For games, it was very, very relevant. Now the situation has changed dramatically. If one of the manufacturers of processor solutions, Intel, has gone far ahead, then the second, which is AMD, continues to mark time. But there is still competition in the entry- and mid-level CPU segments. Also, the situation may change dramatically in the first half of 2017, when AMD should finally present its updated microprocessor platform.
Current computer platforms
Before we figure out which is better - AMD or Intel for games, let's look at the list of current processor sockets from each manufacturer of this equipment. This list includes the following sockets:
FM2+- the most affordable solution for assembly system unit budget level.
AM3+- the most productive socket for installing a CPU, which was released a very, very long time ago, but is still the most productive platform from AMD.
LGA1151- a very recent socket that was introduced in mid-2015 and will be relevant at least until mid-2017. Its performance level allows you to assemble almost any computer system, including gaming ones.
LGA2011-v3- this combined socket allows you to build both regular PCs with maximum performance and servers with different levels productivity.
People's socket from Intel
Let's start looking at the question of which processor is best to choose for games with Intel's advanced and main computing platform. Be that as it may, LGA1151 is a unified socket that allows you to assemble office PCs, system units of average and top level and even servers entry level It is quite possible to create on such hardware. Entry-level chips in this case are Pentium and Celeron. These semiconductor crystals are perfect for office computers, but they are not recommended for use as part of a gaming system for the reason that the most demanding toys require 4 cores, and they only have 2. Therefore, entry-level gaming machines can be assembled based on chips from the family i3. This semiconductor crystal, as in the case of entry-level chips, has 2 cores, but the HyperTrading technology implemented in them allows you to turn them into full-fledged 4-core processors at the software level. In turn, it is most advisable to assemble a mid-level system unit on an i5-class processor (in this case, there will be 4 program code execution blocks on the semiconductor chip), but for the premium segment, an i7 CPU is intended. The latter, like the i3 family of chips, support HyperTrading and can process code in 8 threads with only 4 physical cores.
Intel offer for computer enthusiasts
The only market segment in which the question does not arise: “Which is better - AMD or Intel?” is the niche of computer enthusiasts. There is no worthy answer from AMD to its eternal competitor Intel in this niche. Perhaps the situation will change in early 2017, when an updated microprocessor architecture from AMD, codenamed “Zen,” will be presented. Well, Intel, as noted earlier, offers computer enthusiasts processor solutions based on the LGA-2011v3 socket. This platform is combined: it allows you to create both high-performance system units (i7 series chips) and servers (Xeon line of processor devices). In this case, the minimum of the CPU will be 4 cores, and the maximum will be 10. There is also full support for NT technology, and the number of program threads is doubled. One more important feature This platform is that its RAM controller can operate in 4-channel mode. All other processor sockets can only operate in 2-channel.
AMD base platform
Entry-level AMD processors are socket FM2+ solutions. These are hybrid chips, and their main advantage over other platforms is their powerful integrated graphics subsystem. Theoretically, this approach allows you to save on purchasing a discrete graphics accelerator. But you can’t expect phenomenal performance from an integrated video card. Its capabilities, at best, are enough for most not very demanding games, and far from the maximum settings. Therefore, in this case, it will not be possible to get anything more than an entry-level gaming system. Within this platform, processors can contain only 4 computing units.
The most productive AMD socket
This socket appeared back when there was a dilemma: AMD or Intel would be better to choose for games. Much time has passed since then, and this platform is outdated. The level of performance allows you to still build a mid-range PC. But such CPUs certainly cannot compete with the most productive Intel chips. Such semiconductor solutions support DDR3 RAM and are produced using an outdated technological process - 32 nm (that is, their energy efficiency is far from the best).
