Which CPU for gaming?

[boozie]

Trying to figure out the best CPU keeping $/performance in mind for gaming (Zero OC'ing).

Using FalconGuide

I'm lead to i3-2120/i5-2400/i5-3470

Using Tomshardware Best Gaming CPU

I'm lead to i3-2120/i5-2310/i5-3450/i5-3750k

Most games to be used will be MMOs/Sims, maybe some RTS but I don't really need to factor that in.

I think the i3's would work, but with the idea of planning for the future I am tempted to cough up more money to snag a quad core keeping in mind I will not be looking to swap CPUs down the road.

Any advice is appreciated!

[e] This system will be backed with 8 GB RAM and ~$250+ GPU

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

overclocking these days is so easy.

 

[boozie]

overclocking these days is so easy.

Irrelevant, the PC isn't for me and the person it's for doesn't even know what that means. Set it and forget it is how I'm handling this one.

 

[Durvelle27]

i5-3470 is pretty good to

 

[Phynaz]

Any Intel quad core.

 

[lehtv]

Any Intel quad core.

Except 2500K and 3570K because he's not overclocking :sneaky:. I'd get the best MHz per dollar i5 Ivy Bridge. Right now the best deal is i5-3470 for $185 AP

 

[Z15CAM]

i5 3570K @ $220

 

[lehtv]

i5 3570K @ $220

i5-3570K @ 3400MHz / $220 = 15.45 MHz/$
i5-3470 @ 3200MHz / $185 = 17.30 MHz/$

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

Even if I wasn't planning on overclocking right now I think I would still go with the Intel® Core™ i5-3570K. It still leaves the door open for me to overclock in the future and an unlocked processor would have greater value being resold then a non-unlocked processor.

 

[lehtv]

It still leaves the door open for me to overclock in the future

But that would require a Z77 chipset board which inevitably costs more than H77 or B75.

and an unlocked processor would have greater value being resold then a non-unlocked processor.

This is probably true, but given the extra cost to the CPU and mobo up front, I don't think it makes any practical difference

 

[boozie]

Yea resale/oc shouldn't factor in. I'm probably going to get an H77 board even if it can OC assuming they are cheaper. Seems like I should set my sights on a cheap i5. Now to determine if it's worth waiting til Black Friday.

 

[Hits9Nine]

i5-2400, its a well rounded CPU

 

[Slate1]

Yea resale/oc shouldn't factor in. I'm probably going to get an H77 board even if it can OC assuming they are cheaper. Seems like I should set my sights on a cheap i5. Now to determine if it's worth waiting til Black Friday.

It's still three months down the road. Personally, I wouldn't simply because I'd rather have the PC now than go three months without it for $50 in savings.

It's just my personal train of thought, but everything is always going to get cheaper and there's always going to be better things around the corner that if I keep waiting for "the next deal", I'm going to still be stuck with the same PC/be PCless.

 

[2is]

BF deals aren't really worth waiting for if you need something right away. Worth waiting for things that would e "nice to have" but don't really need. Example, I'm waiting for BF deals to convert the rest of my machines to SSD.