Which is better - AMD or Intel for games? Which processor should I choose?

Some 10 years ago, the question of what is best - AMD or Intel for games, Was very, very relevant. Now the situation has changed dramatically. If one of the manufacturers of processor solutions in the face of Intel has gone far ahead, then the second, which is the company AMD, continues to trample on the spot. But still there is competition in the segments of the CPU of the primary and secondary levels. Also, the situation can dramatically change in the first half of 2017, when AMD has finally to submit its updated microprocessor platform.

Topical computer platforms

Before we figure out what is best - AMD or Intel for games, let's review the list of current processor connectors for each of the manufacturers of this technology. This list includes such sockets:

• FM2 + is the most affordable solution for building a budget-level system unit.

• AM3 + is the most productive connector for the CPU installation, which was released very, very long ago, but is still AMD's most productive platform.

• LGA1151 is a very fresh socket, which was introduced in mid-2015 and will be relevant at least until the middle of 2017. The level of its performance allows you to collect almost any computer system, including gaming.

• LGA2011-v3 - this combined socket allows to collect both usual PCs with the maximum speed, and servers with different level of performance.

The popular socket from Intel

The question of which processor for the games is the most optimal choice, let's start from Intel's advanced and main computing platform. Whatever it was, LGA1151 is a unified socket that allows you to assemble office PCs, middle-level and higher-level system units, and even entry-level servers on such hardware can create quite well. The entry-level chips in this case are Pentium and Celeron. These semiconductor crystals are ideal for office computers, but it is not recommended to use them in the gaming system because the most demanding toys require 4 cores, and they have only 2 of them. Therefore, entry-level gaming machines can be assembled on the basis of family chips I3. In this semiconductor chip, as in the case of entry-level chips, there are 2 cores, but the HyperTrading technology implemented in them allows to turn them into full-fledged 4-core processors at the software level. In turn, the middle-level system block is most expediently assembled on a processor of class i5 (in this case there will be 4 blocks of code execution on a semiconductor chip), but for the premium segment the i7 CPU is meant. The latter, like the i3 family, supports HyperTrading and can process the code in 8 threads with only 4 physical cores.

Intel's offer for computer enthusiasts

The only segment of the market in which there is no question: "Which is better - AMD or" Intel "?" - is a niche of computer enthusiasts. A decent response from AMD to the eternal competitor in the face of Intel in this niche is not. Perhaps, the situation will change in early 2017, when the updated microprocessor architecture from AMD will be presented, which is code-named "Zen". Well, Intel, as noted earlier, offers computer enthusiasts processor solutions based on the LGA-2011v3 socket. This platform is combined: it allows you to create both high-performance system blocks (chips of the i7 series) and servers (a line of Xeon processor devices). In this case, the minimum in the CPU will be 4 cores, and a maximum of 10. Also, there is full-fledged support for HT technology, and the number of software threads they have is doubled. Another important feature of this platform is that its RAM controller can work in 4-channel mode. All other processor connectors can work only in 2-channel.

The base platform of AMD

AMD's entry-level processors are solutions for the FM2 + socket. These are hybrid chips, and their main advantage in comparison with other platforms is a productive integrated graphics subsystem. Theoretically, this approach allows you to save on the acquisition of a discrete graphics accelerator. But we can not expect a phenomenal performance from an integrated video card . Its capabilities at best will be enough for most not very demanding games, and far in not the maximum settings. Therefore, in this case, to receive something more than an entry-level gaming system, alas, will not work. Within the framework of this platform, processors can contain only 4 computational units.

The most productive socket AMD

This socket appeared even when there was a dilemma, AMD or Intel for games would be more correct to choose. Since then, a lot of time has passed, and this platform is outdated. The performance level allows still to collect a mid-level PC. But with the most productive Intel chips, such CPUs certainly can not compete. Such semiconductor solutions support DDR3 memory and are manufactured according to an out-of-date technological process - 32 nm (that is, their energy efficiency is far from the best).

