Intel Core i7-3770K - Core i7 3rd Gen Ivy Bridge Quad-Core 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155 77W Intel HD Graphics 4000 Desktop Processor - BX80637I73770K

Pros: - 4 physical cores with HT (8 logical CPU's) with a huge Cache ='s one amazingly fast CPU. I would consider this CPU one of the most cost effective solutions for any user who plans on dabbling in things like 3D rendering, video editing, gaming, encoding, etc or any combination of. In other words, while there may be a 'better choice' of a cpu for only rending or editing or gaming, there's few that will do them all this good.
- I came from an Intel Q6600 OC'd to 3.2Ghz and I honestly was not expecting this much of a performance gain. It's the same feeling I got when upgrading from my Intel Pentium D to the Q6600.
Before upgrading I tested a few games with a GTX 680 using the Q6600. When switching over to the i7 I was amazed at how much the Q6600 hamstringed the GPU. We're talking a huge 20-30% fps hit (minimum) across the board. This is a two way street for you gamers out there. This CPU will be held back with a weak GPU. Plan accordingly when you upgrade.
- In CPU intense games, such as Civ5, I saw late game turns that used to take 40-60 seconds drop to 10-20 seconds on the 3770k. (8 civs, 16 city states). I've actually played a completely different game with Civ5 running in the background and easily tabbed between games during turns. It really is that powerful.
- Rendering times in Premiere were reduced by ~40% (in software mode).
- Running off the same SSD Windows 7 only loaded a few seconds faster, however my day to day apps are definitely more responsive.
- Sips power and runs very cool with adequate cooling which leads me to my next pro.
- This processor is a GREAT overclocker. I'm also really happy Intel is finally providing unlocked multipliers on their CPU's rather then making an absurdly overpriced model with that capability.
With an aftermarket cooler, I was easily able to hit 4.0Ghz with just an adjustment to the multiplier. A little more tweaking was involved before I had it comfortably running at 4.4Ghz and Prime stable on air cooling. I'm now running it at 4.2Ghz and (despite the fact others have had theirs running higher) I'm quite content with a 20% overclock on an already incredibly fast CPU and it's nice to know there's a decent amount of head room if I want to push it further in the future.
- The Intel graphics is a plus if you have no need for gaming at high resolutions or maxing in-game settings. If you do, you're better off buying a good video card instead.

Cons: - Stock fan is loud when CPU is under load. While it's adequate at stock speeds, it is NOT AN OPTION if you plan on overclocking so make sure you pick up an aftermarket cooler if you're going this route.
Just as an example, I saw a temperature difference between the stock cooler and a Zalman S9900MAX at idle (no OC) of ~6c and under a stress test of ~14c. If you're an overclocker you understand how much room you gain by moving away from the stock cooler.

If you do get this CPU you'll understand my con, which is more of a warning then anything:
- The feeling you get when attempting to lock this CPU down to the motherboard... I've spoken to a few of my buddies who have this or similar cpu's (same socket design) and different motherboards. Every single one of us thought we were about to break the CPU or crack the motherboard when locking it down. I'm not sure what it is with this design but I have never installed a CPU (and we're talking dozens of them) in my life where I questioned if I was doing it right.
It's a very 'snug' fit!

Overall Review: As I pointed out earlier the 3770k is a great all around CPU. It'll handle any games you throw at it or happily render some videos. In most cases, it will easily do both at the same time.
If you're solely gaming, an i5 may be a more budget friendly alternative.
If you're a professional looking for a workstation CPU for 3D or editing and want the fastest solution possible, there are a few better choices. (Not many though.)
Regardless of the route you take, if you're on a Kentsfield/Wolfdale/Yorkfield (or lower) or AMD equivalent then you can't go wrong with this option for an upgrade.

Pros: The Intel Core i7-3770k is one of the most powerful processors for home use in the world. Compared to the new Haswell processor equivalent, the i7-4770k, this CPU uses less power, produces less heat, and performs almost identical.

I prefer only to buy and use either i3 or i7 CPUs. The i3 and i7 CPU's are fully functional, as opposed to i5's which have a major feature disabled. I feel like I use a lot because someone flipped a switch. i3's don't have turbo, but that seems really unimportant anyways.

Large cache

Cons: Overclocking results vary greatly. Need excellent cooler to get past even a low overclock.

Runs hot with a mid-range air cooler.

Should of got Xeon.

Overall Review: Intel sells Xeon processors that are nearly identical to this. You can get one that runs at 3.4Ghz instead of 3.5Ghz. They have the same cache, allthe same features including hyper-threading and turbo boost. The only difference is that Xeon can't be overclocked past minor FSB boost, and Xeon is $50 cheaper or more.

The terrible job my particular unit does makes me wish I had bought the Xeon CPU. It constantly messed up even at 4.2Ghz. The cooler with its 6-heat pipes ran at full and it couldn't keep the CPU below 80 Celsius. On my old i3 it kept my CPU under 50 Celsius without having to run at half speed.