if it a question about money then simple solution is to get the computer or build it with i5 2500k then at a later date when you got the money or want to upgrade then get the 2600k cpu.
rumor has it that when ivybridge cpu's are release in the 4Q of 2011 that it will be released on two sockets so that those with socket 1155 (sandybrigde cpu) can upgrade to ivy brigde on socket 1155 as these cpu will be aimed at budget to medium end users. these cpu should be complatible with the early sandybridge motherboards. the ivybrigde on socket 2011 will replace the current x58 as high end cpu's socket will support quad channel ram.
Here's a very small and subtle hint, the 6/8 core quad channel mem high end chips due at the end of the year are called....
Sandybridge EX, are the chances particularly high that they are being made from Ivybridge cores?
The current most likely situation is 32nm replacements, 8 and 6 core, possible quad core but would be a bit pointless, cheaper for them size/price than a 4 core sandybridge with an IGP, but on a much more expensive platform so not sure about that. That will be the high end stuff end of year.
THey'll unlikely want to release brand new high end 32nm stuff and immediately after tell everyone the new faster core is out, but you can't have it because its quad core only and not for the high end so I'd expect a gap between them. Ivy bridge, a relative upgrade from Sandy, down to 22nm, lower power for same speed, almost certainly some speed advantages but how much is down to clock speeds from the process, who knows. YOu wouldn't expect a core i7 to Sandy i7 type architectural jump, but the graphics could improve a much larger amount than the core does.
For now a 2500k is basically great for gaming, FAR more than you need. Sure reviews who purposefully tone down the detail with an awesome card and reputable sites who tell you why they do it will show big differences in gaming. In reality, at your gpu limits, theres not much difference in any half decent quad you can buy now or in the last 3 years, a 3.6Ghz Q6600 is still awesome for gaming.
Ivybridge, early next year call it, will probably bring with it refined chipsets, so none of this either/or stuff with overclocking or IGP and quicksync. Expect more and more programs to get gpu acceleration and the next gen chipsets to be a vast improvement and not have to go for an expensive overclockers Z68 to get a bit of everything(still with limits, you need a screen connected to the IGP I believe, I don't "know" we'll see that from the next lot of chipsets, but Intel rarely do utterly stupid things and that would be utterly stupid to ignore).
I'd wait, frankly I'd think unless you go ultra high end, Bulldozer will have a LOT more life in it than either the 2600k or 2500k, if it HAD to be between them, get the 2500k the 2600k is a waste of money frankly, £20 more, maybe, £70+, nope.
, think I would go with the i5 lol.
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