Which is more price-worthy? Mid Range or High range CPUs for long term use

[xie_zhuoxuan]

Hi guys I am building my first desktop, I am now struggling to choose between CPUs and motherboards. Money is not a big problem for me,I have enough money to get 8700k and GTX1080 but I certainly don't want to waste them. I am just wondering if it is worth it for a 2700X or 8700k because I won't be needing these much performances for now. What I want is roughly a 8400 +GTX1060 standard machine that can be last for at least 4 or 5 years. However, according to today's update speed (think about Coffee lake & Kaby lake or Maxwell and Pascal) and with 4K and VR popularizing in years, I am wondering if I should get the best CPU and motherboard so that they can last longer because the platform is the hardest thing to be upgraded (unlike plug and play GPUs). For example, if 3 years later, 2700x or 8700k become mid-ranged, I can just sell my 1060 and plug in a new GPU to make my desktop last for an additional 2 or 3 years, but if 3 years later 8400 or 2600 become i3 standard, I need to upgrade the entire system to compromise my need. So I am wondering which one is more price-worthy in long terms, top-tier CPUs and use longer or mid range CPUs and use the saved money for future upgrades? What do you guys think?

 

[Obakasama]

Sounds like you're trying to 'future proof' yourself. But the notion of future proofing is an odd one depending how you look at it. Much of future proofing will depend on how you use your PC.

Software development is the other factor. Currently there's a belief that we'll see cores/threads in games being taken advantage of. The usage of graphics API is also a factor with developers still not getting the best out of DX12 which theoretically should provide more. Take a look at how Vulkan seems to get a lot more out of a system when it is properly used.

With respect to duration, you could buy into a new platform at the beginning. Since they'll be better CPUs later, then another upgrade on the same platform would still be possible, and with probable performance benefits. Not much point mid-cycle in this sense as it gets closer to a new platform release.

Generally, buy the best you are willing to afford. There will always be a better CPU or GPU later, so there's only so much concern about future proofing to be had.

 

[xie_zhuoxuan]

Thank you Obakasama, really appreciate your answer, in the end I have taken the middle point, I found a cheap but boxed 8700k and bought a second-handed GTX1050ti. Enough for me to use now. Hope intel doesn't change its socket again I am planning to resale the GTX1050ti after the 11 series come out and get a better GPU to cater my future needs. I think it saves my money for now yet leaves enough room for me to upgrade in the future since I got a new platform as what you suggested.

Sounds like you're trying to 'future proof' yourself. But the notion of future proofing is an odd one depending how you look at it. Much of future proofing will depend on how you use your PC.

Software development is the other factor. Currently there's a belief that we'll see cores/threads in games being taken advantage of. The usage of graphics API is also a factor with developers still not getting the best out of DX12 which theoretically should provide more. Take a look at how Vulkan seems to get a lot more out of a system when it is properly used.

With respect to duration, you could buy into a new platform at the beginning. Since they'll be better CPUs later, then another upgrade on the same platform would still be possible, and with probable performance benefits. Not much point mid-cycle in this sense as it gets closer to a new platform release.

Generally, buy the best you are willing to afford. There will always be a better CPU or GPU later, so there's only so much concern about future proofing to be had.

 

[zbrownjohn]

Really, like many users, I'll need your exact budget. I know I'm posting this after you've ordered the parts but you should at least read this first.

If you can afford an i7-8700K and a GTX 1080, your performance will be on point, and easily run smoothly at 1080p or 1440p. However, now you've chosen a completely different perspective, an i7-8700K, with a GTX 1050Ti. To put it quite frankly, that's stupid.

The i7-8700K can be used for a GTX 1080Ti in most cases, an i3-8350K would be suitable for a GTX 1050Ti, but you've now potentially bottlenecked your cpu's power, and wasted around $200 AUD. An i5-8600K is much more affordable, and would be great for the GTX 1050Ti, along with being only around 5% worse than the i7-8700K.

Although you were "trying" to save money, you've wasted a lot. You could have a longer term i5-8600K along with a GTX 1060 6GB (or 3GB to save even more money then to upgrade) and be around the same price, with an outstanding performance improvement, and use around the same amount of power.

Now I know that I'm sounding a bit over-reactive, but after all the hundreds of hours or research I've done on components, your build makes me sick. The only upside is that you can upgrade to a GTX 1060 6GB for a cheaper price with great quality after the 11 series comes out and you sell your GTX 1050Ti to Chinese EBay Scammers, but that'll be a few years. I don't recommend upgrading to an 11 series card right away, as prices will be sky-high for not much better performance, that's why I recommend buying the GTX 1060 6GB as a replacement.

