Question Recommend a "cheap" replacement for i7-6700k

[Lil'John]

Title kind of states it.

A mishap fried the motherboard I'm not finding super cheap replacement for motherboard.

My main CPU "power" use will be using Handbrake and my experience so far is showing that pure core count isn't a winner; 28 core Xeon(2x e5-2695v3) goes slower than i7-6700k.

It will also be used as a file server(movie and music) along with camera NVR. So lower power would be nice.

The only requirement is being able to reuse the DDR4-3200 memory from the old machine.

Nice to have would be PCI-e NVM support for booting(Intel 750 SSD in PCI-e form) I will probably also be slapping a RAID card on it(already have) so having 3 PCI-e ports would be nice; two 3.0 x4 and PCI-e x8(raid card)

While all but one of my machines are Intel, I'm not stuck on Intel. I've used the camera NVR software on an old NUC with an i3-5010U and it wasn't the greatest experience. I've currently got it on a i3-6100U and while not great, a little better. So I think I'm looking for a lower power true 4 core solution like the current i3s.

Any thoughts on where to go with cost being a driver would be appreciated.

 

[coercitiv]

If you want a 1:1 replacement, you can go with a i3 10100 (it's essentially a 4c/8t Skylake with 4.4 ST boost and 4.1Ghz all-core boost), but my recommendation would be the i5 10400 (6c/12t with 4.2 ST boost, 4Ghz all-core boost,) or any other 10th series i5 you can find at very good price. The 10400F version is cheaper but lacks iGPU and Quicksync, and you're probably going to make use of both, so don't cut corners here. Also, a CPU with iGPU will offer you the best idle power consumption.

You can adjust power as you like via BIOS as long as you buy a decent motherboard (configure TDP for 45W for example). You may not be able to run the memory at 3200Mhz unless you buy a Z chipset board, but that should be of little to no concern as running it @ 2666 Mhz with good timings will be just as fast for your use.

 

[Lil'John]

Thanks for the heads up especially the F CPUs(ie graphics-less)

I'm not stuck with a fully 100% direct 1:1 replacement. Based upon current test equipment, I believe I want at least 4 core(4/8). But I'm being honest when I say price of CPU/MB is the driving force on this build.

I'm also not worried about full speed on the memory. I just bring up what I have that I'd like to use. Replacing the memory is another $100+ I'd rather not spend

FWIW, this MB is going to end up in a 2U rack chassis. So form factor of the MB isn't a big deal.

 

[scineram]

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[Insert_Nickname]

Thanks for the heads up especially the F CPUs(ie graphics-less)

You'll want an IGP for the lowest possible power consumption. Also, unless you have a spare graphics card about, with the current shortage, you'll be lucky to get anything other then a GT710. Which is less capable then the UHD6xx-series on Comet Lake.

I'm not stuck with a fully 100% direct 1:1 replacement. Based upon current test equipment, I believe I want at least 4 core(4/8). But I'm being honest when I say price of CPU/MB is the driving force on this build.

If you're replacing anyway, give serious thought to getting a 6C/12T CPU like the 10400. You will not regret it.

An AMD APU system might be a possible alternative, but they're hard to find in stock currently. AM4 non-APUs aren't really efficient at idle, and require a graphics card. Which increases idle power draw too.

 

[nerp]

i5-10400. Faster all around, two more cores. It's a surprisingly good chip. I actually migrated to one from a 6700 myself and was impressed. Beat my expectations. That chip is now on a shelf and I'm running a i9-10900 on the same z490 board. Was worth it overall -- to jump to the i5 and then switch to the i9. My i5 is going to end up in a secondary rig and I'm happy to use it again.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Price for the OP is an important consideration. Coincidentally, I also fried my motherboard or borked the USB controller in my great vaping-pen-disaster, widely-publicized in my recent panic threads.

I chose merely to replace the board. I didn't want to hassle with moving to another chipset, although I've been informed that this wouldn't have been a major deal. I'm also nit-picky about platform upgrades. I want to look at all the motherboard options, even if picking the CPU is quick and easy. So I insist on taking my time, looking at the reviews with lab-test results before I choose one. I didn't have the time for it after my own accident.

EBay and Amazon offered me replacement options, but your first assumption posits greater risk. I don't like to buy "pre-owned". You can find corporate-asset-turnover-refurbs. I was able to find the backdoor of a reseller with open-box RMAs in stock. They had a 30-day return policy, soliciting "notes" from the buyer. They told me there weren't any "notes" and they'd tested the board to give it a "perfect" A-OK. I was in luck.

