# Intel i7 2600 K: A Legacy Processor Revisited
## Introduction
In 2011, Intel introduced a game-changer in the processor market with the i7 2600 K, marking the beginning of the Sandy Bridge lineup. Priced at $300 upon release, this processor quickly became synonymous with high performance for gamers and content creators. Fast forward to today, the i7 2600 K can be found for under $100, making it a tempting option for those seeking affordable yet powerful hardware. This article delves into the details of this iconic processor, exploring its performance, overclocking capabilities, and suitability for modern gaming.
## Technical Specifications
The Intel i7 2600 K is a quad-core processor with 8 threads, built on Intel's Sandy Bridge architecture. It boasts a base clock speed of 3.4 GHz and a turbo boost up to 3.8 GHz, paired with a 16MB L3 cache. This setup was revolutionary in its time, offering impressive multi-threaded performance that continues to shine even today.
## CPU Performance
The i7 2600 K's performance is best understood through benchmarks. In Cinebench R15 tests, the processor showed modest single-core performance compared to newer AMD Ryzen processors like the 3200G. However, in multi-core tasks, the 2600 K excels, thanks to its 8 threads, delivering superior results in multi-core intensive tasks.
## Overclocking Potential
Despite its budget-friendly status, the i7 2600 K boasts impressive overclocking capabilities. Using an affordable Hyper 103 cooler, this processor was successfully pushed to 4.5 GHz without stability issues. This makes it a favorite among enthusiasts looking for high performance without breaking the bank.
## Gaming Benchmarks
The i7 2600 K's gaming performance is commendable, even in modern titles. Tested with an MSI GTX 1070, it handled games like Battlefield 1 and GTA V smoothly at 1080p ultra settings, delivering consistent frame rates without stuttering. Ghost Recon Wildlands and The Witcher 3 also performed well, further solidifying its gaming credentials.
## Conclusion
Seven years after its release, the Intel i7 2600 K remains a viable option for those seeking affordable power. Its compatibility with older motherboards and DDR3 RAM, coupled with excellent overclocking potential, makes it an attractive choice for budget-conscious gamers and content creators.
## Outro
Thank you for reading this detailed look back at the i7 2600 K. We hope you found this article informative. If you've used or currently use this processor, we'd love to hear your experiences. Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments below! Join us next time for more insightful reviews and analyses of tech hardware.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhello everyone and welcome to another video now in 2011 Intel launched this the i7 2600 of the Sandy Bridge lineup it can now be found for less than 100 pounds or dollars but should you still buy one well let's get into it and find out when Intel began rolling out their Sandy Bridge CPUs in 2011 the 2600 K was not only the first but the fastest with 4 cores and 8 threads it was a processor ideal for gamers and video editors alike which was reflected by its 300 dollars or pounds price tag today the average price for one of these selling on eBay UK is 86 pounds or just over $100 in the US as well as 100 euros that makes it pretty tempting right especially considering the popularity and availability of older socket 1155 motherboards its current price puts it close to some of AMD's new rise in CPUs like the horizon 320 200 G for example so for the initial tests I'll be throwing in the results from that as well to give you some idea of how the 2600 K keeps up today starting with some CPU intensive tests and running Cinebench r15 shows us that in terms of single core performance the i7 falls behind the rise in three marginally with 131 to 135 respectively in the motor cortex though the eight threads of the 2600 K ensure a nice lead with 610 compared to 536 I also run the CPU said built-in benchmark which once again proved advantageous towards the Rison 320 200 G in the single core test yet favored the i7 in the multi-core performance not surprising considering the extra threads but before we can get into games let's discuss the elephant in the room overclocking although it clocked at 3.4 gigahertz stock the 2600 K has fantastic overclocking potential and even my cheep hyper 103 cooler kept the 2600 case stable at 4.5 gigahertz this improved the Cinebench scores to seven five eight and one five six in the multi and single tests respectively but what about gaming well let's see if the i7 can still keep up in some modern titles despite afterburner issue showing up in recording today I can say that the i7 didn't bottleneck my 1070 which means it can be paired with a card like that just fine with the card in fact reaching 100% usage before the CPU in some demanding titles at 1080p battlefield 1 an ultra averaged 100 FPS with decent one percent and point one percent lows meaning that there was no stutter or frame dips to speak of during the first few campaign levels GTA 5 also ran ultra with four times MSI a 457 fps on average sticking above 60 if you wanted to turn some of the advanced effects down or even off once again the i7 kept up here just fine and despite its age the once flagship of the Sandy Bridge lineup can still more than hold its own Ghost Recon wildlands also performed quite well even at Ultra and once again the processor wasn't a bottleneck here at 1080p with MS is 8 gigabyte 1070 I did notice a few stutters here and there as reflected by the one percent and point one percent low