Best E5200 upgrade for £100 - suggestions?

[jmp_78]

Simple question...

If you had £100 to upgrade your CPU from a Pentium Dual-Core E5200 running @ 3.7GHz, which current processor would give you the best bang for your buck? Basic Windows 7 tasks and gaming would be the main uses, and let's ASSUME that socket type/CPU compatibility is not an issue so can be Intel or AMD.

Cheers, just looking for ideas at this early stage

 

[imamosher]

I'm doing a new build and chucking in a x3 435 amd....Half your budget and best bang for buck cpu I can find

 

[Tiamat21]

^Can't hard to get a new mobo and a CPU for under £100 to beat a Dual core 3.7ghz XD
So just for a CPU, socket 775 I would go for one of the Q8k series but all of them are over £100, so your best option would be the E7500.....

 

[jmp_78]

Thanks so far. Really don't worry about the motherboard, just want to know which £100 CPU is best - any socket, any make.

Was looking at Phenom II X3 720 Black Edition for £99.99. Thoughts?

 

[imamosher]

http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/athlon-ii-x3,2452.html

Have a read of that, It shows the x3 435 and the 720 black edition and the difference is negligible.

 

[Marine-RX179]

If it's CPU only and under £100:

Dual-cores:

Core i3 530 (it is faster than E8000 series):
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-311-IN&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=1671

Phenom II X2 550 or 555 (can be unlocked to Tri/Quad depending on your luck on the chip you get as well as your motherboard):
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-249-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=1328

Quad-cores:
2nd hand Q6600

But if I were you, I'd try to stretch the budget to £140-£150 and get Core i5 750.

 

[lcg]

I second the above recommendation of a used Q6600.

 

[jmp_78]

Compared with my current Dual-Core E5200 @ 3.7GHz, would I notice much of a difference if using:

a) Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition (stock speeds)
b) Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition (realistic overclock)

 

[Marine-RX179]

Compared with my current Dual-Core E5200 @ 3.7GHz, would I notice much of a difference if using:

a) Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition (stock speeds)
b) Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition (realistic overclock)

May be let me put it this way, the order of speed for both stock vs stock, overclock vs overclock of the Dual-cores looks something like this:
Core i3 530>E8000 series>Phenom II X2 500 series>E5000 series

However, if your Phenom II X2 500 series can stably unlock to Quad cores, it would be the most 'bang for bucks'...but like I said, it is depended on luck.

Also bare in mind that E8000 series is more expensive than Phenom II X2 500 series, and no reason to upgrade to E8400 since Core i3 530 is faster and cost under £100

 

[imamosher]

From what I understand there is a higher possibility of unlocking the other cores on the 555 series phenoms.

 

[Spooter]

I would say you wouldnt notice much difference.

My main PC is a E5200 @3.7Ghz but I have also had the AMD 550 @ 3.4 and the difference in gaming is not much difference imo. If you have a decent GPU and a 3.7Ghz processor you should be ok for some time yet.

If it was me I would either wait or save until you can build a I5/I7 system as this can be down for only £300 these days.

If anything maybe a second hand q6600?

Regards

 

[PermaBanned]

If it's CPU only and under £100:

Dual-cores:

Core i3 530 (it is faster than E8000 series):
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-311-IN&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=1671

Phenom II X2 550 or 555 (can be unlocked to Tri/Quad depending on your luck on the chip you get as well as your motherboard):
http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-249-AM&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=1328

Quad-cores:
2nd hand Q6600

But if I were you, I'd try to stretch the budget to £140-£150 and get Core i5 750.

Why a second hand Q6600 when the Athlon II X4 outperforms it when it's cheaper new?

 

[Marine-RX179]

Why a second hand Q6600 when the Athlon II X4 outperforms it when it's cheaper new?

Athlon II X4 outperform Q6600? At stock speed by a little may be, but that's only because X4's stock speed is higher than Q6600's stock speed. The lacking in cache size making the Athlon II X4 a poorer performer, and if you put Q6600 next to a Athlon II X4 on the same clock speed, Q6600 would beat it easily. Athlon X2/X4 are however good performers as a sub £70 CPU budget range though.

 

[jmp_78]

Thanks for all your comments and advice guys.

Am thinking of an i3 530 now, seem to OC well from what I've read. This would also get me on the LGA1156 ladder.

 

[Marine-RX179]

Am thinking of an i3 530 now, seem to OC well from what I've read. This would also get me on the LGA1156 ladder.

Just a final reminder that...in old days...and up the recently, high-end dual-core are better for gaming than quad-core, because they can be overclocked higher, while the extra cores on Quad doesn't do much for games. However, new games are starting to take advantage of Quad cores (such as Battlefield Bad Company 2). I remember see in another topic which someone testing Battlefield using Phenom II 550 at normal dual-core vs Phenom II 550 unlocked to Quad on the same set up, running both at the same clock speed and the result in frame rate of Quad nearly doubled of the Dual (yes! it was like 79fps vs 45fps).

If you are certain you wouldn't not be able spend more than £100, then sure get the i3 530, or at least consider other Quads options. But if you can increase your budget to £150, then get i5 750 instead and save yourself the trouble of upgrading again in the future...as a i5 750 overclocked to 4.0GHz would last you another good 3 years at least I think.