Best Processor and motherboard combo for gaming

I am planning to buy a new gaming rig but i am in a doubt about the main components i.e the processor and the motherboard.
Many members have asked this question so this thread may clear the doubt for everyone.

The idea of overclocking does not appeal to me as i have zero knowledge about it and it voids warranty and is an expensive choice and it does not give a HUGE boost to gaming.But having an option will be nice if someone can explain to me its importance.
I plan to keep the rig for 3-4 years.

My budget is 25k-26k for both the components.And the following are the four choices.

1.I5-3570K+Gb z77x ud3h+hyper 212=27k
This is the most expensive combo of all the choices and the one i actually was 100% sure i would buy.But it is the most expensive one and has 4 cores and does not have hyper threading hence it may be the fastest to become obsolete.

2.i7-3770k +gigabyte b75=24.5k
This i7 has some awesome reviews and also has hyperthreading which may/will help in gaming in the future but the mobo is pretty basic.

3.AMD fx 8350+Asus M5A99 R2.0= 23k
This is the one that led to making of the thread.Hyper-threading,more cores,better stock cooler and most important future upgrade is easy and a vfm price.But i read about it having problems in windows 7 and not being really a octa-core (posts by Cilus)

4. i7 3770 (non k) + gb z77 -d3h=25k
This may look stupid (non k + z77) but it almost same as i7 3770k and a better board with no ocing which i dont really want to do.

OTHER COMPONENTS
g skill ripjaws x 4gb or 8 gb
dell s2240l
saphire 7950
cm haf 912 with window
apc 600va
Corsair gs 600

GPU is more important for gaming than CPU and MoBo.
And as you are already buying 7950, you shouldn't worry about CPU. Even a mid range i5 will do just fine.

You are right but 3 years later an i7 will be able to handle games much better than i5 -3550

Options 2 and 4 are a waste of money.
Options 1 and 3 are the best, 3 being the ideal combo.

Another alternative is combining i7 3770 and b75 mobo. Powerful but limited due to the locked multiplier. You cant extract any more performance out of it.
For OCing, its always good to add a decent cpu cooler.
Keep the option for OCing open.

After Recent developments and suggestions I was pretty sure about buying amd but the discussions by forum members about it's problems in windows 7 made me doubt it.
Hmm the i7 b75 also looks nice as games are starting to use hyper threading.
Also I will be able to use ssd with all combo's right?

b75 doesnt support ssd caching (Intel Smart Response Technology) which is supported by h77 and z77 mobos.

SRT boosts normal hdd performance.
Intel Smart Response Technology Explained | Hardware Secrets

Then b75 is a deal breaker for me.the only difference between z77 and h77 is ocing and support for sli/crossfire by z77 right?
If yes then how about I7-3770 non k +h77?

gaming is best done on Intel. the FX8350 is more application oriented and is beaten by i7 3770K in gaming.
and OCing in the long extends the life of your rig. later, when faster GPUs come, you can simply OC the proccy and get the new faster GPU, without any bottlenecks.

for the 7950/proccy OCing, get a 1.1KVA APC UPS.

btw, get the i7 3770K. there will be no need to OC and the default heatsink will do for now.

later when you OC, change it to a aftermarket cooler.

oh.. by mistake i voted for the last option.

and you didnt mention your PSU??

@anirband:So you suggest i7-3770k and z77? That costs almost 30k which is way expensive for me .What's the price of 1.1 kv ups?
Oh I did it now.corsair gs 600. Thankyou so much for your help

APC 1.1kva is about 5k I think.

i7-3770k and z77 will be a solid performer for a long time and will probably last you atleast 2 gpu's. :razz:

I7-3770k costs 19.5k (correct me if I am wrong) so the best I can do is a 7.5k z77 motherboard.will that be good enough for overclocking? Suggest me some motherboards which you think will work with the i7 and fit my budget.

^^A year back, I was in the exact same dilemma as you, the only difference being my budget was pretty lower than your's. I too had intentions to buy a 2500k + z77 combo which was exceptionally good performer but would drill a hole in my pocket. But there were people here who could guide me in right path and so games still run decently on the rig in my signature.

