About to switch from AMD to Intel

[Foxhole Sniffer]

I'm about to switch from a AMD processor to an Intel processor and change the case andmotherboard, ect. My question is, can I swap out my hard drive with my OS and such on it and it work with the Intel processor despite having AMD drivers? Or are the drivers for the AMD cpu not stored there and instead it's more of a BIOS thing?

[Maximum Game]

Did you even read that webpage before you posted the link? It actually proves the point I made earlier. Here's what it said about the FX-8350's advantages over the Phenom II X4 940:
The FX-8350: Performs considerably faster in all task types
Increased memory bandwidth
Supports SSE4.1 / SSE4.2 / AVX / F16C / FMA3 / XOP instructions
Needs less power
Drawbacks:
None

These benchmarks also show the FX-8350 soundly beating the Phenom II X4 940: http://anandtech.com/bench/product/697?vs=80

According to the developers of DayZ:
You need an AMD Dual-Core Athlon 2.5 GHz to meet the minimum requirements for DayZ.
You need an AMD Phenom II X4 940 to meet the recommended requirements for DayZ.
The AMD Dual-Core Athlon 2.5 GHz is capable of running DayZ.
The Phenom II X4 940 significantly outperforms the Dual-Core Athlon 2.5 GHz.
The FX-8350 significantly outperforms the Phenom II X4 940.
The FX-9590 performs even better than the FX-8350.
Therefore, I find it extremely difficult to believe that the FX-8350 and FX-9590 would have any trouble running DayZ smoothly.

I have no reason to doubt what the people who created DayZ say its hardware requirements.
I have no reason to believe a random person from the internet who cannot seem to provide the evidence required to prove their claims. This is especially true when it conflicts with what the very people who created the game say.

DayZ is still in the "early access alpha" stage of development and there is a chance that the developers have not optimized their game yet for AMD CPUs. It's also possible that performance optimizations can be made to the game to increase performance on all CPUs & GPUs. Nvidia & AMD GPU driver optimization improvements for DayZ might also eventually be made. So, even if it were true that AMD CPUs aren't performing well in DayZ, it might be something that could be brought to the attention of the developers and fixed.

It's also possible that the people claiming performance issues with AMD's FX CPUs are using Windows 7 and don't have these necessary updates installed:
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2645594
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2646060

AMD confirmed that these updates can make a difference, even in games. "In our testing using the AMD FX-8150 processor, we found the best improvement in wPrime, Left 4 Dead 2, and Lost Planet."
http://web.archive.org/web/20120115053426/http://blogs.amd.com/play/2012/01/11/early-results-achieved-with-amd-fx-processor-using-windows%C2%AE-7-scheduler-update

It's also possible that the people with AMD CPUs claiming performance issues in DayZ might have a lousy or mediocre GPU and not a decent GPU, like the GTX 980 Ti or Fury X.

So far, no one has provided me with any conclusive proof of anything and proof is all that I asked for.

Stop talking down to me. Stop showing me benchmarks, when I've already seen them. I own 3DMark, 3DMark 11, 3DMark Vantage, PCMark 8, Geekbench 3, and Catzilla, and I'm just talking about benchmark software I own on Steam. I have even more benchmark software, such as Unigine Heaven. I'm also very familiar with how Intel's and AMD's top CPUs do in benchmarks and how they compare to each other.

Stop trying to change the subject. Stop hiding from and dodging my challenge to prove the statement that "even AMD's best CPUs (such as the FX-8350 & FX-9590) can't run DayZ smoothly." So at this point, either conclusively prove this statement or admit that you can't prove it.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/221100/

[Foxhole Sniffer]

The reason I am switching from AMD to intel is because I have an Intel laptop which, quite frankly, is a piece of ♥♥♥♥. Yet it still runs all kinds of Alpha games tons better than my AMD CPU's ever could. I also want to switch to Nvidia because the support in drivers is better.

I'm going back to recording videos as well, I know intel i5 is good for that.

So, to be clear, before I make the swap it would be wise to just do a factory reset i'm assuming?

