Which would you choose? i7 920 for $199 or i7 860 for $229

[Paktu]

Pretty simple really, both of these are on sale at my local Micro Center; which is the better deal? I'm building a system mostly from scratch, so please tell me if I'm going to have to spend more on RAM, mobo, etc. with one option or the other. And yes, I would like to overclock and have heard positive things about the 920 in that regard but little on the 860.

EDIT: They also have an i5 750 for $149

 

[edplayer]

between those two, the i7. You will likely spend more on the motherboard and to maximize memory performance you need 3 rams sticks vs 2.


K, pick the 1366 version

 

[Paktu]

between those two, the i7. You will likely spend more on the motherboard and to maximize memory performance you need 3 rams sticks vs 2.

Er...there's three options, and two of them are i7

 

[Hyperlite]

1366 is without a doubt a better overclocking platform. More expensive motherboards, though. If you've got the $$$, go 1366 IF, and only if, you're obsessed with max OC potential, and the ability to go hexcore next year.

 

[Akino]

...

 

[nyker96]

choosing between these two I'd just put up the extra cash and get the real i7 920. oc better and you get 6core coming to the platform next year.

 

[Pneumothorax]

Once again, if you want to run stock or only mild overclock and want power savings get i7 8XX series. If you want easier overclocks to 4.0 ghz and less risk of burned out sockets/chips (I dunno if all the crappy foxconns have already run through the channel) then get the 920. I have both systems, and if I were to do it all again, I would've rather got a 2nd 920 system as the power savings if both are running at 4 ghz are quite small between both platforms.

 

[zod96]

I had the problem as you. I bought the 860 from microcenter. I like my system to run cool and quiet. I also got the Asus P55 MB and 8 gb of ram. I overclocked my 860 to 3.8 with easy. It idles at 42 and loads at about 60. It runs cooler than my friends 920 and is faster....

 

[AznAnarchy99]

I got the 860 from Microcenter as well. I kinda wished I went with the 920. In the end I might of spent about 150 more but 150 is pretty neligable compared to the 1500 I spend on the whole system.

 

[BD231]

LOL @ Azn, $1500 on a computer and you still wish you had more.

Didn't anyone teach you computer parts depreciate faster than cars!!!

 

[Bill Brasky]

To echo what's already been said, if you want to overclock then i7 920 is your answer. Personally, I'm not a huge OC'er anymore because my i5 system at stock is more than fast enough for the tasks I run on it. An i5 system has excellent 'bang for the buck' IMO (especially at $150).

Oh yeah, do you plan on running SLI or crossfire?

 

[Hyperlite]

It should be noted though that it isn't like you CAN'T overclock an 1156 setup successfully. With a $30 cooler and a little voltage bump, 3.6-.8 should be no problem. Its just easier on 1366, with a slightly better top end. In my opinion, those points don't negate the considerably more effective turbo mode of 1156, but that's just based on my normal usage.

And, everyone should read Anand's lynnfield articles to understand why everything I just said is the case!

I may sound hypocritical, but I edit my first post a little bit. if, by some memory bandwidth voodoo, 1156 ends up getting hexcore, well, I'll be happy. 1156 even as a quad platform seems a little underrated.

 

[Paktu]

To echo what's already been said, if you want to overclock then i7 920 is your answer. Personally, I'm not a huge OC'er anymore because my i5 system at stock is more than fast enough for the tasks I run on it. An i5 system has excellent 'bang for the buck' IMO (especially at $150).

Oh yeah, do you plan on running SLI or crossfire?

When I build this system I'm going to go with a single GPU, most likely an ATI. It's possible I might try Crossfire in the future if I pick up a second card to boost performance.

 

[cmdrdredd]

I had the problem as you. I bought the 860 from microcenter. I like my system to run cool and quiet. I also got the Asus P55 MB and 8 gb of ram. I overclocked my 860 to 3.8 with easy. It idles at 42 and loads at about 60. It runs cooler than my friends 920 and is faster....

