i7 6700k running on H110M motherboard
i7 6700k running on H110M motherboard
Both units should function adequately, though in the long run 3600 seems like a solid move. Since both 6700K and 3600 match in performance per cycle, if you hit core constraints later, you might need to replace your board (the H110 supports the 7700K best) and invest more for another CPU or motherboard combo. A 3600 (6C12T) probably won’t cause problems, and even if you consider upgrading, swapping in a 3700X or 3900X would be straightforward.
I think I’ll stick with the i7 6700k I ordered. It’s a compromise, and I was taken aback by how much smoother it ran compared to Intel’s quad-core models without hyper-threading. In multi-threaded situations, it performed better than older Intel CPUs and even close to Ryzen 5 Gen 2. For example, in the Shadow of the Tomb Raider tests, the i7 6700k hit 133 FPS while the R5 3600 reached 4.2 GHz at 139 FPS. That might not be ideal for every benchmark, but it’s solid for a game engine title. When I upgrade again, I’ll likely go for a new platform—probably the Ryzen 6000 series or Intel 13000 line in about five years, or around the time Elder Scrolls 6 launches. By then, I probably want DDR5 support and a cooler that fits the new architecture. Honestly, I’d prefer convenience and minimal downtime. Just swap the CPU and cooler, install a new one, and it’ll be fine for the first few years of next-gen. I’d rather upgrade to something that handles 16 threads and modern games than stick with older tech that struggles with multithreading.