[Maximum Game]

Just make sure you're comparing apples to apples and not apples to oranges. It doesn't make sense to compare a computer that uses a $50 CPU to one that uses a $350 CPU. It's not a fair comparison to compare a new Intel laptop that you just bought to an AMD laptop that you bought 5 years ago.

I also have an Intel laptop. It has Intel integrated graphics. It can't even run Pac-Man (Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ on Steam). I've seen AMD laptops that could run games much better. When it comes to integrated graphics on laptop processors, AMD definitely has the lead over Intel. AMD offers better GPU performance over Intel and better graphics drivers than Intel. Does that mean I should switch to AMD?

If I were going to buy an Intel laptop, I would make sure it has a high-end Nvidia GPU or AMD GPU or I wouldn't buy it.

Do you use a desktop PC for playing games most of the time or do you do a lot of your gaming on laptops?

Gaming performance of AMD laptop APUs vs Intel laptop APUs: http://images.anandtech.com/doci/9319/Slide%2014%20-%203DMark%2015W35W.png

[Rove]

What are your old AMD PC's specs?
What is the new PC?
What is your budget?

Many of us would be happy to post advice on a build if you are interested.

As has been said, the comparison might not be fair. If you have a old AMD Sempron and are comparing versus a new i5 in your laptop it's just not the same as a AMD Phenom x4.

Also it might not even be the CPU, it might be the GPU.

[Meurock460]

Maximum Game eredeti hozzászólása:

Why don't you use a desktop PC for gaming?

He is using a desktop, it is an AMD based system and he wants to swap out the motherboard and CPU for an intel platform.

Solo eredeti hozzászólása:

I'm about to switch from a AMD processor to an Intel processor and change the case andmotherboard, ect. My question is, can I swap out my hard drive with my OS and such on it and it work with the Intel processor despite having AMD drivers? Or are the drivers for the AMD cpu not stored there and instead it's more of a BIOS thing?

When swapping out your motherboard it is best to reinstall Windows, especially since you are going from AMD to Intel, since the chipsets are completely different. You might even be able to get the system to boot without reinstalling Windows if you remove all the old motherboard and chipset related drivers, though odds are that Windows would ask you to reactivate your copy.

Quick question though, have you tried overclocking your current CPU? you might be able to squeeze a little more performance out of your current CPU before getting a new one.

If not, what intel CPU are you planning on getting? I would recommend the i5 4690k, one of the best CPUs for gaming.

[Maximum Game]

Meurock372 eredeti hozzászólása:

He is using a desktop, it is an AMD based system and he wants to swap out the motherboard and CPU for an intel platform.

I'm well aware of that. He talked about gaming on his laptops and I'm asking him why doesn't he focus on gaming on his desktop PC? PC gaming is unquestionably a better experience on the desktop than it is on the laptop.

[Maximum Game]

Solo eredeti hozzászólása:

I'm about to switch from a AMD processor to an Intel processor and change the case andmotherboard, ect.

What AMD CPU & motherboard do you have now? What GPU (video card) do you have? Which Intel CPU and motherboard are you considering getting?

[Foxhole Sniffer]

@Maximum Gaming, This is an old i3 laptop, bought around 3 years ago that outpreforms my AMD A10 APU. I think it's a fair comparison. But I detect a bit of AMD fanboy in all your post.

@Rove, i'm pretty literate in all the parts and such. My price range is around 700 because i'm not chinsing on a good deal. I'm getting a GTX 960, a new psu 750 watt, Intel i5 4590 and a couple of water cooling fans. When it comes to motherboards, I'm having my friend help me. But I sincerely appreciate any help on suggesting parts.

@Meurock, Yes. I've overclocked it about .5 GHZ more and it actually made my preformance worse, in a sense. Not from overheating or anything, it just stutters like a mofo.

[Maximum Game]

Solo eredeti hozzászólása:

@Maximum Gaming, This is an old i3 laptop, bought around 3 years ago that outpreforms my AMD A10 APU. I think it's a fair comparison. But I detect a bit of AMD fanboy in all your post.

I hope that's a joke. If you're actually serious, go ahead and try and prove that I'm an "AMD fanboy."

