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i5 -> i7

Jono8

Jono8

Jono8

Caporegime
Joined
20 May 2007
Posts
41,210
Location
Surrey
Hi Chaps

Getting the urge to upgrade to an i7 from my i5 2500k (running currently at 4.3ghz) as quite a few new games are really starting to make use of either 8 cores or 8 threads.

However I have already spent too much on my computer over the past few months so I need to keep it as cheap as possible! I have an MSI p67a gd53 and with the latest bios, it will support ivybridge. My question is, do I go for a 2700k or 3770k? Both seem to be around similar prices at the moment but I know ivy's aren't renowned for being as good clockers as sandy's and they run hotter as well. But then ivy's are slightly faster clock for clock...

Thoughts?

and before anyone says, no I don't want to go Haswell as that will involve a new mobo and cpu cooler and I don't want to spend anymore! I will do a system overhaul when intel release something that isn't just a slight improvement. :p
 
It's still more depending on what graphic card you using.

If you are only using a single GPU card, the graphic side of things would still be a bigger bottleneck (unless you are playing on medium graphic settings or below on a GTX670/7950 or above). Most people talking about CPU bottlenecking are usually people with multi-GPU setup, for example SLI GTX670 or CF7950/7970 etc.
 
Sandy if you find one cheap and want to go second hand 2600K as they can go for around £150. A good overclock would give you a cheap upgrade after you sell your i5.

3770k's tend to go at only a little under new prices so just buy a new one. Again sell your i5 and its still not a bad upgrade path if you need the extra threads.
 
Marine-RX179 said:
It's still more depending on what graphic card you using.

If you are only using a single GPU card, the graphic side of things would still be a bigger bottleneck (unless you are playing on medium graphic settings or below on a GTX670/7950 or above). Most people talking about CPU bottlenecking are usually people with multi-GPU setup, for example SLI GTX670 or CF7950/7970 etc.
Click to expand...

670 sli and I have already seen the bottleneck in Crysis 3 in the bits where there is a lot of grass animation. CPU is maxed on all 4 cores but gpu usage drops to 70-80%. This is 1080p and maxed out with 4xMSAA as well!
 
3770k if you can source one cheap enough. Even a mild oc of 4.2ghz ono will be a bit better than your current 4.3ghz 2500k. Gpu use in games such as bf3/4 will increase, cpu use will drop a good amount. Your results are almost identical to what i had with a 3570k at 4.5ghz, switching to a 3770k helped a lot with sli.
 
setter said:
3770k if you can source one cheap enough. Even a mild oc of 4.2ghz ono will be a bit better than your current 4.3ghz 2500k. Gpu use in games such as bf3/4 will increase, cpu use will drop a good amount. Your results are almost identical to what i had with a 3570k at 4.5ghz, switching to a 3770k helped a lot with sli.
Click to expand...

Yeh, I think I will keep an eye out for a 3770k then.

Only worry is that I have read there is little point putting a 3770k in a p67a motherboard over a 2700k but I would have thought the increased performance of the ivybridge will still be there ( its just that integrated gpu and pci express 3.0 wont work which I don't care about anyway)
 
Integrated gpu is a waste of space imho mate, only generates more heat if enabled. As for pcie 3, ive ran theese 670's in a pcie 2 x58 i7 920 setup. No difference with a single card. There is a slight bottleneck in sli, but thats down to the 920 being an older and slower cpu.
 
if you on single card a i5 is fine people are falling for the 8 core amd bs because of consoles. intel are better for gaming and will be for the foreseeable future.

if you going crossfire or sli then yeah a i7 would make sense if not just get best gpu and stick with your cpu it will be good for 2 or 3 years yet.
 
What can be easily obtained overclock wise on a 3770k with a good air cooler? Is 4.4GHZ pretty standard?
 
Jono8 said:
670 sli and I have already seen the bottleneck in Crysis 3 in the bits where there is a lot of grass animation. CPU is maxed on all 4 cores but gpu usage drops to 70-80%. This is 1080p and maxed out with 4xMSAA as well!
Click to expand...

I ran a pair of 780's off a 4.6Ghz 2500k and never found the CPU to be a bottleneck at 1440p.

I would say it's more to do with poor scaling and Crysis being a crappy coded console port tbh.
 
MOOGLEYS said:
I ran a pair of 780's off a 4.6Ghz 2500k and never found the CPU to be a bottleneck at 1440p.

I would say it's more to do with poor scaling and Crysis being a crappy coded console port tbh.
Click to expand...

Crysis 3 scales almost perfectly with a 3930k and 4 Titans.

OP go for the i7 but shop around, see if you can pickup a good clocking 2600k, 2700k or 3770k secondhand.
 
I just sold my 2500k (4.3Ghz) and upgrade to a 2700k (4.7Ghz)

Upgrade cost me £80 all in all, and it means that my plans to crossfire my 7950 won't result in a cpu bottleneck :)
 
krooton said:
I just sold my 2500k (4.3Ghz) and upgrade to a 2700k (4.7Ghz)

Upgrade cost me £80 all in all, and it means that my plans to crossfire my 7950 won't result in a cpu bottleneck :)
Click to expand...

I could not bottleneck a pair of 780's with a 2500k. I think 7970's would be fine. :D
 
krooton said:
I just sold my 2500k (4.3Ghz) and upgrade to a 2700k (4.7Ghz)

Upgrade cost me £80 all in all, and it means that my plans to crossfire my 7950 won't result in a cpu bottleneck :)
Click to expand...

Nice upgrade :)

Agreed with what has been said, sell your 2500k and put the money from the sale towards an i7 2600k, 2700k or 3770k and overclock the nuts off it :D
 
I'm in the same boat as the OP.

Got my 2500k at 4.5Ghz but serious bottle neck for 7970CF on bf4 beta. I'm assuming the actual game will be more efficient but looks as i'll be shopping around for a 2600k/2700k/3770k

Can anyone explain the difference between 2600k and 3770k? I know they are different CPUs but any discernible differences?

How many posts are needed for the members market here again?
 
Last edited:
wait one month before deciding there is a stuttering issue on all configs and cpus. access after they have tweaked the game.
 
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