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Is AMD really that unpopular now ... ?

Spuff

Spuff

Spuff

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Joined
29 Jan 2013
Posts
14
I'm planning a big upgrade on my AMD Phenom 965BE system at the moment. I've just installed everything into a new Cooler Master Silencio case and bought 8GB DDR3 RAM, but can't install the memory just yet because the AMD mobo I wanted isn't in stock at my local (ish) shop (Advance Technologies) and my current board only supports DDR2. They can't get the mobo in until Tuesday because they don't stock AMD boards in the shop any more!
From all the stuff I've been reading, AMD just isn't raved about any more so is it worth me making the shift over to Intel? It would mean spending another £150 on a CPU as well as the mobo!
I'm trying to make my computer more future-proof really and I use my PC for general internety stuff, a bit of video converting and a bit of gaming so is it really worthwhile me making the transition?
 
If you have limited budget, either go for a AMD AM3+ board with the FX-6300, or a Intel Z77 and a 2nd hand i5 CPU...such as i5. Non-K version i5 should be just under £100 delivered, and i5 2500K should be a bit over £100. Personally I would go for the Intel route, as its performance would be overall better for gaming without having to worry about performance loss due to games using 4 cores or less.
 
Spuff said:
I'm planning a big upgrade on my AMD Phenom 965BE system at the moment. I've just installed everything into a new Cooler Master Silencio case and bought 8GB DDR3 RAM, but can't install the memory just yet because the AMD mobo I wanted isn't in stock at my local (ish) shop (Advance Technologies) and my current board only supports DDR2. They can't get the mobo in until Tuesday because they don't stock AMD boards in the shop any more!
From all the stuff I've been reading, AMD just isn't raved about any more so is it worth me making the shift over to Intel? It would mean spending another £150 on a CPU as well as the mobo!
I'm trying to make my computer more future-proof really and I use my PC for general internety stuff, a bit of video converting and a bit of gaming so is it really worthwhile me making the transition?
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Stick with what you have. Upgrade when you really need to,as the upgrade would be bigger at that point.
 
The new entry system quad core AMD's are decent for a budget build, on par with the intel dual core G range, so yeah they are still popular but as soon as you go past the entry level barrier intel becomes cheaper + most people on here use intel and know it in and out :p

Best waiting another year, then slapping on a new build since all the new intel chips will be down in price.
 
I would have considered an AMD CPU (although gaming benchmarks are horrendous compared to Intel) if the mobo's supported all the latest tech.

Then again, after consideration would not have bought an BD or PD.

If your serious about a gaming computer, there is only one solution and thats Intel.
 
I have an AMD phenom II 960T - similar-ish, but a cut down thuban hex core.

I considered a fx 6300/8320/8350 as a replacement but saw sense because I didnt really need it. I clocked it to within an inch of it's life instead :)
 
just got a 8350 and its amazing cpu overclocks to 5.0Ghz if I want but settled at 4.5ghz 1 nudge of vcore and its flying ( i came from Q9550 which has been a beast of a chip)
 
push that bad boy as far as it can go! For me, only prime stable is stable but opinions vary.

Does anyone know what the IPC comparison is like between stars and piledriver?

I'm under the impression that its either the same or lower for PD, so upgrading would only give me more cores I probably won't use for gaming and a few extra hundred mhz?
 
Not so much unpopular as in nobody likes them it's just that they offer a largely inferior product.

Intel 3570K is faster in most cases, overclocks as well percentage-wise and has less heat problems when doing so, doesn't need a monstrous PSU, has onboard GPU (might not be amazing but is better than nothing).

The only thing really keeping AMD in the game with Piledriver is Intel keeping their 6 core chips as a premium product.
 
The vast majority of gamers don't have K series Core i5 and £200+ graphics cards though. The only people who really have hatred of AMD tend to be dorks on forums,and the same goes with Nvidia too.

In fact,when I went to a number of LANs,or happened to meet gamers in the real world,at least in the UK,I see quite a decent number using AMD CPUs still,especially the desktop CPUs under £100. In that market they are fine ATM,and at least everyone I know seems to think so,irrespective if they own Intel or AMD CPUs. I have a Core i5 in my current rig,but they do some good budget options which I have recommended to people.

Its the same with graphics card - most seems to be the ones under £150 to £160.
 
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you dont need a big PSU mine is 600w full load overclocked its 42c so its not hot and performance is on par with 3770k in some things and behind the 3750k in others its far from black and white and at idle its got lower consumption that the 3770k.
 
badcompany said:
you dont need a big PSU mine is 600w full load overclocked its 42c so its not hot and performance is on par with 3770k in some things and behind the 3750k in others its far from black and white and at idle its got lower consumption that the 3770k.
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The funny thing,is that the reviews which tested actual power consumption under gaming,show less than a 50W increase over a IB Core i5 or Core i7 with an FX8350, when the CPUs are at stock clockspeeds, running Batman and BF3. You are looking at under 300W at the wall with a GTX680 or HD7970,and that is with a load on the GPU too.

If people are going to fret over that level of power consumption,which is unlikely to be 24/7, unless you are locked away in a room with no life only gaming, then they probably live in cold houses with no heating to save the pennies too!! :p

FFS,the SFF 500W PSU in my SFF PC can run a six core SB-E Core i7 and a GTX680 or HD7970 fine,as it is used in the high end Shuttle rigs.

Having owned mostly SFF PCs in the last few years,people seem to massively overstate PSU requirements for most common usage patterns.
 
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