A brief guide to Intel's CPU's in 2017

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Derek Semeraro
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Joined: Sat Sep 23, 2017 6:49 am

A brief guide to Intel's CPU's in 2017

Post by Derek Semeraro » Sun Sep 24, 2017 11:47 pm

Intel's processors come with integrated graphics, so dedicated video cards are not needed unless gaming, video editing or for extremely heavy streaming perhaps. Small form factor and silent builds benefit from not needing a video card. The "K" processors allow for overclocking, but they are more expensive and do not come with a stock CPU cooler (which many people regard as inferior and loud anyway).
Screen Shot 2017-09-25 at 2.57.12 AM.png
(Anandtech.com)

For the 7th Gen (Kaby Lake), the i3-7100 is a decent value, but it's only slightly better than the Pentium G4560 and G4600 which are a better value at only $80. Celeron is still bad, though. The overclockable i3-7350k makes no sense because it only has 2 cores yet it approaches the mid-tier price range. The i5-7400 is only at 3 GHz and costs almost as much as a Ryzen 5 which has more threads, two more cores and can overclock up to 3.9 GHz. i5-7600k is the best value of all the CPU's. The i7-7700k is a good CPU, but the Intel's 8th gen CPU's and the Ryzen line offer both stronger options and better value options.

For the 8th Gen (Coffee Lake) does offer meaningful improvements. For $130, the i3-8100 offers 4 cores, and with its integrated graphics, it could pose a serious challenge to the Ryzen 3 for the budget market. The i3-8350k at ~$200 is a good option for gamers because high 4.0+ GHz frequency (with overclocking) generally allows for better in-game performance, but those interested in video editing and productive tasks in general should probably go with a Ryzen 5 1600 (unless lack of integrated graphics is a problem).

The i5-8400, at least on paper, looks like an inferior version of the Ryzen 5 (in clock speed and specs) for the same price, while the i5-8600k appears to have the best of both worlds (high frequency and more cores). The i7-8700 appears to be inferior to the Ryzen 7 since it has less cores and it lacks Ryzen 7's ability to overclock. The i7-8700k looks very valuable. While it may turn out to be overkill for most consumers, it will be appealing for high-end builds.

Condensed summary:
* Pentium G4560 or G4600 for budget builds
* i3-8100 for silent compact builds that want good processing power (i.e. recording studios)
* i5-7600k for mid to high range gaming
* i7-8600k for very high gaming and live streaming builds
* i7-8700k for anyone who can afford it

In general, the AMD Ryzen line still remains a better option for both people on a mid-range and professional video editing. However, low budget builds, silent builds which don't need dedicated graphics and high-end gamers would benefit from Intel CPU's
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