 

[xie_zhuoxuan]

Hi mate,
I am not really budget sensitive tbh but I don't want to waste my money by buying a 1080ti because I don't even have a 4k or 144hz screen or going to do machine learning.
I bought the CPU brand new at 400AUD which is just $50 more than the 8600k so I don't think there is anything to complain about. Think about it, you don't have to buy a cheaper CPU just for aligning the power with your graphic card is it. And if you think longer, if I change my GPU 3 years later, my CPU will then become the bottle neck, with a CPU a little bit better, the limitation won't be as much as a 8600k.
I am buying the GTX1050ti because I thought the 11 series will come up in a few months time and I can change it right after. I am not using so much calculation power now, 1050ti can roughly fulfil my needs at this very moment. However, I can't guarantee my future need and I am certain that a 1050ti cannot survive my thirst for power within a year of time so I definitely gonna change it after something new comes out. This is the reason why I bought it second handed at merely 140AUD (not a mining card). I can sell it right now for $140 or even higher without losing any money. The reason why I didn't buy 1066 or 1063 is because I just don't want to make the same mistake I made for my car. I bought a VW golf last year knowing the new model coming out in 3months time because I was so excited and can't wait. But when the new model come out with SAME PRICE, 20% more powerful engine and LED lights, I felt quite regretted. This is exactly like the GPUs, with the new Volta coming out in months, a Pascal GTX1060 - although it is very powerful, 70% more powerful than a 1050ti - will be replaced by GTX1160 with the same price. If you think this through, if the deflation rate is 30%, a higher base price 1066 will definitely lose more money than a cheaper 1050ti. I do have caused the build a bottleneck right now and making it unable to release the full power of a 8700k, but it just a couple months' time of tolerance before I can get a 1070 worth of performance with the price of a 1060, and yes, if the price is very high in the beginning, I can always buy a 1066 or 1080 at a price a lot cheaper than now. So I don't think it is a complete wrong choice. The problem is just whether to choose the best performance right now and let it deflate with time or tolerate a relatively lower performance now but boost it up even higher few months later and I have chosen the latter.

Really, like many users, I'll need your exact budget. I know I'm posting this after you've ordered the parts but you should at least read this first.

If you can afford an i7-8700K and a GTX 1080, your performance will be on point, and easily run smoothly at 1080p or 1440p. However, now you've chosen a completely different perspective, an i7-8700K, with a GTX 1050Ti. To put it quite frankly, that's stupid.

The i7-8700K can be used for a GTX 1080Ti in most cases, an i3-8350K would be suitable for a GTX 1050Ti, but you've now potentially bottlenecked your cpu's power, and wasted around $200 AUD. An i5-8600K is much more affordable, and would be great for the GTX 1050Ti, along with being only around 5% worse than the i7-8700K.

Although you were "trying" to save money, you've wasted a lot. You could have a longer term i5-8600K along with a GTX 1060 6GB (or 3GB to save even more money then to upgrade) and be around the same price, with an outstanding performance improvement, and use around the same amount of power.

Now I know that I'm sounding a bit over-reactive, but after all the hundreds of hours or research I've done on components, your build makes me sick. The only upside is that you can upgrade to a GTX 1060 6GB for a cheaper price with great quality after the 11 series comes out and you sell your GTX 1050Ti to Chinese EBay Scammers, but that'll be a few years. I don't recommend upgrading to an 11 series card right away, as prices will be sky-high for not much better performance, that's why I recommend buying the GTX 1060 6GB as a replacement.

 

[zbrownjohn]