Graphics subsystem
In the context of a gaming system, it's not enough to think about whether AMD or Intel is better for gaming. An important component of such a computer is the video card. As a rule, the number of FPS depends on its performance, and it also significantly increases the cost of the system unit. And if in the context of an entry-level gaming PC you can refuse to buy discrete graphics at the expense of performance, then in the case of a mid-range and especially premium-segment gaming machine you certainly cannot do without such a computer accessory. Currently, entry-level gaming systems are recommended to be equipped with the RX460 accelerator from AMD and 4 GB of RAM for $140. If you want to save money, you can purchase the same accelerator with 2 GB for $110. NVidia does not have a worthy answer to this product in this niche. Although it costs less (about $100), it also loses to the RX460 by about 30%. In turn, the GTX 950 is already 10% better in performance than the AMD product, but costs about $200, and this is clearly an exorbitant cost for an entry-level PC. In the middle level, it is recommended to install the NVidia solution - GTX 1060 with 6 GB of RAM. Its level of performance will be quite sufficient to unlock any processor solution in this niche. As an alternative from AMD in this case, you can consider the RX 480 with 8 GB random access memory, but their cost is slightly higher with a comparable level of performance. Premium PC mandatory should be equipped with the most powerful graphics adapter - GTX 1080 - and 8 GB of memory. But only dual-processor CPUs can unlock the potential of a CPU for a computer enthusiast. graphics accelerator. For example, Pro Duo of the Radeon line. Yes, it has only 8 GB of memory, but the presence of two semiconductor crystals at once allows it to solve any problems and show phenomenal performance in all cases.
The situation with the memory subsystem
A difficult situation with the RAM subsystem has currently developed in the segment of desktop computers. DDR3 modules are now more affordable, but their use in a gaming machine significantly reduces its performance. Therefore, it is recommended to buy such strips only in cases where there is no alternative. That is, if you use a PC based on an AMD CPU, you will have to use this particular type of RAM. But for Intel chips, it would be more correct to use DDR4, and thereby increase PC performance.
Entry-level PC
It is in the entry-level gaming PC segment that it is most difficult to choose between Intel or AMD. It’s hard to say what’s best for gaming in this case. On the one hand, there are affordable AMD CPUs with powerful integrated graphics. But at the same time, the performance of the processor part will suffer. On the other hand, you can buy an Intel product with a discrete video card, but you will have to overpay for it. Recommended configurations from both the first and second manufacturers are listed in Table 1, which shows the configurations of basic gaming systems.
PC component name | PC from AMD | Price, USD | PC from Intel | Price, USD |
CPU | ||||
Motherboard | ||||
Video card | ||||
HDD | ||||
Mid-range gaming systems
A comparison between Intel and AMD in this part of the processor market indicates that the former has better-performing chips, while the latter has more affordable chips. Therefore, you will have to make a very difficult choice: either save money and buy a PC that will already work at the limit of its capabilities, or add a certain amount and take a system unit with a reserve. Recommended configurations for mid-level gaming machines are shown in Table 2.
PC component name | PC from Intel | Cost, USD | PC from AMD | Cost, USD |
CPU | ||||
Motherboard | ||||
Video card | ||||
HDD | ||||
Solid State Drive | ||||
Premium solutions
"What processor do I have?" This question is irrelevant for this part of the computer market. In this niche there are only solutions from only one manufacturer - Intel. These PCs are purchased for a very long time and remain relevant for 3 to 5 years due to their high performance.
Two possible configurations for premium and PC gaming systems are shown in Table 3 below.
PC component name | Premium class | Cost, USD | Solution for the computer enthusiast | Cost, USD |
CPU | ||||
Motherboard | ||||
Video card | ||||
HDD | ||||
Solid State Drive | ||||
Prospects for the development of processor technology
At the beginning of 2017, the issue of choosing a CPU between AMD or Intel should become relevant again. At this time, as noted earlier, AMD will present the AM4 socket and a new generation central processing units. Preliminarily, their performance level is comparable to the performance of top Intel processors. Therefore, after that everything will come down to price and personal preference.
