Upgrade CPU with 3MB cache and higher frequency or upgrade to 4MB cache with lower frequency
Upgrade CPU with 3MB cache and higher frequency or upgrade to 4MB cache with lower frequency
Hello, I’m planning to upgrade my PC CPU for online classes and light gaming on a tight budget. I’m switching from a Pentium to a Core i3. My motherboard has an LGA 1150 socket with the H81 chipset. After browsing online stores, I found two options: the i3 4170 at 3.7GHz with 3MB cache, and the i3 4330 at 3.5GHz with 4MB Intel Smart Cache. Should I pick the 4170 (higher 3.7GHz) or the 4330 (bigger cache)? The prices are the same—$41.55 each (converted from IDR 600,000). Here’s a quick breakdown:
- **i3 4170**: 3.7GHz, 3MB cache
- **i3 4330**: 3.5GHz, 4MB cache
Price matches, so it comes down to what matters more for your needs. The 4170 offers a higher clock speed, while the 4330 provides more memory capacity. Since you’re just starting out, consider what you’ll use most—gaming or general tasks. If you want better performance now, go with the 4170; if you plan to run many apps or future software, the 4330 might be a safer bet.
Check availability of additional CPUs. The Xeon E3 1220 v3 is a quad-core processor that should be more affordable and perform better. It should work well with most LGA 1150 H81 boards.
You're questioning whether the 12x0 CPUs lack an integrated GPU while the 12x5 models do. It seems possible that if the higher-end version costs more, you could opt for a cheaper HD 5450 or HD 6350. Since they’re still running at DX11, you shouldn’t run into major problems with software.
Xeon offers a better price with quad-core and lower cost, but lacks an integrated GPU requiring additional purchase. To fit i3 4170 or i3 4330 IGPU requirements, spending more is necessary. The budget doesn't cover upgrading RAM from 2GB to 4GB since one slot already has 4GB. Your options for Xeon and i5 are limited due to local store availability. The i5 4690 costs more initially but saves $24.24 compared to the original, while the E3 1220 V3 is cheaper by $2.42 but still lacks an IGPU. You might consider upgrading CPU and RAM within a tight budget. For GPU, planning for next month or year seems reasonable. Your current CPU appears damaged—exam results could be affected if it stops working suddenly. Appreciate the help!
I previously attempted to test with experiments but the outcome didn’t work. The memory controller only accepts one RAM slot. Plugging in two RAM modules causes a long beep before it stops working. Before that, everything functioned perfectly. I worry that using it now might cause my PC to shut down.