EDIT: This debate is CLOSED!! Thanks to all of the responders!
If I build a PC just like in this video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pGeWdzFRh3Y - but change the CPU to an Intel core i5 3570K (3.4Ghz) will the CPU fit into the motherboard - ASRock 960GM/U3S3 FX Micro ATX AM3+ ?? The original CPU was - AMD Phenom II X4 955 Black 3.2GHz Quad-Core Processor. And do I need a better PSU? If the old PSU is 550W (80+ bronze)? (SOLVED)
Specs that I know for my current PC - AMD Athlon II X2 250 3.0 Ghz (dual core), AMD Radeon HD 6600 (1GB) series video card, 4 GB of RAM. (More specs in the comments)
P.S. - I will soon clean my PC so Ill take a closer look at the specs.
Is this an upgrade, or a new build? If you're upgrading an existing build, we need to know specs. Regardless, the Core i5 is not going to fit into an AM3/AM3+, or any AMD socket for that matter. You need a motherboard with an 1155 socket for the Core i5 3570k.
What if I would put an AMD FX X6 FX-6100 / 3.3GHz / 6-Core / AM3+ / 14MB? It does say its an AM3+...
That would work, but I still have no idea what you're trying to accompish.
My PC is slow as hell... I need an upgrade. Sad part is I dont know all of the specs.
Is it a gaming PC? Video editing? Just simple web-browsing? Home Theater/ Multi-media? And what are the specs on the current PC? CPU, RAM, etc. If you don't know, use Speccy. Some upgrades are more appropriate than others. Without knowing some of that information, I can't make a solid recommendation on what will speed up your PC the best.
I need a avarage gaming PC. So here's what ive got: Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit/AMD Athlon II X2 250/4,00 GB Single-Channel DDR3 @ 398MHz (6-6-6-15)/ASRock N68-GE3 UCC (CPUSocket)/SyncMaster (1280x1024@60Hz)/AMD Radeon HD 6600 Series (MSI)/466GB Western Digital WDC WD50 00AAKX-001CA SCSI Disk Device (ATA)/DTSOFT Virtual CdRom Device/SAMSUNG DVD-ROM SD-616Q ATA Device/AMD High Definition Audio Device. That's what I know so far.
Is the computer slow on everything, or just gaming? Because it doesn't look that bad for an entry-level gaming machine.
It's slow in most games. ~40FPS Skyrim low-medium settings with some mods(1080p)(I want high). Crysis 3 20FPS(lowest possible settings). Minecraft 60-70 FPS maxed settings. League of legends - ~90 FPS max settings. I wanna be able to play the good games on medium-high with 40 to 70 FPS.
It's hard to tell what the bottleneck is here. It is possible to re-use the motherboard, but idk, especially since there isn't any officialy support for FX-CPU's, nor is there a CPU on the support list with a TDP above 95W, so you might have to replace that.
I'm assuming the less expensive, the better?
For the cheaper, option, I'd go Athlon II x4 640, which is supported by your motherboard, and a 7770GHz edition. No new PSU required, and you can re-use most other components, including RAM. It should get you where you want in terms of performance, as the 7770 is about twice as fast as a 6670, and the Athlon II x4 640 adds two extra cores, and maintains a high frequency of 3GHz.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/Powercolor/HD_7770/
For a better option:
I'd recommend getting an FX-6300 ($130), and a 7850 ($170). This will most likely require a new motherboard, so I'd grab the Gigabyte GA-78LMT-USB3. The chipset is a little old, but should have all the features you need. I would recommend a 970 series motherboard, but those are all full ATX, and I don't want to recommend a mobo that won't fit in the case. Again, you can re-use PSU, as well as RAM. This option should get you high, or even ultra settings on that particular resolution.
EDIT: Failed to see the post above me.. *Kicks rocks...*
To save you some cash, you can just upgrade the PC that you have.
Phenom II x6 1045t or Phenom II x4 965 are just some examples of possible cpu upgrades that will cost roughly $100 and will fit right into your Asrock socket.
