If you weren’t in a hurry to build, would next-gen be worth the wait (hexa-core)?

[tweakboy]

I would wait for 2011s later in the year. the 2600k will still be around if you get impatient and there pretty fast about 8-10x faster then your current system.

I totally agree make it 12x faster , . thx. Sandy Bridge will blow you away.

no reason to wait and not enjoy life NOW, instead of future, which you may not be around

well you get HT so thats 8 cores , if you use DAW or Photo / video multithreaded app.

gg

 

[edplayer]

Intel is not building a true consumer based Hexa-core CPU till IB and that isn't even certain. They are going to make a Octa and Hexa core SB but its going to be 2011, and probably the cheapest will be $500 and that's after spending more on the board and having to get 50% memory chips. That isn't being released till late this year, which may mean that IB could be over a year a way.

don' think that this info has been posted yet:

http://wccftech.com/2011/04/10/intel-roadmap-reveals-sandy-bridgee-ivy-bridge/


Sandy Bridge-E is due in Q4 with Ivy Bridge in the 1st half of 2012

They speculate the entry SB-E will cost the same as the i2600K

 

[Topweasel]

don' think that this info has been posted yet:

http://wccftech.com/2011/04/10/intel-roadmap-reveals-sandy-bridgee-ivy-bridge/


Sandy Bridge-E is due in Q4 with Ivy Bridge in the 1st half of 2012

They speculate the entry SB-E will cost the same as the i2600K

The problem is that I don't think we can be sure that the SB-E being sold for ~$300 is going to be a hexa core. The P1 and P2 listing from Q3 is still a 1366 CPU. That to me implies that the P2 and P1 CPU's in the Q4 chart are quad channel socket 2011 CPU's. Which compared to 1366 would probably imply ~$500.

I could be wrong but I get a feeling that Intel until sees where the competition stands is more then comfortable leaving the 1155 platform at a max of 4 cores. Once again they also seem to have decided to handcuff the new revision to a lower tier with IB only being only a general consumer product for the first half of 2012. Since its just a die shrink its not the end of the world but still.

 

[Edrick]

I would wait for s2011 at this point, or BD.

I would only suggest getting a 2600k now if you planned on upgrading to IB later. But since you are not, get a s2011 Hex and it will last you many years. Sure you will pay more now, but that is to be expected for a better system.

I would guess we will see SB-E quads going for ~300-400 and the hex going for 500+.

 

[darckhart]

It seems you have your heart set on intel 6-core, but I would caution you to re-examine that to make sure it's exactly what you want (need). In your main uses (video encoding and VM), SB architecture is very strong (even though LGA1366 6-core is better at this point). However, it would seem likely that once LGA2011 comes, this gain would only be emphasized and will more than likely surpass LGA1366 performance.

Therefore, if you want (need) 6-core, I would wait for LGA2011 offerings. If the price point does not satisfy you, then drop back to 4-core LGA1155, because your only LGA1366 6-core offerings will not likely come down in price appreciably.

Here is a great review of LGA1366 vs LGA1155:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core-i7-2600k-990x_6.html#sect0

 

[essential]

If you can live with the performance of a 5 year old computer, then you also don't need a hexacore. Get a $800 i5-2500k build and be done with it.

I can live with it, but i'm limited. The machine is basically an email/web surfing machine, with some light photoshop use. If I start my VM's, I can't leave them running, and I can't encode at all, I do that on my laptop, which is faster (Core 2 Duo), but still takes 10-12 hours per encode, but I have the benefit of leaving it all day to do the work.

I would wait for s2011 at this point, or BD.

I would only suggest getting a 2600k now if you planned on upgrading to IB later. But since you are not, get a s2011 Hex and it will last you many years. Sure you will pay more now, but that is to be expected for a better system.

I would guess we will see SB-E quads going for ~300-400 and the hex going for 500+.

That was kind of my thinking, s2011 makes the most sense from my standpoint, but if that puts me at this point next year, I might not wait. I'm not against upgrading a CPU at some point if that was all that needed changing (assuming I could afford it), but I'm more than likely to stick with what I built for several years to come.

It seems you have your heart set on intel 6-core, but I would caution you to re-examine that to make sure it's exactly what you want (need). In your main uses (video encoding and VM), SB architecture is very strong (even though LGA1366 6-core is better at this point). However, it would seem likely that once LGA2011 comes, this gain would only be emphasized and will more than likely surpass LGA1366 performance.

Therefore, if you want (need) 6-core, I would wait for LGA2011 offerings. If the price point does not satisfy you, then drop back to 4-core LGA1155, because your only LGA1366 6-core offerings will not likely come down in price appreciably.

Here is a great review of LGA1366 vs LGA1155:
http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/cpu/display/core-i7-2600k-990x_6.html#sect0

Ideally, a Intel Hex is my choice. I think with a Hex, I could dedicate enough CPU resource to my VM's to leave them running all the time without taking a large hit on the main system performance. I'm not opposed to a Quad LGA1155 in any way, and may end up going that way, especially if 2011 get pushed back, but this thread has been very informative and I thank you all. I just read on Engadget that Z68 chipset might launch May 8th. It looks like I'm going to wait at this point either way, for more information on s2011. Even if I don't make it to IB, I'll prob hold out and build with s2011 and SB-E.

 

[IntelEnthusiast]

Right now unless I knew that I was going to be doing something that was extremely heavy multi-threaded I would go with an Intel® Core™ I5 2500K. It will give you quad core support at a great value and very performance for digital encoding through the Intel Quick Sync when using the on-processor graphics. The performance on the 2nd generation Intel Core Processors are just that good that they make even the best of the older generation a lot less attractive.

Christian Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team

 

[Joseph F]

I think that you should wait until Bulldozer and Sandy Bridge-E are released before you buy a new PC. If you absolutely cannot wait then I'd recommend that you get a 2500k or a 2600k. That way you have an upgrade path as compared to LGA1366 where you'd be buying the best processor for it already.
edit: Also, earlier you said that you didn't want a graphics card. With the 1366 system you will have to buy one as there's no integrated graphics. With 1155 there's an option for integrated graphics as all of the CPUs for it have on-die IGPs.