Intel replacement for phenom ii x4 965

Hardware CPU
1

I need a intel replacement for the x4 965 which performs just equally.

The rig will be used for gaming and rendering

2

Phenom II X4 965 with mild overclock is about the same as an Intel i5-2500 at stock speed, and a bit faster than a first gen Intel i5-750 overclocked. So an i5-3470 or 3570 should be about a match in the Ivy Bridge range. An i3 might benchmark better, but is a dual core, not a quad core, and that just isn't the same level of performance in real life. For rendering, a quad/hex core i7 would be a better choice, because you need every bit of performance you can get for rendering, and the quad/hex core i7 CPU's have hyperthreading, which makes them more efficient for rendering.

3

Thanks :)

4

Zoltan's answer = on the money.

5

3970X, of course.