Graphic subsystem

In the context of the gaming system, it is not enough to think about what is best - AMD or Intel for games. An important component of such a computer is a video card. As a rule, it is from its speed that the amount of FPS depends, and it also significantly increases the cost of the system unit. And if, in the context of an entry-level gaming PC, you can refuse to purchase discrete graphics at the expense of performance, then in the case of a medium-sized gaming machine and especially a premium segment without such a computer accessory, you will not get by. At the moment, it is recommended to equip the game systems of the initial class with an accelerator RX460 from AMD 4 GB RAM for $ 140. If you want to save, you can buy the same accelerator with 2 GB for 110 dollars. NVidia does not have a worthy answer in this niche. GTX 750 Ti though costs less (about 100 dollars), but also loses RX460 about 30%. In turn, the GTX 950 wins 10% of AMD's performance, but it costs about $ 200, and this is obviously the sky-high cost for an entry-level PC. In the mid-level gaming computer , it is recommended to install the NVidia solution - GTX 1060 with 6 GB RAM. Its performance level will be quite enough to uncover any processor solution in this niche. As an alternative to AMD in this case, you can consider the RX 480 already with 8 GB of RAM, but they cost a little higher at a comparable level of performance. Premium PCs must necessarily be equipped with the most productive graphics adapter - GTX 1080 - and 8 GB of memory. But to open the potential of the CPU for a computer enthusiast can only dual-processor graphics accelerator. For example, the Pro Duo line of Radeon. Yes, he has only 8 GB of memory, but the presence of two semiconductor crystals allows him to solve any problems and show phenomenal performance in all cases.

The situation with the memory subsystem

An uneasy situation with the RAM subsystem for the current moment has developed in the segment of desktop computers. More affordable now are DDR3 modules, but their use in the gaming machine significantly reduces its performance. Therefore, it is recommended to buy such slats only in those cases when there is no alternative. That is, in the case of using a PC based on the AMD CPU, this type of RAM will have to be used. But for Intel chips it will be more correct to use DDR4, and due to this increase the performance of the PC.

PCs of entry level

It is in the segment of entry-level gaming PCs that it is most difficult to make a choice between Intel or AMD. Which is better for games in this case - it's hard to say. On the one hand, there are available CPUs from AMD with a powerful integrated graphics subsystem. But at the same time the performance of the processor part will suffer. On the other hand, you can buy an Intel product with a discrete graphics card, but you'll have to overpay for that. Recommended configurations from both the first and the second manufacturer are indicated in Table 1, where the basic game system configurations are presented.

Mid-level gaming systems

Comparison of Intel and AMD in this part of the processor market indicates that the first has more productive chips, while the second one has more affordable ones. Therefore, it is necessary to make a very difficult choice: either to save and buy a PC that will already work at the limit of its capabilities, or add a certain amount and take the system unit with a margin. Recommended configurations of mid-level gaming machines are given in Table 2.

Premium Solutions

"What processor do I have?" This issue for this part of the computer market is irrelevant. In this niche there are only decisions of only one manufacturer - Intel. These PCs are bought for a very long time and remain relevant from 3 to 5 years due to high speed.

Two possible configurations of premium game systems and computer enthusiasts are given in Table 3 below.

Prospects for the development of processor technology

In early 2017, the question of choosing a CPU between AMD or Intel should become urgent again. At this time, as it was already noted earlier, AMD will present the AM4 socket and a new generation of central processors. Preliminary level of their speed is comparable with the performance of top-end processors "Intel". Therefore, everything will after this already rely on price and personal preference.

If AMD offers an excellent product with a tempting price tag, then Intel will have to adequately respond and also reduce the cost of its chips. This will have to be won by the final buyer, who will be able to assemble the best PC at a lower cost.

Results

Now let's sum up and determine what is best - AMD or Intel for games. Anyway, but to consider the possibility of buying a gaming system unit based on the AMD chip in advance of the announcement of the new platform of this manufacturer is absolutely not correct. Although these products have very, very democratic value, but common sense suggests that it is better to wait for the first quarter of 2017 and only then to choose the configuration of a new PC for games.

Well, in the case of Intel, there is plenty to choose from. Its computing platforms are only at the equator of its life cycle and will be relevant for at least 1.5-2 years. At the same time, the speed of their work is excellent, they will be able to solve any problems without problems for a long time. The only drawback in this case is the higher cost of such products. But this does not go anywhere, a high-performance PC can not be cheap.