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Processor advice
It seems like every time I post a question about buying a new processor.. Quizzical always tells me its a terrible idea. But here I am again giving it another shot.
So right now I am using a Phenom II x4 processor. Overclocked at around 4 ghz. I was looking into some different processors today, and after looking at how much higher the intel cards scored for single threaded applications, I started playing with the idea of buying one.
Most of what I do is gaming, which im told is either gpu dependant, or single threaded cpu dependant. I was playing with the idea of buying either this chip:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116899
or this chip
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116896
Both of these chips are priced roughly the same as one of AMD newer FX Vishera chips (which is $200). Looking at benchmarks for single threaded applications, the phenom II x4 scored a 1196, while these two chips score 2065 and 2167. Im aware that Intels are not as good in multithreaded applications, but considering im not doing any video editing or things like that, I feel like upgrading the single threaded performance would give me the biggest fps boost in the games that I play that use the CPU more intensively.
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Comments
A lot depends on your budget. If you've got $1500 to spend, then sure, replace your computer. If you can't spend a dime over $300, you can't get a worthwhile CPU upgrade on that budget.
A lot also depends on how your system performs for you in the games you play now. If everything runs great, why upgrade? If something is running poorly, then you can try to figure out what is causing the problem. If a game runs poorly, try setting any viewing distances to the max and turning everything else off entirely or down as far as it goes. If that suddenly makes the game run great, you're probably looking at a video card issue at the settings you want. If it still runs poorly, a CPU bottleneck is more likely.
It's pretty easy to thread a game to use many CPU cores, and a lot of games do it. Among games that don't, the reasons range from running code written before it was clear that multi-core was the future to not needing much CPU performance and trying to make the game run on a very old CPU to programmer incompetence.
If you are going to upgrade and you're inclined to overclock, you might want to consider a Core i5-3570K together with an LGA 1155 motherboard. That might save you $50, as compared to a 4570K, both because the CPU is cheaper and also because an equivalent motherboard is cheaper as they've been out for longer. The 4570K is a little faster at stock speeds, but doesn't overclock as far, so if you overclock both to a comparable degree of safety (even a mild, safe overclock of both), they're basically tied in both performance and power consumption.
In the case of your current computer, it's not horrible.
If your looking at a Vishera, you probably want to look at the FX-6350, which is much cheaper than the 8-core version. $
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819113327
70-100 cheaper than the Core i5's, and you can probably reuse your existing motherboard/OS/hardware. That being said, it will be an upgrade from your Phenom, but not a huge one (especially considering your overclock).
If you plan on going Intel - I can understand that. But I would go in with the mindset of building an entire new computer. You have to replace the CPU, the motherboard, and most likely (legally) the OS - your not that far from a entire new computer at that. Sell/repurpose/donate your existing Phenom, and go from the ground up on a new Intel build if that's the way your leaning.
As far as Haswell vs Ivy/Sandy Bridge. 1150 motherboards aren't at a huge premium right now (at least as much as 1155's were when they hit the market).
If you want to overclock heavily, you probably want Sandy/Ivy Bridge -- Sandy will overclock farther at the very upper reaches of OCing, but Ivy starts at a higher stock, so all in all it usually comes out to about a wash unless your trying to do some extreme OCing.
If your not really into OCing, or just mild OCs, I would go ahead with Haswell. You get more SATA3 ports and more USB3 ports, in addition to faster stock CPU speeds, lower idle power consumption, and no need for secondary CPU voltage phases (which really bring down motherboard production costs, and is probably the reason they aren't nearly as high as they were when 1155 came out).
If your avoiding Haswell and going with Sandy/Ivy because of budget, I'd say your kind of looking at it wrong. There is a premium in going with Intel at all, and if budget is your primary driver, then you really need to question if Intel is even in your budget at all - the difference in price between Haswell and Ivy/Sandy, all in, is around $30-40. Is Haswell $30-40 better than Sandy/Ivy? If your a heavy OCer, no. If your an average gamer, probably so.
Assuming the problem I am having is a processor issue (Guild wars 2 for example), would upgrading to those two chips I linked (or the one you suggested), give me a significant performance increase?
I have determined that it is the processor lowering my frames, which is why I am asking.
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You should get a boost, as to what is significant to you I dont know. Or if its worth the cost for said boost in GW2.
If you want to upgrade and have the cash to do it then go for it. Your current cpu is not " bad" , but yeah the Intel cpu's are better. But I do not think your going to be just blown away at a massive performance increase. You will see some, then it will be a matter of what GPU you have.
I would get the " K " edition of the I5 ivy bridge cpu If I were going to buy one today. I am running a sandy bridge 2500k @4.4 with ease. And I hear that Ivy is a good over clocker as well.