intel or amd pocessor new build media/game pc.

hey all, as far as graphics i have a ati radeon hd 3870 x2 that will work for now. may switch to nvidia card later. don't know for sure though as it is working real well now for flight simulator x. poorguy

hey kbrady1979, i sometimes wonder if i need more horsepower than i have now. all i run is flight simulator x. it works pretty well now on a pentium d 945 3.4ghz processor/asus p5wd2 motherboard/3.0gig ram/ati hd 3870 x2 video card. just have a little extra cash and want something new and better. lots of different avenues to choose from. sure can get lost in all of the search to find what is best for what i want. seems one review says one thing another says something else. the i5 cores do look good and they seem to be top rated. guess i need to figure what is going to work best for me. confused at the moment. thanks poorguy

The i5s are probably the best bang for the buck now. Just decide on your absolute max budget and then buy the strongest i5 you can find at that price.

The stronger CPU you can buy now, the longer you can go before you need to upgrade the CPU again.

If you can afford say $230 for a CPU, you may be better off buying a $150 CPU and an $80 solid state drive. An SSD can often add more overall satisfaction than a somewhat stronger processor--and the SSD will likely last for several upgrade cycles without needing a replacement.

It all depends on your primary purposes for the PC. If the stuff you do isn't particularly dependent on CPU horsepower, an SSD may be a good idea. But I'd try to stay with an i5 unless you have unusual requirements or a very small budget.

hey ignatzatsonic, i agree the i5s do seem the best. like the idea of ssd. may just save some more cash back and buy smart. sure don't want to do any regret buying. thanks for the input. poorguy

hey icit2lol, exactly why i am in no hurry. i know too many that have regret what they have settled for instead of what they really wanted to get. i to am guilty of doing the same thing and have regretted it. so yes i am going to make sure that i can have what i want within my budget. a few more months is worth the wait to get what i want. there is alot to choose from. good advice. thanks poorguy