Choose a CPU compatible with your MSI Z270-A Pro.
Choose a CPU compatible with your MSI Z270-A Pro.
Hi everyone! My friend gave me an MSI Z270-A Pro board with a Celeron G3930 and one 8GB DDR4 2133 module. I really want a faster CPU, but the i7 series isn’t affordable right now. I spotted some used i5 options on eBay: Intel Core i5 6600K and Core i5 7500, both priced around $140. The 15 6600K is great for overclocking, while the 7500 is a newer model. Any advice on which path to take? Should I look into other CPUs as well? Also, are there any Xeon models that fit this board? Xeons can be cheaper when IT shops sell old units—my current setup is an Xeon X5675 on an EVGA X58. Thanks!
6600k offers better performance, but the 7th generation shows minimal improvement after Intel slowed down until Ryzen pushed for more cores. This platform isn't ideal as it caps at just four cores on 6-core desktops—clearly a limitation. Intel has effectively blocked this option since LGA 1151, aiming for higher sales of new CPUs rather than older ones. People should expect limited value from this lineup. Meanwhile, Ryzen provides ECC support out of the box, allowing it to compete directly with Xeon E3 without needing a separate product.
Hi @Jurrunio, thanks for your response. I was considering the B450 board but ultimately decided against it. I also spotted some "Intel Confidential QKYL - i7 7700T ES" engineering samples on eBay for $150 USD. Do you know anything about these processors?
Yeah, I’m leaning your way too. I know a single mom who could use a free upgrade. She’s got a Pentium CPU from seven years ago that can only handle four gigabytes of RAM. It’s really tough to do any maintenance on it. A Celeron with eight gigabytes would be a big improvement for her.
The clock speed is quite low (around 3GHz at its maximum), and it doesn’t allow for overclocking. ES indicates reduced stability, which means it isn’t more affordable or quicker than expected. Useless
@Jurrunio Appreciate the details. I thought it was too accurate to be certain, but I needed to confirm. I’m likely to reveal this and opt for the MSI B450 Tomahawk instead. Right now I can secure a Ryzen 5 2600X (unless I manage to free up some extra funds). The issue is that the Xeon E5630 socket 1366 on my blade server outperforms the 6th/7th generation i7 CPUs and offers more cores.
Yeah, the 1333mhz bus does act as a bottleneck. But for compiling, my dual E5630 handles anything I throw at them. (laughs) Also, I need you to visit my place and clarify why I require a better board than the Z270 amid all these economic issues. It seems my arguments are coming up short, or at least my spouse isn’t buying them. I found a thread suggesting a BIOS modification to run Coffee Lake CPUs on the Z270—if it works without problems, it could be a middle ground for us. (EDIT) There’s a discussion on the forum about doing that modification.