Would be a good comment if processor power is only aubout frame rates.

True. But game performance wise - pretty much the same as i5 2500k.

That.

It actually is but you dont seem to understand what overall performance is. II try to explain it simply so you can understand it... Your monitor can only display 60 fps max if your refresh rate is 60hz..are you still with me... now if your cpu/gpu combo gets an average of 150 fps with intel and 100 fps with amd which one will have the best fps on your 60 hz monitor???? They will both get 60 fps because your monitor restricts your fps to the refresh rate. Any questions?? So if you pay 1200 for an intel system that gets "60fps" actual frame rate and you pay 800 for amd which gets "60fps" which one has the better fps?

Excuse me if this sounds a bit rude,

what part of "if processor power is only about frame rates" wasn't understandable?

+1

Besides, the guy says he's buying Intel anyways. I'm sure that you (Oldschool) aren't going to change his mind. You are correct about the correlation between your monitors refresh rate and your overall FPS. However, with a game that needs as much processing power as it can get, the Sandy Bridge will blow the doors off ANY current AMD product. It's not that we're not listening... we just have selective hearing ;)

Hear hear! I still have fond memories of my E8500 E0. Not original C2D though but hey. Snappy little bugger, just like the SB procs.

I had an E7200 a long time ago. 4.2Ghz on air, which was pretty darn good for those days. Good memories :)

If your game/sim gets 150fps with one cpu and 100 with another what fps is diplayed on your monitor?? 60 fps or 150fps. Your gameplay will be limited to a maximum of your refresh rate, so yes in theory your intel processes faster than the amd but unless your monitor has an unlimited refresh rate your always be limited to 60 fps which translates to your actual max fps weather your cpu does 100 or 200 is irrelavent as you only get 60fps. Once you exceed your monitors capability its just wasted fps in a sense. SO your gameplay will be the same weather its 150 fps with intel or 100 with amd as they both will display the same 60 FPS.

with your AMD low budget stuff you will have lower minimum fps and that is what counts.

If I could afford the new Intel stuff I would. They are honestly better in pretty much every way, but I bought a quad core AMD Phenom 2 3.1 ghz because it is a huge boost over what I have now, and I can afford it.

Next year my wife tells me I get to go nuts with building a new machine, so it will tide me over for now. :D

If you can afford the Intel "i" processors go for it, but if you can't the AMD processors are a good match for price to performance.