It depends on AMD or Intel. What is the part name if it is a Intel with a K on the end you can overclock. It seems that Intel overclocks its base cpus less the AMD. I feel that Intel is better and can be overclocked more effectively. Is it a Ivy Bridge or Sandy Bridge?

It all matters if you can unlock the cores, on either chip. Say your dual core can be unlocked and your quad-core can't then the dual is better.

Also newer tech is better most of the time. Take a look at next years dual core Haswell. So you know that dual cores are still on the market and new ones are being made. It comes down to is Architecture of the chip.

The dual core would be good enough. If it is the Core i5 then it already acts like a quad core because of HT. The quad core i5 does not have HT just FYI. Only the dual core one.

Intel

Duel core with hyper threading (so windows sees a quad core)

Socket LGA 1155 plenty of room for upgrade down the road

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...

Would recommend Nvidia Graphics card

AMD

Quad Core BUT YOU HAVE NO ROOM FOR UPGRADES you are stuck with this processor unless you get a different motherboard

Socket FM2 no room for upgrades

(AMD FX processors are socket AM3+)

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...

Would recommend AMD graphics card for hybrid crossfire w/ the APU

If you want an upgradeable AMD prosessor you can go with a SIX CORE :) FX- 6100

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N8...

Processor doesn't mean much when your trying to game. The more important aspect is the graphics card. What type is it? Budget and gaming are not a good combo fyi

quad is better for high capacity gaming and dual is good for a computer for what ever with medium capacity gaming