The I7-3770 is an optimal purchase for a cost-effective build that provides good performance and options for the foreseeable future. This CPU is fast, stable and when paired with a quality motherboard and 16gb of DDr-1600 RAM it multi-tasks and blows through applications as well as one can expect. You always can "do better" but only if you move up a series and/or go with twin CPUs and likewise and pay double. Use any money you save with this processor to buy yourself a step-up in motherboard, video card, memory, HDD/SSD, etc.
:Points to Ponder:
(A)If you like/want/need to overclock the INTEL "K" series processor are designed for that. That said, Intel may deny a return on any failed "K" series processor due to the possibility of end user foul-up.
(B)Unless you are a the "Sheldon Cooper" type, the minor difference in native speed between the I7-3770 and I7-3770K is not noticeable for common tasks such as word processing, spreadsheets, databases, speech recognition, video playback and 3D games. With my system, video / audio / photo editing and production are optimal and I have yet to get a lockup when multitasking between as many as a dozen apps.
(C)If 70% of your use and need is purely to "game" then go with any of the Intel I5 series. This I7 CPU is excellent for games but why spend the extra if you do not have the constant need for it? The CPU does count but gamers get the most bang for their bucks via a higher end video cards.
(Heat issue fears with the IVY series)
Overheating has only been a reported problem for those who overclock the "K" series and/or build and operate their systems poorly.
Get a well vented case, good fans and CPU cooler, keep things clean of dust and hair and for God's sake don't operate in a 100+degree environment and you should be okay.
(My build)
I7-3770 CPU
Corsair Hydro H60 CPU cooler (*Fan setup | interior-> (120mm push)->[HYDRO RADIATOR]->(120mm pull)-> exhaust from case)
ASUS P8Z77-V Motherboard (*BIOS downloaded from ASUS and updated during 2nd test boot to fully support IVY bridge processor.)
16GB G.SKILL Model F3-12800CL9D-8GBXL DDR-3 1600 RAM (*2 sets)
SAMSUNG 830 series SSD as Primary Boot & Apps drive (*Firmware updated)
Western Digital Black 1TB SATA III HDD
XFX RADON HD 6870 1GB GPU video card (*using Microsoft Drivers)
Rosewill HIVE 650 PSU. (*Modulator wires are just long enough in my build but extension are available.)
Rosewill Challenger mid-tower case. (* several airflow case fan options to work with. It is a "decent tight fit" for ASUS P8Z77-V but, IMHO 1-inch longer footprint from front to back to allow more distance between the MB and drive cages would have been better.)
| Processor | 3.4 GHz core_i7 |
|---|---|
| National Stock Number | 7021-01-612-4990 |
