I7 960 vs i7 2600k

2600k - new socket, faster, extremely overcloackable- basically this..

9xx series really aren't needed. With the hyper-threading capabilities of the 2600k, its pretty much like running an 8-core processor. That being said, most of these chips hit 4.5GHz on air, and some, if you are really really good, can hit 5.0GHz on air. Get an H100 for your HS/WL, and you are golden! 8 Cores (theoretically) running at 4.5GHz+!!!!

I have a 960, and the big issue with it is like what everyone else is saying, you can't overclock it easily. The locked multiplier and voltages means when you try to OC it you put more stress and heat on the motherboard. If you can afford it get the 2600K or spend the bit extra for the new 2700K, trust me you'll be MUCH happier for it.

^ +1

2600k is the best outside of major server/business related multi-threaded applications. For normal desktop, or even small business/server use, this chip is amazing! and for the price of a 2600k ($320), and the 960 ($600), there is no question. 2600k is the way to go.

Between the two i7 2600k is faster, more overclockable, more future proof(22nm Ivy Bridge support) go with it dude...

Just to be clear, on newegg the 960 is now $290, while the 2600K is 315. There is absolutely no reason to consider the 960 at that price difference. And if you can stomach the difference the 2700K is 370, and will OC even higher. Though honestly the 2600K alone will do you well enough I'm sure.

i apologize, what series is in the $600 range? i thought it was the 9xx...my mistake.

2700k is throwing money away. same TDP, same effetive OC. dont encourage ppl to spend money for NO gain

600 range is for low end server class/extreme chips. As for 2700K throwing money away I'll wait for OC benchmarks on that, if they OC higher then it may be worth the investment.

2600k is the same chip, agreed. Same OC potential, especially with stock or air cooling. Dont spend extra money if you dont need to. Personally, unless you need Hyper-Threading for multi-threaded applications, i highly recommend you look at the i5 2500k. It is basically the same performance for home or modest business purposes, but its only $220. Not as future proof if you need hyper-threading or more than a quad core, but if you are building for gaming and home use, its more than enough.

+1 for 2xxx series sandy bridges

The 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7-2600K uses a new microarchitecture that can used yield 10% to 15% performance gains over the 1st generation Intel Core processor at the same clock speed. So if everything else was equal the Intel Core i7-2600K would still outperform the older Intel Core i7-960. The only advantage that the Intel Core i7-960 has is that it supports memory in a triple channel configuration giving it bigger memory bandwidth but this isn’t enough to make up the performance gains of the 2nd generation Intel processors. Heck if you are looking to build this as a gaming computer you would still get better performance out of the Intel Core i5-2500K than you would from the Intel Core i7-960 at a cheaper price.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

^+1

Great information Christian, thank you! i5 2500k is the best gaming buy from intel.

I would not even consider socket 1366....that is the reason enough to go with 2600k over 960.