I7-2600k or i5-3570K and general performance

It kind of depends on what "non-gaming tasks" you are talking about. The main difference is that the i7 has hyperthreading, but if the applications you are going to be using don't use hyperthreading then you are better off saving a few bucks and going with the i5. The i5 will be slightly faster because of it being Ivy Bridge, but you won't notice it unless you're benchmarking. Also, I have read that the Ivy Bridge get hot when overclocked past a certain point so if heat is a huge problem you might be better off looking at an i5-2500K.

On the ivy bridge, there are a lot more transistors on the same space. This generates more heat, but also more performance. An i5-2500k at 4.8 GHZ is equal to a 3570k at 4.5 ghx

what other non gaming thins will you be doing

3ds max to mod games, hd video playback, and microsoft office

Thx for the help.

Best answer selected by jimmy_dog.