My point is, when it comes to Full HD gaming all that matters is the beefines of the GPU, the game won't care much if you have an i7 or FX 8350 as long as it does not bottleneck your GPU performance.

Talking about OC'ing, as you have mentioned in your first post, it wont give much of a boost in FPS while gaming. What about 3-4 years down the lane? Trust me, you wont have to heavily OC your CPU there too. Just make sure it has more core (games are becoming core intensive) and capable of mild (very mild) OC'ing.

The OC'ing that matters here is that of the GPU. Yes it can give better FPS in the future. In order to do that get rid of the GS600 and invest on a better one like SeaSonic S12 II 620, SS 750, or even TX series. And yeah, if possible choose a board which can support multi-GPU setup will make your setup highly future proof.

The summary of what I told is, Excellent GPU + Good CPU with more cores + Excellent PSU + X'Fire support board = gaming for another 4-5 years without any hiccups at all. And the doors for upgrades are always left open with this combination.

^^ Very efficiently summarized. NiGHtfUrY, listen what RiGOD has tried to conveyed.

And regarding, Z77 Motherboard query, no a 7K Z77 board is not at all suitable and recommended for overclocking. The Intel Ivy Bridge Processors (third gen i5 and i7) are not very good overclockable compared to the 2nd Gen Core (Sandy Bridge) Processors and you need real good Motherboard and Custom CPU Cooler for it.

anirbandd said:
gaming is best done on Intel. the FX8350 is more application oriented and is beaten by i7 3770K in gaming.
and OCing in the long extends the life of your rig. later, when faster GPUs come, you can simply OC the proccy and get the new faster GPU, without any bottlenecks.

for the 7950/proccy OCing, get a 1.1KVA APC UPS.

btw, get the i7 3770K. there will be no need to OC and the default heatsink will do for now.

later when you OC, change it to a aftermarket cooler.

oh.. by mistake i voted for the last option.

and you didnt mention your PSU??

Absolutely wrong.

You have to go for an after market cooler with i7-3770K, even though you are not OCing. Your temps will shoot like anything when you game with stock cooler on i7-3770K.

Moreover an i7-3770K is almost 8K costlier than FX-8350. I am not counting the additional 5K for Z77 mobos. If you are ready to spend that much money for a meagre gain in performance...be my guest.

Rigod has explained the facts beautifully. +1 to him.

RiGOD said:
Talking about OC'ing, as you have mentioned in your first post, it wont give much of a boost in FPS while gaming. What about 3-4 years down the lane? Trust me, you wont have to heavily OC your CPU there too. Just make sure it has more core (games are becoming core intensive) and capable of mild (very mild) OC'ing.

The OC'ing that matters here is that of the GPU. Yes it can give better FPS in the future. In order to do that get rid of the GS600 and invest on a better one like SeaSonic S12 II 620, SS 750, or even TX series. And yeah, if possible choose a board which can support multi-GPU setup will make your setup highly future proof.

The summary of what I told is, Excellent GPU + Good CPU with more cores + Excellent PSU + X'Fire support board = gaming for another 4-5 years without any hiccups at all. And the doors for upgrades are always left open with this combination.

Thankyou so much,it is nice to get information from someone who knows how difficult and confusing it is to choose.
Your post has changed my perception about ocing and i am planning to do it.I can know narrow down my choices (thats a huge relief) by excluding i7-3770 non-k.

So here is what i have left
1)I5-3570k+gb z77 ud3h or msi z77a-g45=26.5k
2)fx-8350 + 990 fx (suggest a motherboard)=23k
3)i7-3770k + msi z77Ma-g45=27k

Money is not a concern here if i get a better performance from an i7 then i wont mind going for it.