Except that 920 can go to 4Ghz+ with the right board.

Let me pose a question to everyone. How bandwidth limited is the system in terms of memory with dual channel vs triple channel?

 

[Hyperlite]

Except that 920 can go to 4Ghz+ with the right board.

Let me pose a question to everyone. How bandwidth limited is the system in terms of memory with dual channel vs triple channel?

you can't with with 860?

read anand's lynnfield reviews for insight on memory bandwidth. He addresses that difference directly.

 

[cmdrdredd]

you can't with with 860?

24/7 stable within 30sec of entering the BIOS? Seriously, that's about how simple it is to clock a 1366 board.

 

[Hyperlite]

24/7 stable within 30sec of entering the BIOS? Seriously, that's about how simple it is to clock a 1366 board.

well i knooooowwwww that. Anyone will admit that it takes a little voltage and and cooler, but don't make it sound like it's impossible. Dollar for dollar, 4ghz on 1156 is cheaper than 4ghz on 1366, and ultimately just as stable.

 

[cmdrdredd]

well i knooooowwwww that. Anyone will admit that it takes a little voltage and and cooler, but don't make it sound like it's impossible. Dollar for dollar, 4ghz on 1156 is cheaper than 4ghz on 1366, and ultimately just as stable.

But, just as fast? I still want to know and I haven't been able to fine an apples to apples comparason using similar components at the same clock speed with dual channel on a 1156 vs triple channel on 1366.

 

[Hyperlite]

But, just as fast? I still want to know and I haven't been able to fine an apples to apples comparason using similar components at the same clock speed with dual channel on a 1156 vs triple channel on 1366.

Ahhh, yes...frankly i don't remember, i'm going to go back and read that section again.

 

[cmdrdredd]

if I find something I'll post a link. It's interesting for me as I might be building something quite soon.

found something here http://overclockerstech.com/index.p...atid=57%3Amotherboards&Itemid=61&limitstart=8

Shows memory bandwidth in dual channel thanks to on die memory controller is a lot higher and CPU performance favored the 1366 platform when overclocked. These are only purely synthetic benchmarks, but the i7-860 @ 4.2Ghz is not slow by any means.

Basically says unless you're running SLi or crossfire the x58 offers little right now. The future prospect of 6 core cpu support is something to think about though.

 

[Hyperlite]

if I find something I'll post a link. It's interesting for me as I might be building something quite soon.

found something here http://overclockerstech.com/index.p...atid=57%3Amotherboards&Itemid=61&limitstart=8

Shows memory bandwidth in dual channel thanks to on die memory controller is a lot higher and CPU performance favored the 1366 platform when overclocked. These are only purely synthetic benchmarks, but the i7-860 @ 4.2Ghz is not slow by any means.

Basically says unless you're running SLi or crossfire the x58 offers little right now. The future prospect of 6 core cpu support is something to think about though.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3640

That pretty much sums it up. ~ 3.5% faster Clock/Clock, turbo disabled.

Basically says unless you're running SLi or crossfire the x58 offers little right now.

actually it's quite the opposite. at equal clocks, 1156 seems to always be faster in games, due to on-die PCIe. am i missing something?

edit: i guess i am missing something. what about P55 makes it inferior to X58 for multi GPU applications?

edit2: ok i think i understand that part now. SO! For a single card application, you're better off with 1156 (marginally).

 

[cmdrdredd]

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=3640

That pretty much sums it up. ~ 3.5% faster Clock/Clock, turbo disabled.



actually it's quite the opposite. at equal clocks, 1156 seems to always be faster in games, due to on-die PCIe. am i missing something?

edit: i guess i am missing something. what about P55 makes it inferior to X58 for multi GPU applications?

edit2: ok i think i understand that part now. SO! For a single card application, you're better off with 1156 (marginally).

Right. If you were going for dual cards then you would benefit from the x58's two x16 PCI-E slots vs the 8x on the P55. Marginal yes, but that's about all I see besides the overclocking ease of the 1366 platform vs the 1156.