Hi guys I was just wondering which of the following setups would be better for gaming:

Core 2 Duo E6300 and 7600GT

OR

Athlon 64 3500+ and 7900GT

This is assuming that all the other parts in the system are the same. Also, I cannot buy the Core 2 AND the 7900GT due to budget restrictions.

Yeesh. Tough call.

Is that Athlon system an AM2 system?

As they are now, that 3500+ w/ 7900GT would probably outperform the Core 2 Duo system from a stricly gaming standpoint. The graphics card does most of the work.

But that 3500+ cpu is going to get dated real quick as games start taking advantage of dual core CPUs more and more.

Me? If I was building a new system now, I'd have to get a dual core CPU.

Ok, that 3500 IS AM2 but how much of a performance incrase would there be by getting the 3500/7900GT over the E6300/7600GT? Would it be alot or just a bit?

It's going to depend on what kind of games you are wanting to run. Some are more CPU dependant than others.

The CPU is needed for the physics, AI, and 3D setup for sending vertex data to your GPU. The GPU handles the rendering (which is arguably the most important part of gaming), but you still can't forget the importance of a fast CPU in gaming. This is why celerons just can't keep up.

Now, that 3500+ is a great gaming CPU, and up to the task for today's games. For how much longer? That is the key question, and I do not know the answer. You could always upgrade the CPU in a few months... just a thought.

Ok, thanks for the advice. Just another possible scenario, what if I got the Pentium 4 3.0GHz HT and the 7900GT? Would that be around the same gaming power as the 3500+/7900GT? Also, if I gotthis processor, I would be able to upgrade to a Core 2 later without changing mobos. The mobo would be an Asus P5N-SLI if I got the P4.

Yes, that motherboard will take the core 2 duo processors, so no problem there.

Which P4 3.0Ghz are you looking at? The 530 or the 630?

The 3500+ is a better gaming cpu. I feel your pain. Very tough call here.

What resolutions do you typically play at, and what games?

I'd stay away from any P4. They're not good for games. That damn Netburst architecture....

Even a 1.8 GHZ 3000+ Athlon would beat it.

Well, the reason I wanna get the P4 is that in future, I would be able to upgrade to a Core 2 without changing mobos. I play mostly MMOs like Guild Wars and WoW and RTSs like WC3 and a few FPS games. If the performance of the P4 is not THAT much lower than the 3500, then I will go with the P4. The P4 is a Pentium 4 531. How would the performance of this compare against a 3500 AM2?