on games like Black Ops III, or Black Ops II, and GTA V. Thanks! Please give feedback before Christmas!
Well, first off, I wouldn't normally recommend getting an FX processor anymore. The platform isn't getting any future upgrades, & all future AMD CPUs will at least have a Socket AM4 (at least for the next few years), so any future upgrades will require a complete new build anyway.
That being said, if you're upgrading an existing system, it's not so bad to stick with what's compatible with the current system. And while you'll get a lot of suggestions about saving your money to get a new system, the truth is it's going to depend on your budget...which, to be completely honest, is not going to be enough to cover a new build, based on the current Canadian prices for an FX-8350 & a decent 1060 6GB (you're probably looking at $520-550 CAD for your budget; that budget gets you a Ryzen 5 1400, its motherboard, & 16GB of DDR4 RAM, but leaves you with the original GT 710 for the GPU; you'd have to nearly double your budget to allow for a GPU).
A few things to consider:
-- The FX-8350 isn't going to have anywhere near the best gaming performance out there. But let's be honest: with this kind of prebuilt system you're probably using, you haven't had anywhere near the "best" gaming performance anyway. You're probably hooked up to a monitor that can't even play at 1080p resolutions (I'm willing to bet its max resolution is somewhere around 1600x900, 1440x900, or possibly even lower), & probably has a refresh rate between 60 & 75Hz. So as long as your upgraded system can consistently hit 60 FPS, you're going to have a decent & smooth gaming experience. Depending on the game, & depending on the GPU you're paired with,
the FX-8350 can provide that for you.
-- Along that kind of vein, the GTX 1060 is a great upgrade if a) your monitor can handle 1080p resolutions, or b) you plan on upgrading to a 1080p/60Hz monitor within the next 6 months or so. If not, you might be able to settle for a GTX 1050TI (or even just a plain 1050). They're not bad cards, just not quite as powerful...& good enough to get a nod from Tom's Hardware (http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-gpus,4380.html). Plus, it looks like a decent one runs a little more than half the cost of a 1060...which would either allow you to save $180-200 CAD for later upgrades, or allow for some additional upgrades (i.e. a new monitor, a 250GB SATA III SSD, etc.).