i7 4790k or i7 6700k based system?

[lga_oops]

I am still using an old system that I built back in Dec '08, and it has started to annoy me on newer games. I've been holding out on upgrading until more details on skylake were released.

I plan on using a new m.2 based PCIe ssd (such as new SM951 NVME when it comes out) as my OS drive on this new system. From what I understand, z97 chipsets don't have PCIe 3.0 available via the chipset PCIe lanes. Meaning that if I want to get full use out of my m.2 PCIe ssd, I would need to plug it in via an adapter to the CPU PCIe lanes. This would mean that my GPU would only get 8 out of the 16 lanes on the CPU. Is this a problem?

If I go for the new z170 chipset I would have plenty of available PCIe 3.0 lanes on the chipset, and my GPU could get all 16 of the lanes that it supports. I don't plan on adding a second video card to this system, so I don't think I need to worry about supporting 2 video cards in addition to the PCIe ssd.

So realistically spending the suspected extra 100ish dollars on a z170 skylake build over a z97 devils canyon build would get me the following benefits:

- Slightly faster CPU performance
- DDR4 instead of DDR3
- 16x PCIe 3.0 lanes for my gpu to use

Are these three bonuses enough to warrant the extra money at this time?

 

[jtabb1256]

"Meaning that if I want to get full use out of my m.2 PCIe ssd, I would need to plug it in via an adapter to the CPU PCIe lanes. This would mean that my GPU would only get 8 out of the 16 lanes on the CPU. Is this a problem?"

No it isn't. When people run cards in SLI, the cards only get 8 lanes.

Some m.2 on z97 uses pci and some uses sata I believe. The one that uses pci is the faster one.

I think it is definitely worth it to do z170, although it will be more than $100 more expensive because DDR4 costs more. 1600/9 = 177.78

To get this in DDR4, you need pretty expensive ram. Plus, the z170 mobo prices are still high right now.

If you want your computer to last another 7 years, z170 has a lot more compatibility for future upgrades.

 

[galeener]

You may also want to wait untill the market gets more saturated for the Z170 as the prices are pretty high at the moment due to being just released.

 

[g-unit1111]

You may also want to wait untill the market gets more saturated for the Z170 as the prices are pretty high at the moment due to being just released.

That's not really going to affect prices much. People are still paying $300 for i5-2500Ks.

I would say always get the latest and greatest, that's the only way to guarantee that a system will be "future proof".

 

[Darth Monroe]

First I would go with the i7 4790k, then the i7 5820k, not the 6700k. Here is a comparison of the 5820k and 6700k
http://ark.intel.com/compare/82932,88195

 

[galeener]

I was talking about the motherboard sku not the processors. Right now not every vendor even has one out. And as usually more will be added from vendors to what they have now.

 

[g-unit1111]

I was talking about the motherboard sku not the processors. Right now not every vendor even has one out. And as usually more will be added from vendors to what they have now.

Yeah if you want any decent Z170 motherboard you're going to be paying about $200 for one. That's the "early adopter" tax.