If you’re reading this you’re probably about to build a new gaming computer or you’re doing a major upgrade to your existing one; now you’re faced with the question that everyone who thinks about building a computer comes across at one point or another, “which is best, AMD or Intel for gaming?” This is an important question for a builder because after answering it you will have the foundation of your build figured out, that is, the motherboard and CPU combo.
So, Which is it, AMD or Intel for Gaming?
Well, in years long past, AMD reigned as king of the gaming computer world for a long, long, time, but that was then and times have since changed. Hang on though, this does not mean that Intel has overtaken the crown, but alas, they are now (almost) equals in the field of gaming. At least at the affordable price ranges. I’m not trying to tell you what you can and can’t afford, but in the price range of around $600 and up, Intel is actually the king of CPU benchmarks. Below that price range, AMD starts to catch up fast and things start to equal out a bit. Do I think it is ever worth it to spend more than $600 on a gaming computer CPU? No. In fact, I would never spend more than $300 on a gaming CPU, and I still consider that a little over the top. With all of this said, it is still easier to find faster Intel CPU’s simply because there are more Intel CPU’s available.
AMD or Intel, So Does it Really Matter in a Gaming Computer?
Will having a slightly faster processor make that much of a difference in your new gaming computer? Probably not. The best thing you can do to increase the performance of a gaming computer is to spend big on the video card(s). This is a little off topic, but if you’re on a budget, my best advice there is to spend big on a single card rather than buying two cheaper cards as you’ll generally be better off performance wise. Getting back on topic – It is still wise to get the most CPU for your money though, so read on.
Well, we’ve figured out that Intel does dominate at the higher price range, but then AMD pretty much catches up at the more reasonable range. So, then how do you decide between AMD or Intel for gaming? My advice is to go to an online store like Tiger Direct or Newegg and read the product reviews on CPU’s and/or motherboards (whichever you choose to start with) and pick one that you feel had the most favorable reviews at the max of your price range. This is honestly what I do every time I start on a new build and it has never failed me, in fact, I do this with every part in my new builds.
Which AMD and Intel CPU’s do I Recommend for a Gaming Computer?
Intel CPUs -
Intel Core i5-2500 3.3 GHz 6 MB Cache Socket LGA1155 CPU
Intel Core i3-2120 Processor 3.3 GHz 3MB Cache Socket LGA1155
AMD CPUs -
These are much cheaper compared to Intel CPUs and I’ll probably use the Six-Core version on my next personal build.
AMD FX 4100 4-Core Processor, 3.6 4 Socket AM3+
AMD FX 6100 6-Core Processor, 3.3 6 Socket AM3+
AMD FX 8120 8-Core Processor 3.1 8 Socket AM3
AMD or Intel for Gaming? Intel is faster, overall.
Or, if you feel like browsing around more, head on over to Amazon to make your own decision. As a reminder, this website’s focus is almost completely about building gaming computers. If you need a guide on how to build a computer, look here. There is also a builds list if you need help deciding on a complete working build.
Hopefully you’ve learned a little bit about the differences and similarities about deciding between AMD or Intel for gaming computer components.
References: CNN
Head to the home page to learn how to build a computer.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Your information and advice is the most comprehensive I’ve found.
Thanks for your help,it answers all my questions.
Bob
Thanks, this was one of the first questions I had when building my first computer, so I thought it might be helpful to some. I’m not going to go back and look at what I wrote (it was a while back), but unless you’re building a super high-end computer, then it usually hardly matters which brand that you go with. It’s becoming very easy to build a computer that will play most of the newest games at the highest settings, so I usually tell people not to fuss over deciding between AMD and Intel – or much in the same – Nvidia and ATI.
With your comment about high-end computers, what would be your suggestion on a cpu then and how would you describe a high-end comp.
High-end to me means that you’re willing to not cut any corners on parts; which means you’d be using the newest and usually most expensive parts throughout a build. So, the fastest i7 processor, two of the best GTX video cards, a motherboard that can handle all of the current tech and probably last into the future, and a couple of SSDs, etc.
The average user, even hardcore gamer, doesn’t need and usually can’t afford an i7 processor. Every game currently available and every game that’s going to be made in the next three years will probably run just fine with an i3. With that said, an i3 2100 would be a good choice. It’s all about money though, so if you feel like spending more, get an i5 2500.
Well my ideas were to go with the amd fx-8150. How would you say that compares to the i3 or i5?
Is it for gaming? If it is, I would still go with an i5 instead. With that said, if you’re heart is set on AMD you probably won’t notice much of a difference between the i5 and the 8150. Personally though, just because games still won’t make use of those 8 cores, I would go with an i5.
Your insight and knowledge is amazing, thank you for this information. You are a gentleman and a scholar thank you !