6th Generation Core i3 or 1st generation Core i7?

[aayushagra]

I'm looking to build a new desktop for my dad and have the choice between either a first generation core i7 or a 6th generation core i3 (Model 6100, the first generation's model is unknown) at about the same price.

Which should i go for?

Primary use of the desktop will be for web browsing (lots of tabs) and some mild photoshopping e.t.c. However the system might need to run virtual machines (1-3 extremely low spec virtual machines).

Edit: Choosing the new core i3 ofcourse also means going with DDR4 ram and a good new motherboard, the old i7 would require DDR3(2?) ram and an old board.

 

[chemmajorp53]

Unless you can get the i7 super super cheap I'd go for the i3. It'll be faster for daily use and will have support for modern features. Those tasks you're describing aren't very taxing and the i3 will handle those just fine with 4 threads.

 

[13thmonkey]

which first gen i7? i9XX or i7-26XX

 

[chemmajorp53]

which first gen i7? i9XX or i7-26XX

26xx is sandy bridge, which is 2nd gen. He's probably talking about a 920.

 

[Supernova1138]

I'd go for the newer i3 6100, it should be adequate if you don't need any of your VMs to do heavy lifting and you get access to a lot of modern features that are often missing on first gen i7 systems like USB 3.0 support and 6Gbps SATA. The big drawback with getting the older i7 is you're going to have a hard time finding a motherboard for it. You need an LGA 1366 board if its an i7 9xx or an LGA 1156 board if it's an i7 8xx, and those are getting rather hard to come by, even on the used market. The age of the boards in question also doesn't bode well for the system's lifespan, and you may well find yourself having to build a new system in a couple of years when the used board you buy gives up the ghost and you can't find a replacement.