I5-2500k VS i7-2600k Sandy Bridge

[mrfaces]

Just looking for your opinion and thoughts.

The difference between these two processors is only 0.1 speed, the L3 cache and the i7 has hyper-threading.

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz
Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz

The i7 is 100 dollars more in price.

Is hyper-threading that important for performance?
If so, will the performance be noticeable between the i5 and i7?
Is it really worth spending a 100 more (1/3 more in price) for the i7 cpu?

 

[Maziar]

Go with 2500K.
The performance difference isn't noticeable and absolutely not worth the extra $100.
And no,there are few apps that benefit from HT

 

[ghnader hsmithot]

Go with 2500K.
The performance difference isn't noticeable and absolutely not worth the extra $100.
And no,there are few apps that benefit from HT

Yes a piece of software has to be written to support HT which isnt well supported.

 

[mrfaces]

Great, thanks to both of you for your opinion/advice.

 

[FALC0N]

They are correct.

No way hyperthreading is worth $100.

 

[mrface]

I agree, the 100 mhz boost isnt really worth the $100 price difference. For regular users/gamers, etc. However, if you are planning on OC, it is a great core for that and for HT apps, it is excellent. Basically comes down to you as a user, if youre just a gamer/internet/email kinda person, I would buy the 2500K.

 

[magicvipre]

I agree, the 100 mhz boost isnt really worth the $100 price difference. For regular users/gamers, etc. However, if you are planning on OC, it is a great core for that and for HT apps, it is excellent. Basically comes down to you as a user, if youre just a gamer/internet/email kinda person, I would buy the 2500K.

but you the feeling after you buy the processor, sometimes you get this " dam i wish i add another 100 bucks which will give me the highest core from intel " feeling.. lol

 

[x Heavy]

i7 2600K series unlocked will carry you through the near future when more expensive chips coming out does not really offer all that great of a improvement.

Besides that chip overclocks when it needs to during gaming. Your only concern is to NEVER use the stock cooler.

Remember that i7. The 330 dollar chip that defeated a 1000 dollar Extreme.

 

[FALC0N]

i7 2600K series unlocked will carry you through the near future when more expensive chips coming out does not really offer all that great of a improvement.

Besides that chip overclocks when it needs to during gaming. Your only concern is to NEVER use the stock cooler.

Remember that i7. The 330 dollar chip that defeated a 1000 dollar Extreme.

This doesn't address the issue of the 2500k.

Its a 10 percent speed increase for an almost 50 percent increase in price. Just isn't worth it.

And no, the 2600k is not faster than the 990X. But it is close enough for $700 less

 

[magicvipre]

until now, i even scared to do OC on i7 2600k lol..

 

[jonnycatz1990]

Agree fully with x Heavy's 1st sentence.. If the extra ~$100 is not a huge deal, get the 2600k.

 

[HEXiT]

if your a gamer then theres no sense in it at all. get the 2500k as most games will use a maximum of 3 threads with a 4th set aside to handle things like physics or audio.
if you do music production media or 3d gfx then the 2600k is hard to beat. because in the most part it competes evenly with the 2500k on lots of benches but there are a few areas where the 2600k shows a large gains in performance over its weaker brother. and this is where that extra 100 is well spent...
so yeah for the money in certain situations the 2600k is worth every penny but in others th 2500k is more than ok.

 

[FALC0N]

if your a gamer then theres no sense in it at all. get the 2500k as most games will use a maximum of 3 threads with a 4th set aside to handle things like physics or audio.
if you do music production media or 3d gfx then the 2600k is hard to beat. because in the most part it competes evenly with the 2500k on lots of benches but there are a few areas where the 2600k shows a large gains in performance over its weaker brother. and this is where that extra 100 is well spent...
so yeah for the money in certain situations the 2600k is worth every penny but in others th 2500k is more than ok.

There is no task I can think of where the 2600K is "worth every penny". Even in things that benefit from hyperthreading. The difference is just so marginal.

Unless your a video rendering pro, where a few saved seconds might actually be meaningfull, I just don't think its worth it. You wont even notice the difference unless you run a benchmark.

 

[magicvipre]

what a hyperthreading?

 

[pckitty4427]

If you have the money, go for the 2600K because saying "I've got an i7" sounds a lot cooler than "I've got an i5".

 

[ghnader hsmithot]

If you have the money, go for the 2600K because saying "I've got an i7" sounds a lot cooler than "I've got an i5".

this!
I mean no one really will say proudly "I got a cool i5 xxxx" girls dont dig it.

But if your really budget conscious then we have to go with i5 2500k.In actual fact you wont see benefit in most apps when you have i5 2500k compared to i7 2600k

 

[vitornob]

I'm a 2600k owner. I say that it doesn't worth to spend more money to get it. Just stick with a 2500k.

So u would ask, "Whadda hell! Why u bought a 2600k?"
Answer: "Just to brag"

 

[Guest]

Just looking for your opinion and thoughts.

The difference between these two processors is only 0.1 speed, the L3 cache and the i7 has hyper-threading.

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz
Intel Core i7-2600K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz

The i7 is 100 dollars more in price.

Is hyper-threading that important for performance?
If so, will the performance be noticeable between the i5 and i7?
Is it really worth spending a 100 more (1/3 more in price) for the i7 cpu?

like always it depends on what you are wanting to use the system for - in general terms the difference in everyday tasks is negligable

 

[akataria7]

if budget is not your concern nd you are going to use it for 3d gfx go for 2600k. moreover it will be future-proof. if you are a gamer go for 2500k because the performance difference is very less. Also you will have to pay 100$ less
Save your 100$ for your next upgrade lols

 

[FALC0N]

Save your 100$ for your next upgrade lols

Exactly! There are so many better things to spend that 100 bucks on. Unless you have money to blow, put it somewhere else.

 

[x Heavy]

100 dollars does not buy much these days. I say use it towards your CPU being future proof.

 

[magicvipre]

i say, 100 bucks in my country is already wow for some people haha

 

[magicvipre]

If you have the money, go for the 2600K because saying "I've got an i7" sounds a lot cooler than "I've got an i5".

+1 fosho

 

[FALC0N]

100 dollars does not buy much these days. I say use it towards your CPU being future proof.

Buying a 2600k over a 2500k is not making it future proof.

Its only 10% faster. The difference is negligible. Its $100 so the MP4 encode you left alone to process finishes a couple of minutes early while your eating dinner or sleeping.

$100 should bring a substantial performance increase. It just doesn't here.

If you want to waste money, just buy the 990x at $1000. Its a great chip, but its only marginally faster than the 2600K. Come on "Future proof" your rig!!!!

 

[ghnader hsmithot]

Buying a 2600k over a 2500k is not making it future proof.

Its only 10% faster. The difference is negligible. Its $100 so the MP4 encode you left alone to process finishes a couple of minutes early while your eating dinner or sleeping.

$100 should bring a substantial performance increase. It just doesn't here.

If you want to waste money, just buy the 990x at $1000. Its a great chip, but its only marginally faster than the 2600K. Come on "Future proof" your rig!!!!

Its called the principle of diminishing returns.