What CPU should i get if I want it to be future proof and also think about upgrading later on?

[ziad_castellan]

I am building a new PC and in a conflict between what CPU should i buy. I've been checking benchmarks and still can't decide whether i should buy a i3 7100 and later upgrade it to an i5/i7 but remain in the 7th generation in the future or get a i3 8100 and later upgrade (MUCH later). I'm trying to save some cash here so what should i buy? Also if i get the i3 7100 then the motherboard will be MSI Z270M Mortar and for the i3 8100, Gigabyte Z370M D3H.

[Majestic]

AMD seems to want to stick to AM4 a lot longer than Intel is currently doing. Last socket lasted 8 months. Think wisely...

[asus killer]

why are you considering Z motherboards for locked CPU's if the money is an issue? also there is no point in buying dual cores anymore.

 

[ziad_castellan]

1 minute ago, asus killer said:

why are you considering Z motherboards for locked CPU's if the money is an issue? also there is no point in buying dual cores anymore.

 

But if i do buy an i3 7100, I'll be upgrading soon to an i5 or i7, so is it worth sacrificing the 8th gen?

[ItsBlck]

If you want it to be future proof and the ability to upgrade over time then i suggest go with Ryzen. Perhaps the Ryzen 5 1500x or the 2400g if you don't have enough for a GPU.

 

AMD is supposed to support the socket until 2020 so get a decent motherboard if you want to overclock (which you probably would do if you're planning to upgrade). So you should go for a B350 chipset as it is OC able.

[DwayneElizondo]

Bang for the buck I'd go for the 8-th gen i3, and later upgrade to a 8600K or a 8700K. Buy the Z-mobos only if you are planning on buying a -k Cpu, otherwise it's wasted money. 

7-th are that great anymore, the i3 are dual cores, and the top-tier 7700k is plagued with volatility, i.e. you can get a perfect chip that OCs flawlessly to 5 ghz with no probs, or one tha reaches 100C at stock speed.

[asus killer]

51 minutes ago, ziad_castellan said:

But if i do buy an i3 7100, I'll be upgrading soon to an i5 or i7, so is it worth sacrificing the 8th gen?

No. Just go with 8th gen. People only go for 7th gen because they already have a mothetboard.

[J400]

I would go with a ryzen chip. motherboards are cheap, cpus are cheap, and 2 years in the future, 4 cores will hardly be enough for new games. We should be expecting 5Ghz chips when zen3 gets here, and I wouldn't throw out the possibility of 10 or 12 core am4 chips by then. Also, the ryzen platform will be given time to mature and game developers will be optimizing for both multi core chips, and ryzen itself. If you buy a ryzen chip now, you will not be disappointed in the future.

 

If you are on a very tight budget, I would recommend the 2400g, or the 2200g. if you get the 2200g, don't be surprised if you want to upgrade the cpu in the next year or two. if you buy a 2400g, you will probably be fine until am4+ 3 years from now. You will have integrated graphics to get you through the gpu apocalypse, and the future proof platform that am4 offers. 

 

If you have a little more money however, grab the 1600. 6 cores and 12 threads for $180 is a bargain and a half. Not to mention you can get a b350 motherboard for less that $60 if you price hunt.

 

If you buy intel, especially an i3 7100, you will probably be upgrading next year, if you are trying to play anything new that comes out. If you go with the 8 series, you are paying $100+ for a motherboard alone, but you do arguably have the 8700k to upgrade to. that is, after intel releases the 9th generation i7s with 8 cores and 16 threads. In which case, you will be buying used parts. And don't forget, that chip doesn't come with a cooler.

 

You will also HAVE to buy a gpu now if you go with intel, as the integrated graphics won't give you much more than a minecraft playthrough and maybe the odd game of csgo. Which in the end, will destroy any budget you might have had.

 

 

[Canada EH]

Go with AMD 2400G

[asand1]

How does buying two different CPUs save money? Just get the i7 now and don't worry about upgrading for 5-6 years. By then you'll need a new board anyway. 

[userzero]

Buy an 8400.