Best Bang per Buck Processors, for August 2010

Here are the best bang per buck gaming processors for August 2010:

Price / Processor:

• (~US$70) Athlon II X3 425
• (~$85) Athlon II X3 445
• (~$115) Core i3-530
• (~$140) Phenom II X4 945
• (~$160) Phenom II X4 955 Black Edition
• (~$180) Phenom II X4 965 Black Edition
• (~$210) Core i5-760
• (~$290) Core i7-930
• (~$999) Core i7-980X Extreme

The best value gaming processor is the Athlon II X3 425, with the Athlon II X3 445 being the close second. Given the $5 price difference between the two, the X3 445 would probably be the more cost effective choice. The Core i3-530 is the value choice for people who prefer an Intel processor.

If you need more processing power, the Phenom II X4 965 or the Core i5-760 are great choices.

[info derived from Tom's Hardware article]