Kaby Lake and 270

[Aurimas]

I'm quickly getting to the point where I'm just going to re-build my computer. I've been tracking down (part swapping) to find this elusive problem. It's at the point where it's the RAM or it's the Motherboard.

If you're curious about the problem, it's probably less than a dozen posts back in my history, but I'm done screwing around. I just want it fixed.

I've replaced the GPU (w/ a 1070) and the SSD. If I'm going to tear apart the computer to replace the motherboard and RAM, I'm just gonna buy a cpu too, and be done with it. I'll have a mostly new computer and at least this problem will be gone. I'll sell my old GPU and SSD, since I'm now sure those were fine.

So here's the question:
We recommend on this board (and I agree) that there's no reason to upgrade to Kaby Lake from the last couple generations. My question is the flip-side. Is there any reason NOT to if you're going to be building a computer anyway?

How are things stacking up with the processor? Anyone heard anything? Are they overclocking well? Do they seem to be holding up pretty well? I know they haven't been out long enough... but how is the silicone lottery shaking out? Same as other generations? I imagine you can tell a bit about the quality from that.

If you're interested mine is a z87 and 4670K, but that's kind of moot since the question is not "should I upgrade".

[Tommi]

There's going to be a Kaby Lake "refresh" soon due to AMD Ryzen.

[Mask]

Is there any reason NOT to if you're going to be building a computer anyway?

Doesn't seem to be much reason not to. It's just like Skylake but a few GHz faster stock, and seems to overclock a few GHz higher too (on average).

Cannonlake has essentially been canceled for desktop PC's and is being replaced with another 14nm refresh instead. I don't expect much to happen with desktops until 2018/19 when the Icelake chip finally comes out, and who knows if that is going to be hit with more problems or delays. Kaby Lake might be disappointing but there's nothing coming in the immediate future that's going to surpass it.

[Deleted]

My question is the flip-side. Is there any reason NOT to if you're going to be building a computer anyway?

If your old CPU is compatible with the new motherboard and RAM, there's no reason to spend money on upgrading to a kaby lake CPU, as you won't get any performance out of it, that you couldn't overclock your old CPU to gain anyways. If not compatible, then yes, you might as well upgrade to kaby lake.

Overclocking on kaby lake seems to be 4.8 to 5 GHz depending on how good a sample you get, whereas skylake usually capped out at 4.6 to 4.8 GHz.

[Sorshen]

There's going to be a Kaby Lake "refresh" soon due to AMD Ryzen.

It's not LGA1151, it's X299-Kabylake-X and probably coming out in august.

[Nellah]

Looking at your post history you've been dealing with this problem for quite a few months. With Ryzen right around the corner and a likely small but significant price cut on competitive CPUs it might be worth waiting a bit to see what AMD might have in the lower-range lineup and how it performs. Intel doesn't have anything coming down the pipe that is interesting at all, and if AMD doesn't shake things up the way they hope to then just get the Intel setup anyway.

Kaby Lake itself isn't a bad chip at all; it'd be the CPU I bought if I had to buy now, and if you're just Done With It as far as the problem goes you can't really go wrong with a K-series i5 or i7; they've been unequivocal leaders in performance since Sandy Bridge.

Doesn't seem to be much reason not to. It's just like Skylake but a few GHz faster stock, and seems to overclock a few GHz higher too (on average).

Maybe you mean MHz there?

[Triggered Fridgekin]

Coffee Lake won't be around until early 2018 for desktop use and the increase over Kaby Lake is roughly the same as Kaby Lake over Skylake (~15%) so I don't think it's worth holding out for or worrying about as far as performance is concerned if you plan to stick with Intel.

What makes Coffee Lake interesting is that it'll debut a "mainstream" Intel six-core model which further begs the question of whether or not we can expect an entirely new socket or if it'll be dropped in to the upcoming 2066. I'm more inclined to believe a new 300-series socket/chipset since a) 1151 would be a waste (impossible?) and b) it's hard to reach a mainstream audience on a platform where good boards start at $250 or more if the 2011 is any indication of pricing.

[Evildeffy]

Just a minor correction:

We have not had any increase in IPC from Skylake to Kaby Lake.
Only in stock frequencies did we get an increase.

Do not expect a frequency/IPC gain of 15% .. if anything it is just the cores that'll improve it with MAYBE 2 - 4% IPC OR another 100 - 300MHz increase.
Seeing as how we're physically hitting a wall and with 6 cores we're going to increase power drain and heat generation at those frequencies exponentially ... expect it to be a 2 - 4% IPC gain AT MOST along with 2 more cores.