i7 2600K X4 or 970 X6

[TheGreatSatan]

I need to make a decision.

If you had to choose, which would you get?

[slaveofconvention]

2600k, without a doubt. the 970 is end of line really - the socket won't be around a lot longer IMO, whereas the 2600k is based on the newest socket so more likely to be upgradeable - and it'll overclock to at least 4.2/4.3 with nothing more than clicking the "auto-overclock" feature in windows assuming the motherboard supports it, If you aren't planning to overclock, getting a K processor is a total waste though - just get the 2600

[Fuganater]

Ya my ASUS board auto-overclocks to 4.4GHz.

[Blibbax]

What are you going to do with it?

For gaming, pick the 2600k. Or even the 2500k - there'd be little or no difference.

For applications where six cores would be able to show their muscle - media encoding, perhaps - pick the 970.

For an all round machine, I'd probably choose the 2600k - it'd be faster in 90% of applications even while multitasking.

http://www.anandtech.com/bench/Product/157?vs=287

[RogueOpportunist]

2600k, without a doubt. the 970 is end of line really - the socket won't be around a lot longer IMO, whereas the 2600k is based on the newest socket so more likely to be upgradeable

I could find quite literally thousands of posts on the web saying this exact same thing about 1156/1366... Intel + future friendly socket = dreaming in technicolor.


I'd still go for the I7 if you simply can't wait for bulldozer though, as mentioned the 970 is EOL and just not worth the investment plus the idea that current AM3 motherboards are going to be supporting anything more than the first generation BD chips is a pipe dream... AMD has had just as many socket revisions as Intel, they've just gone about it with a certain level of backward compatibility but despite the "picture" AMD people love to paint you still ain't runnin a BD chip on a "white" AM3 socket, you need to have the black "AM3+" version on the board because there is 1 extra pin on the BD chips that don't fit into AM3 sockets... Call it what you want and revise it how you will that's still a socket change.

AMD changes sockets just as often as Intel, the only difference being that unlike Intel, AMD hides their socket changes better and keeps modern motherboards compatible with last-gen chips, the reverse is not true however, old motherboards are not compatible with new-gen chips UNLESS the motherboard was manufactured in the period of time leading up to AMD's newest socket revision, in which case AMD "hides" their socket revision by giving the motherboard manufactures a REALLY big head start in pumping out motherboards with the next gen socket already on it labeled as whatever"+" OR the new gen chip isn't actually new but rather a repackaged, higher binned version of an existing processor.

[slaveofconvention]

I could find quite literally thousands of posts on the web saying this exact same thing about 1156/1366... Intel + future friendly socket = dreaming in technicolor.

Which is precisely why I said "more likely to be"

[RogueOpportunist]

This is how I see the next couple of years going...

-AMD releases BD

-Intel releases higher binned revised sandy bridge

-AMD releases second gen BD

-Intel releases Ivy Bridge

-AMD craps pants as all they have left are higher binned BD chips and they are in the exact same place they was with the Phenom's... AMD starts talking about an all new architecture

-Intel releases some other bridge

-AMD keeps talking about an all new architecture while releasing the same old chips with more cache and higher clocks

-Intel announces something smaller than 22nm and pushes out the last of their latest revision

-AMD keeps talking about ground breaking stuff coming

-Intel shrinks their process yet again and moves from the bridge naming theme to titles of Chevy Chase movies, Fletch Core due out 2nd quarter 2013

Blah blah blah, you get the idea... And you wanna know how I "know" this? It's because I'm not prophesizing the future... I'm just reciting the past and changing the names... It's the same flow that has been going on since AMD and Intel first started swapping punches... Bottom line is, buy whatever you want, in 3 months it will be "obsolete".

[TheGreatSatan]

I already know about all the technologies involved. I work in retail and can get the 2600K or the 970 as part of the Summer deal, that's all. I don't need either chip except for build photos. I will make a new mod, add the parts, take pics, and then gut it. I'm not keeping the system for use. Maybe in time I'll give it away here.

[Twigsoffury]

Blah blah blah, you get the idea... And you wanna know how I "know" this? It's because I'm not prophesizing the future... I'm just reciting the past and changing the names... It's the same flow that has been going on since AMD and Intel first started swapping punches... Bottom line is, buy whatever you want, in 3 months it will be "obsolete".

lol that is true.

I'd just say get the best possible processor for your budget and your needs.

[Fuganater]

Maybe in time I'll give it away here.

Dibs?