Core i7-3930K or Core i7-2600K

[olryst]

Hi, just wondering if there is any advantage to getting a Core i7-3930K over a Core i7-2600K for gaming with HD7970 or HD7950?

Just wondering which to upgrade to.

Thanks.

 

[Orcvader]

Not really. Only advantage is extra PCI-E lanes and quad channel which honestly has no real term benefits for gaming over the 2600K. Plus the 2600K should work out cheaper overall as well.

 

[edgedemon]

If you have to get a new mobo, then Id suggest a 3930k as you have an upgrade path to Ivybridge-E at the end of the year.
If it is just a cpu upgrade, then Id go for the 2600K

There is always the 3820 quad core which is due out very soon, then you can have x79 a bit cheaper

 

[Saundie]

There is always the 3820 quad core which is due out very soon, then you can have x79 a bit cheaper

The i7-3820 is going to be about £260 apparently, which isn't much more expensive than the i7-2600k. The motherboards are quite a bit more expensive, but you get an upgrade path to Ivy Bridge E. Other than PCI-E 3.0 slots, you can also get 8 DIMM slots, making it cheaper to get to 32GB if you want. For gaming though, the RAM issue is pretty much irrelevant. I guess you have to decide for yourself if the premium for PCI-E 3.0 and quad channel memory is worth paying. A tough call to make

 

[sehcure]

For gaming i'd grab the 2600k and the 7970; cheapest yet most effective.

The processor won't bottleneck or anything.

 

[JonnyGLC]

For gaming i'd grab the 2600k and the 7970; cheapest yet most effective.

The processor won't bottleneck or anything.

No, for gaming i'd grab the 2500k

 

[spain]

As above the 2500k would be just fine for gaming for the next few years, even longer if the next gen consoles set the pace, imho, it will be mostly about the GPU.

 

[RavenXXX2]

2500k for gaming, hyperthreading is not required for gaming, without it expect better temps and less volts when overclocking with the 2500k.

 

[Saundie]

I tend to forget about the 2500k, but it's almost certainly going to be sufficient for gaming for years to come, as many others above have pointed out. As far as value for money goes, it's the obvious choice for a gaming system.

 

[olryst]

Im looking at the 3820 now instead of the 3930K, Im upgrading from a phenom II 1100T so i'll need a motherboard yes.

How would this comapre to 2600K