If AMD offers an excellent product with an attractive price tag, then Intel will have to respond with dignity and also reduce the cost of its chips. This should benefit the end buyer, who will be able to collect at a lower cost.
Results
Now let's summarize and decide which is better - AMD or Intel for games. Be that as it may, it is absolutely wrong to consider the possibility of purchasing one based on an AMD chip on the eve of the announcement of a new platform from this manufacturer. Although these products have a very, very affordable price, they common sense suggests that it is better to wait until the first quarter of 2017 and only then select the configuration of a new PC for gaming.
Well, in the case of Intel, there is plenty to choose from. Its computing platforms are located only at the equator of its life cycle and will be relevant for at least another 1.5-2 years. At the same time, they have an excellent performance reserve, they are still for a long time will be able to solve any problems without problems. The only drawback in this case is the higher cost of such products. But there is no escape from this; a high-performance PC cannot be cheap.
Best processor for gaming | Introduction
Intel Core i3-8350K- 15900 rubles
Best processor for gaming | The best choice in the category up to $100
There are not many models among entry-level processors worthy of attention enthusiasts - at least until the new Ryzen APUs appear on the shelves. These chips won't have cutting-edge features like AVX or Optane memory support, but they'll be a great match for discrete graphics cards priced under $200.
AMD Ryzen 3 2200G
First level
High prices for video cards have not had as much of an impact on the market for budget and entry-level gaming systems as they have on the market for mid- and high-end PCs (think about any cards from Nvidia GTX 1050 and above). However, under conditions of severe restrictions, the ability to play without installing a video card allows you to save a lot. And as RAM prices continue to rise, these savings come at a price.
All this makes the quad-core, four-threaded Ryzen 3 2200G especially attractive for building budget systems. The chip, which costs just over 7,000 rubles, provides stable performance at 720p resolution thanks to the built-in Vega graphics. It has sufficient performance reserves for everyday tasks and can be installed in a cheap motherboard based on the 300 series chipset (after updating the BIOS). Finally, it has an unlocked multiplier, so with good cooling it can be overclocked, including the integrated graphics.
Alternative:
Intel Pentium Gold G5600- 8100 rub.
AMD Ryzen 3 1200- 6900 rub.
Best processor for gaming | Conclusion
Now you have a list of our recommendations for choosing best gaming processor for the coming months. It's just a matter of small things: you need to choose and buy a suitable processor.
Please remember that the store situation is constantly changing. Therefore, focus on current prices and adjust your strategy. Anyway, good luck!
Hello everyone Let's talk about Intel hardware, or rather about which socket is best to build a computer on in 2016 or 2017, although now it is still 2016, I think that this information will easily be suitable for 2017. So I’ll write everything in simple words and these guys are exactly my opinion, my thoughts and all that
So now it’s 2016, the 775th socket is long gone, so we won’t talk about it, although guys, this socket still haunts fans..
So I’ll start with the 1366th socket, this is also an old socket, but it would be stupid not to write about it. The fact is that the 1366 socket was positioned as a solution for very powerful computers, so even today this socket is used by many modern games. Socket 1366 supports a three-channel memory mode, there are i7 processors with 6 cores for this socket, but since they come with Hyper-Threading technology, that is, with threads, Windows sees such a percentage as 12-core. By the way, the processors are made using a 45 nm process technology. Even today, the 1366 socket is powerful, if you have a top-end i7, maximum Opera, a normal video card, then, as I already wrote, many games will run on such hardware. Speaking of opera, according to some sources, socket 1366 supports a maximum of 24 gigabytes of DDR3, according to other sources, 48 gigabytes. But it seems that you can install 48 gigabytes on the X58 chipset. In general, this topic needs to be studied, I think that 48 gigs can still be installed, I myself have read some reviews and, so to speak, there is no smoke without fire... Well, you understand...
I also wanted to say about the 1366 socket that, of course, everything is cool there, well, I’m talking about six-core i7s, but the only joke guys is that they will already lag behind modern models in terms of performance. In short, I mean that a six-core i7 on a 1366 socket is an old processor and therefore it will be slower than modern four-core processors, not by much, but slower, and at the same time it will consume more energy..
