Intel or AMD ?

I like to game whether it be hand help gaming, console, or PC (personal computer). Since I have recently built my own PC I have looked into many components; motherboards, graphics cards, processors, etc. From a previous post, regarding my entire build, I have used a few different brands to put it together; Asus, Gigabyte, Intel. I started the build to test out the Pentium G3258 Anniversary processor and decided to get Intel’s i5 4690k once I learned how to access stable overclocks. While reading up on the 4690k I came across many different forums regarding gaming processing. I learned a lot about different processors and discovered that there were two major CPUs (central processing unit) that were used for computer gaming, Intel’s i5 4690k and AMD's FX 8350. Right now these are the two hottest processors for PC gaming.

These processors have been rated as the best for PC gaming on a budget due to their cost and capabilities. The Intel i5 4690k runs for about $240 US and has 4 cores clocked at 3.5GHz with a turbo boost of 3.9GHz. While the AMD FX 8350 runs for about $180 US and has 8 cores clocked at 4.0GHz with turbo boost of 4.2GHz. Both CPUs are unlocked to allow overclocking for better performance. (Having an unlocked processor means that you will most likely want to pull out as much power as you can without killing the system.) Overclocking speeds for both processors range up to 4.9GHz paired with an aftermarket water cooler but there have been records of people taken them way past their limits. I have seen the 4690k clocked at 4.9GHz and the 8350 clocked at over 6.0GHz. These CPUs possess a great amount of power and are capable of reaching outstanding numbers if you’re willing to sacrifice their life span.

Due to the FX 8350 having more cores over the i5 4690k, it makes for a great multitasking processor. On the other hand the 4690k is running off of the best chip to date, Haswell. Haswell is represented by Intel’s 4^th generation 22nm processors known as i3, i5 and i7. The 4690k also has Intel HD 4600 integrated graphics whereas the 8350 does not, meaning that a graphics card will need to be purchased. The 8350 is a power consumer needing about 125 watts on idle while the 4690k need about 88 watts. Down the line overclocking these processors will need a lot more power.

My personal experience with the i5 4690k is fantastic. The first time I set it up I went straight to the overclock. Since I have had it, the processor has never seen its stock speed. I started off with 4.4GHz powering it with about 1.27 volts. Once it stabilized I brought it up to 4.5GHz at about 1.30 volts. I felt comfortable with overclock so it’s been the same since. I have not had a chance to use the FX 8350 yet but definitely want to try it out and see the differences for myself, so who knows maybe down the line I'll pick one up.

So what would you choose?

Intel i5 4690k                                    AMD 8350

Click on the pictures to see a comparison of the two from CPUBoss.com