Intel Core i7-2600K review | TechRadar

TechRadar write: Put simply, these new chips bring massive performance to a lower price point than ever before. How can you argue with that?

[MajestieBeast]

Might be time to upgrade my old E8400 for one of these cause my cpu is holding back bfbc2 and other games.

[AndrewRyan]

I agree. I am running an i3 at 4ghz. Not powerful enough for me however due to only 2 cores.

Kinda pissed I will have to buy a new board just to use the new processors. Boards will probably be overpriced at first.

[kharma45]

Yeah it's a pity they've changed the socket already, I thought 1136 and 1156 would be a round for a lot longer. I think I'm right in saying there is only one pin difference between the old and new sockets too!

[zeddy]

thats the prob with the pc especially when it comes to new tech, theres always something better around the corner. i prefer a decent laptop and a gaming console which will last 5 years+.

[NYC_Gamer]

what problem?you're not forced to upgrade just because new tech comes along.

[Sarcasm]

Yeah what's the problem Zeddy? Yes new tech will come around, but all it does it INCREASE the value for consumers quicker.

For example, the i7-950s were around ~$500 when it first came out, now can be had for ~$300.

Anybody looking to build a computer today would be amazed to get that CPU.

It's just how it works, technology advances fast and yes when it comes to PCs, it advances very fast too. Does that mean that if you paid originally $500 for the CPU, it automatically sucks and you're left in the dust because a new one came out? NO! That just means you paid the early adopter price but have enjoyed the high performance earlier than other people. Anybody with an i7-950 will enjoy that CPU for YEARS to come.

Heck, as I said in my other post, my AMD 965 BE is getting it's doors blown off by all these new CPUs, but guess what, I only paid $160 for it and it's still fast enough for what I want to do. I still get fast processing in all my programs, 60-300fps in all my games and it's more than enough to let my GTX580 breathe 100%.

So it's up to the consumer what they want to do, either buy something kick ass now, or just wait a bit and get something more ass kicking. Either way, they'll get a kick ass product that will last for years and years.

[AndrewRyan]

@Zeddy

You are not forced too upgrade. My friend has a Q6600 in his computer since 2007 and a 4850 and he still runs games fine at 1080p resolution. Much better then a 360 or PS3. He says he won't upgrade for another few years.

I however love tinkering with PCs and love to get the most of out what I can. If I have the money I am going to pick up the new i5 2500k and a new motherboard and I will throw my old mobo and i3 into another spare case I have lying around.

[AKS]

The weird rage about the availability of new tech is puzzling. It's not like you need a brand new CPU every time a new game is released. I don't plan on upgrading anything significantly more than once every 2 or 3 years at most. I would upgrade the video card a bit more often, but I rarely replace the other stuff by PC gaming standards. It's only the most computationally intense games like Metro 2033 and Crysis that start to bog down my old Q8200 (paired with an OC'ed EVGA GTX 460 1GB currently; recently replaced my OC'ed HIS 4850, a wonderful card for it's time), but I can still play even the most demanding games just fine by turning down a few things. Metro 2033 is the one that seems to be the most punishing of any games I own currently.

[Sarcasm]

Man those CPUs kick ass and makes my 965BE look like a single core.

[ct03]

Not in games. They're all GPU limited these days.

[AKS]

Some games are rather CPU heavy like Battlefield. I would get a chunk of extra frames if I upgraded, but I can get by for now just fine with what I have until the new chips have been out for awhile.

[ct03]

Battlefield is out for consoles as well. So a Sandy Bridge is complete overkill.

http://guru3d.com/article/c...

[AKS]

Metro 2033, Dirt 2, and Just Cause 2 are also on consoles. Crysis 2 and RAGE are on the way. Having a console version may not mean what you think it does.

I have an old Q8200, not an i7. Quad cores aren't all as fast as the current and upcoming quad cores. I'll buy one of the upcoming i5 or i7 processors after they've been on the market for a bit and issues with mobos have been sorted out (very few support Sandy Bridge currently).

[Arup02]

Still happy with my Phenom II X4 945

[thehitman]

this should have nothing on my i7 930

[Letros]

It outperforms the 930 in every test possible, not to mention overclocks much higher due to 32nm.

[thehitman]

In what tests they didnt even compare them in the article, but ya this is a really good processor what I really meant to say is im pretty damn happy w/ my i7 930.

[Letros]

Ya, there is no need for you to upgrade atm, the 930 is beyond adequate.

[AKS]

Wut? Don't know what you're talking about.

[Pandamobile]

And here we have another semi-generational leap in CPU architecture.

Hot stuff.

[ATi_Elite]

Yep but now is the best time to upgrade because there won't be anything new for awhile. Maybe some refreshes but AMD will release Bulldozer in mid 2011 and right after Intel may release the same Sandy Bridge chips but with higher clocks (refreshes).

All the old Core i7's 1366 and 1156 will drop in price but still offer AAA performance. A Core i5 2500k at $220 is a good deal except Intel screws you by making you buy a new 1155 MObo but AMD gives you some backwards compatibility.

Speaking of AMD, a four core CPU and a mOBO with an integrated gpu that can run Crysis (not maxed out) and run it good enough is only like $150. Gaming PC prices are really low right now.

[Megaton]

I think I should be good with my i5 760 for awhile.

[kharma45]

I'll be sticking with my 750 for the foreseeable future, might look about getting a better cooler for it though and see about overclocking it.

[Dojan123]

Agree. Staying with my 920. I will wait to upgrade when I see some better 1366 chips on sale.

[dp277407]

yea i must say my 870 is pretty nice

[hiredhelp]

ive built a new rig last year. all done up but finding myself useing my old computer. i built for my partner shes happy with it. it has a E6600 4gb ram ati 4870. runs everything.

but my new rig seems to not be used. i will come the summer.
HAF X
i7.920
cooled by coolit systems vantage lcd screen with push pull config.
asus p6td
6gb corsair dominator series
still useing another ati 48701gb card witch i may upgrade.
powerd by a 1000watt corsair modular
ready for new cards and the future.

[Vip3r]

I'm still using my old AMD Athlon 64 3500+ from 2005. :)

But I may get a 2500K for the likes of Mafia and Portal 2 when it's out.

[AKS]

I was really tempted to buy a i7-950, but I think I'm going to wait for a bit for this Sandy Bridge business. I am not desperate for a new CPU, as my old quad is holding up in most games for the moment, so I can just wait a bit to learn more about the models and see what happens with the pricing and available options. That new i5-2500K looks like hot stuff.

[Bolts]

These benchmarks don't exactly blow me away. Unless I see more real world data I'm going to buy the i7 950 instead.

[Xfanboy]

- http://www.youtube.com/watc...

but if you only need it for games it's only a small differce..
Sandy Bridge beats in benchmarks like cinebench..

[Bolts]

That youtube benchmark didn't show me a damn thing, I need comparison data. I'll wait for Tom's Hardware for the real review, even then I'm expecting less 10% increase in performance of games like Crysis and BC 2. With the release of this new chip the price on the 950 are bound to drop to the floor.

[cakeisalie]

@Fanboi

The 32nm process itself is enough to ensure these new chips will overclock like champs and still run cooler then the I7 950. They are also faster clock for clock. I would say its a no brainer going for Sandybridge.