Explain why I've recently strongly recommended the Intel Core i7-4970K countless times to people, even on this forum. Explain my recommendations of the Nvidia GTX 980 Ti and GTX 980.

I've got an Intel Core i7-3770K CPU and an Nvidia Titan GPU in my desktop PC.

Notice how I didn't use vague terms like "i3." Please give me the exact model numbers of the CPUs and GPUs in question so I can have a much clearer picture and so that comparisons can be made that are actually valid.

I try to be fair, honest, and unbiased. If Intel makes the best CPU to use in a gaming rig and I feel it's well worth the money, then I'll use it. If Nvidia makes the best GPU and I feel it's well worth the money, then I'll use that. If AMD outdoes Intel when it comes to GPUs, then I'll be the first to admit it. I've owned Intel CPUs, AMD CPUs, AMD GPUs, and Nvidia GPUs. Over the years, I've built Intel gaming rigs and I've built AMD gaming rigs. I've also built computers for others. I go with the best products that will best meet the given needs and budget at the time.

I've been building PCs since I was a kid. I remember putting together Intel rigs. I remember getting rid of my Intel Pentium 4 and switching to the AMD Athlon 64 because it offered far better gaming performance. I remember getting the AMD Phenom II X6 1090T because it was a true 6 core CPU, which were rare in a desktop PC at the time. It offered respectable performance at the time, especially when overclocked, and it was a good value when I bought it. I wanted to see what it would be like and what difference having a true 6 core CPU would make in multi-tasking, gaming, while running multiple apps, and in general usage. I remember putting together my first Intel Core i7 system. I've put together Intel gaming rigs and AMD gaming rigs and I've had a blast on both because I made sure it was done right.

[Foxhole Sniffer]

Maximum Game eredeti hozzászólása:

Solo eredeti hozzászólása:

@Maximum Gaming, This is an old i3 laptop, bought around 3 years ago that outpreforms my AMD A10 APU. I think it's a fair comparison. But I detect a bit of AMD fanboy in all your post.

I hope that's a joke. I've got a Core i7 K series CPU and an Nvidia Titan in my desktop PC.

I try to be fair, honest, and unbiased. If Intel makes the best CPU to use in a gaming rig, then I'll use it. If Nvidia makes the best GPU, then I'll use that. If AMD outdoes Intel when it comes to GPUs, then I'll be the first to admit it. I've owned Intel CPUs, AMD CPUs, AMD GPUs, and Nvidia GPUs. I've also built computers for others. I go with the best products that will best meet the given needs and budget.

It honestly just depends on what the game developers market to, and right now, it's better to be an Nvidia/Intel user.

[Maximum Game]

I'm not quite sure what you mean by that. Would you mind explaining?

[Meurock460]

Ah, you have an APU. They are nice CPUs, but not the greatest performers for games and you would gain quite a bit from an Intel CPU. If you are into overclocking, an i5 4690k would be the way to go, along with a z97 motherboard. If not a 4590 would be just fine with either a b85 or h97 motherboard (you can use z97 motherboards as well but there is little point on a locked CPU).

Some good motherboards include:

ASRock B85 Anniversary
Gigabyte GA-H97-HD3
Asus H81 GAMER
Asus Z97 P
Asus Z97 A
Asus Z97 AR
MSI H97 PC Mate
MSI H97 Guard Pro
Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H (This one is Micro ATX)
Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H (This one is Micro ATX)

All these boards are decent, and feature USB 3 headers and a heatsinked VRM. If you go with an unlocked CPU then you want one with a Z97 chipest.

[OLDMAN🎅]

Bad-Motha eredeti hozzászólása:

Is the old board working?
If yes, what u want to do before the swap is uninstall all your Motherboard and other core hardware drivers. A re-activation of your WindowsOS might also be required.

lean
the right answer to the question, swap motherboard AMD chip to intel, do a clean install the OS.


Whether you’re installing the latest version of Windows or upgrading your Linux distribution, most geeks agree that you should probably perform a clean installation rather than try your luck with an upgrade.

