What should I prioritize more, CPU or monitor?

[chris3488]

I want to build a gaming PC, but I am stuck on whether I should spend $100 more on an i7 6700k or a better monitor and stick with the i5 6600k I was originally planning on buying. I won't upgrade my PC until a couple of years, so I must make the best decision right now! Is the i7 worth it and better only for gaming? In other words, better CPU or better monitor that I will use to game with for a couple of years? Thanks!

 

[BrandonYoung]

You will rarely notice a gaming performance difference in i7 and i5 processors. You have to look at your display every time you use the computer.

I think the choice is obvious (better display and i5).

 

[Thunderballs]

I would say opposite not that Brandon doesnt make a valid point !

There is a lot of rubbish talked about monitors. Either get cheap second hand or new with a decent guarantee. Not 70-90% of new price second hand (which seems ot be happening a a lot at the moment)

If you can get a 27 inch 1080p do. There is a lot of choice and prices are similar. You may well find better value in the 24 inch range especially second hand.

You can change monitor fairy easily.

An i7 will hold its second hand value and give you plenty of years of service with more options than an i5.

You can usually save a lot on the case, smaller SSD, second hand HDDs, your OS, a cheaper power supply (until you can afford a better one) cut back on the gaming periferrals and faster Ram.

I also dont think having the mentality that you buy a pc then leave it alone for several years is the best mindset. There a some real good opportunites to jump on new and second hand bargains that enable you to upgrade your pc regularly for little cost. With an i7 and a reliable motherboard you can pretty much be upgrading anything else in your PC for little effort and hassle - as long as you didnt put it all in a tiny gimmicky case !

 

[ianyanian]

Personally, I would go with the i7 since it handles CPU intensive games better (GTA V) because it has 8 threads and 8MB cache compared to i5's 4 threads and 6MB cache.
If you can get a 1080p monitor without sacrificing your budget for cpu, then I'd say go for the i7.

 

[Guest]

A nice higher-than 1080p monitor (with fast refresh rate) is a tempting addition to any gaming build... However, not at the expense of purchasing quality core-components that will give you actual performance returns.

In other words, given the choice between going with higher-end core-components and a 1080p monitor (to start with) (option A) vs. downgrading those core-components to add that 1440p (or higher rez) monitor to your build (option B) now due to budget constraints does not make sense; you are going to lose something... Performance.

Pushing those extra pixels comes at a cost, regardless of monitor size...

As Thunderballs put it, get the better parts now and go with 1080p now and then down the road, up your monitor spec.

Just my .02 cents.

 

[Thunderballs]

A nice higher-than 1080p monitor (with fast refresh rate) is a tempting addition to any gaming build... However, not at the expense of purchasing quality core-components that will give you actual performance returns.

In other words, given the choice between going with higher-end core-components and a 1080p monitor (to start with) (option A) vs. downgrading those core-components to add that 1440p (or higher rez) monitor to your build (option B) now due to budget constraints does not make sense; you are going to lose something... Performance.

Pushing those extra pixels comes at a cost, regardless of monitor size...

As Thunderballs put it, get the better parts now and go with 1080p now and then down the road, up your monitor spec.

Just my .02 cents.

3 x 1080p monitors are more tempting.

 

[Guest]

A nice higher-than 1080p monitor (with fast refresh rate) is a tempting addition to any gaming build... However, not at the expense of purchasing quality core-components that will give you actual performance returns.

In other words, given the choice between going with higher-end core-components and a 1080p monitor (to start with) (option A) vs. downgrading those core-components to add that 1440p (or higher rez) monitor to your build (option B) now due to budget constraints does not make sense; you are going to lose something... Performance.

Pushing those extra pixels comes at a cost, regardless of monitor size...

As Thunderballs put it, get the better parts now and go with 1080p now and then down the road, up your monitor spec.

Just my .02 cents.

3 x 1080p monitors are more tempting.

I agree w/that!