By the way, the most powerful processor for 1366 socket, do you know which one? This is the i7 990X model, really cool, here is a screenshot of the CPU-Z program with this percentage:
But the 1366 socket has one more big plus: there are motherboards on this socket that support working with two processors at once. That is, as I wrote, such power is hardly needed by an ordinary user. Here is an example of a motherboard on which you can install two processors:
By the way, this is the ASUS Z8PE D12X model
And I’ll write something else to you, so if you suddenly look for a motherboard for socket 1366, then be careful! The funny thing is that there are new motherboards for 1366 socket, some are new, but they are NONEAME, and this name is CHINESE. I strongly do not recommend such motherboards!
So what else do we have there? There is a 1155 socket, I don’t have much to say here, because it is almost the same as the 1150 socket, but less productive. This socket is newer than 1366, but I still don’t recommend it, because it’s already outdated hardware, not today, not tomorrow.. The 1155 socket supports 32 gigs of DDR3 opera, quad-core i7s that come with threads. But again, in principle you can buy it if it’s at a good price, but once again, the 1155 socket will be about 20 percent slower than the 1150 socket, well, about that much
Here are the processors on the 1155th socket, I don’t know if this is the whole list, but there are definitely some popular ones here (those with the letter K are overclockable):
Let's move on, now we have 1150 socket. Well, what can I say, in principle this is a modern socket, but I don’t recommend it either and I’ll write why. This means that the 1150 socket is the same 32 gigabytes of DDR3, the same quad-core processors, but if on the 1155th socket they are made using a 32 nm process technology, then on the 1150th socket it is already 22 nm, this is a plus (the processors are a little faster and cooler) . In general, everything is fine with this socket, it is almost the same as the 1155, but a little faster.
But why don’t I recommend taking even the 1150 socket, although it seems to be modern? And because 1151 sockets have already been released, here it is, this is exactly what I advise you to take both in 2016, although it is already ending, and in the beginning of 2017. 1151 sockets have the same price as 1150, but are more powerful, there is a newer generation of processors and DDR4 support, in general there are serious advantages, and the price is the same. In general, I still consider the 1151 socket platform to be the best in terms of price and performance, believe me, it’s true. DDR4 support will allow you to build up a really large amount of RAM over time; you can cram all 64 gigs, versus 32 gigs on the 1150 socket. And top models of processors on socket 1151, this is really cool guys, because it’s very powerful
Look, these are just cool processors on socket 1151, just a note for you, look:
Why are they suddenly cool? But because they are on the coolest Kaby Lake core!!!
In principle, this is all that can be considered. There are also platforms 2011/2011-3, as I understand it, this is a continuation of socket 1366 and ordinary users are unlikely to need these platforms, they are very expensive and very powerful. For games this is super powerful, it’s simply not needed, believe me. And the prices there are simply outrageous...
So, what else is there on the sockets? Well, there is also socket 775, which I mentioned at the beginning. I think you are familiar with him, but maybe you don’t. In short, guys, this is an old socket. Yes, it’s really old, but is it worth burying it? I think it’s not worth it, everything happens in life and if you want to know what the 775th socket is capable of in 2017, then I will answer you, it is not capable of anything. And it will be a joke of course! The 775 socket is good in the sense that it’s not so dead, you can take a Q9650, overclock it, install a standard video card, 16 gigs of opera, and in principle I think you can play something...
There's another thing here, it's the price. A kit for used top-end hardware on the 775 socket will not cost that little guys. If you throw in a couple more tens of bucks, you can get the newest budget hardware on socket 1151, yes it will be budget, but the prospect of an upgrade is great. And don’t forget that between the 775th socket and the 1151st socket the difference is like an abyss, that is, very big. There, on socket 1151, the Pentium may already be even faster than the stock Q9650, I mean this seriously, after all, technology does not stand still.
