Upgrading to an FX-8120? - Hardware & Software

Just graduated high school, got a job, now looking to upgrade my PC, which i have been wanting to do for ever. Current Build Q8200 2.33GHz GTX 460 768MB OC'd 4GB PNY DDR2 RAM 500 GB WD 7200RPM 730W ATX 12V KINGWIN GigaByte Mobo (can't remember the exact model) I was looking at AMD and Intel, but i like the price to performance of AMD, i know intel is very good, but i'm not looking to break the bank and run BF3 on Ultra at 100 frames, just something to upgrade from this mid-low range system. I think my GPU will be fine for another year or two, but my CPU is dated, along with my RAM. Would an 8120 be worth the 170 bucks? Is it future proof? Any input would be appreciated. No INTEL IS AMAZING AMD BLOWS type of garbage, please. *I'd like to keep it around 360$*

You're gonna change your Mobo if you want to buy an AMD CPU, also, for this price, it is worth it actually. [editline]20th June 2012[/editline] CPU : [URL="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103961"]8120[/URL] MOBO : [URL="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131767&cm_sp=MyNewegg-_-Recmd-_-Pst03Descrip"]ASUS M5A97[/URL] Total : ~263 $

Yeah, i found a combo deal with a.. well i'll just post a link! [URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/ComboDealDetails.aspx?ItemList=Combo.976993[/URL] Then i would add [URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233180[/URL] and an aftermarket cooler, because i hear the 8120's stock cooler is awful.

FX's stock cooler is OK, as long as you don't overclock it to hell.

You think that deal is good? Also, do you think my 460 would bottlenck on BF3 or something of the like?

Do not even consider buying an AMD Faildozer CPU, they perform like shit. It's so bad that the previous generation AMD chips performs faster than them. [editline]20th June 2012[/editline] Buy something like this setup instead: CPU: [URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116506[/URL] Motherboard: [URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128548[/URL] RAM: [URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231310[/URL] CPU Heatsink (since you mentioned it): [URL]http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065[/URL] Costs $355.29 with standard shipping included. And of course, alternative parts can be picked if you have other needs such as wanting to overclock, wanting a ATX motherboard, etc.

Information provided by a CPU Benchmark site, where everyday users come to test their CPU. [IMG]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/7149/8120benchmark.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3302/phenomiibenchmark.png[/IMG] The 8120 performs better and is more than half the price.

[QUOTE=Fleskhjerta;36409669]Information provided by a CPU Benchmark site, where everyday users come to test their CPU. [IMG]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/7149/8120benchmark.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3302/phenomiibenchmark.png[/IMG] The 8120 performs better and is more than half the price.[/QUOTE] Yeah, when everything goes right. Generally programs won't use all 4 modules, and therefore it scores lower in real-life workloads. The 8120 isn't [I]bad[/I] for its price, but going with an i5 will be better in so many ways.

GoDong, is the i5 and a comparable motherboard competitively priced? Just wondering, because I'm an AMD fanboy when it comes to CPUs, and I know that AMD is typically a cheaper solution, so I'm wondering if an i5 would be more cost-effective under 360 dollars.

[QUOTE=MrWhite;36410528]GoDong, is the i5 and a comparable motherboard competitively priced? Just wondering, because I'm an AMD fanboy when it comes to CPUs, and I know that AMD is typically a cheaper solution, so I'm wondering if an i5 would be more cost-effective under 360 dollars.[/QUOTE] You can get LGA1155 motherboards for ~$50, and the ones with overclockability and soon starts around the $80 mark. With a $360 budget for CPU and motherboard, I'd go with Intel. If you're building a whole low-end gaming rig with a very small budget ($400 and that alike), the APUs are pretty nice, though the old Phenom II CPUs aren't half-bad either, if you can get a decent card into the mix. I actually enjoy building really cheap rigs instead of expensive ones, 'cause there's a bit of a challenge implied. Looking for combo's and all that.

[QUOTE=Fleskhjerta;36409669]Information provided by a CPU Benchmark site, where everyday users come to test their CPU. [IMG]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/7149/8120benchmark.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3302/phenomiibenchmark.png[/IMG] The 8120 performs better and is more than half the price.[/QUOTE] Wanna try again? [IMG]http://media.bestofmicro.com/M/G/310552/original/pcmark 7 entertainment.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://media.bestofmicro.com/L/G/310516/original/3ds max.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://media.bestofmicro.com/M/B/310547/original/lame.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://media.bestofmicro.com/M/9/310545/original/itunes.png[/IMG] There are benchmarks that shows even more drastic differences, but I don't remember what they are. And this is for a CPU that is better than the one you've mentioned Also a 1100T doesn't cost $330 :rolleyes:

The thing that attracts me to AMD is the overclocking ability, and the price. I can overclock it quite a bit if i really do need to catch-up. I want to run BF3, at a higher than 30 framerate on high settings. If i can almost do that now, with my q8200... i think the not even year old 8120 can do that for me. Also, the socket this processor is running on, is not very old, and piledriver will use it. If this 8120 just isn't doing the job, i can go ahead and save up for a piledriver. I love intel, it's done me damn well for the past few years. I've never built a PC with an AMD for myself. But all the other PCs i've built that had AMDs kick ass. Am i wrong in saying that the 8120 will run BF3 just fine? It's not the only game i play, but it's sure as hell the most tasking.

