Budget Gaming computers at an all new high? Intel or AMD?

L[Deactivated] on 22/06/2014 - 17:30
Last edited 22/06/2014 - 20:08 by 2 other users

Hey guys,

This is my first post at Ozbargain so take it easy on me!

So I've been doing research and im sure alot of people have alot of opinions about Intel, Nvidia, AMD, Western Digital, etc. I've recently been doing research on budget gaming computer builds and I've found AMD's new APU technology which is essentially a CPU but also has high performing graphics.

All I really wanted to do today was share a Youtube link that talks about AMD gaming rigs at a very low budget price which starts from $500, $600, $700 US. I feel like AMD is an underestimated CPU/GPU company and I want everyone to shed there light on whether this is also a good viable option. For students like myself who may not be able to afford to spend over $1000 on high end gaming rigs! And now that were being ruled by the Abbott government people still want to be able to enjoy quality of life & Gaming without compromising too much money!

What I want from this discussion?

I want to see what people think, what comparisons there could be or alternatives and also comments about the YouTube video below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWans5FU4cU

Poll Options: Which processor do you prefer after watching this video?

Poll Options

  • 13
    Intel
  • 6
    AMD
Computing

Comments

  • Davo1111 on 22/06/2014 - 22:18
    +1

    Should also have a look at teksyndicate who does the same side by side tests with games, not just "benchmarks".

    At the end of the day, intel does have the established brand, so you're going to get some bias. Also, by going AMD, you have to justify your purchase to everyone who asks.

    • p1 ama on 22/06/2014 - 23:33
      +1

      TekSyndicate is okay for watching, but has got to be one of the least trustworthy tech sites available.

      • [Deactivated] on 23/06/2014 - 02:14

        Im still not really getting much feedback from this forum =x. It was worth a shot =)

  • [Deactivated] on 22/06/2014 - 23:19

    Thanks for your comment! More comments by others are appreciated! I am just curious though, how did you feel about the video? do you think that theres value for money and perfomance per dollar sort of thing, or? It also feels like the lack of support for AMD and there sales will allow the likes of Intel to keep there CPU over priced and take there time with newer technology. Thanks for the comment Davo1111. It sure felt like people were not gonna bother watching the video xD cause of maybe "fan boys" towards Intel!

  • ethereal88 on 23/06/2014 - 06:41

    AMD CPUs are trash. Intel i5's murder them in any metric. There are squillions of benchmarks online showing this. AM3+ is a dead socket too. You build a $500 gaming box, its a $500 compromise not a gaming box.

    • [Deactivated] on 23/06/2014 - 18:02
      +1

      did you even watch the video? No offence man but your going of topic these APU set ups are not AM3+ , the ones in discussion FM2/FM2+ … I think your a little bit bias to be honest… Anyways thanks for your "response"

      • p1 ama on 23/06/2014 - 20:42

        He's right, AMD CPUs at the moment are rubbish and not competitive with Intel.

  • [Deactivated] on 23/06/2014 - 18:05
    +1

    So far im a little disappointed with some "Ozbargainers" .. Too ill sighted to see whats out there when it comes to computing? Sure AMD may not be the best, but value for money especially the differences with i5 or i7 to a
    AMD A10 7850K when ur saving over $100 and getting perfomance like the video stated from that .. Even the guy testing AMD was ill sighted to AMD and was all Intel.. Changed his opionion and trait of thought.

    • scrimshaw on 23/06/2014 - 20:22
      +2

      I watched the whole video. I think what he's saying is that AMD is a good choice for the lower end , low budget rig. Which is true, since AMD APU's come with an integrated GPU and that itself has the performance of a $60 dollar graphics card. It can also do crossfire with other low end GPU's like the R7 250, and that gives it a little bit of breathing room when it comes to down-the-road upgrades.

      (I should also note that he has only used BF4 as a benchmark, which by the way is optimised for AMD CPU's. Still a bit of bias here.)

      The bottom line is — if you're destitute, and you need a gaming PC as cheap as posssible, buy an AMD for maximum value.