So, what conclusion will we draw? I think we will. The best socket for 2016/2017 is definitely the 1151st, both in terms of price and performance. Believe me that this is the case, although you will probably still check this information, but I’ll tell you this, I won’t lie to you. You can take 1150, but 1151 is still better. Socket 1366 is for amateurs who want power and not cost too much, although finding boards on the 1366 socket is not an easy task. The 775th socket is even more for amateurs; it’s already difficult to squeeze anything out there even taking into account the overclocking of the Q9650. But for an office computer, the Q9650 will still be enough for a long time. The 1155th socket is also sufficient for an office, even if there is some kind of tree stump.
I completely forgot, there is also socket 1156, but that’s all rare beast, I do not know why. It’s older than 1155, and it’s clear that I don’t recommend it either. But it was on it that there was such a frame as a dual-core i5, which had 2 cores and 4 threads, by the way this is the i5 661 model, and maybe there were other models, I don’t know for sure, but on socket 1155 and the following sockets there is no such confusion anymore
In general, these are the things guys, it’s best to take 1151 socket, we’ll finish here, it seems that everything that is needed is what I wrote. And if I didn’t write something, then you’ll have to forgive me. Good luck to you and may everything go well for you
25.12.2016When choosing a processor, you need to pay attention not only to pure performance, frequency and number of cores. Don't forget about the design performance of the cooling system or TDP (Thermal Design Power).
Modern processors are no longer limited to 4 cores on board. There may be 8, 12, 16... and even more. True, such processors are already intended for professionals who need high computing power. If you are looking for a processor for a gaming system, then you can limit yourself to a chip with 6 cores. For example, such as .
Currently, two processors are fighting each other in the processor market. famous brand- AMD and Intel. For some time, AMD remained an outsider, but the Ryzen processor line brought it back to the top of the processor Olympus, making life difficult for representatives from Intel lines. Today, these two brands fight almost on an equal footing, outpacing each other with the release of each new model.
Rating leaders in terms of price/quality ratio
Every year, the CHIP testing laboratory tests a huge number of processors. All results of our tests are presented in the form of a summary rating in. This is what we were guided by when choosing the best CPUs that satisfied the price-performance ratio. The final score, which determines the position of a particular model in the table, of course, consists of performance. But high power should cost reasonable money, so in this material we are considering just such processors.
First place: AMD Ryzen 5 1600X
Despite the fact that Intel products currently occupy the leading positions in the overall ranking, chips from AMD win in terms of price/quality ratio, showing excellent results at an acceptable cost. Take, for example, our leader -. On average, for just 16,500 rubles you get a 6-core processor with modern architecture Summit Ridge, which offers impressive performance and high operating frequencies.
In normal operation, the frequency characteristics are at the level of 3600 MHz, but in auto-overclocking mode, when you need to “throw some wood,” the processor shows an impressive 4000 MHz. Moreover, this parameter can also be overclocked, since X-marked CPUs are designed specifically for overclocking. A TDP of 95 Watts also speaks to this.
In our test, the processor scored 3629 points in the PC Mark 8 synthetic benchmark, showing that the difference in performance with 8-core processors is not very large. But in benchmarks that give scores for multi-threading, the situation is a little different: eight-core processors noticeably take the lead, which, however, is quite expected.
Second place: Intel Core i7-8700K
Compared to the leader of our rating, the six-core one no longer seems so affordable. Its cost is significantly higher and averages about 32,000 rubles, which is almost twice the price tag of the AMD Ryzen 5 1600X. In terms of performance, it is the undisputed leader, but when assessing the price-quality ratio, it loses to its competitor from AMD.
During testing, it distinguished itself by showing the highest maximum frequency - an impressive 4700 MHz. The nominal frequency in normal operating mode is 3700 MHz, and now it is comparable to the competitor’s performance. But in auto-overclocking mode, the Intel Core i7-8700K simply puts other chips to shame and its equals in this this moment No.
