Better Processor. i5 or i7?

[googlexx]

I have the option of choosing between two processors. Both are already bought so choosing the cheaper one won't give me or anyone more money. I do mostly gaming and some photoshop.

Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor BX80601920

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K


I don't know much about computers. What are the main differences between the two?

 

[GhislainG]

The Intel Core i5-2500K is faster, but what are your requirements?

 

[MadCatz900]

The 2500k would be your best option. http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/47?vs=288

 

[HEXiT]

the only place the i7 wins out is pci-e bandwidth. the i5 is limited to 16 lanes so has to divide that with all gfx cards and pci-e peripherals. the i7 is limited only by the board that its on as far as i know.
performance wise the i5 wins out on single core performance in most applications easily compensating for the lack of hyper-threading but there is still the odd situation where hyperthreading comes into its own and enables the i7 to gain back some ground...
over all though the i5 wins in general performance...

overclocking the i5 wins again. although the performance gap between an i7 @3.6 and an i5 @3.6 isnt huge. the i5 does it more efficently so will cost less to run.

end result i5 wins out 9/10 times... so is the only real choice...

 

[geekapproved]

I have the option of choosing between two processors. Both are already bought so choosing the cheaper one won't give me or anyone more money. I do mostly gaming and some photoshop.

Intel Core i7-920 Bloomfield 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor BX80601920

Intel Core i5-2500K Sandy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo Boost) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 6MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80623I52500K


I don't know much about computers. What are the main differences between the two?

The i7-920 was last generations latest and greatest. It's still good but the newer i5/i7 are faster.

The main difference is that i7 is s1366 and that i5 is s1155. There is also i5/i7 in s1156. I know, it's confusing, but the latest and greatest is s1155, which offers upgrade ability to the new Ivy Bridge coming out next year.

Also the i5-2500K is a mean overclocker and would literally destroy the i7-920 at stock or overclocked in most apps. However the i70920 has hyperthreading. If you want the best of both worlds the way to go is the i7-2600K.

These newer processors also have a gpu built into the cpu. The i7-920 does not. The i7-920 also requires a triple channel memory kit. The newer ones require a dual channel memory kit.

 

[gnomio]

The 920 is Intels previous generation chips. Its a older platform where the 2500k is the new release socket 1155. PCI-e lanes don't matter as x8/x8 is enough bandwidth and PCI-e controller is on the chip where with Nehalem its still on the board.
Go for the 2500k

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

At the same speed the 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processors like the Intel Core i5-2500K can outperform the 1st generation Intel Core processors by around 10% to 15% at the same clock speed. On top of the normal differences the 2nd generation Intel Core processors have the Intel Turbo Boost 2.0 that can make a much bigger difference on performance then what was used on the Intel Core i7-920.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[joemama069]

i have to agree with geek approved.. the i7-2600k has 8 threads like the 920 but socket 1155 with out live 1366. the 2600k also overclocks like a beast

 

[gnomio]

But we are talking about the 2500k vs the 920 not 2600k