Or can it run decently at base settings?
Depends on the individual i7's model and the game.
Like i7 @ 3.2 would be able to handle most games better than my CPU @ 3.8, right?
Yes, but so would a core 2 duo/quad at 2.7.
i7 model ?.... i7 9xx ? i7 2600k ?
i5 2500k @ 4.4Ghz is enough for Mario Galaxy + LLE backend , The Last Story . i5 2500k (stock) beats i7 950
Conclusion :
Core i7 9xx (4cores 8 threads) : outdated technology .
Core i7 2600k/2700k (4cores 8 threads) : same as i5 2500k .You just waste money for an addition clock speed and Hyper Threading
Core i5 2500k (4cores 4 threads) : Hyper Threading doesn't work with dolphin . This one is best bang per buck
(04-11-2012, 11:03 AM)admin89 Wrote: [ -> ]Core i7 9xx (4cores 8 threads) : outdated technology
still faster as any amd...
Or wait till Ivy Bridge -> Core i5-3750k is about 5-10% faster than a Core i5-2500k. (and the price should be almost the same)