Please note that IntelCore i7-8700K is not only the carrier of the latest Coffee Lake architecture. The name of the processor contains the letter “K”, and this tells us about good overclocking potential. By supplying the processor with increased power, it is possible to overclock the standard frequencies of the CPU itself, as well as DDR4 RAM modules. But there is a nuance - the changed power supply makes this processor incompatible with the LGA 1151 socket. An LGA 1151v2 is required.
Third place: AMD Ryzen 5 1600
In third place is another six-core AMD processor, but without the “X” marking. But the cost is even more forgiving - about 14,000 rubles. Not a processor, but a gift! True, in comparison with its older brother, this model offers standard frequencies at 3200 MHz and, if necessary, can be overclocked to 3600 MHz.
One of the differences from Intel processors lies in the absence of a graphics subsystem. If the choice of processors from the top two positions allows you to postpone the purchase of a video card, then in the case of a discrete video card is a necessity. But considering high cost graphics cards, not everyone has the opportunity to buy this component from one salary.
Based on benchmark measurements, it lags slightly behind the faster 1600X. This is especially noticeable in the test results in PCMark 8, Cinebench R15 and PovRay 3.7 RC3. But if you do not go into comparisons and take into account the TDP of 65 Watts, we can say that the final results are very good. Let us remind you that the 1600X version has a noticeably larger parameter – 95 Watts.
Fourth place: AMD Ryzen 7 1700
And again, a representative from the AMD camp shows the best value for money. We recommend buying an 8-core monster for those who do not tolerate any compromises in games or working with resource-demanding programs. According to the results of our tests, this processor proved to be highly productive and efficient, including in multitasking mode.
Clock frequencies are slightly lower than those of the leader in the rating. 3000 MHz in normal mode and 3700 MHz in auto overclocking mode. Despite this, the processor performs very well in synthetic benchmarks and shows good results. Based on the latest, this CPU can be safely attributed to the top segment. At the same time, the cost of such a top-end processor is very affordable - about 25,000 rubles.
It is best suited for working in programs that use multi-cores - here it has no equal yet. But for gaming systems, this processor will not be the best option, since many modern games are still poorly optimized for eight-core solutions from AMD. We see the best option using this processor specifically in a workstation.
Fifth place: Intel Core i7-7700K
In fifth place, AMD's expansion is diluted by another chip from Intel. It can be purchased for 25,000 rubles, if you don’t mind that it belongs to the previous Kaby Lake architecture. - a mainstream chip that focuses on performance and does not offer any innovations in comparison with new products based on Coffee Lake.
In comparison with previous CPUs, which occupy the first four lines of our chart, it offers only 4 cores and 8 threads. But the base clock frequency starts at 4200 MHz. In automatic overclocking mode, frequencies can reach 4500 MHz, which is almost comparable to the values of the 6-core Intel Core i7-8700K, which is in second place.
High clock speeds benefit performance. It shows very decent results in benchmarks, and in the PCMark 8 test it is even slightly ahead of the Intel Core i7-8700K. In the 3DMark test suites, both processors are also almost on par. And given the processor’s focus on gaming systems, we recommend buying it specifically for building gaming PCs.
Top 10 best desktop processors by price/quality ratio
1.
: 70.4
Number of cores
Maximum frequency
: 4.0 GHz
Overall rating: 70.4
Price/quality ratio: 82
2.
CPU performance (100%)
: 81.4
Number of cores
Maximum frequency
: 4.7 GHz
Overall rating: 81.4
Price/quality ratio: 80
3.
CPU performance (100%)
: 66.5
Number of cores
Maximum frequency
: 3.6 GHz
Overall rating: 66.5
Price/quality ratio: 81
4.
CPU performance (100%)
: 77.3
Number of cores
Maximum frequency
: 3.7 GHz
Overall rating: 77.3
Price/quality ratio: 79