Octavean
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY
| reply to akhbhaat
Re: Core i5-750 OC Preview
said by akhbhaat  :Yes, true, and I'm well aware of the overclocking potential of the 920. I am a tiny bit concerned about my 620W PSU, though, and the 95W Lynnfield processors alleviate that somewhat. I have no plans to run SLI, so that shouldn't be a problem, but... I'll price out some builds and see what comes up. Currently I run my Intel Core i7 920 with a fairly cheap 600W OCZ StealthXStream PSU. It runs fine but I have a Corsair TX 750W on the shelf that will eventually replace it. In many cases a 500W or 550W would be just fine for a Core i7 920, depending on video card and other system loads. |
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akhbhaat
join:2001-02-22
Orland Park, IL
clubs:  | Good to know, thanks. I've got a Corsair 620HX. I'm very pleased with it, and it was a bit pricey, so I don't want to replace it.
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It's only hubris if I'm wrong. |
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akhbhaat
join:2001-02-22
Orland Park, IL
clubs:
3 edits | Just threw together some quick builds. All use a GTX275 GPU and fairly bare bones mobo. Also, I will be transferring my case, monitor, HDDs/opticals, PSU, and peripherals from my existing setup, so those aren't included in the price.
i7 920 based - ~$700 (6 Gb) / 650 (3 Gb)
i7 860 based - ~$650 (4 Gb)
i5 750 based - ~$600 (4 Gb)
Note that this is using a low end ($100) P55-based board for the Lynnfield chips. If I go with a higher end/midrange board, I'll add about $50 to the price of the build and the price advantage of the P55 platform more or less disappears (since there is no price advantage on RAM). This is a tough call, but it seems the 920 is the best bet. Still waiting to see how the i5 performs in FSX before I make the final call, though.
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It's only hubris if I'm wrong. |
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Octavean
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY | In my case I only need CPU and Motherboard. I estimate I will only need to spend about ~$400 regardless if I go with a Core i7 920 or a Core i7 860. That’s a tough call since I expect to be able to get a decent OC capable board in both cases. |
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Mchart
Super Joe
join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL
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 ·RoadRunner Cable
| reply to akhbhaat
Yep. This is exactly what I suspected. There is absolutely no reason to go the i5 route when one can build the better i7 build for really not that much more.
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THIS IS SPENCER. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - I HAVE JOE. RETURNING TO BASE. |
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akhbhaat
join:2001-02-22
Orland Park, IL
clubs:
3 edits | Well, $100 is still $100--and most benchmarks seem to indicate that the i5 is effectively on par with the two i7s I mentioned in almost every gaming benchmark of note. That doesn't explore overclocking potential or future expandability, but I long ago learned of the folly of "preparing" for future upgrades.
For example, I bought a socket 939 AMD board when they first came out (~2004), anticipating "future" upgrades. I did in fact eventually get another processor for that board, but only used it for six months before replacing the entire setup (an LGA775 Core 2 Duo system). Fact of the matter is, by the time that a new processor is a cost effective upgrade, you're usually at least two or even three years into your upgrade cycle, and the next best thing is already on the scene--so you have to make the decision between going with the incremental processor upgrade on the same mobo or starting over with a new platform. Since the performance increase with the new platform is almost always far in excess of what you could get with a simple processor swap, you might as well go for the new platform or you're just committing yourself to a short term solution that never really works out in the end.
This is why I'm not sold on the LGA1366 setup (I like the 920 at the Microcenter price point, but I'm not so crazy about the expensive X58 based motherboards), and why I almost always buy fairly cheap (but supremely functional) stripper motherboards. The i7 860 seems a nice compromise, since it's based on the cheaper LGA-1156 architecture. Gulftown will be enormously expensive, at least to start, and by the time affordable Gulftown-based processors are available (if ever), LGA-1366 will probably be nearing obsolescence. I've been down this road before...
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It's only hubris if I'm wrong. |
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Mchart
Super Joe
join:2004-01-21
Gurnee, IL
·AT&T Yahoo
·RoadRunner Cable
1 edit | I completely agree. However, the future 'upgrades' i've been referring to are fundamental changes in how the games will utilize hardware. Because of DX11 and the rising market-share of multi-cored systems - Programmers will be taking use of CPU power much more so in the coming months. I'd rather fork down the measily 100 bucks right now for a system -will- last much longer and be able to play the latest games, rather then to 'save' 100 bucks and be boned half a year from now.
So right now, you won't see much difference between i7 and i5 in the gaming benchmarks (as expected). However, you will see a substantial difference not to far away. So, once again, if you are buying a system to play games NOW and want to go the budget route - Stick with Phenom or Core2. Much cheaper, and will play the games just as good as i5/i7 anyways right now. Then make the upgrade later when you need it. If you want to future proof some-what go the i7 route. The bottom line is that there are much cheaper options then i5 that will play games just as good right now; there is also a better option that doesn't cost to much more and will last longer. i5 just doesn't fit to well into the market right now if we are looking at it from the gaming perspective.
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THIS IS SPENCER. MISSION ACCOMPLISHED - I HAVE JOE. RETURNING TO BASE. |
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akhbhaat
join:2001-02-22
Orland Park, IL
clubs: | FWIW: Microcenter is now selling i5 750s for $160.
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It's only hubris if I'm wrong. |
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Octavean
Premium,MVM
join:2001-03-31
New York, NY
| Yeah that’s a really nice price for the Core i5 750 IMO.
Anyway, as I said before I already have an Intel Core i7 920 based system and I was flip flopping between Core i7 920 and Core i7 860 for my second Core i7 based system. Yesterday I was thinking Core i7 920 and today I was thinking Core i7 860. Given another day or so I would have been back to Core i7 920 but I
just came back from my local Microcenter with a Core i7 860 for ~$229.99 + tax.
I figure what the heck, I get to play with the new Lynnfield for a bit. |
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Somnambul33t
L33t.
Premium
join:2002-12-05
Mullica Hill, NJ
clubs: | reply to danielk
Re: Core i5-750 OC Preview
thanks for the necro |
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