Does it make sense to build a system around Kaby Lake processors in 2024, especially when you know that Windows 11 could cause problems in the future?
No.
Why not?
Even modern mobile processors outperform the i7-7700K, especially in terms of multi-core performance. Competition from AMD is evident everywhere. Not to mention the necessary power consumption.
Would I undertake the entire project again?
Yes. Especially because I only had to buy the motherboard, the processor cooler, and the SSD heat sink, and the rest was already there.
I learned a few new things, such as how to work with liquid metal. I put this experience to use right away to convert two graphics cards from the Pascal generation – with success. I had never delidded a CPU before, and now I’ve done it with the generation where it’s most worthwhile. That was very interesting.
The end result is a system that is very well optimized for its intended use and, despite its age, runs really well in terms of usability and response speed – you can feel the relatively high single-core performance.
If the whole thing is ever taken apart again, only the motherboard and CPU will be unusable. I think that’s acceptable. The whole thing is also a decent “ultimate Windows 7 PC.” Skylake is the last officially supported platform in terms of drivers, and Kaby Lake would also run – there are hardly any differences, but a more powerful graphics card would then be urgently needed.