6 core or 8 core processor ?

pcslookout

Lifer
Mar 18, 2007
11,926
146
106
Right now I have a i7 7700k which I know is 4 cores (I believe if I am wrong its fine)

Would a 6 core or a 8 core processor help me with VMs ?

I mainly game though.
 

HutchinsonJC

Senior member
Apr 15, 2007
465
201
126
For gaming, 6 to 8 cores is probably a pretty sweet spot to be for the next couple of years. Especially if those 6 to 8 cores are hitting 4.6+ GHz.
 

Mopetar

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2011
7,797
5,899
136
How many VMs do you typically run and what are they doing?

As far as gaming goes though, a 7700k is going to be fine for quite a while.
 
  • Like
Reactions: pcslookout

Space Tyrant

Member
Feb 14, 2017
149
115
116
I would go for the 8 core, especially if you will be gaming while runing VMs. If that is the case, you'll probably want to ensure that you get enough memory for your games and any VMs that you intend to run simultaneously.
 

SPBHM

Diamond Member
Sep 12, 2012
5,056
409
126
for gaming the 7700 is very strong, it doesn't really make sense to upgrade, for heavy VM work, sure... but you would know best if your work is asking for more cores...
 

UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
7,380
146
7700k still scores in the top 1/3rd of CPUs for gaming, so you can upgrade if you feel the need to, but it won't improve your gaming experience at all.

I mirror what others have said, wait for Zen 2 or Intel 8 core, and see what they offer in performance upgrades.
 
  • Like
Reactions: coercitiv

moonbogg

Lifer
Jan 8, 2011
10,635
3,095
136
8 core, because 4 to 6 isn't enough of an upgrade. Although, you should probably realize I'm a guy who upgraded from 6 cores to 6 cores.
 
  • Like
Reactions: whm1974

whm1974

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2016
9,460
1,570
96
8 core, because 4 to 6 isn't enough of an upgrade. Although, you should probably realize I'm a guy who upgraded from 6 cores to 6 cores.
I agree as the OP will be replacing a high end 4c/8t CPU with an 8c/16t one.
 

epsilon84

Golden Member
Aug 29, 2010
1,142
927
136
7700k still scores in the top 1/3rd of CPUs for gaming, so you can upgrade if you feel the need to, but it won't improve your gaming experience at all.

I mirror what others have said, wait for Zen 2 or Intel 8 core, and see what they offer in performance upgrades.

Actually a 7700K is probably the 2nd or 3rd fastest CPU for gaming still, slightly behind a 8700K and practically tied with a 8600K.

FWIW, I upgraded from a 6700K to 8700K and the gaming experience is the same, which was expected.

Until more games can truly show significant gains beyond 4C/8T even next gen CPUs with 8 cores most likely won't be much better than a 7700K.
 

pcslookout

Lifer
Mar 18, 2007
11,926
146
106
Actually a 7700K is probably the 2nd or 3rd fastest CPU for gaming still, slightly behind a 8700K and practically tied with a 8600K.

FWIW, I upgraded from a 6700K to 8700K and the gaming experience is the same, which was expected.

Until more games can truly show significant gains beyond 4C/8T even next gen CPUs with 8 cores most likely won't be much better than a 7700K.

True but I bet where they really shine is when your doing a lot of things at once on your PC. Like playing 2 games at once, running a VM, etc.
 

epsilon84

Golden Member
Aug 29, 2010
1,142
927
136
True but I bet where they really shine is when your doing a lot of things at once on your PC. Like playing 2 games at once, running a VM, etc.

VMs definitely, unfortunately my brain hasn't evolved enough to be able to play 2 games at once LOL!

Higher core CPUs are also much better if you are into streaming (without a dedicated streaming box)
 

UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
7,380
146
True but I bet where they really shine is when your doing a lot of things at once on your PC. Like playing 2 games at once, running a VM, etc.

But a 7700(k) still has 4 cores with 8 threads (hyperthreading). It can handle moderate multitasking without issue. Now if you are a power user, which from seeing your threads over the years I don't think applies to you, then yes more cores will help.

I recently replaced my son's Haswell i5 with a Ryzen 1700X, but he does things like streaming while gaming, video editing, game programming, keeps an insane amount of browser pages open, uses several different programs at once, and uses engineering software that loves all the cores it can get.
 

HutchinsonJC

Senior member
Apr 15, 2007
465
201
126
4 cores is great if you're opening most newer games, and you have basically nothing running in the background outside of the basic obvious stuff that would be running in the background anyway, like anti-virus.

Some few games already show an increased performance with 6 cores over 4, and we should probably expect that in the coming years this will become increasingly more common.

Also, I see someone who is dabbling with VMs as something of a power user. You're not someone restrained by some kind of lack of computer knowledge. You probably explore and self-teach.

And you should probably aim for 6 to 8 cores if you're running your game and doing almost anything else in the background: FRAPS or equivalent (video recording), some kind of file conversion (music, video), streaming, watching videos/movies on a 2nd screen or listening to videos in the background, several-tab browsing, etc. Even if you don't do these tasks regularly, it's really nice to have the extra processing power to push through it without any real hiccups.

I've used an OC'd 3960x since early 2012 (6 cores) and I can honestly say that it was probably the best overall computer purchase I will have ever made when you consider how long it stayed both relevant and snappy doing anything I ever threw at it. I'm only now looking at a possible upgrade 6 years later, and even then, I may hold off another year.
 

UsandThem

Elite Member
May 4, 2000
16,068
7,380
146
Also, I see someone who is dabbling with VMs as something of a power user. You're not someone restrained by some kind of lack of computer knowledge. You probably explore and self-teach.

I'm not sure how many previous posts by this user you've seen, and this is not said in an insulting way in any shape or form, but they are not a power user on tech in any sense of the word. Enthusiast, yes. They like tinkering with stuff, but always have to ask across multiple boards for help/guidance on everything. PCs, headphones, software, music, operating systems, etc. Nothing wrong with that, of course.

Now if they have the upgrade itch, then by all means go for it.

I get the upgrade itch from time to time with my 6700k, but all I have to do is read a review of the current mainstream CPUs, and then the itch goes away until the next release (Zen 2 and 8 core Coffee Lake).
 

whm1974

Diamond Member
Jul 24, 2016
9,460
1,570
96
I would wait till Zen2 is out and Intel updates theirs again. By then go for the 8core.
That would be best as it would be wasteful for the OP to replace his high end system right now for marginal gains.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Jimzz

Jimzz

Diamond Member
Oct 23, 2012
4,399
190
106
That would be best as it would be wasteful for the OP to replace his high end system right now for marginal gains.

I agree completely. I have a overclocked 3770 system and am waiting for RAM/GPU prices to drop. If they drop this summer then Zen+. If they stay high then will ride it out till Zen2/Intels next update.
 
  • Like
Reactions: scannall