Which Intel i7 processor in a desktop PC is better for development purposes: Skylake i7-6400 or an older i7 processor?

[Nova43]

I want a processor that is capable of hyper-threading so that I can test my asynchronous applications and also a prcoessor that is fast. I eliminated the i5 desktop processor as it does not provide hyper-threading. I have also eliminated the i3 processor. So, should I buy a Skylake i7 desktop PC or is there another i7 that is just as fast as the 6th Generation Skylake i7 processor?I'm keeping my eye on this Desktop PC http://store.hp.com/us/en/pdp/desktops/hp-envy-750se-desktop-n3g97av-aba-1?jumpid=ba_r329_hhocse&aoid=44661&003=6663635&010=N3G97AV%23ABA_1&ci_sku=N3G97AV%23ABA_1&ci_gpa=pla&ci_kw=

Is this HP computer overkill?

Thank you for your advice in advance.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

I'm assuming you mean the i7-6700, which is the chip that PC comes with.

We normally recommend building your own PC, as it tends to be cheaper and you get more choice in components (no 250W PSU that you have to replace if you ever want a GPU, for example). Upgrades (e.g. SSDs, more RAM) also tend to be cheaper.

The i7-4790 should perform much the same as the 6700, and the 4790K slightly faster. There's also the 5820K, which has six HTed cores, but needs a more expensive LGA2011-v3 board.

Skylake (higher-end chips especially) is a little pricey at the moment due to yield issues, though HP might get cheaper chips direct from Intel without the scalping retailers.

$160 more gets you better everything, basically. Possible exception of GPU, and probably same/similar HDD:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.44 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-SLI ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($179.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Hitachi Deskstar 7K2000 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.95 @ Amazon)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 240 2GB Video Card ($59.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($55.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1010.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-28 19:46 EST-0500

 

[Nova43]

I'm assuming you mean the i7-6700, which is the chip that PC comes with.

We normally recommend building your own PC, as it tends to be cheaper and you get more choice in components (no 250W PSU that you have to replace if you ever want a GPU, for example). Upgrades (e.g. SSDs, more RAM) also tend to be cheaper.

The i7-4790 should perform much the same as the 6700, and the 4790K slightly faster. There's also the 5820K, which has six HTed cores, but needs a more expensive LGA2011-v3 board.

Skylake (higher-end chips especially) is a little pricey at the moment due to yield issues, though HP might get cheaper chips direct from Intel without the scalping retailers.

$160 more gets you better everything, basically. Possible exception of GPU, and probably same/similar HDD:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: Intel Core i7-5820K 3.3GHz 6-Core Processor ($374.99 @ SuperBiiz)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler ($29.44 @ Amazon)
Motherboard: Gigabyte GA-X99-SLI ATX LGA2011-3 Motherboard ($179.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: Crucial 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR4-2133 Memory ($79.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: Hitachi Deskstar 7K2000 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($59.95 @ Amazon)
Video Card: XFX Radeon R7 240 2GB Video Card ($59.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Case: Fractal Design Define S ATX Mid Tower Case ($79.99 @ NCIX US)
Power Supply: XFX 550W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply ($55.99 @ SuperBiiz)
Operating System: Microsoft Windows 10 Home OEM (64-bit) ($89.99 @ NCIX US)
Total: $1010.32
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2016-01-28 19:46 EST-0500

Hi. thanks for the reply,

Yes, I meant the i7-6700 processor. Sorry for the typo in the thread title.

So the i7-4790 and i7-4790K both are 4th Generation Intel chips. Are there any 5th generation i7 chips that are as fast as the Skylake i7-6700 chip or as fast as the 4th generation i7-4790 chips? Does it really mater if it's a 4th Gen vs. 5th Gen vs. 6th Gen?

Also, I am don't feel comfortable building my own PC as I have not done it before. Firstly, I'm not sure which components are compatible with each other. Even if I'm presented with a list of compatible RAM sticks for a given CPU, I wouldn't know which one is best for that chip and motherboard. There are so many sticks that can be categorized based on speed and type, for instance. Plus I'm not sure where the best online stores are to buy the parts. Should I try PCPartPicker to get a list of all the compatible parts I need for my particular setup requirements?

Thanks.

 

[Someone Somewhere]

5th gen (Broadwell) didn't really happen for desktop. Some mobile chips and desktop chips with super-fast integrated graphics were released, but it was mainly stillborn. Note that despite the 5820k (Haswell-E) starting with a '5', it's more closely related to the 4th gen desktop chips than the actual 5th gen chips.

Main advantages of 6th gen over 4th is better power efficiency and more graphics power. I think there's a slight improvement in performance for clock cycle, but not much. Also move to DDR4. Haswell-E is DDR4 too.

You may be able to get a local computer store to build something for you, or the likes of CyberPowerPC or IBuyPower. Make sure you get a decent PSU, though.

Picking RAM is pretty easy. Find out how many memory channels your CPU has (normal desktop 2, -E sockets 4), pick that many sticks, and go for DDR3-1600 for Haswell and DDR4-2133 for Haswell-E or Skylake. Can go faster, but there's little point and you need to mess with it to make it work at the higher speeds, and there's barely any gain.

Amazon and Newegg are the main places to buy bits.

PCPartPicker will tell you what's cheapest and where, and if anything's not compatible.