HTG Explains: Why You Should Perform Clean Installs, Not Upgrades
http://www.howtogeek.com/142743/htg-explains-why-you-should-perform-clean-installs-not-upgrades/
New operating systems versions want to reduce the pain of upgrading and offer to bring your old files, settings, and programs along with you through an upgrade, but this can often cause problems.

[Rove]

I do have some parts suggestions. So all you need for your $700 is CPU, Motherboard, GPU, PSU and 2*120mm fans?

Here's a couple ideas:

Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor
Asus Z87-A (NFC Express Edition) ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
PowerColor Radeon R9 290 4GB PCS+ Video Card
XFX Core Edition 850W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
(2 x) Arctic Cooling Arctic F12 PWM CO 74.0 CFM 120mm Fan
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/mqC2Mp
Base Total: $726.93
Promo Discounts: -$10.00
Mail-in Rebates: -$95.00
Shipping: $2.99
Total: $624.92

Xeon E3-1231 V3 is basically the same as a i7-4770 except for the brandname, price, 100 MHz slower Turbo and no integrated graphics. As a CPU though it is excellant, on par with a i7-4770 and cheaper. It has 4 cores, hyperthreading and 8MB cache, 9MB if you count L1. It is a locked CPU and can not be overclocked except maybe a little by DMI.

If you'd rather a Nvidia GPU you can afford a GTX 970 up from a GTX 960 with the Xeon E3:

Intel Xeon E3-1231 V3 3.4GHz Quad-Core Processor
Asus Z87-A (NFC Express Edition) ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0 Video Card
XFX Core Edition 850W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
(2 x) Arctic Cooling Arctic F12 PWM CO 74.0 CFM 120mm Fan
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/6mX9ZL
Base Total: $792.93
Promo Discounts: -$10.00
Mail-in Rebates: -$80.00
Total: $702.93

If you want a CPU for overclocking the i7-4790K is in your reach:

Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor
Asus Z87-A (NFC Express Edition) ATX LGA1150 Motherboard
PowerColor Radeon R9 290 4GB PCS+ Video Card
XFX Core Edition 850W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
(2 x) Arctic Cooling Arctic F12 PWM CO 74.0 CFM 120mm Fan
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/zTGmhM
Base Total: $812.93
Promo Discounts: -$10.00
Mail-in Rebates: -$95.00
Shipping: $2.99
Total: $710.92

If you want overclocking, Intel CPU and Nvidia GPU you can either go for a i5-4690K & GTX 970 or a i7-4790K & GTX 960 ($200~). You can just switch them into the above build, no need for me to post a whole new one.

Lastly if you'd consider AMD:

AMD FX-8350 4.0GHz 8-Core Processor
Gigabyte GA-990FXA-UD5 ATX AM3+ Motherboard
PowerColor Radeon R9 290X 4GB PCS+ Video Card
XFX Core Edition 850W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply
(2 x) Arctic Cooling Arctic F12 PWM CO 74.0 CFM 120mm Fan
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/K3rJWZ
Base Total: $765.86
Promo Discounts: -$10.00
Mail-in Rebates: -$60.00
Shipping: $2.99
Total: $698.85

[Foxhole Sniffer]

Meurock372 eredeti hozzászólása:

Ah, you have an APU. They are nice CPUs, but not the greatest performers for games and you would gain quite a bit from an Intel CPU. If you are into overclocking, an i5 4690k would be the way to go, along with a z97 motherboard. If not a 4590 would be just fine with either a b85 or h97 motherboard (you can use z97 motherboards as well but there is little point on a locked CPU).

Some good motherboards include:

ASRock B85 Anniversary
Gigabyte GA-H97-HD3
Asus H81 GAMER
Asus Z97 P
Asus Z97 A
Asus Z97 AR
MSI H97 PC Mate
MSI H97 Guard Pro
Gigabyte GA-H97M-D3H (This one is Micro ATX)
Gigabyte GA-Z97M-D3H (This one is Micro ATX)

All these boards are decent, and feature USB 3 headers and a heatsinked VRM. If you go with an unlocked CPU then you want one with a Z97 chipest.

Alright. Actually, as you said that I found a nice pair with a 4690 and a MSI motherboard in a bundle. It's cheaper than buying both individually and it has 68 positive reviews of 71