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Is the AMD still viable?

I'm looking at a mild upgrade to my existing rig, including video card and memory, not much else. I'm curious if the 8320 is still adequate considering the reasonable cost of the 6500 Skylake (which is considered pretty good for its price but no overclocking). I do some gaming, but don't care about 4k or reaching super ultra high whatever. I plan on a 380x AMD gfx card, so that part should be good to go.

If I go the AMD route, I only need to swap CPU, as I currently have an AMD system and compatible MB. Whereas, going Intel would require new MB, new RAM, and the CPU.

Aside from normal computer usage (internet, email, etc) and playing WoW or BF4, the AMD should be just fine. Right? Or would it be best to spend the little extra and go Intel, considering the new platform means I can upgrade the CPU later.

I am currently using an AMD FX-6100 with a Radeon 6770. Any upgrade is an upgrade. As for budget, I can do the Intel route for about $575 USD or the AMD upgrade for about $400. I really just want to know if the 8320 is still a viable option or just bite the bullet and go all in Intel.

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  • I would recommend you read up on articles here: techspot.com/reviews/cpu It all really boils down to if you will be bottle necked by the CPUs or not. IMHO you should find benchmarks for both of the CPUs that you are considering (specifically benchmarks for the applications you will be running). – user588 Feb 11 '16 at 17:32
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The Intel CPU is generally better, especially in single thread applications, and with the Skylake platform you can upgrade to i7 6700k down the road when it gets cheaper. However, it is most certainly not worth the extra money if you have to change the motherboard and RAM. Keep in mind that you cant really upgrade that much on that AMD socket.

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  • That's what I'm thinking. I want to spend as little as possible while still getting the performance I'm looking for. – user1691 Feb 15 '16 at 2:11
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Undoubtedly the intel cpu. Benchmarks don't lie and I'm positive even that since 4th gen Haswell i5's intel has been significantly outperforming even the 8350, let alone the 8320. I'd also check out some of nVidias GPUs if you haven't already

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There are sites like cpuboss (for comparing CPUs) and gpuboss (for comparing GPUs) where you can compare your components with other components you are interested in and see reviews, benchmarks and differences. Here i'm comparing:

I think that going with Intel is overall a more valuable change and choice.

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  • CPUBoss and GPUBoss compare poorly, since they often have out-of-date info on value. – JMY1000 Jul 10 '18 at 23:06

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