Intel i5-2500K vs i7-2600K?

[Dropshock]

First of all, I have a $1200 budget. And here is my build I'm thinking of getting:

http://secure.newegg.com/WishList/PublicWishDetail.aspx?WishListNumber=17556485


Anyways, I was thinking of getting an i7 for around another $100. But it would go over my budget, and will be hard to totally get. However, I am still really wanting that i7. But, one thing, is the i7-2600k worth the $100 over the i5-2500K?

Thanks for any help.

 

[AdrianPerry]

What do you plan to use the system for?

Unless your video rendering/encoding on a regular basis, or use programs that have specific support for Hyper Threading - there's no reason to get the i7-2600k.

EDIT:

Id consider getting a better PSU as well. Although not bad, the once you've listed isn't great ( http://www.jonnyguru.com/modules.php?name=NDReviews&op=Story4&reid=60 ) and 850w isn't enough to SLI your system. The motherboard you've chosen i'm guessing doesn't support SLI anyway, so there's no point getting a PSU bigger than 650w, 700w at the most. Check out some recommended brands: XFX, SeaSonic, Antec, Corsair 650-700w units.

 

[jaguarskx]

Depends on what you are planning to do.

Games do not use Hyper Threading (HT) which the i7-2600k offers. The extra 100MHz can give a minor boost though.

The i7-2600k shines in applications that can take advantage HT such as some 3D rendering programs, video encoding programs and most likely some audio workstation programs.

If games is the priority or the only thing you will be doing, then you are basically pay an extra $1 or each additional 1MHz.

 

[Dropshock]

Well I dont care about speeds because I have a Corsair A70 for CPU cooling so I can overclock myself. I'm going to be gaming and MAYBE some video editing.

 

[AdrianPerry]

Well I dont care about speeds because I have a Corsair A70 for CPU cooling so I can overclock myself. I'm going to be gaming and MAYBE some video editing.

Stick with the i5-2500k It wont disappoint.

 

[we1shcake]

id say no, hyperthreading only gives you 20% max performance improvements and normally about 10%. in games the hyperthreading does almost nothing

 

[unknown_13]

Well, fisrt of all i'd change some parts.

Get an Asus DirectCuII HD 6970 instead of the GTX580, you'll save approx. 180$.
Add those money to a better mobo, Asus P8P67 Deluxe, and a better cooler, Noctua NH-D14.

Now, about the cpu, it all depends on what you're going to do on the PC. If you aren't rendering, working in 3D etc., get the i5 2500K, and if you get the Noctua cooler and the Asus P67 Deluxe mobo, i think that you'll hit 4.8Ghz, maybe 4.9 with little more tweaking, out of the i5, and blow out 95% of the CPU's on the market.
BTW i5 2500K will do perfectly in BF3, so no worries there. And Asus mobos as for the P67/Z68 chipsets have the best BIOS and overall better quality than the Gigabyte counterparts, not to mention MSI etc.
And the difference between the GTX580 and HD 6970 are like 10% on 1080p, the 6970 even beats the GTX580 in a couple of tests @ 1200p. Plus, that's the DirectCuII version, a really great series from ASUS, the PCB, VRM design, capacitors are top notch, not to mention the cooling solution.

 

[we1shcake]

also id say wait till tomorrow for bulldozer benchmarks just incase

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

For gaming right now very few games will take advantage of more then 3 threads because of this the value of hyper-threading on the Intel Core i7-2600K is very minimal in a gaming environment. That leaved the Intel Core i7-2600K only having an advantage of 100MHz clock speed and 2MB more cache then the Intel Core i5-2500K. In the end you need to ask yourself if these differences are worth an extra $100. Most of us believe that it is better spend in other areas of your computer.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[jaguarskx]

That leaved the Intel Core i7-2600K only having an advantage of 100MHz clock speed and 2MB more cache then the Intel Core i5-2500K.

Oh yeah... I keep forgeting that little fact.

 

[13thmonkey]

For gaming right now very few games will take advantage of more then 3 threads because of this the value of hyper-threading on the Intel Core i7-2600K is very minimal in a gaming environment. That leaved the Intel Core i7-2600K only having an advantage of 100MHz clock speed and 2MB more cache then the Intel Core i5-2500K. In the end you need to ask yourself if these differences are worth an extra $100. Most of us believe that it is better spend in other areas of your computer.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

Does software care whether it is a real core or a virtual core, is anything above the HAL even aware of the difference.