You said "more core (games are becoming core intensive)" and "more core (games are becoming core intensive)" so i am implying you are suggesting fx-8350.
Please clear the following doubts about fx-8350
1)it comes with a stock water cooler right?but even then i read at many forums that it heats up under load especiaaly in hot places (i live in delhi).
2)what is the black edition fx 8350?this one is better right?what is its cost?
3)amd motherboards have pci-2.0 only.i know it doesnt matter much right now but will it later?
4)the next gen amd processors have the same socket so i will be able to use my current motherboard with them right?i mean that is 100% true confirmed right?

Here is what incurred from all the research i have done so far
1)intel i5 >amd fx 8350 in single threaded games (i.e the majority)
2)i5 consumes less power and produces less heat than 8350.
3)if money is not a concern then one should go with i5 and if it is then amd as it has great vfm.

BUT

1)games are now using multiple threads and more cores and this trend is on the rise.
2)Future upgrade is easier on amd.
3)it outperforms i5 in some games.

I hope it desnt feel like i am against amd or an intel fanboy,you see i was preety sure about the i5 until recently so it will take some time and a performance increase for me to choose amd (i am inclining towards it

) i hope everyone understands.
Also will the i7 perform better than the amd?and please mention the price of the psu's ypu recommended.

Please keep the replies coming all suggestions are very helpful and are very very much appreciated .

Thanking you
Nf

R

To answer some of your questions:
1.fx 8350 comes with a stock 'air' cooler and not a water cooler.
2.i5 is considerably faster than fx 8350 in single threaded games and applications and not the other way around as you wrongly put in your post.

fx 8350 is awesome for gaming+extra

1. No FX 8350 comes with a Copper Heat Pipe based Air Cooler. But the quality is far better than any Intel Coolers and 4 GH to 4.2 GHz overclocking is very easily possible with it.
2. All the new FX Processors are Black Edition version. Their Multiplier is unlocked to make overclocking a piece of cake.
3. I don't think even in near future, PCI-E 3.0 is going to play a major role in terms of gaming performance.
4. Yes. AMD has confirmed at least one version of their Steam Roller Processors will be compatible with the AM3+ socket.

Regarding your research about i5 Vs FX, you are mostly correct. The reason behind choosing AMD system is the cost of the whole system. If you chose FX-8350 over an i7, then with the saved money, you can actually switch to a HD 7970 from a HD 7950. But if you can accommodate i7 3770K along with a good Graphic card by extending your budget then go for it. i7 3770K, pure performance wise, is better than FX-8350 in almost everything.

Now, if you are going with AMD setup, the best VFM 990FX motherboard will be MSI 990FXA-GD65.

NiGHtfUrY said:
I am planning to buy a new gaming rig but i am in a doubt about the main components i.e the processor and the motherboard.
Many members have asked this question so this thread may clear the doubt for everyone.

The idea of overclocking does not appeal to me as i have zero knowledge about it and it voids warranty and is an expensive choice and it does not give a HUGE boost to gaming.But having an option will be nice if someone can explain to me its importance.
I plan to keep the rig for 3-4 years.

My budget is 25k-26k for both the components.And the following are the four choices.

1.I5-3570K+Gb z77x ud3h+hyper 212=27k
This is the most expensive combo of all the choices and the one i actually was 100% sure i would buy.But it is the most expensive one and has 4 cores and does not have hyper threading hence it may be the fastest to become obsolete.

2.i7-3770k +gigabyte b75=24.5k
This i7 has some awesome reviews and also has hyperthreading which may/will help in gaming in the future but the mobo is pretty basic.

3.AMD fx 8350+Asus M5A99 R2.0= 23k
This is the one that led to making of the thread.Hyper-threading,more cores,better stock cooler and most important future upgrade is easy and a vfm price.But i read about it having problems in windows 7 and not being really a octa-core (posts by Cilus)

4. i7 3770 (non k) + gb z77 -d3h=25k
This may look stupid (non k + z77) but it almost same as i7 3770k and a better board with no ocing which i dont really want to do.

OTHER COMPONENTS
g skill ripjaws x 4gb or 8 gb
dell s2240l
saphire 7950
cm haf 912 with window
apc 600va
Corsair gs 600

Option 3 is your best bet.
AMD FX 8350 + Asus M5A99FX Pro R2.0 -11000 + 10300 =21300. These are local prices if you bargain efficiently.

