Best CPU under $400?

[Blooman428]

I'm looking at building a new PC and I'd like some feedback on picking the CPU. I've not picked any other parts at this point so compatibility doesn't matter. I'm looking for the best CPU below $400. I understand that price will cover most CPUs but I wanted to at least filter out any of the extreme series from Intel. Also, I'm not interested in AMD products so I'm will not bother waiting for the Ryzen series to release. That's just a personal preference based off previous bad experiences with AMD products.

 

I thought I had settled on the i7 7700k but the more I read, the more unsure I become. Some, reviews say all you need is the i7 6700k and so on. At only a $15 price difference though, I kind of feel like why not just get the 7700k?

 

What are your thoughts?

[Blooman428]

4 minutes ago, wrathoftheturkey said:

Depends on the use case, but for 15 bucks the better overclocking potential of the 7700k is worth it

Sorry, I meant to put use case in the original post. I will mainly use it for gaming but I do a little video editing as well.

[aisle9]

What about the 5820K? It's a hair under $400 and is a better choice than either if you're going to be editing, rendering, etc.

 

If you're straight up gaming and want to fly like an eagle (on fire), get a 7700K, delid it and let the flames spew forth.

[Blooman428]

7 minutes ago, aisle9 said:

What about the 5820K?

AHHH! You are suppose to be narrowing down options not making more!

I'll take a look at the 5820K.

[Blooman428]

6 minutes ago, wrathoftheturkey said:

If the editing is nothing too long or intensive, I'd stick with the 7700k and call it golden

Yea, I don't do anything heavy. I think the longest video I've ever done is about 10 minutes with minimal graphics(not 3D).

[aisle9]

1 minute ago, Blooman428 said:

Yea, I don't do anything heavy. I think the longest video I've ever done is about 10 minutes with minimal graphics(not 3D).

5820K is probably overkill for you then. If you're going to overclock, 7700K. If you're not, 7700. If you want to save a few bucks and get basically the same performance, buy a used 6700 or 6700K.

[Guest]

6800k is just a bit above the 400 mark @aisle9

[aisle9]

4 minutes ago, deXxterlab97 said:

6800k is just a bit above the 400 mark @aisle9

He said under

[Blooman428]

Let's say I was willing to stretch up to the $420 price mark for the 6800k, is it worth it? Will it be more future proof having the 6core\12 thread set up? @aisle9 @deXxterlab97

[aisle9]

2 minutes ago, Blooman428 said:

Let's say I was willing to stretch up to the $420 price mark for the 6800k, is it worth it? Will it be more future proof having the 6core\12 thread set up? @aisle9 @deXxterlab97

If you think you'll be stepping up the thread-heavy tasks like editing and rendering in the near future, then yes, that's a better choice. If you just want raw gaming power, a delidded 7700K is still your best bet.