If I were choosing the alternative favored by the OP and helpful posters, The i5-10600K would catch my eye. But the 10400 is also a hexa-core. I think both processor models fit in the FCLGA1200. The board? Well, I'm spoiled, and so I favor ASUS between mid-range and top-end. And I usually choose just above mid-range. As I said, I take months to ruminate over the board options.

Each to his own. I spent more than I should on my repair project. I've got too many spare parts. But, I haven't even received my stimulus check, and between tax refunds and the pay-backs following my mortgage payoff -- plus the new dental insurance that sizably reduced my annual tooth-repair outlays -- I'm flush.

Nerp, too, seems to have extra toys to play with . . .

 

[Lil'John]

@BonzaiDuck You are correct that cost is a driving factor. I'm also looking down the replacement motherboard path. I've had good luck with used boards(three so far) I'm not in a desperate rush to get another system up and running.

In my case, I was able to split the functionality of the burnt machine onto two others after sleeping for the night; a NUC for the camera(plug SSD in and go) and my dev server for the media(plug in two HDs)

On the replace the MB front, like you, I am "struggling" with info overload for the various chipsets that will run the 6700k; z170, z270, etc. A direct replacement board was going to be $200+. I'm still pouring over the umpteen dozens of boards out there. Ideal is one that will support 3ware 9750-4i raid controller (PCIE 2 slot) and two Intel 750 PCIE SSds(PCIE 3 x4)

This thread I'm primarily focusing on 'sidegrade' or minor upgrade paths. Spending $400 or more is completely off the table.

To repeat, my primary use of this system will be NVR for cameras and file server for movie/music. Secondary is using handbrake. It will be stuffed into a 2U rack chassis which is housing close to 20 4TB drives. I will not be doing anything that requires any graphical grunt(games, CAD, etc)

If I need a graphics card, it will be a junky AMD RADEON HD8490 for ~$13.

Odds are high that the system will be running Ubuntu with a VM running Windows 8 and Blue Iris for the NVR.

 

[benjemin3]

in intel cant say cheap but go for ryzen 3000 series cpu with mini board if you want to get cheap pc

 

[BurnItDwn]

Its sadly a "sellers market" for CPUs these days. Seems like everything under $200 is a generally bad value "bang for the buck."

Core i5-9400 cpus appear to be going for under $170, and will perform similar to, or slightly better than the i7 6700 in most cases.
You can probably find a used motherboard to go with it.

otherwise, I think a b450 board for under $100, and a ryzen 3600 if you can find one for ~$200 would be great performance per dollar rather than a sidegrade.


Might be able to find discounted used CPUs from several generations ago, but, not likely on big stores where everybody is looking for stuff ...

edit: not sure if link will work in the future or if prices will change .. .but as of "now"

https://www.amazon.com/Intel-i5-9400-Processor-Processors-984507/dp/B08BPGKD82/

its a i5-9400 with a low end mobo combo for $236.42

 

[benjemin3]

Its sadly a "sellers market" for CPUs these days. Seems like everything under $200 is a generally bad value "bang for the buck."

Core i5-9400s appear to be going for under $170, and will perform similar to, or slightly better than the i7 6700 in most cases.
You can probably find a used motherboard to go with it.

otherwise, I think a b450 board for under $100, and a ryzen 3600 if you can find one for ~$200 would be great performance per dollar rather than a sidegrade.


Might be able to find discounted used CPUs from several generations ago, but, not likely on big stores where everybody is looking for stuff ...

Thats what i am saying in short thanx for the detail

 

[BurnItDwn]

Thats what i am saying in short thanx in detail

I agree with you 100%

 

[BonzaiDuck]

@BonzaiDuck You are correct that cost is a driving factor. I'm also looking down the replacement motherboard path. I've had good luck with used boards(three so far) I'm not in a desperate rush to get another system up and running.

In my case, I was able to split the functionality of the burnt machine onto two others after sleeping for the night; a NUC for the camera(plug SSD in and go) and my dev server for the media(plug in two HDs)

On the replace the MB front, like you, I am "struggling" with info overload for the various chipsets that will run the 6700k; z170, z270, etc. A direct replacement board was going to be $200+. I'm still pouring over the umpteen dozens of boards out there. Ideal is one that will support 3ware 9750-4i raid controller (PCIE 2 slot) and two Intel 750 PCIE SSds(PCIE 3 x4)

This thread I'm primarily focusing on 'sidegrade' or minor upgrade paths. Spending $400 or more is completely off the table.

To repeat, my primary use of this system will be NVR for cameras and file server for movie/music. Secondary is using handbrake. It will be stuffed into a 2U rack chassis which is housing close to 20 4TB drives. I will not be doing anything that requires any graphical grunt(games, CAD, etc)

If I need a graphics card, it will be a junky AMD RADEON HD8490 for ~$13.

