Need advice on cpu upgrading

M1GU31 · 09 Mar 2014

So I been thinking about upgrading my cpu though unsure if this is overkill for what I use the pc for. I was thinking of geting a fx 8350 though idk if the 8 cores is a bit overkill. If it is then what should I get? Mostly want it to see a boost in some of my more cpu intensive games and for the future ect. Question is should I just with that or get another quad core instead that's also at 4Ghz? I know I can't overclock it due to the limits of my motherboard but that doesn't bother me. I just want something that will give me a boost that I can feel it in like say games.

Current specs are in my sig to give you a idea of what I have to work with. I think the mobo should be ok though no overclocking , says it supports this chip. Upgraded my bios to the latest already so it should be able to read it. Also I think my current cooler should be fine since it's a third party cooler with heat pipes. Case is air cooled and has 2 intake fans on the side panel and 1 blowing out air in the back to give you a idea of the type of cooling that's in the case. Or should I stick with what I have already though it's starting to age and I think it's like a entry level quad core. Would it be worth the upgrade? Let me know what you guys think.

Computer0304 · 09 Mar 2014

Well it depends on if the games you play support multi-core. If they do, it may be worth a shot. If not, you should think more about it.
Edit: The FX series are more built for gaming so performance will benefit from that.

M1GU31 · 09 Mar 2014

Well I have some games that support multi core, just tired of seeing my fps dip to like 40 in between fire fights and getting me killed sometimes and seeing other ppl with the same video card get better fps at 60 at least or 50 or better but using stronger cpu so I know it's my cpu bottle necking. Also wondering if this would help when ever new gen games start to come out. I know ill'l need a new card at some point but right now it works fine but want to upgrade the cpu.I mostly play tf2 , gta and a couple others every now and then, been told those games are more cpu hogging. Also got a bunch of other games though too many to list.

Anyways yea Ill'l think about it, got some time since i'm still waiting for the cash that i'm going to use for personal stuff like updating my pc ect. Just was wondering mostly if it was worth it or not since it's not too often I got spare money for pc parts and could save a couple bucks if it's not worth it. Mostly cause of tax season that i'm gonna have some money on the side.

Solarstarshines · 09 Mar 2014

Miguel i would just go FX8350 It will be the best choice if your board can support it

Computer0304 · 09 Mar 2014

But there have been cases where the GPU bottlenecks the CPU so you may want to upgrade the GPU soon.

M1GU31 · 09 Mar 2014

Alright thanks for the advice. As for gpu I think it still has some gas to go. If I could do both I would but I cant and Rather wait till this one doesn't do the job anymore. I know for tf2 its the cpu bottleneck cause changing graphics it dips the same when a bunch of ppl shoot at once on 32 player severs.

Rarely get that issue when 24 players or less. I think I'm going to get the chip, just waiting now for the cash. Still open to opinions though.

Solarstarshines · 10 Mar 2014

Computer0304 said:

But there have been cases where the GPU bottlenecks the CPU so you may want to upgrade the GPU soon.

I don't think the GPU will Bottleneck the CPU

I recently sold my Twin Frozr HD6870 1gb and i was playing Bioshock Infinite on Ultra settings with a I7-3770K

Battlefield i would say he would get at least 50fps playable with a respected OC on that card and with mantle he will get some extra because the GPU scaling will be better

MagusMagnus · 10 Mar 2014

See this and this. Your board is actually not comparable with the FX-8350 because of its 3+1 VRM.

You might think VRM isn't important or a "marketing gimmick"... but actually, it is the foremost important of your entire board. It is what takes the PSU's 12V and turns it into 1.xV for your other board hardware too, and which also directly controls or regulates your CPU's voltage. In other words, it is what keeps all of those from being fried by the full-nelson of the PSU's raw power supply to the board. So if a board's VRM is lackluster to begin with (sorry to say, 3+1 is pretty much the lowest-end there is here) and you try tossing on even more power-hungry hardware, you are just asking for trouble.

As it pertains overall more to "for AMD", just because the sockets are the same absolutely does not guarantee actual compatibility between a board and CPU. That bottom-line ultimately rests with the board's VRM. Yes, technically and minimally, they will function together because they are the same socket... but that VRM will throttle the hell out of that chip and it will have really not have been worth the bother and expense at the end of the day. Also, there is a high likelihood of actually blowing the VRM altogether with that chip, which as I'm sure most are aware that when that happens everything on it goes with it. It's just not good enough.

Asus has really done their customers a disservice by making these revisions about their generation's older boards being "compatible" with AMD's latest and greatest chips because in reality they really are not. Those boards were not planned in their specification and physical design for those chips and their lackluster VRM reveals it. They were great for the chips of their day, but they are quite inappropriate for the chips in the here and now. Seems to me that Asus is basing their "comparability" off of only the socket and TDP, but leaving all the rest of the factors out and that's totally incorrect. VRM instead is and always will remain "for AMD" the bottom-line determination on whether, in fact, a certain chip actually is compatible or not.

Come to think more on it, this is most likely a factor in the explanation for why Intel changes their sockets with every other generation or so, to avoid this very confusion. Well, kuddos to them.

Now with all of that said, you MIGHT get away with an FX-6300 on that board... but I feel that would still be pushing it because those are really geared for 4+2 and higher VRM boards. But there is far less potential for disaster resulting in trying for that chip than the others. Unfortunately, if you really want an upper-end FX chip you are going to have to replace that board and also for one that has a heat sink over the VRM because most of the upper-end FX chips run hot and therefore so does the board's VRM (you would also need a damn good HSF for the same reason; the FX-8350 in particular cannot exceed 61C core temp without damage). I wouldn't recommend any board with less than a 6+2 VRM for FX-8350 or better either.

M1GU31 · 10 Mar 2014

Well there goes my dreams, I can't afford another motherboard right now it would have to be one or the other. Would be way to expensive to buy both at same time. It's wierd too because on the motherboard box it advertises that it's ready for the fx chips as well. Though just losing those 2 cores gets a hella of a lot cheaper though. IDK what to do now don't know if i want to buy anything now. Would performance difference between those two be dramatic? Kind of don't like that the 6 core is 3.5, really would prefer that 4 GHz. Also I never heard about the vrm so I wouldn't even have any idea what motherboards to look for that wouldn't break the bank. Read a little still kind of confused about it. Just that it's something that has to do with how the mobo handles volts from the psu is what I understood from it.

Computer0304 · 10 Mar 2014

M1GU31 said:

Well there goes my dreams, I can't afford another motherboard right now it would have to be one or the other. Would be way to expensive to buy both at same time. It's wierd too because on the motherboard box it advertises that it's ready for the fx chips as well. Though just losing those 2 cores gets a hella of a lot cheaper though. IDK what to do now don't know if i want to buy anything now. Would performance difference between those two be dramatic?

Are you sure this board is not a exception? Motherboards - M5A78L-M LX PLUS
Edit: Never mind. Read Magus's post again.