Add another 4 gigs of ram of the same type for a total of 8 gigs.
Replace your video card with either a 6850, 6870, or 7770 for roughly $100.
What is the brand and specs of your power supply?
All in all, if your power supply is fine, it'll cost you a little over $200. Definitely cheaper than a new build and it'll get the job done.
For now that is it. Thanks for your help. BTW any suggestions how to lower motherboard temp? When I start playing GTA IV on low-medium settings my motherboard is at 76 degrees celsius. I don't think thats normal. Oh and one more thing... This is gonna be a stupid question but Ill ask it anyway. Does every cpu need a cooler? Because sometimes Ive seen Logan not useing a CPU cooler in his build videos.
When I clean my PC Ill look at the PSU.
Always Always Always use a cpu heatsink. ALWAYS xD
Logan must of had the pc off at the time.
Best thing i can think of is put a fan over t the hot spot. Shouldn't be getting that warm at all. Motherboards dont much like going above 50c. If you're running stock speed the stock cooler will work fine. Most all cpus come with a cooler except socket 2011. A cpu does need a cooler, but it doesnt necessarily neednto be aftermarket.
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/IwwB
This would also be a good choice for you. Just reuse your optical drive, hard drive, case (re adjust the stand off screws as needed), Power Supply(?), And your HD 6670 to crossfire with the APU.
Going this route will cost you $170 only (If you're able to reuse your power supply) And you will have future upgradability.
SecretAuthor:
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/IwwB
This would also be a good choice for you. Just reuse your optical drive, hard drive, case (re adjust the stand off screws as needed), Power Supply(?), And your HD 6670 to crossfire with the APU.
Going this route will cost you $170 only (If you're able to reuse your power supply) And you will have future upgradability.
Assuming 100% CF scaling, and 100% CF gaming compatibility, the 7770 is still the better option, and that is being overly and unrealistically generous to the APU. You're capping the APU with 1600MHz RAM, AND the A6's GPU isn't nearly as potent as the A10's, which as it is the A10 is slightly slower than a stand alone 6670. With a difference in GPU power like that, Dual Graphics isn't going to scale well at all, and there are a lot of games that don't handle Dual Graphics/Crossfire well, even with an ideal combination such as the A10 + 6670. In some cases, it actually hurts performance. AMD actually recommends a 6570 with the A6. If you go A6, the OP is better off using the 6670 by itself.
And the dual-core A6 compared to the quad-core Athlon in modern games? Not much of a comparison. The Athlon is better since games pretty much require quad-cores for optimum experience. The Athlon II x4 + 7770 is about $13 more, but offers much better performance.
I have no doubt in your opinion. A Phenom II x4/x6 or a Athlon II x4 + a 7770 would be a great combo. The thing is he would still be on the dead AM3 socket. Therefore the FM2 would be a better choice.
You do realize a lot of AM3+ motherboards (mainly the ones not running a 900 series chipset) are just rebranded AM3 motherboards, right? AM3 isn't dead since AM3+ CPU's have backwards compatibility. You also missed the set goal: good games, medium - high settings, 40-70FPS. You're recommendation simply fails to deliver. Socket longevity is not an issue, nor is it relevant in terms of performance. And even if it was, your arguement is very weak, since AMD only promised "at least 1 more" generation of APU for FM2, which would be Richland. Richland is a refresh of Trinity, and will use Piledriver, but updated with GCN. The actual successor, Kevari, is unknown in terms of socket usage and it's entirely possible it might not be on FM2.
To be blunt, your recommendation is inappropriate for the OP on all fronts. It esseintially boils down to going from one dual-core to another for $170, and doesn't really address any potential GPU bottlenecking, and the CPU performance gains aren't going to have that much of an impact.
I'm done with this debate.
FYI, Richland IS the same generation as trinity. They're both 2nd gen. The last gen for FM2 will be Kavari.
