i7 6950X in 2020?
i7 6950X in 2020?
The Core i7 6950X offers strong performance but may be overpriced for its price point, depending on your needs and alternatives available.
It's a solid CPU, but it's being sold near its full price on Amazon and eBay. The $2000 you saw is the top amount I've seen, and I'm not planning to buy one. Just curious about the market value.
You can reduce any CPU's worth by choosing the least desirable options. The key is comparing it to better models like the 3700x/3800x, which offer more single-core performance, while the i7 6950x provides extra threads. If its cost (including the motherboard) exceeds those alternatives, it may seem like a poor value.
It seems many items are available on eBay for over $600, indicating demand from buyers. A key benefit of these components is their extensive PCIe connectivity, which isn’t common in typical consumer processors, suggesting a specific market segment appreciates this feature.
You have an older X99 model with six cores about five years ago, and you're considering a upgrade. The newer CPUs will still work well. You'll face some compromises either way—opting for a better processor means less hassle later, with minimal downtime. Switching to a new system means beginning fresh, but hardware availability isn't usually the main issue; setting up the software is what causes the most trouble.
Consider PCIe options without thinking about Intel HEDT and opt for Threadripper directly. The 1920X (12 cores/24 threads) costs between $200 and $250 on Amazon, usually new. You can also find the X399 Taichi from ASRock for $200 to $350.