I just switched to Intel for the first time because I was doing a blue-themed build and I can honestly say Intel is King. The option of Quick Sync in the i7 is uncomparable to anything else. Now I can render videos in half the time not having to convert them to mp4. The i5s are still great if you just want power and no extra features, but in my opinion, i7 is for everything you need in a CPU, no matter your task.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
I am a power user. I use my computer for almost 70% of my daily routine. Although personally i didn't get a god chip (silicon lottery) i was still able to overclock this chip to a stable 4.6Ghz using the kraken x60, with temps hitting 66 Celsius at most. To anybody that enjoys a really good performance processor, with the ease of overclocking, and hyperthreading: i recommend this. Using a dedicated graphics card, i won't even bother with the hd 4000 graphics chip, but since i'm using a GTX 670 from day one of its release, i'm still able to play every single game on the market at maximum graphics at 1080p because this chip pulls the bottleneck away from itself.
Really nice upgrade over my Core i3. Works very well and a very noticeable performance boost. Stock Intel cooler has a hard time keeping up with the heat, under a heavy load. Upgrading to better air or liquid cooler ASAP.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
For best performance and overclocking the heat spreader must be removed. Intel used a lower quality thermal paste to xfer heat between the die and the spreader. Putting a liquid block cooler directly to the die will make a world of difference in its thermal delta and ability to remain stable at over clocked speeds. That being said, the silicone lottery still remains true. However this should help bring those stubborn samples stuck at 4.6 to a more respectable 4.8 - 4.9 sage933
The chip arrived promptly in oversealed packaging. The CPU lid is scuffed in the upper right quadrant, probably from an overtightened heatsink. Aside from the slight damage, the lid was rather clean of defects and remaining thermal compound. Installation was easy on a Z97 board. I was not able to achieve a stable overclock past 4.0 gHz on this chip, (which is dissapointing) however this could very well be do to my own limited experience. Otherwise the chip runs fine at stock and OCd to 4.0 gHz.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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