i5 vs i7; Windows 10 home vs pro

[Tizeye]

While I do have some time, haven't found the deals and when I do, they are 4th generation or older. Since I have enough spare parts, looking at doing a build as essentially all I need is CPU, MB and memory. Currently have 3 cases/PS, 256SSD for OS + Blue Iris, and 4TB WD Purple, monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Maximum cameras at 8 (2mb Starlight and perhaps a couple 4MB turrets) with Dahua 8 port PoE switch.

First question, should I splurge for the i7 Kaby Lake 7700 or will the i5 Kaby Lake 7600 be sufficient? $220 vs $305 (there is no discount for Skylake as they are priced identical so stick with Kaby Lake!) Non-"K" models as overclocking isn't necessary and they come with the stock cooling fan.

Motherboard - Gigibyte GA-B250M $70, Designed for Kaby Lake with the Intel 250 chip and won't have to flash bios like the older Skylake boards with the H or Z110 chip. Has 4 SATA connectors to add additional hard drives. Have to be careful as the base Dell I priced out when reviewing the manual the custom motherboard only had a single SATA for no expansion! I couldn't even add the WD Purple to the Dell if I wanted too.

Memory - G-Skill/Corsair preferred brands, DDR4 2400; 2x4 $75 and 2x8 $135

Total: i5 with 8gb memory $365, 16 gb memory $425
i7 with 8gb memory $450, 16 gb memory $510

Yes will need an operating system and noted New unused Windows 10 Pro OEM keys for around $25 on Ebay with good user reviews. Is it critical Pro vs home in case I have to go full retail $100/150 on the operating system?

 

[fenderman]

While I do have some time, haven't found the deals and when I do, they are 4th generation or older. Since I have enough spare parts, looking at doing a build as essentially all I need is CPU, MB and memory. Currently have 3 cases/PS, 256SSD for OS + Blue Iris, and 4TB WD Purple, monitor, keyboard and mouse.

Maximum cameras at 8 (2mb Starlight and perhaps a couple 4MB turrets) with Dahua 8 port PoE switch.

First question, should I splurge for the i7 Kaby Lake 7700 or will the i5 Kaby Lake 7600 be sufficient? $220 vs $305 (there is no discount for Skylake as they are priced identical so stick with Kaby Lake!) Non-"K" models as overclocking isn't necessary and they come with the stock cooling fan.

Motherboard - Gigibyte GA-B250M $70, Designed for Kaby Lake with the Intel 250 chip and won't have to flash bios like the older Skylake boards with the H or Z110 chip. Has 4 SATA connectors to add additional hard drives. Have to be careful as the base Dell I priced out when reviewing the manual the custom motherboard only had a single SATA for no expansion! I couldn't even add the WD Purple to the Dell if I wanted too.

Memory - G-Skill/Corsair preferred brands, DDR4 2400; 2x4 $75 and 2x8 $135

Total: i5 with 8gb memory $365, 16 gb memory $425
i7 with 8gb memory $450, 16 gb memory $510

Yes will need an operating system and noted New unused Windows 10 Pro OEM keys for around $25 on Ebay with good user reviews. Is it critical Pro vs home in case I have to go full retail $100/150 on the operating system?

They keys are fake or not legal (taken from other machines)...
Yes you want pro for better update control.
Here is a high priced system that you can probably get for 600 or less including shipping with best offer.
HP ProDesk 400 G4 MT i7-7700 8GB 1TB DVDRW GbE W10P 1MQ45UT#ABA ➨☆➨☆➨☆➨☆ | eBay
Here is a dell Precision T3620 with i7-7700 and 16gb memory for 669...note that chatting with a dell rep will almost always get you a coupon for 10-15 percent off...
Dell Outlet Refurbished Laptops, Desktops & Servers
If you wait for an outlet sale, i7-7700 systems can be had for 450-500

No one can tell you what system you need without knowing your load.
All dell SFF and tower systems have more than one sata connection...you must have been looking at a micro system.

 

[Tizeye]

ARGGGG! Reviewing the big player options only confirms why like to build own, and even with full W10-Pro license, about the same price if not cheaper. While I have control over parts cannot find a small form factor case around 3.5" wide while most/all are 7+" wide boxes. Even went to the big players like Cooler Master, Corsair etc to review their line for SFF cases and if had couldn't find retailer. That is really frustrating. Went to Lenovo, Dell and HP for i7 Kaby Lake, W10-Pro, 8mb memory, Intel graphics...very basic build and limited to SFF chhasis. I have a corporate/affiliate discount with Lenovo and Dell so the HP line couldn't compete on price with the equivalent ProDesk being most expensive. The irony is, with corporate discount (Realtor - National Assn of Realtors benefit) could actually get the business level machines cheaper than similar equipped consumer level Inspirions.

