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Is the Core i7 2600K really worth the extra cost over Core i5 2500K?

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Deozaan:
What budget are you targeting for, if you don't mind me ask?
-phitsc (June 01, 2011, 01:39 AM)
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Well my budget was mostly... put together a really nice computer and then see how much it costs. :D

I've currently got it at just under $1,000 (with the i7) but I'd love to bring that down.

On the other hand, I was going to "recycle" some parts out of my current PC, like DVD Burner, HDDs, WiFi adapter, etc. But I'd also like to get an SSD and that hasn't been added to the wish list yet. I'm still waiting for a 120GB SSD for about $100, so that may be a future upgrade after I buy the PC.

And I was also considering getting a couple 2 TB drives in a mirror RAID. But as with the SSD those could be part of a future upgrade and aren't necessarily related to this thread. ;) And also some recent threads here on DC have discouraged RAID for home machines, so I'm not so sure I want to do that anymore. . .

eleman:
I'm just so sick of my doggone slow AMD 64 3500 that I keep thinking I'm going to spend a lot of money on a really nice CPU so I won't have to worry about upgrading it for a good long time.
-Deozaan (May 31, 2011, 08:50 PM)
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Buy any dual core processor (even low-end phenoms or ancient core2duos) and you will feel like you have upgraded from a 1990s chevy to a corvette. So, my advice to you is "don't go paying a netbook price for a cpu". The law of diminishing returns says that the utility a ferrari will bring over a corvette will be substantially smaller.

Stoic Joker:
IMO, if you're doing professional video editing, CGI/animation, or serious 3D modeling, the i7 may be worth the extra money. For everything else most mortals will be doing, the i5 2500 should do just fine. And then some. It should be overkill for what you're using it for. If I had an extra $100 burning a hole in my pocket, I'd opt for a more powerful video card rather than spend it on a hotter CPU. But that's me. I'm usually out for more 'bang for the buck' than I am for absolute specs. So I always look for that sweet spot. Which is usually two or three down from the flagship when it comes to Intel's CPUs.

Not having deep pockets does that to you.  ;D-40hz (May 31, 2011, 07:59 PM)
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+1

I'm running Windows 7 x86 on an AMD 64 X2 3800+ with 2GB of (Mushkin) RAM here at the office, and it's actually quite tolerable for a 4/5 year old machine. Having 50 windows, MSVS2005, and a Virtual PC running doesn't even cripple it (Adding a 2nd VM will however).

I've setup several i5 (and i3) office workstations and the i5's really are nice even with a basic (business) hardware package.

Carol Haynes:
AMD CPUs tend to be cheaper - have you seen the Phenom II x6 processor - I am VERY happy with mine and I haven't managed to max it out yet (despite trying)!!

On Amazon UK the Phenom II x6 3.3GHz is £80 cheaper then the i7-core x4 3.4GHz

AMD seems like a lot better value and the mobos are the same price.

Deozaan:
I'm running Windows 7 x86 on an AMD 64 X2 3800+ with 2GB of (Mushkin) RAM here at the office, and it's actually quite tolerable for a 4/5 year old machine. Having 50 windows, MSVS2005, and a Virtual PC running doesn't even cripple it (Adding a 2nd VM will however).

I've setup several i5 (and i3) office workstations and the i5's really are nice even with a basic (business) hardware package.
-Stoic Joker (June 01, 2011, 07:04 AM)
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I don't know what's wrong with my PC. It's frequently sluggish even on fresh boot of Windows 7 x86, and uses up about 1.5 GB (of 2GB) RAM, IIRC. I think I may be having hardware (mobo) problems, too, so I'm not sure how that affects it, if at all.


AMD CPUs tend to be cheaper - have you seen the Phenom II x6 processor - I am VERY happy with mine and I haven't managed to max it out yet (despite trying)!!

AMD seems like a lot better value and the mobos are the same price.
-Carol Haynes (June 01, 2011, 01:28 PM)
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I probably would have been more interested in a 6 core AMD, but I asked about it earlier this year and the response I got was that even a 6-core AMD wasn't as good as a 4-core Intel. But maybe I misunderstood and that was just for the specific scenario I asked about?

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