Money no object: which CPU do you choose?

[Arachnotronic]

There is always a lot of discussion on these boards about how frustrating it is that HEDT is 1-2 gens behind in CPU architecture compared to mainstream platform. So I would like to ask a very simple question to tease out people's views...

If you could have EITHER a 6700K + top end Z170 mobo OR 5960X + top end X99 board for free, which would you take and why?

Assume you cannot resell the parts at any point in time (part of the terms you had to agree to in order to get free gear).

I've included a poll but please include expanded thoughts if you are so inclined.

 

[Fjodor2001]

I'd wait for AMD Zen before deciding.

 

[ShintaiDK]

6700K because I dont overclock

 

[SPBHM]

for my use probably the 6700K is faster and more power efficient.

but I would get the 5960X simply because it's going to be good for longer,

unless you consider the price difference, which would make possible to upgrade from the 6700K just with the difference, once the new "6700K" is out in a couple of years

 

[Arachnotronic]

I'd wait for AMD Zen before deciding.

Somebody is offering you top Intel silicon TODAY for free and you would tell this person to buzz off until Zen comes out? OK.

 

[mysticjbyrd]

I'd wait for AMD Zen before deciding.

If zen competes with the 5960x, I would consider it a large success. Besides, if money is no object, you can upgrade with every new architecture.

 

[hectorsm]

I'd wait for AMD Zen before deciding.

Zen is probably a year away. That's a long time to wait.

 

[cytg111]

assuming a good 4.5+ OC on the octo, that would be a nobrainer for me.

 

[Magic Carpet]

I'd get a Skylake Xeon E3-1280 V5 w/ 128 gigs of ECC RAM. Some decent mobo as well.

 

[svenge]

I'd wait for AMD Zen before deciding.

The question was i7-5960X vs i7-6700K right now, so it really isn't the place to factor in a chip that will be out-classed by a circa-2012 Sandy Bridge-E yet won't be on store shelves until early 2017.

 

[Burpo]

Somebody is offering you top Intel silicon TODAY for free and you would tell this person to buzz off until Zen comes out? OK.

Consider the source

 

[Sequences]

Take it to the extreme, fab your own.

 

[jhu]

Take it to the extreme, fab your own.

Money is no object? I'd get 8x Xeon E7-8895v3 and several NVidia Titan X because Blender.

 

[Beer4Me]

Zen is a year away? Intel will have gone through 2 iterations by that time. AMD too little, too late. Emphasis on the too late.

 

[DrMrLordX]

I would get the 5960x and sell it. The retail price on that chip will cover two 6700ks, or Zen if you want it later . . .

 

[Arachnotronic]

I would get the 5960x and sell it. The retail price on that chip will cover two 6700ks, or Zen if you want it later . . .

Not an option here

 

[Zodiark1593]

A pair of 18 core Xeon E5s on a dual socket mobo for me please, don't forget that 128 GB ECC DDR4 and maybe throw in a Titan (whichever is the new one) or Fury X gpu, and about a dozen SSDs in a RAID 0 array as well.

 

[beginner99]

Well if price doesn't matter then performance/$ doesn't matter and hence obviously the 5960x. This assumes that you overclock.

For anyone not overclocking and only playing games, the 6700k might actually be the better choice but I personally would without a doubt choose the 5960x.

Anything missing from the platform can be added with add-on cards. You will have enough PCIe lanes. I'm thinking about USB 3.1 for example. (in fact this is also missing from your average Z170 board)

 

[ComputerGuy2006]

5960X + X99, easy choice. Extra cores would be worth it, and there would be a chance a simple firmware update would give me a good upgrade in 2016.

 

[ClockHound]

5960X. So...will you delivery it before Xmas or is this some sort of New Year's gift to internet forums?

 

[CHADBOGA]

The 6700K, paired of course with fast DDR4 Ram.

Single threaded performance is king if you already have 4 cores.

Also I am not comfortable with doing the sorts of extreme overclocks one needs to do on the 5960X to reduce the single threaded gap to the 6700K.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Not an option here

Booooo!

. . .

besides, do you know how many systems VirtualLarry can put together for the price of one 5960x? I don't, but it's probably a lot.

 

[NTMBK]

6700k. I don't do any work on my home PC which requires >4 cores, and if I was going for a new workstation I would want dual socket with far more than 8 cores.

 

[NTMBK]

Booooo!

. . .

besides, do you know how many systems VirtualLarry can put together for the price of one 5960x? I don't, but it's probably a lot.

Larry's basement, yesterday:

 

[VirtualLarry]

Larry's basement, yesterday:

LOL.