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Whats the best CPU for around £200?

JButlerUK

JButlerUK

JButlerUK

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Joined
6 Jul 2011
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369
Location
South Yorkshire
The title says it all.

Please consider the following,

This is for a gaming setup and i will be buying the rest of the system to match the CPU and GPU (see graphics card section for a similar question).

I am not great at over-clocking, and by that i mean im lazy, i understand most of the tecnical stuff but if i can get a nice mobo that does like a one button OC then i will be happy.

It will be going into a liquid cooling system (so needs to fit a lcs with waterblock extra obviously)

Should i go for a sandybridge or the other option? Lots of arguments for and against but want an idiots guide to the lot please.

Ready, set, go!!!!!!
 
all depend on if you want it now or q1/q2 of 2012 as that is when ivybridge comes out. if you want it now and if it for purely gaming with option to do other thing then i would say intel I5 2500K on a Z68 motherbroad.
 
If i get the 1366 socket could i add a next gen chip at the next release?

In that case i might get chaper 1366 chip so that i can just upgrade next year.

But is it also true that these motherboards are more exspensive? and need 3 sticks of DDR3?
 
1366 is not a good upgrade choice. Given your what appears to be limited knowledge (please don't be offended) I'd reccomend you buy a bundle from overclockers to avoid any potentially costly mistakes.

You want either an i5 2500k or if money isn't a concern a i7 2600k :)
 
I am not offended

I am not stoopid (misspelt on purpose for jovial effects)

I have been "out of the loop" and not paying attention in recent technological advances as i havent needed to essentially lol.

Is it not the case that the new chips in future will use the 1366 socket?

In other cases i have been looking at the i7 2600k http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=CP-358-IN&groupid=701&catid=6&subcat=1859

BTW the OEM one is cheaper but is that because its basically assembled bits? Where possible should i get the non OEM.

Dont be afraid to dumb things down for me lol :P
 
JButlerUK said:
Is it not the case that the new chips in future will use the 1366 socket?
Click to expand...

No, 1366 is a dead-end socket. Socket 1155 is the current mainstream socket that will survive for a while longer (although it's possible that Ivy Bridge CPUs will require a new motherboard in some or all cases). Socket 1366 is the current high-end platform but it will be replaced by socket 2011 when the Sandy Bridge E CPUs come out (which will replace the current i7-9xx line-up).

JButlerUK said:
BTW the OEM one is cheaper but is that because its basically assembled bits? Where possible should i get the non OEM.
Click to expand...
OEM means you get a 1 year warranty instead of 3 years and you don't get a heatsink & fan.
 
ivybridge is the codename that intel given their new cpu that come out in q1/q2 of 2012 it will be on the following sockets 1155 and 2011. the ivybridge on socket 1155 will be compatible with most sandybridge z68 motherbroads so when it release you could upgrade to a ivybridge cpu.

socket 1366 is the currently intel high end socket but when ivybridge or Sandy Bridge E socket 2011 is release q1/q2 of 2012 that will replace 1366 as the high end intel socket.

socket 1366 uses Triple-Channel memory ( 3 stick of memory) where socket 1155 uses Dual-Channel memory (2 stick of memory). when ivybridge socket 2011 come out next year it will use Quad-Channel Memory (4 stick of memory)

why i5 and not i7 because you said in op that you want best cpu for £200 and mention sandybridge the I5 2500k is currently £161.99 where the I7 2600k is £239.99. also for simply gaming with or without a overclock the I5 2500k is more than enough to get the job done some well say that for gaming purposes the 2600k is simply overkill.

why not the 1366 socket because it on it way out motherbroad are still being made but if you look at ones coming out their are target at extreme overclockers who are using the 980x or 990x chip which is a 6 core cpu. when ivybridge socket released it they will be 4 core (socket 1155 and 2011), 6 core (socket 2011) and 8 core(socket 2011) cpu's.
 
new chips will be using the 1155 socket, and the as yet unreleased 2011 socket. the 1366 socket has reached the end of its life.

the reason we are all suggesting the i5 2500k and the i7 2600k as they are the newest processors out at the moment, and as a consequence can do a HUGE amount more calculations per clock cycle.

the £230 i7 2600k can compete with last years ultra high end processor, the ~£700 980X, despite the 2600k being a quad core, and the 980X being a hex core:

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/287?vs=142

*edit*
bah, curse my slow fingers.
you'll still want to check out the website ive posed though
 
ive just noticed you wanted this for gaming purposes only. this means you will see literally no difference between the i5 2500k and the i7 2600k, so you should go for the cheaper i5 2500k

the only difference between the two chips is that the 2600k can do hyperthreading. this is something that games simply cannot take advantage of, as you can see by this benchmark:

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/287?vs=288
(look at the FPS scores)
 
Ok ok ok.....

Im starting to get this plan in my head, please help me finalise it.

Im gonna buy in the next month a i5 2500k chip (1155 chipset) with appropriate mobo.

Then get the memory, HDD and new PC screen etc.

Use my current EVGA 8800 GTS SuperClocked 640MB GDDR3 PCI-E Graphics Card, with added waterblock untill the new graphics cards come out in Q1/Q2 next year.

Then updrade my chip to an Ivybridge 1155 and my GPU to a new 28nm graphics cards come out.

Sound like a good plan where i can A) upgrade in the next few weeks to enjoy gaming upto christmas and B) save me a little cash in the meantime.

BTW thanks all, really appreciate this....
 
on a cost stand front it far more cost effective to buy a sandybridge set than the current high end 1366 reason being it simply on it way out. as other have mention the the i5 2500k is better than the 1366 quad core and 2600k can compete with the 980x. people have overclock these 2500k and 2600k to over 4.4ghz easily hell put a 2600k on a watercool system people got them at 5ghz. but for gaming setup a 2500k on z68 with either gtx570,gtx580 or Ati 6950,6970 will eat anything up at 1920x1080 on high or ultra high setting.
 
IVE DECIDED:

Im gonna buy the i5 2500k chip (1155 chipset) with appropriate mobo
(seperate suggestion needed please on mobo)

Then get the memory, HDD and new PC screen etc.
(also need help now on the memory and HDD)

Untill then use my EVGA 8800 GTS SuperClocked 640MB GDDR3 PCI-E Graphics Card, untill the new 28nm graphics cards come out in Q1/Q2 next year.

Then updrade my chip to an Ivybridge 1155 and my GPU to a new 28nm graphics cards come out.

Anyone see a gaping flaw in that plan?

:D
 
Anyone see an issue with that?

A million thanks btw for all the advice.

Now i just need to settle on a HHD or SSD and the Mobo to cope with future ivybride stuff and also the memory lol :D
 
Only issue I can see is your lack of patience ;) People have things to do outside of instant replies to your thread my man!

Wait!
 
Ha ha,

Once i get excited about something i get immersed in it lol.

Really appreciate this btw. Understand thigns a lot better now i feel.
 
Question for you JButler

What are your system specs atm?

For gaming, upgrading CPU before GPU seems... a little bit pointless imo

You're not going to notice much difference at all. Grab a second hand GTX 560 Ti, 6850 or something.

Should give you a nice upgrade, but cheap enough to be just a 'fill in' card while you wait for the next generation.

I don't think I'd be too concerned about waiting for IvyBridge. The 2500k's are very nice CPU's

So yeah... My 2cents would be to upgrade your GPU as well

All or nothing :D Otherwise your 2500k will be crying for 6 months cause it's so bored, wondering why it's owner even bothered to get him when it has to wait for an old GPU all the time
 
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