Looking to upgrade to Sandy bridge

[AestheticZ]

I'm looking to finally get a new computer, but first I'm not sure what Sandy bridge I should buy!

I play a lot of games but also do a LOT of video editing and rendering. I will not overclock and I will be getting a discrete graphics card.

Should I go for the i5 2500 or the i7 2600? Microcenter is a possibility, but I have to be certain on which CPU I want before I drive 2 hours away.

 

[simon12]

Theres not much between them for gaming but the video editing and rendering can make good use of the 2600. If you can afford it get the 2600 but the 2500 will do the job if cash is tight or you want to prioritise money on your GPU.

 

[LagartoJuancho]

I own an I5-2500 (the plain one, not the unlocked multiplier 'K' variant). 4 gigs DDR3, P67 Mobo, GTX260.

Can't honestly tell you about how it performs with video editing or such, but for gaming, it just flies. Haven't found yet a game that comes close to taxing it.

Another very important plus, if you care about that, is the thermal efficiency. The hottest I've managed to see the processor under load is like 47 degs C. TDP is 95W, but either that is an exaggeration or the fan-cooler included is awesome.

 

[JordoR]

Do you have a planned budget in mind? That will really determine which one to go for. If you have a lower budget it might be better to go with a i5 2500k and spend the extra $100 on a better graphics card. But if you have a much greater budget it would be nice to include both.

Not wanting to overclock can save you a bit on a motherboard as well, because you can go with a cheaper one that typically isn't great for OC'ing.

 

[AestheticZ]

Do you have a planned budget in mind? That will really determine which one to go for. If you have a lower budget it might be better to go with a i5 2500k and spend the extra $100 on a better graphics card. But if you have a much greater budget it would be nice to include both.

Not wanting to overclock can save you a bit on a motherboard as well, because you can go with a cheaper one that typically isn't great for OC'ing.

I want to shoot for around $300, but no more than $350 (I get my paycheck this week ).

Which means I could go:
i7 2600 w/ $100 Motherboard
i5 2500k w/ $170 Motherboard
i5 2400 w/ $200 Motherboard

I probably wouldn't even go for a motherboard over $160 though. The Asus P8P67 3.1 looks nice.

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Which leads to my next question..What chipset should I go for?

For H67 and Z68, even though it is disabled, does an IGP slow down a Discrete card?

Edit: Forgot to say that I will not be running SLI.