CPU comparisons - somewhat confused here.

[Tac]

I would like to ask if anyone could tell me the difference, in layman's terms, between these CPUs.

I'm trying to decide which is a better upgrade for the money. Its for a friend who basically plays Skyrim (or wants to be able to) and currently owns an old Athlon II 64bit 4400,2gb DDR400 ram,GT7800,A8nE mobo system. He's trying to upgrade as close to 100 bucks as he can.

I'm giving him 4gb of ddr3 1600 ram and my old GT240 vid card so he only needs the mobo and cpu.

For that price range I see the following chipsets (the mobo is not important atm, just the cpu):

Intel:

Intel Pentium G620 Sandy Bridge 2.6GHz LGA 1155 65W Dual-Core Desktop
Intel Celeron G555 Sandy Bridge 2.7GHz LGA 1155 Dual-Core

and:

AMD:

AMD A6-5400K Trinity 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) Socket FM2 65W Dual-Core Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic AMD Radeon HD 7540D
AMD A8-3850 Llano 2.9GHz Socket FM1 100W Quad-Core Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic AMD Radeon HD 6550D


Note: I may convince him to go to 150 to get either:

Phenom II quad core 3.2ghz black edition
AMD FX-4100 Zambezi 3.6GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) Socket AM3+ 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor

instead but its up to him.

I've looked up benchmark comparison tests and it SEEMS that for skyrim the Intel G620 and G555 have almost the same performance as all the AMD chipsets listed below.

However I'm not that all familiar with this so I'd like to ask the more experienced: If it was you, which CPU would you pick?

[titanic3]

Don't know about that CPU...but I can tell you right now that GT 240 is not going to run Skyrim, at all. I had a old 5570, I could barely squeak by with 20FPS on medium settings with a low resolution. Regardless of what CPU you pick, that GPU is not going to run anything.

TBH, you can't really upgrade anything with  $100 with a system like that. A low/med range GPU is about 80$, and a low CPU/Mobo combo is about $150-180. And that's only going to let you play at medium on most games, with sub 60 fps.

[Tac]

Well im using that very same GT240 right now on my system and I can play skyrim with medium settings on with just minor stutters here an there. Its a very solid vid card even if its old

The main focus here is the CPU though. My friend can upgrade his vid card on his own if he wishes to.

[MrRiplEy[H]]

Well im using that very same GT240 right now on my system and I can play skyrim with medium settings on with just minor stutters here an there. Its a very solid vid card even if its old

The main focus here is the CPU though. My friend can upgrade his vid card on his own if he wishes to.

Give him a tin cup and a piece of cardboard. Have him beg for a day - that'll cover the difference for a proper i3

Whatever you do, don't even suggest the celeron.

[titanic3]

Well im using that very same GT240 right now on my system and I can play skyrim with medium settings on with just minor stutters here an there. Its a very solid vid card even if its old

The main focus here is the CPU though. My friend can upgrade his vid card on his own if he wishes to.

Without mods? Why play Skyrim on the PC if you don't have mods installed? 

[Tac]

Haha I do use mods. Gameplay ones and some scenery-enhancing ones. I love the deer hunting mod.. mm meat.

[Tac]

Give him a tin cup and a piece of cardboard. Have him beg for a day - that'll cover the difference for a proper i3

Whatever you do, don't even suggest the celeron.

Thats why I'm asking. That celeron performed almost as good in benchmarks as the phenomII in skyrim. My gut tells me celeron = bad since its a 'lite' version of a pentium chip..but how is it beating a quad core phenom 2 ... ugh.

[cattb]

Newegg did have new 9800gt for sale 29 dollars. Dunno if it is still for sale and he would have to have enough PSU to run it. I am guessing a 9800 would be better then a 240 just by the model numbers, though I could be wrong.

[Tac]

Thanks but again, this is not about the GPU. Its about the CPU.

[Debrody]

8800 gts = 9800gtx = 250 gt
i would not buy any of those CPUs, rather just get along with the old athlon as long as i dont have the money at least for an i3.
cpu performances:
Celeron < Pentium < A-6 Trinity < FX-4100 Zambezi < A-8 Liano < i3 2100 < ivy bridge i3 ~ phenomII 955 < FX-6xxx < i5 3570 ~ FX-8350 < i7 3770

i5 3570 is the way, imo, even if it takes 200 bucks + mobo, it will be a CPU even 4-5 years later, if that means something.

[Bizman]

Thats why I'm asking. That celeron performed almost as good in benchmarks as the phenomII in skyrim. My gut tells me celeron = bad since its a 'lite' version of a pentium chip..but how is it beating a quad core phenom 2 ... ugh.

There has been celerons that outperform even pentiums of the same age. The reason is, if the celeron uses a new architecture and the pentium relies on an older one. At least that's what occurred in the P4 series at some point between pentiums and celerons featuring similar clockings. But if they are built according to same architecture, then the celeron will always be ssllooowwwweeeerrrrr.

[Tac]

8800 gts = 9800gtx = 250 gt
i would not buy any of those CPUs, rather just get along with the old athlon as long as i dont have the money at least for an i3.
cpu performances:
Celeron < Pentium < A-6 Trinity < FX-4100 Zambezi < A-8 Liano < i3 2100 < ivy bridge i3 ~ phenomII 955 < FX-6xxx < i5 3570 ~ FX-8350 < i7 3770

i5 3570 is the way, imo, even if it takes 200 bucks + mobo, it will be a CPU even 4-5 years later, if that means something.

Thank you! That < list does help tons.

[guncrasher]

not much of an upgrade don't expect miracles.   He needs to look up his mobos website and see which cpu is supported.


midway

[Tac]

The mobo is not a problem. the CPU choice is. I'm trying to convince him to use the phenomII.

[guncrasher]

the motherboard is an older model.  it may not support intel cpus as to which amd cpus it supports you need to check the manufacturer's website first before you decide.


midway