Choice of 3 CPUs: Which is worth it?

[Thorium19]

I've one part left to order for my current project, specifically the CPU.

I was originally going to order the i5 4670k, then thought about getting the xeon e3 1230 v3. However, as I have an MSI Z87 MPower max ac, I thought the xeon may be a bit of a waste for such a good overclocking board. I wasn't sure about downgrading back to the i5, but the i7 4770k is bloody expensive, so is it worth the price difference?

The current build, with CPU, is likely going to need to last me a minimum of 3 years, or my time at university, probably longer, in which I'm going to be doing computer science as well as gaming (including livestreaming and recording and will therefore be rendering and editing footage and photos)

 

the i5 costs £183.29

the xeon is £205.80

and the i7 comes in at £266.93

 

So is the i7 worth the £83 over the i5 and £60 difference over the xeon? I will overclock if I get an unlocked CPU, and will play around with the BCLK if I get the xeon.

I'm just trying to work in redundancies, such as if I need to RMA my GPU, then the xeon would render my rig out of action until I get an new GPU, however it will give me 4 extra threads and 2mb L3 cache over the i5. And with DX12 making better use of more threads, it might be the more viable option.

 

 

p.s. To those who may suggest the haswell refresh/devils canyon CPUs, I haven't got the BIOS that supports them on my motherboard, and have no way of updating it beforehand, so those chips are ruled out.

[zlolslavez]

If you need extra performance in something like video editting, I would pickup the i7, otherwise, get the i5.

 

Xeons are good at heavy workloads, but when you can't overclock, it is pretty much a waste of money. (This statement is disregarded when you pass the current 5960x, in which there's no better cpu to get, and the $1000+ Xeons come in, but you aren't looking at those)

[ApolloX75]

4670K all the way. Absolutely love mine.

[minibois]

i5 has 4 cores, no hyperthreading, iGPU and it can OC

Xeon has 4 cores, hyoperthreading, no iGPU and you can't really OC.

i7  has 4 cores, hyperthreading, iGPU and it can OC.

 

So do you need those extra threads? Do you really need iGPU?

I see you intend on OC'ing if possible..

I also see you don't want to spend that much (i7) on a CPU. That's all stuff to think about..

 

Personally, I would get the i5 because it is the most affordable, you can OC, iGPU and it is generally good.

[brokencross]

Why aren't you looking at haswell refresh?

They're better overclockers.

 

Eh, just read the last sentence. Go with the i7. 

[minibois]

Why aren't you looking at haswell refresh?

They're better overclockers.

Is Haswell refresh the i5 4690K for example?

[Silyy097]

Is Haswell refresh the i5 4690K for example?

Yes, together with the 4790k and G3258 (Correct me on the G3258 if im wrong).

[brokencross]

Yes, together with the 4790k and G3258 (Correct me on the G3258 if im wrong).

You're correct brah.

 

Anyway, @Thorium19, don't you have any lga 1150 cpu laying around or couldn't you borrow one from anyone? 

You can always go to a repair shop and ask them.

[Thorium19]

Yes, together with the 4790k and G3258 (Correct me on the G3258 if im wrong).

you got that right, including the pentium.

[Giki]

snip-

i7 4770k is pretty freaking awesome. Since you're gonna be recording and editing videos get it don't waste your time with the i5 unless you're only gonna edit/stream like once a month or something.

Also I'm pretty sure you can update your board even with an unsupported CPU.

I sold a guy a CPU one time and his bios needed to be updated before it would boot.

[Thorium19]

You're correct brah.

 

Anyway, @Thorium19, don't you have any lga 1150 cpu laying around or couldn't you borrow one from anyone? 

You can always go to a repair shop and ask them.

No, this is actually my first new build, so I don't have anything other than an old athlon 64 laying around. Plus there aren't any high street stores I can pop into and ask whether they'll update the bios for me, not unless I want to drive all the way down to crewe, which I'm not a fan of doing. Currys PC world certainly aren't the sort of stores to do that, and the only other places are all laptop and phone repair shops that don't deal with desktops.

[i_build_nanosuits]

those prices...the 4670K is a no brainer...go for it!

[Thorium19]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I should also mention that it's going to be for my 18th birthday, so my parents are buying it but I've said I'll subsidise anything over £200, if that makes any difference. Bare in mind its main function is a workstation, not a gaming rig (at least after this summer off  )

[i_build_nanosuits]

I should also mention that it's going to be for my 18th birthday, so my parents are buying it but I've said I'll subsidise anything over £200, if that makes any difference. Bare in mind its main function is a workstation, not a gaming rig (at least after this summer off  )

then it depends if you have budget for overclocking...which will require a ''z'' series chipset board and aftermarket CPU cooling solution...in which case the 4770K might be worth it...i recommended based on gaming performance, if you are looking at building a workstation then it's between the xeon and the i7...the i7 obviously being unlocked and overclockeable will offer better performance but this obviously will end up costing a lot more than the xeon with a cheap H81 board and using the stock heatsink.

[typographie]

I thought the xeon may be a bit of a waste for such a good overclocking board. I wasn't sure about downgrading back to the i5, but the i7 4770k is bloody expensive, so is it worth the price difference?

 

An overclocked i5-4670K can probably edge out the locked Xeon E3 in most CPU-sensitive games. If you weren't planning to overclock, I'd probably nudge you toward the Xeon.

 

I wouldn't worry about the i7 unless you're doing a lot of workstation-type activities and you still want to be able to overclock.

[Thorium19]

then it depends if you have budget for overclocking...which will require a ''z'' series chipset board and aftermarket CPU cooling solution...in which case the 4770K might be worth it...i recommended based on gaming performance, if you are looking at building a workstation then it's between the xeon and the i7...the i7 obviously being unlocked and overclockeable will offer better performance but this obviously will end up costing a lot more than the xeon with a cheap H81 board and using the stock heatsink.