Odds are high that the system will be running Ubuntu with a VM running Windows 8 and Blue Iris for the NVR.

Out of curiosity, what make and model motherboard were you using with the i7-6700K? I'm not urging any particular course of action for you, but I've been good at hunting down replacements for myself. Before this go-around, I had a P8Z68-V-Pro board that needed replacement, and I found two of the Gen-3 version of the board for about $95 each -- that was back around 2014. They were "corporate-asset-turnover-refurbs" from Ascendtech, who has an extensive testing and repair facility. When they "refurb" something, it's generally a great job.

But that's only one source. At least, tell me the make and model and I'll run some quick searches on my own, even just for my own curiosity, but if I find something, I'll let you know right away.

 

[Lil'John]

I blew out a ASRock Fatal1ty Gaming Z170 Gaming-ITX/ac. It was chosen because I was using a "tiny" case. Sadly the case blew out so it hit the trash.

If I go replacement MB, my focus is on one PCIe 2.0 x4 for the raid card and at least one PCIe 3.0 x4 for the SSD card. Ideal would be two PCIe 3.0s since I have two cards.

I'm not planning on overclocking so that aspect of the Z series lineup doesn't benefit me.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

I blew out a ASRock Fatal1ty Gaming Z170 Gaming-ITX/ac. It was chosen because I was using a "tiny" case. Sadly the case blew out so it hit the trash.

If I go replacement MB, my focus is on one PCIe 2.0 x4 for the raid card and at least one PCIe 3.0 x4 for the SSD card. Ideal would be two PCIe 3.0s since I have two cards.

I'm not planning on overclocking so that aspect of the Z series lineup doesn't benefit me.

So . . . what you're saying is that your RAID card meets the PCIE 2.0 spec. But PCIE 3.0 is backwardly compatible (of course). And at minimum, you might consider a Z170 ITX board. I'll poke around myself here and there over the next couple days. If there isn't pressing urgency -- well -- that's up to you.

Huh . . . I forgot to hit "post reply". Well -- check your "conversation" inbox . . .

RETURNING AGAIN: Ascendtech has one Z170 ATX board, I think it was an Asus Gaming "Pro" board for around $170. Ebay has an ITX ASUS Z170I Pro Gaming board for $161 -- New. There are a lot of "new" high-end mATX and ITX boards in a range around $350 -- shocking for that technology and the price. I found your AsRock board as a "pre-owned" touted in good condition -- I think it was less than $100.

I went through all this for my own system almost inflexible to find my Sabertooth board, and got lucky. It was an "almost new" open box for about $30 less than what I'd originally paid for mine. At least that ended the high point of my PC-disaster-panic. And as I said, I might have simply waited for ASUS to honor their warranty and get the RMA'd board. So again -- check your "conversations" inbox.

I could see getting last year's processor and the right board for replacement, but that's a whole new investment. You wonder what you'll do with the Skylake processor, but you can sell it here or on Ebay -- I suppose. It's just not my "style". If I'm going to use latest tech and component offerings, I want to take my time to pick and choose. The days of "slapping something together" ended for me before 2004.

 

[bigboxes]

Title kind of states it.

A mishap fried the motherboard I'm not finding super cheap replacement for motherboard.

My main CPU "power" use will be using Handbrake and my experience so far is showing that pure core count isn't a winner; 28 core Xeon(2x e5-2695v3) goes slower than i7-6700k.

It will also be used as a file server(movie and music) along with camera NVR. So lower power would be nice.

The only requirement is being able to reuse the DDR4-3200 memory from the old machine.

Nice to have would be PCI-e NVM support for booting(Intel 750 SSD in PCI-e form) I will probably also be slapping a RAID card on it(already have) so having 3 PCI-e ports would be nice; two 3.0 x4 and PCI-e x8(raid card)

While all but one of my machines are Intel, I'm not stuck on Intel. I've used the camera NVR software on an old NUC with an i3-5010U and it wasn't the greatest experience. I've currently got it on a i3-6100U and while not great, a little better. So I think I'm looking for a lower power true 4 core solution like the current i3s.

Any thoughts on where to go with cost being a driver would be appreciated.

https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Z390-M...a+1151+asus+motherboard&qid=1616866491&sr=8-1

That was showing up for $169.99 for me. It's got the PCI-E expansion slots you require.

 

[nerp]

No selling outside if the FS/T forums.


esquared
Anandtech Forum Director

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Well . . . not OC'able for the chipset, but it handles his processor. At least he's got some options for less than what he found originally.