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Best Gaming CPU: Entry-level

Best Gaming CPUs For The Money: February 2012
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Best Gaming CPU for ~£50:

Pentium G630

Pentium G630
Codename: Sandy Bridge
Process: 32 nm
CPU Cores/Threads: 2
Clock Speed: 2.7 GHz
Socket: LGA 1155
L2 Cache: 2 x 256 KB
L3 Cache: 3 MB
Thermal Envelope:
65 W

It turns out that the budget-oriented Sandy Bridge-based Pentium family performs very well in games. Specifically, Intel's £50 Pentium G630 beat the FX-4100, -6100, and -8120 in our recent sub-£160 CPU gaming comparison. In fact, it finished right on par with the Phenom II X4 955.

As a result, Intel displaces AMD at the bottom rung of our recommendation list for the first time in a very long while. There's not much else to add, except that if you consider the Phenom II to be a capable gaming CPU, the Pentium G630 is just as viable.

Best Gaming CPU for £70:

Pentium G860

Pentium G860
Codename: Sandy Bridge
Process: 32 nm
CPU Cores/Threads: 2
Clock Speed: 3.0 GHz
Socket: LGA 1155
L2 Cache: 2 x 256 KB
L3 Cache: 3 MB
Thermal Envelope:
65 W

An extra £20 buys you 300 MHz more compared to the £50 Pentium G630.

This made enough of a difference to push our £70 processor recommendation in front of AMD's Phenom II X4 955 in our sub-£160 CPU gaming comparison. And since these LGA 1155-based processors are crippled by locked multiplier ratios, paying a little extra for more clock rate might be worth the premium in this case.

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    williehmmm , 18 February 2012 20:29
    My direct experience of a FX-4100, I saw a 50% increase in frame rates in the game F1 2011 compared to a core 2 duo e8500 OC'd to 3.9Ghz. GTX470, Ultra details, 1280x1024, x4AA, 40fps for the core 2, compared to 60fps for the FX 4100.

    Yet these 2 CPUs are on the same tier.

    You need to do an extensive testing benchmark of what I consider to tbe the best value CPU currently on the market.

    Compare it to older CPUs, Phenoms, core 2 duos, i3, and the mighty i5 2500k. Resolutions through to the ridiculous, where the FX 4100 really seems to be on par with much more expensive CPUs.

    And overclock them to see what extra is available.

    Then give us that all important frame rate per pound/dollar bar graph. And make sure you include the cost of the motherboard. My experience is that AM3+ boards cost 30% - 40% less.

    The FX 4100 is significantly faster than a core 2 duo. If you read this chart, you would be persuaded not to upgrade. And that information is plain wrong.