If you want overclocking, you can buy a [url=http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115072]i5-2500K[/url] and [URL="http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813157279"]a motherboard like this[/URL] instead, and that would still fit around your budget. The K series of the new Intel CPUs has unlocked multipliers, and can overclock easily like god. Also, upgrading your CPU won't make BF3 run drastically faster in your case, since BF3 is much more GPU reliant. When it comes to buying computer parts, you can't just pick something simply because "it works" and is faster than what you currently have. You also need to take consideration of whether if the investment is worth it in the longer run.

[QUOTE=Fleskhjerta;36409669]Information provided by a CPU Benchmark site, where everyday users come to test their CPU. [IMG]http://img843.imageshack.us/img843/7149/8120benchmark.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/3302/phenomiibenchmark.png[/IMG] The 8120 performs better and is more than half the price.[/QUOTE] but it sure sucks when everyday users forget to bench against an actual competing processor.

Keep in mind that you'll have to buy new RAM. DDR2 won't work on modern motherboards.

Yeah i know. That was in my 3rd post, what's your take on the 8120?

[QUOTE=Bettler;36420290]Yeah i know. That was in my 3rd post, what's your take on the 8120?[/QUOTE] The 8120 Overclocked is still slower then a 2500k.

Okay what I would recommend: CPU: A 2500k or 2600k RAM: Corsair vengeance 2x 4gigs 1600mhz Make sure to get a fitting Mainboard though.

Thanks for all the input, got the 8120 anyway because i just decided to try something out of the normal Intel realm. Works GREAT. 30-45 constant frames on ultra in BF3, with a 768MB GTX 460! Perfectly happy, and will continue to be for a long time.

[QUOTE=Bettler;36510866]Thanks for all the input, got the 8120 anyway because i just decided to try something out of the normal Intel realm. Works GREAT. 30-45 constant frames on ultra in BF3, with a 768MB GTX 460! Perfectly happy, and will continue to be for a long time.[/QUOTE] Sorry, I'm all for supporting AMD, but buying Bulldozer was a [I]bad[/I] choice. Even if you ignore the Intel offerings, Piledriver should be just about the corner. And why would you ignore better options because you wanna try something new? They're both x86-64 and run precisely the same programs and OSs.

Because, i wanted to try something new? I didn't want an Intel?

[QUOTE=Bettler;36514230]Because, i wanted to try something new? I didn't want an Intel?[/QUOTE] Piledriver is the codename for the new AMD chip. It'll cost largely the same but presumably be a lot more powerful/efficient and it's literally just around the corner (next month or so). Bad timing is what he was hinting at.

Well with this setup i'll be able to upgrade seemlessly. I've got plenty of friends that need to upgrade their computers, hell some of them already have AM3+ sockets. I'm happy with my purchase, and i'm laughing at my friend who has an ATi 5870, Solid State, and 3.6 i7, as i'm beating him in performance.

i7 doesn't mean shit since it's probably a first-gen Bloomfield or Gulftown chip Any Sandy Bridge i5 or i7 would completely destroy your processor

[QUOTE=Protocol7;36514594]i7 doesn't mean shit since it's probably a first-gen Bloomfield or Gulftown chip Any Sandy Bridge i5 or i7 would completely destroy your processor[/QUOTE] Well he got it only a few months ago, for massive amount of money. I love you intel fanboys. So fun.

[QUOTE=Bettler;36514230]Because, i wanted to try something new? I didn't want an Intel?[/QUOTE] The problem as I see it is the fact that there's no observeable difference between an Intel and AMD CPU (other than performance of course). As these CPUs are all x86-64, they're gonna run the same stuff. If you bought a Mac and said "I wanted to try something new", I could understand it, but there's no difference in the UI or overall design of your computer - only a performance difference.

I've had an intel for years, that I feel I overpaid for. Frankly. I'm tired of intel, if this processor was an awful PoS, I would get rid of it, but really, it's not. I'm happy with my purchase, and that's the final factor here.

[QUOTE=Bettler;36514690]Well he got it only a few months ago, for massive amount of money. I love you intel fanboys. So fun.[/QUOTE] I had an AM2 processor for 7 years before getting my 2500k and my laptop has an AMD A6-3400M :) I don't ever play brand favorites [editline]27th June 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=Bettler;36514744]I've had an intel for years, that I feel I overpaid for. Frankly. I'm tired of intel, if this processor was an awful PoS, I would get rid of it, but really, it's not. I'm happy with my purchase, and that's the final factor here.[/QUOTE] The problem is the FX-8120 is still an upgrade compared to your old processor, so it feels fast, but frankly you bought it for all the wrong reasons and, with Bulldozer's real-world performance compared to an Intel processor, it would have been worth the extra $50 or so bucks to just get an i5.

[QUOTE=Bettler;36514690]Well he got it only a few months ago, for massive amount of money. I love you intel fanboys. So fun.[/QUOTE] I love how you call people of fanboyism when they were just giving you legit advice. Apart of their APUs, AMD processors are clearly not a good choice, compared to the Intel's ones.

Guys, OP is clearly a fag and thats why hes not listening. [highlight](User was banned for this post ("Flaming" - Craptasket))[/highlight]