@rock: ohh I think it was 8150 that came with a water cooler
2) That was a typo corrected it now thank you for pointing that out. : )

@cilus: the gpu will remain same with each combination as it will be bought a little later.
So the money saved wont actually effect the performance.So what do you suggest now an i5 with A 13k mobo or i7 with the msi mobo I mentioned? Also what is the price of msi 990fxa you mentioned?

@sumaltha: would you say that even if I could afford an i5 or i7?

@summers: even if I have good ventilation and loads of fans and do nil ocing without the aftermarket cooler?
P.s budget increased to 27k

Thanking each and everyone of you
Nightfury

NiGHtfUrY said:
@rock: ohh I think it was 8150 that came with a water cooler
2) That was a typo corrected it now thank you for pointing that out. : )

@cilus: the gpu will remain same with each combination as it will be bought a little later.
So the money saved wont actually effect the performance.So what do you suggest now an i5 with A 13k mobo or i7 with the msi mobo I mentioned? Also what is the price of msi 990fxa you mentioned?

@sumaltha: would you say that even if I could afford an i5 or i7?

@summers: even if I have good ventilation and loads of fans and do nil ocing without the aftermarket cooler?
P.s budget increased to 27k

Thanking each and everyone of you
Nightfury

Yes, I would always recommend an aftermarket cooler with Intel always. One of my friend purchased an i5-2500K earlier & his temps were going 50-60 even during mild usage like office work, internet surfing etc and during gaming he was getting 70 degrees. Later he had to go for an aftermarket cooler from CM.

CM Hyper 212 Evo @ 2.1k is very good option that you can consider.

Yes I read a lot of good reviews about it.Can someone please recommend some good z77 motherboards for less than 9k to pair up with my i7-3770k?will be sure to buy the cooler.

MSI 990FXA-GD65 costs around 9.2K

For choice of Processor, I think you should go with either FX-8350 or i7 3770K. And I didn't understand if you save some money now, why not it can be spend even when you will be purchasing the GPU later.

^The best would be the Gigabyte GA-Z77P-D3H @9.7 Its pretty decent motherboard but if im not wrong it has limitations in OCing and not so good VRM, Your OC the CPU get a decent OC'able motherboard at least a Asus P8Z77-V @ 14k which will overclock the CPU well and don't forget to get an after market cooler preferably CM 212 EVO

@ cilus: I read somewhere that 7950 can be easily overclocked to match the performance of 7970 that is why I was thinking of going for it but right now I only have 50k,2 months later I can manage to buy 7970 but I need to buy the PC urgently,other components cost 22k so I have 28k for the proccy and mobo and I want to get the maximum out of it,that is why I want to go for the i7.So can you please suggest some z77 mobo for the i7.: )
@101gamerz: the Asus one exceeds my budget by atleast 6k,please suggest something in my budget.

NiGHtfUrY said:
@ cilus: I read somewhere that 7950 can be easily overclocked to match the performance of 7970 that is why I was thinking of going for it but right now I only have 50k,2 months later I can manage to buy 7970 but I need to buy the PC urgently,other components cost 22k so I have 28k for the proccy and mobo and I want to get the maximum out of it,that is why I want to go for the i7.So can you please suggest some z77 mobo for the i7.: )
@101gamerz: the Asus one exceeds my budget by atleast 6k,please suggest something in my budget.

dude if u r going with i7 3770k make sure u get a good mobo with it else u'll regret later..........
(thanks to forum member i didn't made that mmistake i think)

What is the cheapest good mobo? The question now arises

1)i5 3570k+gb z77x ud3h=26.5k
OR
2)i7-3770k (20k)+8k Z77 mobo =28k

@gta0gagan: our rigs are almost same.can you please quote the prices of your components.

