Still running a first generation i7 Dell desktop purchased on 2009 Black Friday for about a Grand with no issues. It actually runs better now than when new, after installing a couple SSDs, the only upgrade made. The OEM 1TB HDD did die after 3½ years. Replaced it with a 2TB HDD, for Windoze & storage. This 2TB drive still runs well and 'SMART Data & Self Tests' reports it OK in spite of having 8 bad sectors for the last few years.Tell me about it! I created a "wish list" of PC components almost two years ago now that priced in at $1500 for motherboard, CPU, GPU, RAM, and cooler. Checked it a few months ago expecting the same list to be down around $1000. Instead, it was $1600. For 2-year-old parts! The RAM cost had doubled by itself!
I'm now running on a PC that has 5-year-old components, but not running into any issues. It was a beast in 2013, so maybe that's why. I'm hoping it'll keep up until after this craze dies down. If it does....
Now the 7th & 8th generation i7s are out that substantially out perform my first generation i7, at about the same cost or less than back in 2009! Been looking at them but then hear the 9th generation i7 will be released later this year! Decisions, decisions decisions...... IMHO i7 is the way to go.