figures but these weren't very common nor off-putting at least in my opinion finally in the witcher 3 with the ultra settings but with hair works off the i7 2670 system averaged 72 fps which goes to show that once again there were no problems here aside from a few moments of lag inside nova great to some of you the power of the 2600 k may have been obvious considering some people have done comparison tests to newer intel i serous cpus and found small performance increases across multiple generations the fact that this is now a sub 100 pounds or dollar processor with huge overclocking potential means it may be ideal for those of you who want decent 1080p gaming performance at modern entry-level cpu prices especially considering the lower cost of older 1155 motherboards and ddr3 ram you won't get all the benefits that some newer motherboards and CPUs offer but the 2600 K is still going strong and it's hard to ignore as its price gets cheaper and cheaper so there we have it this has been a look back at the 2600 K and now seven year old processor I hope you've enjoyed today's video if you did please leave a like on it down below leave a dislike if you didn't subscribe to the channel if you haven't done so already let me know if you've ever used one of these or still do use one of these in your system and hopefully I'll see you all in the next videohello everyone and welcome to another video now in 2011 Intel launched this the i7 2600 of the Sandy Bridge lineup it can now be found for less than 100 pounds or dollars but should you still buy one well let's get into it and find out when Intel began rolling out their Sandy Bridge CPUs in 2011 the 2600 K was not only the first but the fastest with 4 cores and 8 threads it was a processor ideal for gamers and video editors alike which was reflected by its 300 dollars or pounds price tag today the average price for one of these selling on eBay UK is 86 pounds or just over $100 in the US as well as 100 euros that makes it pretty tempting right especially considering the popularity and availability of older socket 1155 motherboards its current price puts it close to some of AMD's new rise in CPUs like the horizon 320 200 G for example so for the initial tests I'll be throwing in the results from that as well to give you some idea of how the 2600 K keeps up today starting with some CPU intensive tests and running Cinebench r15 shows us that in terms of single core performance the i7 falls behind the rise in three marginally with 131 to 135 respectively in the motor cortex though the eight threads of the 2600 K ensure a nice lead with 610 compared to 536 I also run the CPU said built-in benchmark which once again proved advantageous towards the Rison 320 200 G in the single core test yet favored the i7 in the multi-core performance not surprising considering the extra threads but before we can get into games let's discuss the elephant in the room overclocking although it clocked at 3.4 gigahertz stock the 2600 K has fantastic overclocking potential and even my cheep hyper 103 cooler kept the 2600 case stable at 4.5 gigahertz this improved the Cinebench scores to seven five eight and one five six in the multi and single tests respectively but what about gaming well let's see if the i7 can still keep up in some modern titles despite afterburner issue showing up in recording today I can say that the i7 didn't bottleneck my 1070 which means it can be paired with a card like that just fine with the card in fact reaching 100% usage before the CPU in some demanding titles at 1080p battlefield 1 an ultra averaged 100 FPS with decent one percent and point one percent lows meaning that there was no stutter or frame dips to speak of during the first few campaign levels GTA 5 also ran ultra with four times MSI a 457 fps on average sticking above 60 if you wanted to turn some of the advanced effects down or even off once again the i7 kept up here just fine and despite its age the once flagship of the Sandy Bridge lineup can still more than hold its own Ghost Recon wildlands also performed quite well even at Ultra and once again the processor wasn't a bottleneck here at 1080p with MS is 8 gigabyte 1070 I did notice a few stutters here and there as reflected by the one percent and point one percent low figures but these weren't very common nor off-putting at least in my opinion finally in the witcher 3 with the ultra settings but with hair works off the i7 2670 system averaged 72 fps which goes to show that once again there were no problems here aside from a few moments of lag inside nova great to some of you the power of the 2600 k may have been obvious considering some people have done comparison tests to newer intel i serous cpus and found small performance increases across multiple generations the fact that this is now a sub 100 pounds or dollar processor with huge overclocking potential means it may be ideal for those of you who want decent 1080p gaming performance at modern entry-level cpu prices especially considering the lower cost of older 1155 motherboards and ddr3 ram you won't get all the benefits that some newer motherboards and CPUs offer but the 2600 K is still going strong and it's hard to ignore as its price gets cheaper and cheaper so there we have it this has been a look back at the 2600 K and now seven year old processor I hope you've enjoyed today's video if you did please leave a like on it down below leave a dislike if you didn't subscribe to the channel if you haven't done so already let me know if you've ever used one of these or still do use one of these in your system and hopefully I'll see you all in the next video\n"
