Not as Cut and Dry as you Might Think
Intel Vs. AMDBefore I get into this part of the discussion I want to say that I am not bias one way or the other towards Intel or AMD. I've used both products with success in the past and continue to do so without a problem. A competitive market between these two giant manufacturers is a good thing for all consumers. Here's a few advantages to think about for each brand:
Intel:
Intel is winning the single threaded performance race. There is also no question that in its higher-end CPU Intel has a clear advantage right now. This is based on countless benchmarks and tests across the internet and the results do not lie. If I'm looking for a high-performance CPU above the $300 range, right now, I'm going with Intel.
AMD:
Yes, Intel has hyper-threading technology, but AMD clearly gives you more real cores for your money. For Under $200 you can get 8 cores of processing power that can be tweaked and overclocked to give you quite a bit of bang for your buck. While Intel may have an advantage in the gaming performance category it's important to take into consideration other benchmarks if you do audio/video work. In addition, AMD's new Trinity APU line is truly a competitor against Intel's new Ivy Bridge i3 processors, especially if you plan on using the integrated graphics. Anandtech is the site you should use for performance based benchmarks in just about any category.
Intel Ivy Bridge Vs. Sandy Bride
Is it worth the upgrade?
Intel's new Ivy Bridge processors are supposedly just a tick in Intel's tick tock model, but with massive improvements to integrated graphics, overall CPU performance, and the introduction of its 3D tri-gate transistor design - it feels a lot more like a tock. For those of you planning on using Ivy Bridge at stock speeds, you'll see a very modest gain in speed - however; it's the integrated graphics on Ivy bridge that make the big difference.i7-3770k vs. i7-2700k
Tom's Hardware, one of the most reliable sites for benchmarks on the internet, shows that atstock speeds you should see around a 3.7% gain with Ivy Bridge. For Integrated graphics, these gains are considerably more.
That being said, if you're an overclocker, then it's important to note that these gains are not necessarily gains at all. Performance enthusiasts may find that they prefer to stick with the i7-2700k as it simply runs cooler.
Best Processor Just for Gaming in 2012?
Those of you who use integrated graphics and simply want a processor capable of handling all of today's latest games will find that Intel's second generation i5-2550k or third generation i5-3570k are more than up for the challenge. In other words if you had a $600 budget for your GPU and CPU, in this scenario, you'd be better off putting $400 towards your graphics card.
Integrated HD Graphics 4000 and 2500
If you plan on using Intel's integrated graphics exclusively on a mobile or desktop platform, then go with one of Intel's Ivy Bridge processors that has HD graphics 4000 as it gives you a lot more bang for your buck.
