I5-2500 vs. i5-3550

[Sakkura]

I'm thinking of buying a pre-built value-oriented system, and have narrowed my choices down to two: One has an i5-2500, the other an i5-3550.

The system with the -2500 is a little cheaper, but also uses a slightly cheaper motherboard (an H61-based board instead of the B75 in the other). They're otherwise very closely matched. So how do those processors compare, and what kind of price difference would you consider acceptable?

I'm asking here because all the reviews around the web predictably focus on the high-end parts; lots of detailed reviews of the new i7, a few reviews of the i5-3570K, and practically nothing about the rest.

 

[willzzz]

Well the 2 processors are pretty similar, the difference should be very similar to the difference between the 2500k and the 3570k which you can see on many reviews.

The IB should be 5-10% faster on most tasks.

Do you have links for these machines?

 

[Sakkura]

Do you have links for these machines?

I do, but they're in Danish. They're the kind you can configure to a certain extent.

Here are Google translate links if you're feeling adventurous:

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=da&tl=en&js=n&prev=_t&hl=da&ie=UTF-8&layout=2&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.game-station.dk%2Fblue-bean%2Fvalue-blue-bean-i3-2100-3-33ghz-2x2gb-h61-gtx560-1024mb-500gb-dvd-rw-630w.html&act=url

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=da&sl=da&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mm-vision.dk%2Fprodukter%2Fvispcsystem.asp%3Faction%3Dvis%26menu%3Dcomputer%26varenr%3D99107%26type%3Dpcsystem

 

[willzzz]

From the links the newer Ivy Bridge machine seems cheaper? 5395 vs 5799?

 

[Sakkura]

From the links the newer Ivy Bridge machine seems cheaper? 5395 vs 5799?

Probably Google making the price adjustment fail? With Windows 7 HP, the Sandy Bridge machine ends up at 5377 ($949/£587) and the other at 5994 ($1058/£654). The latter system is a little better in a few aspects, so right now I'm leaning in that direction. Decisions, decisions!

 

[mitunchidamparam]

I would say go with the Ivy bridge one,
I think if you build a system yourself you can make a better deal for those parts, and use better components.
Like the GTX 560 is not a good card right now, You can use a 50-60 euro, SSD and it will give you better performance.
Pre-Built systems are hard to upgrade too, You are buying a PC for yourself , so why not put a little bit of more effort and build a PC and save some money and get a lot of happiness when it is done.
Anyway, go with the Ivy bridge processor it has value for the price.

 

[chumly]

For gaming, anything past an i5 2400 is going to give u practically no increase in FPS, even in CPU intensive games like Skyrim or MMOs. Sandy runs cooler than Ivy and costs less. However, if you like overclocking, get a 2500k, you can OC them very well on air.

 

[Sakkura]

I would say go with the Ivy bridge one,
I think if you build a system yourself you can make a better deal for those parts, and use better components.
Like the GTX 560 is not a good card right now, You can use a 50-60 euro, SSD and it will give you better performance.
Pre-Built systems are hard to upgrade too, You are buying a PC for yourself , so why not put a little bit of more effort and build a PC and save some money and get a lot of happiness when it is done.
Anyway, go with the Ivy bridge processor it has value for the price.

Whoops. It's custom built, not pre-built. So there's some flexibility and the same upgradeability as a system I built myself. Also, the prices in Denmark are such that I can literally save nothing by assembling the system myself. The components add up to the same as a full system, with the assembled systems' warranty sealing the deal (IMO).
Both systems have SSD options, but the price would break my budget limit.

 

[mitunchidamparam]

Whoops. It's custom built, not pre-built. So there's some flexibility and the same upgradeability as a system I built myself. Also, the prices in Denmark are such that I can literally save nothing by assembling the system myself. The components add up to the same as a full system, with the assembled systems' warranty sealing the deal (IMO).
Both systems have SSD options, but the price would break my budget limit.

An SSD will give you more perfomance than going from Sandy bridge to ivy Bridge, So if you are short on budget get the sandy bridge, instead of the Gtx 560 is it possible to get the 6870 or 7850 , because that card is not really good. Even a 6850 would be a better card.

 

[willzzz]

Regarding graphics cards it depends which games you play, sometimes the GTX 560 is the best card, sometimes not.

You can always add in an SSD later when you have more budget.

 

[Sakkura]

Yeah I'm not concerned about the graphics cards or the SSDs, I will probably just chuck an SSD in there one day when I have the money. And I'd eventually upgrade the graphics card anyway.

Anyway, thanks for all the advice guys.