For Processor, if you're going with Intel then get either 2600K or 3770K. For Motherboard, have a look at Asrock Z77 Fatal1ty Professional-M Motherboard.
ASRock Fatal1ty Z77 Professional-M Motherboard - ASRock: Flipkart.com

Cilus said:
For Processor, if you're going with Intel then get either 2600K or 3770K. For Motherboard, have a look at Asrock Z77 Fatal1ty Professional-M Motherboard.
ASRock Fatal1ty Z77 Professional-M Motherboard - ASRock: Flipkart.com

Great looking board. Almost the same as the asus p8z77m pro, but cheaper and a little more on the features.

ASRock Fatal1ty Z77 Professional-M Motherboard vs ASUS P8Z77-M PRO Motherboard: Compare Motherboards: Flipkart.com

NiGHtfUrY said:
@gta0gagan: our rigs are almost same.can you please quote the prices of your components.

ok here it goes:

intel core i7 3770k - 18.5k
gigabyte ga-z77x-ud3h - 14k
seagate baracuda 2tb - 5.4k
gskill ripjaws 8gb 1600 mhz cl10 - 3.1k
corsair gs600 - 4k
cooler master hyper 212 evo - 2.1 k
lg dvd writer -.9k
dell s2240l - 8.8k
microtek 800va - 3k
cooler master elite 431 plus - 4k

all prices are without taxes........

as for the mobo i had gone with it because it has some unique features like it is very easy to overclock with the click of a button also other standard features are there also it is full usb 3.0
and the cabinet it has a side window nice looks also very importantly X-Dock (its unique feature) also the HDD is running very smoothly till now...
the cm evo is keeping my cpu temps restricted ~ 35 c that also very silently if there were no led's i wouldn't know the computer was running....

Yes,even I was looking at asrock fatality board but the reviews are very few in number and are not very nice.The looks are great

but will it be to do a stable oc on the I7?

Also my friend had a as rock pro 3 and it failed within 6 months and the after sales service was not so good and also the cases with extreme 4 make it a little difficult to trust asrock.

To cut the costs should I go for corsair 300r with window over haf 912?

NiGHtfUrY said:
Yes,even I was looking at this board but the reviews are very few in number and are not very nice.The looks are great but will it be to do a stable oc on the I7? Also my friend had a as rock pro 3 and it failed within 6 months and the after sales service was not so good and also the cases with extreme 4 make it a little difficult to trust asrock.
To cut the costs should I go for corsair 300r with window over haf 912?

it is recommended to go for an atx board if u r thinking of expanding(upgrading later)........

gta0gagan said:
ok here it goes:

intel core i7 3770k - 18.5k
gigabyte ga-z77x-ud3h - 14k
seagate baracuda 2tb - 5.4k
gskill ripjaws 8gb 1600 mhz cl10 - 3.1k
corsair gs600 - 4k
cooler master hyper 212 evo - 2.1 k
lg dvd writer -.9k
dell s2240l - 8.8k
microtek 800va - 3k
cooler master elite 431 plus - 4k

all prices are without taxes........

as for the mobo i had gone with it because it has some unique features like it is very easy to overclock with the click of a button also other standard features are there also it is full usb 3.0
and the cabinet it has a side window nice looks also very importantly X-Dock (its unique feature) also the HDD is running very smoothly till now...
the cm evo is keeping my cpu temps restricted ~ 35 c that also very silently if there were no led's i wouldn't know the computer was running....

Thank you sir,I will try to squeeze in the ud3h,it was my first choice with the i5.can you please tell me what is x dock?

NiGHtfUrY said:
Thank you sir,I will try to squeeze in the ud3h,it was my first choice with the i5.can you please tell me what is x dock?

i didn't use it but i think its like internal hdd plug and play thingy

I have been reading other threads and this guy@paras lehana is also going for the i7-3770k.The following are some choices given to him by some members:
1) Asus P8Z77-M PRO- 11k
2) ~ MSI Z77a GD45 @ 9k

The second option is full atx and I am leaning towards it.please check if it is a good mobo.

suggest some more mobos for less than 10k if they are better than this one.

Thanking you
Nf