      The problem however is that people who review these processors test these CPU's against similarly priced processors from Intel and see that they aren't so great value because they only evaluate the price vs performance ratio of the CPU. That is a valid perspective. A Core i5 will give you much better performance for your dollar against AMD's FX and A8/A10 series, and it uses much less power to boot. This is not a biased opinion at all. For someone who already owns a discrete GPU and doesn't care about integrated graphics, it would make much more sense to go with Intel.

      I think it basically boils down to whether you intend to go with AMD because of the benefits that APU's have, or go with Intel for the best IPC and more advanced architecture.

      • [Deactivated] on 23/06/2014 - 22:03

        Thanks for the response scrimshaw! really appreciate it, very informative! Im still juggling between AMD and Intel which is why I came here. But you've given more of a good summary of where i should be looking when it comes down to the two!

      • mrmarkau67 on 24/06/2014 - 09:56
        +2

        I agree with Scrimshaw.

        I evaluated A10 7850K for an upcoming desktop build. As soon I added any kind of graphics card to the equation, the i5 becomes better value for money, especially as I am not particularly interested in spending my time figuring out overclocking.

        But AMD APUs are clearly not "junk". If I was building a moderately powered multi purpose box for the living room which would be capable of some mild gaming, watching videos and so on, an AMD APU would be a great choice. And in fact Microsoft and Sony have both put AMD APUs in their multi purpose living room boxes.

        • [Deactivated] on 24/06/2014 - 19:21
          +1

          Yeah I agree with you on that! Truly a good insight, btw when you say Microsoft and Sony use it do you by any chance mean PS4 and Xbox One? or something else? Btw Nintendo also uses AMD technology on its consoles also.. Just find that out recently.

        • mrmarkau67 on 25/06/2014 - 07:47
          +2

          Yes, an xbox or a ps or a wii is a general purpose loungeroom box with a special focus on game distribution and consumption. And they all run AMD.

    • p1 ama on 23/06/2014 - 20:49
      +1

      Sighs, you came here to ask a question, if you want to buy AMD, buy AMD. When you ask a question, you get different responses and sometimes those responses don't necessarily have to agree with what you think, no need to get "disappointed" over it.

      At the moment, AMD CPUs are rubbish and not worth the money. Your best bet for a gaming PC at the $600 mark is an Intel, maybe the upcoming Pentium Anniversary Edition or an i3, along with a good, mid-range card such as the R9 280 or the 760.

      An example of what I would buy for $600 at the moment would be:

      • 2G GTX 760 Gainward - $260
      • Intel i3-4150 - $132
      • MSI H81M-P33 - $59
      • 8G Single 1600 Patriot-S - $84
      • Subtotal - $535

      Add in a HDD, case and PSU and you're good to go.

      • [Deactivated] on 23/06/2014 - 23:29
        +1

        Paulsterio judging by your comments in general you seem to be a bit defensive and came off as rude.You need to chill, I never wanted people to agree, all I want is responses that are a little more valid.

        Not to necessarily agree with me. You still gave me a good answer towards the end, thanks for the comment! The whole thing with " sometimes those responses don't necessarily have to agree with what you think, no need to get "disappointed" over it." I never asked people to agree with me, and I was disappointed with the lack of comments.

        Thanks for the suggestion of parts listed.

        • p1 ama on 24/06/2014 - 14:10
          +1

          My apologies buddy, didn't intend to be rude at all, I'm sure you didn't in your earlier posts either. Glad to have been able to help.

        • [Deactivated] on 24/06/2014 - 19:18

          Thanks man I appreciate it.. sometimes communications via online is really different to life interactions! Sorry for my miscommunications! =) have a good day, looking forwards to future posts with you !

  • ethereal88 on 24/06/2014 - 06:05
    +1

    If you need the GPU part of an APU buy an i5 and a dedicated GPU and get a vastly better box anyway. APU's are a tiny niche and are a waste unless you fit into that niche. Even on a budget save more. Don't buy some junk from the beginning.

    • [Deactivated] on 24/06/2014 - 19:19

      Thanks for the response, really appreciate it! Everyones views are welcome!

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