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If you want decent upgrade path go for a 1151 based chipset, AMD CPUs are spread out over too many sockets. I'm considering getting a i3 or i5 based setup and

If you want decent upgrade path go for a 1151 based chipset, AMD CPUs are spread out over too many sockets. I'm considering getting a i3 or i5 based setup and upgrading to a 1151 i7 a year or two later.

krastanov 10y ago
Is that type of "future proofing" really worth it? Spending extra $400 today and using the computer until completely obsolete, instead of futile attempts to keep up part by part, seems cheaper and easier to me (unless your goal is to be able to play AAA games at max settings on release).
- jlebrech 10y ago
  looking at yearly mid range gpu upgrades. and the cpus must be able to scale too.
onli 10y ago
It is Intel that is introducing a new socket with each new generation, and now even a new socket for their performance-but-not-X99-line. It will then have that new Socket 2066, plus Socket 1151, plus Socket 2011-3. Only that the latter will be replaced by LGA 3647. And I'm not even touching on server stuff here.
floatboth 10y ago
hahaha nope Intel is the one with too many sockets. 1155 → 1150 → 1151 is just ridiculous, and 2011-v3 is electrically different from 2011 as well.
- jlebrech 10y ago
  1151 has the most CPU options right now, no?
  - floatboth 10y ago
    Essentially two options: Skylake and Kaby Lake (which is a slightly more efficient update of Skylake). And seems like no future beyond that. Counting the individual SKUs is kinda pointless, they're just cut down versions of the same chip.
  - onli 10y ago
    That is irrelevant. If you get a proper i5 now, the only upgrade option you are sure to have is the i7-7700K, and if you are lucky there might be i7 of the next line. Absolutely buy an intel processor if it is the right fit for you (=you are a gamer), but don't expect to re-use the mainboard for your next processor - only plan with that if you go with a Pentium G4560 for now. Then you can upgrade to a better processor of the current generation.
ptrptr 10y ago
Many sockets? From 2017 there is only one - AM4 and it's future-proof.
- sp00ls 10y ago
  Future proof? People still say that? Nothing in computing is future proof as evidenced by the many different connector/socket types in just the last couple years.
  - baobrain 10y ago
    They say that am4 will be their platform for coming years.
  - striking 10y ago
    How many sockets has AMD had in "just the last couple years"? Right, the AM3 socket started being sold February 2009, and AM3+ was entirely compatible with that. [edit] Also: FM2, targeting a different range of performance, came out in 2012. Again, FM2+ was backwards compatible there too. Still five years since a non-backwards-compatible AMD chipset. You might be thinking about Intel's practices.
    - onli 10y ago
      To be fair, after AM3 there was also FM1, FM2, FM2+, AM1 and AM2.
      - striking 10y ago
        AM1/2 are older than AM3. And you're right that FM1/2/2+ exist, but FM2 came out in 2012 and FM2+ was backwards compatible with FM2 CPUs. FM chipsets targeted a different range of performance, so I consider the updates to those chipsets orthogonal to the AM series. Thanks for pointing out the FM series, though; I've modified my comment to reflect this.
        onli 10y ago
NietTim 10y ago
That's odd. Why do you think AMD is spread out over many sockets? Their old CPU's are entirely irrelevant now so only the AM4 socket is relevant today, no? And for intel that is still spread among 1150, 1151 and some 2011 versions

krastanov 10y ago

Is that type of "future proofing" really worth it? Spending extra $400 today and using the computer until completely obsolete, instead of futile attempts to keep up part by part, seems cheaper and easier to me (unless your goal is to be able to play AAA games at max settings on release).

jlebrech 10y ago
looking at yearly mid range gpu upgrades. and the cpus must be able to scale too.

onli 10y ago

It is Intel that is introducing a new socket with each new generation, and now even a new socket for their performance-but-not-X99-line. It will then have that new Socket 2066, plus Socket 1151, plus Socket 2011-3. Only that the latter will be replaced by LGA 3647. And I'm not even touching on server stuff here.

floatboth 10y ago

hahaha nope Intel is the one with too many sockets. 1155 → 1150 → 1151 is just ridiculous, and 2011-v3 is electrically different from 2011 as well.

jlebrech 10y ago
1151 has the most CPU options right now, no?
- floatboth 10y ago
  Essentially two options: Skylake and Kaby Lake (which is a slightly more efficient update of Skylake). And seems like no future beyond that. Counting the individual SKUs is kinda pointless, they're just cut down versions of the same chip.
- onli 10y ago
  That is irrelevant. If you get a proper i5 now, the only upgrade option you are sure to have is the i7-7700K, and if you are lucky there might be i7 of the next line. Absolutely buy an intel processor if it is the right fit for you (=you are a gamer), but don't expect to re-use the mainboard for your next processor - only plan with that if you go with a Pentium G4560 for now. Then you can upgrade to a better processor of the current generation.

ptrptr 10y ago

Many sockets? From 2017 there is only one - AM4 and it's future-proof.

sp00ls 10y ago
Future proof? People still say that? Nothing in computing is future proof as evidenced by the many different connector/socket types in just the last couple years.
- baobrain 10y ago
  They say that am4 will be their platform for coming years.
- striking 10y ago
  How many sockets has AMD had in "just the last couple years"? Right, the AM3 socket started being sold February 2009, and AM3+ was entirely compatible with that. [edit] Also: FM2, targeting a different range of performance, came out in 2012. Again, FM2+ was backwards compatible there too. Still five years since a non-backwards-compatible AMD chipset. You might be thinking about Intel's practices.
  - onli 10y ago
    To be fair, after AM3 there was also FM1, FM2, FM2+, AM1 and AM2.
    - striking 10y ago
      AM1/2 are older than AM3. And you're right that FM1/2/2+ exist, but FM2 came out in 2012 and FM2+ was backwards compatible with FM2 CPUs. FM chipsets targeted a different range of performance, so I consider the updates to those chipsets orthogonal to the AM series. Thanks for pointing out the FM series, though; I've modified my comment to reflect this.
      - onli 10y ago

NietTim 10y ago

That's odd. Why do you think AMD is spread out over many sockets? Their old CPU's are entirely irrelevant now so only the AM4 socket is relevant today, no? And for intel that is still spread among 1150, 1151 and some 2011 versions