CPU only upgrade; worth it?

[DeltrusDisc]

Well, one can get the 2500K for $180 at Micro Center. If you live in the US, which I believe you do. :P Just you have to go to the store, only downside. For me it's like an hour drive away, but when I got my 2500K it was $250 everywhere else, so even more savings, but ya gotta think... one tank of gas is not required to drive 20 miles! lol well unless you drive a hummer or something...

[Nellah]

Waiting is the hardest part. Trust me, I know. My main computer died three weeks before the Sandy Bridge chips came out, so I limped along on a 2.66GHz Pentium 4 SINGLE CORE and a 9800 Pro (a setup that would have been slow in 2004) in WoW for three weeks. The sheer unrelenting power that I felt from THAT upgrade was phenomenal.

If you can stand waiting just a bit longer, it will be worth it. Slightly better performance, noticeably lower power draw, potentially better overclocking (since it'll put out lower temps to begin with.) People buying new Sandy Bridge chips now are probably upgrading from far worse systems than yours!

[lildave151]

If I could get at 2500K right now for 180$ I'd probably do it. Unfortunately the closest Microcenter is about 6 hour away, one-way. Looks like only $200 at NCIX which isn't bad at all; still better than $230 at Newegg. If I can wait two months though and spend basically the same amount of money for a decent enough upgrade over SB then that still might be the way to go. Skyrim, BF3, DX:HR, and Wow for the most part all run pretty well still. Dropping under 10fps in H Yor'sahj and H Ultraxion 25 is just killing me. Though if that is my only reason I should just bide my time a bit more probably. Great help though everyone, I really appreciate it. Night for now, I'll check back tomorrow.

[DeltrusDisc]

Cool. Yeah if you can wait I would, though I don't at all miss raiding with a crumby computer. (though I've long-since retired.) Sandy will send your fps skyward. :P

[vesseblah]

Ivy Bridges will not be huge upgrade in raw performance over Sandy Bridges, only about 10% according to the more realistic estimates and leaks. The big thing is that those run much cooler and and use less electricity which turns into higher overclocking potential. Maximum multiplier is upped from SB's 57 to 63 because of it.

[Deleted]

The 2500k will still be a beast of a CPU for gaming for a while yet, Even after release of Ivy Bridge. It's performance is already excellent for MMO's and any other games out there and will remain that way until game developers move things onto the next level which is highly unlikely in the next couple of years as console ports are holding everything back right now with exception to very few games that actually use current hardware to the max.

I would not be put off buying an i5 2500k just because the die shrink is coming in a few months, Go for it!

[lildave151]

So I solved my dilemma. Order (from pcpartpicker on previous page) is now in processing from Newegg. Could have bought the CPU from NCIX for $30 cheaper but they don't have free 3 day ($20 more) and I don't want to be waiting around for it. I was really tempted to wait for the IB but for only a small performance boost (I'm not a heavy oc'er) I'd rather have something now that is almost just as nice. Over all I'm pretty happy with the combo I ended up with thanks to all the help here. Didn't plan on spending this money when I started thinking about possibly upgrading my CPU but I know I won't regret it and I'll be set for a while. Thanks again for all the great feedback.