Could get a Dell OptiPlex 5050 for $720 after discounts but the big concern was the 180w power supply, and had a proprietary rating unlike the slightly more 7050 model, while also 180w, had an industry standard Bronze Plus rating. The OptiPlex 3050 line isn't available with an i7 configuration.That is about the only thing holding me back as wondering if 180w is sufficient based on "as factory built" then I add a hard drive. For reference, my build included a 440w Bronze Plus Thermatake/Corsair/EVGA which in theory, for $30 could substitute if needed higher power assuming dell retained the ATX standard in the build.

Lenovo has the best price with the Thinkcenter M910, including displayport to HDMI dongle at $645, and the M710 (can't figure out the difference based on their marketing - tower cases differ but SFF appear same and overall spec the same) at $620 including my corporate discount. Less warranty than Dell, 1 yr vs 3, but the power supply was upped to 280w. While didn't specify standard by name, the noted 85% efficiency is Bronze plus.

Just personal bias, but tend to like Dell and HP over Lenovo...but still wish could build exactly as want! I have built every one of my desktops since 286/DOS 3.1 days!

 

[Tizeye]

While I can get cheaper with Core i5 processor, wondering if this will be sufficient. DELL Desktop PC OptiPlex 3050 (6Y9TM) Intel Core i5 7th Gen 7500 (3.40 GHz) 8 GB DDR4 500 GB HDD Intel HD Graphics 630 Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit-Newegg.com Newegg and B&H Photo have the additional advantage of no sales tax, and unlike Adorama, will allow rerouting delivery from home address of the order to UPS Store for counter pick-up...not left at front door!

 

[fenderman]

While I can get cheaper with Core i5 processor, wondering if this will be sufficient. DELL Desktop PC OptiPlex 3050 (6Y9TM) Intel Core i5 7th Gen 7500 (3.40 GHz) 8 GB DDR4 500 GB HDD Intel HD Graphics 630 Windows 10 Pro 64-Bit-Newegg.com Newegg and B&H Photo have the additional advantage of no sales tax, and unlike Adorama, will allow rerouting delivery from home address of the order to UPS Store for counter pick-up...not left at front door!

that price is crazy expensive...you can get that system for 350 or so at the dell outlet when on sale..
for 569 you can get an i7-7700 and have money left over...450-500
or look for an i5-6500 for 300 or so..

 

[Tizeye]

Biggest question is if i5 processor (6th or 7th generation) sufficient with a mixture of up to eight 2MP and 4MP cameras, either fixed or zoom - but no PTZ (or plans for one). BI recommend 'minimum' requirements for more than one camera was and i7 processor...but of course, BI can handle up to 64 cameras. That is why limiting myself to i7...but with 8 cameras, if i5 is sufficient for a dedicated machine would definitely go for it.


Staples even has on "Back to School" Sale this week a Dell Inspirion I3668 i5-7400 with Win10-Pro for $479 ($429 with Windows Home)

 

[fenderman]

Biggest question is if i5 processor (6th or 7th generation) sufficient with a mixture of up to eight 2MP and 4MP cameras, either fixed or zoom - but no PTZ (or plans for one). BI recommend 'minimum' requirements for more than one camera was and i7 processor...but of course, BI can handle up to 64 cameras. That is why limiting myself to i7...but with 8 cameras, if i5 is sufficient for a dedicated machine would definitely go for it.

i7 is a meaningless term...the models vary greatly..there are a million threads discussing what processor you need...my point is you are being ripped off if you pay 569 for that pc.

 

[Tolting Colt Acres]

Could always go with one of them snazzy new i9's

 

[bp2008]

i5 (quad core, 6th or 7th gen) will handle 8 cameras, even if they are all 4MP. 4 megapixels times 8 cameras times 15 FPS is 480 megapixels per second which I think should run fine on a kaby lake i5 quad core. You will be mixing in some 2MP cams, which are less demanding on Blue Iris, so I'm sure it will run fine with i5.

 

[bp2008]

Could always go with one of them snazzy new i9's

Hah. I don't think any of those have quick sync video, so no hardware acceleration for Blue Iris.

 

[Tizeye]

Don't tempt me. Good to hear no hardware acceleration for Blue Iris. Let's see, upgrade my current i7 Skylake/Nvidia GTX that I use for video (4K processing and rendering) to an i9 and then use the spare parts to build a Blue Iris machine. No...no...step away from the checkbook!

 

[bp2008]

Hahahaha. Well an i7 Skylake, minus the Nvidia card, would be a good BI machine. No denying that.