Hi mate,
I am not really budget sensitive tbh but I don't want to waste my money by buying a 1080ti because I don't even have a 4k or 144hz screen or going to do machine learning.
I bought the CPU brand new at 400AUD which is just $50 more than the 8600k so I don't think there is anything to complain about. Think about it, you don't have to buy a cheaper CPU just for aligning the power with your graphic card is it. And if you think longer, if I change my GPU 3 years later, my CPU will then become the bottle neck, with a CPU a little bit better, the limitation won't be as much as a 8600k.
I am buying the GTX1050ti because I thought the 11 series will come up in a few months time and I can change it right after. I am not using so much calculation power now, 1050ti can roughly fulfil my needs at this very moment. However, I can't guarantee my future need and I am certain that a 1050ti cannot survive my thirst for power within a year of time so I definitely gonna change it after something new comes out. This is the reason why I bought it second handed at merely 140AUD (not a mining card). I can sell it right now for $140 or even higher without losing any money. The reason why I didn't buy 1066 or 1063 is because I just don't want to make the same mistake I made for my car. I bought a VW golf last year knowing the new model coming out in 3months time because I was so excited and can't wait. But when the new model come out with SAME PRICE, 20% more powerful engine and LED lights, I felt quite regretted. This is exactly like the GPUs, with the new Volta coming out in months, a Pascal GTX1060 - although it is very powerful, 70% more powerful than a 1050ti - will be replaced by GTX1160 with the same price. If you think this through, if the deflation rate is 30%, a higher base price 1066 will definitely lose more money than a cheaper 1050ti. I do have caused the build a bottleneck right now and making it unable to release the full power of a 8700k, but it just a couple months' time of tolerance before I can get a 1070 worth of performance with the price of a 1060, and yes, if the price is very high in the beginning, I can always buy a 1066 or 1080 at a price a lot cheaper than now. So I don't think it is a complete wrong choice. The problem is just whether to choose the best performance right now and let it deflate with time or tolerate a relatively lower performance now but boost it up even higher few months later and I have chosen the latter.

Really, like many users, I'll need your exact budget. I know I'm posting this after you've ordered the parts but you should at least read this first.

If you can afford an i7-8700K and a GTX 1080, your performance will be on point, and easily run smoothly at 1080p or 1440p. However, now you've chosen a completely different perspective, an i7-8700K, with a GTX 1050Ti. To put it quite frankly, that's stupid.

The i7-8700K can be used for a GTX 1080Ti in most cases, an i3-8350K would be suitable for a GTX 1050Ti, but you've now potentially bottlenecked your cpu's power, and wasted around $200 AUD. An i5-8600K is much more affordable, and would be great for the GTX 1050Ti, along with being only around 5% worse than the i7-8700K.

Although you were "trying" to save money, you've wasted a lot. You could have a longer term i5-8600K along with a GTX 1060 6GB (or 3GB to save even more money then to upgrade) and be around the same price, with an outstanding performance improvement, and use around the same amount of power.

Now I know that I'm sounding a bit over-reactive, but after all the hundreds of hours or research I've done on components, your build makes me sick. The only upside is that you can upgrade to a GTX 1060 6GB for a cheaper price with great quality after the 11 series comes out and you sell your GTX 1050Ti to Chinese EBay Scammers, but that'll be a few years. I don't recommend upgrading to an 11 series card right away, as prices will be sky-high for not much better performance, that's why I recommend buying the GTX 1060 6GB as a replacement.

Yeah.. sorry about that then. I realised most of the stuff you've said here a few moments after I sent the message. Anyways, I just wanna say, the i5-8600K is around $300 AUD on Amazon US, and the i7-8700K has never been $400 AUD, for me, ever... so lucky you.

Anyways, since you don't mind your budget you should be fine, but warning, the 11 series GPU's will be very expensive when they first come out so you might need a bit more than just what you sold the 1050Ti for in future. Anyways, wish you luck with that build.

Chao.

 

[Danra]

Personally I go for high end CPUs.

I have an i7-7700K that easily overclocks to 5.0GHz for gaming and I have run benchmarks and burn-in programs at 5.3GHz. I have found that 4.8GHz runs all of my games smoothly and have no need to run it faster. NOTE: I delidded and applied liquid metal to this CPU to keep it cool under high overclocks, something that I would not encourage a novice to do. I have over 35 years of computer experience under my belt and feel very comfortable doing what most people would not.

My GPU is an MSI GTX 980 Ti Lightning LE [the same components of the Lightning] and all of my games run fine on my 1080p monitor, and I expect they will for at least another 5 years.

Most games currently use less than 4 cores or 4 threads. In the future more games will utilize more CPU cores.

So, if you want to try to future proof a computer with today's components I suggest an ATI Ryzen 7 2700X for games that will be released in the future and an X470 motherboard. Purchase a high quality PSU for $80 or so U.S., 3200 DDR4 RAM and your base system should last 10 years. Depending upon your monitor resolution and game video RAM requirements you may have to upgrade your video card every 4 or 5 years, possibly less often.

Enlightening information:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9opZLroo4Yc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j80FYgGoozQ