I've got the board (MSI Z87 MPower max ac) and a heatsink (Alpenfohn Brocken) so that's kind of in favour of the i7. I put the i5 in there mainly because I wasn't sure whether if when overclocked it would offer similar multithreaded performance to the xeon or i7.

[Thorium19]

I should also mention that it's going to be for my 18th birthday, so my parents are buying it but I've said I'll subsidise anything over £200, if that makes any difference. Bare in mind its main function is a workstation, not a gaming rig (at least after this summer off  )

 

An overclocked i5-4670K can probably edge out the locked Xeon E3 in most CPU-sensitive games. If you weren't planning to overclock, I'd probably nudge you toward the Xeon.

 

I wouldn't worry about the i7 unless you're doing a lot of workstation-type activities and you still want to be able to overclock.

I'll refer you to the above quoted post, where I filled out a bit more info.

[i_build_nanosuits]

I've got the board (MSI Z87 MPower max ac) and a heatsink (Alpenfohn Brocken) so that's kind of in favour of the i7. I put the i5 in there mainly because I wasn't sure whether if when overclocked it would offer similar multithreaded performance to the xeon or i7.

no, the i7...even at stock will outperform an highly overclocked core i5 in multi-threaded task...you can manage to match the lower clocked xeon with the i5 overclocked to the bone though...but i aint recommending it for your situation...power consumption, heat output and noise will be much less with the stock xeon...the i7 overclocked is the top dog obviously.

[typographie]

I'll refer you to the above quoted post, where I filled out a bit more info.

 

Sorry, overlooked that post. In that case, yeah, the Xeon gives you Hyperthreading for a lot less than the i7 and that's probably the smartest way to go. It would still do fine in games, when you do play them. I still don't think the i7 is worth the extra just for the ability to overclock, though obviously that would be a bit faster.

[i_build_nanosuits]

Sorry, overlooked that post. In that case, yeah, the Xeon gives you Hyperthreading for a lot less than the i7 and that's probably the smartest way to go. It would still do fine in games, when you do play them. I still don't think the i7 is worth the extra just for the ability to overclock, though obviously that would be a bit faster.

again, you missed the part where he said: ''I've got the board (MSI Z87 MPower max ac) and a heatsink (Alpenfohn Brocken) so that's kind of in favour of the i7''

it won't really make sense to not take advantage of the situation and dropping a low clocked xeon chip in a champ overclocking board is pure waste.

[typographie]

again, you missed the part where he said: ''I've got the board (MSI Z87 MPower max ac) and a heatsink (Alpenfohn Brocken) so that's kind of in favour of the i7''

it won't really make sense to not take advantage of the situation and dropping a low clocked xeon chip in a champ overclocking board is pure waste.

 

I didn't miss it, the board just doesn't carry much weight in this decision for me. I'm not going to recommend someone spend an extra £66 that he doesn't seem to want to spend just to justify a previous over-expenditure. To me, the Xeon isn't a waste for the board, the board was probably unnecessary to start with.

 

Worth pointing out that the OP just asked for opinions, and that's mine. If he would rather spend the extra to overclock an i7 that's all the reason he needs to do it.

[i_build_nanosuits]

I didn't miss it, the board just doesn't carry much weight in this decision for me. I'm not going to recommend someone spend an extra £66 that he doesn't seem to want to spend just to justify a previous over-expenditure. To me, the Xeon isn't a waste for the board, the board was probably unnecessary to start with.

 

Worth pointing out that the OP just asked for opinions, and that's mine. If he would rather spend the extra to overclock an i7 that's all the reason he needs to do it.

no need to be salty i respect your opinion!

the 4770K according to his prices is 29% more expensive than the xeon...the xeon is a 3.3ghz chip...so if he can get (3.3x1.29) 4.25ghz he is in the green money wise it's worth it...and with his board and cooler he will most likely be able to get 4.4ghz easy..so the bang for the buck is actualy in the 4770K IMHO...that's why.

[Giki]

I'll refer you to the above quoted post, where I filled out a bit more info.

I recommend getting the i7.

You seem like you know what your doing enough to overclock it comfortably and you really won't be disappointed with the i7.

The reason the i5 is winning it votes is probably because most people only think about gaming.

[Thorium19]

I actually think I've found a solution. I can get the xeon e3 1245 v3 for about £15 more than the 1230, and it has an igpu and slightly higher clockspeed. Not much, but an igpu will be useful for troubleshooting and if I need to RMA my GPU then at least my system is still usable. Then, later on a bit I can pick up a pentium K and have some fun overclocking the shit out of it. Now it's not perfect, in the ideal world I'd go for the i7 but it's just so damn expensive that I think this may work. Plus if the price is right later on I could get an i7 and sell the xeon, but that's unlikely. I'm still considering the i5 however, purely on a cost based reason.

[TheWutofWat]

I actually think I've found a solution. I can get the xeon e3 1245 v3 for about £15 more than the 1230, and it has an igpu and slightly higher clockspeed. Not much, but an igpu will be useful for troubleshooting and if I need to RMA my GPU then at least my system is still usable. Then, later on a bit I can pick up a pentium K and have some fun overclocking the shit out of it. Now it's not perfect, in the ideal world I'd go for the i7 but it's just so damn expensive that I think this may work. Plus if the price is right later on I could get an i7 and sell the xeon, but that's unlikely. I'm still considering the i5 however, purely on a cost based reason.

I suggest to get the i5 over any xeon and if you can buy the i7 later maybe after one year that will be good, as far as I know the i5 is pretty dam good for your money and that price is not expensive trust me