I7 920, i7 860, or i5 750?

[trepanation]

Tom's did a series meant to compare the newly-introduced i7 860 and i5 750 a few days ago. I'm only an intermediate user, so a little bit of it was techno rambling mumbo jumbo to me, but I understood most of it. Tom's is recommending the i5 750 outright, and seems to be favoring the i7 860 over the i7 920 last. I'm just not sure what makes the i5 750 "so much better" than the other two. I've asked around before, and I see opinions on completely polar opposite sides of the spectrum. Some are saying that the i5 750 exceeds the i7 920's performance, citing the 750- and 860's superior turbo boost tech. Others are saying there is no reason to choose a 750 over a 920, citing the i7's hyperthreading. I am at a lack for where to go next.

For a 750 cpu/mobo combo you will apparently spend notably less than a comparable 920/860 cpu/mobo combo. I do not know how true this is. Fry's is having a sale on i7 920's today for 225 dollars, and the best price I will find on an i5 is prob 199 dollars. For a mobo, will I be able to get a nice one at a good price for either of these? There really can't be THAT much price difference, and due to the roughly equal number of opinions favoring one side over the other, I tend to believe that there truly can't be that big of a difference if it is so arguable.

 

[daship]

Trust me get the i7 920. x58 runs 2x 16x lanes, p55 runs 2x 8x lanes.🙁
x58 ddr3 triple channel
p55 ddr3 dual channel🙁
i5 has no hyperthreading🙁
p55 will not support 6 core 8 core cpus only socket 1366 will support them.

 

[trepanation]

bump O3O

 

[seabreeze]

I'm just not sure what makes the i5 750 "so much better" than the other two.

When you do, you will know. There are some absolutes, such as numerous bench testing results to compare, then there are the variables, such as current pricing, then the subjectives, such as personal taste or choice.

Some benchmark results may not impact on your choice of use. That is, the percentage or fps difference between two or more configuations may go unnoticed or their potential unused. An absurd example is someone with the latest and greatest machine just for checking emails.

What is your intended use?

I've asked around before, and I see opinions on completely polar opposite sides of the spectrum. Some are saying that the i5 750 exceeds the i7 920's performance, citing the 750- and 860's superior turbo boost tech. Others are saying there is no reason to choose a 750 over a 920, citing the i7's hyperthreading. I am at a lack for where to go next.

Does it matter to you why one is better then the other? If so, you've not said in what way or capacity it needs to be better and why this is important to you.

Most will just say "I'm playing this game and I need X fps. Looking at these processors and motherboards, what's best?" or similar.

The i5-750 produces a certain result (pick your benchmark or application) and is priced at a certain priced, now assume the other platforms produce 10% and 20% more result and are 10% and 20% more expensive, respectively. Which will you buy?

You've asked around, been given opinions and have determined " There really can't be THAT much price difference".

Ok, assume all three are the same price. Which one will you buy? For what reason?

Of course, they're not exactly at the same price, so pick some benchmarks that reflect your intended use, then rank the three systems or processors based on that. Forget about opinions for now. Get some prices and put along side the rankings. Is the the highest rank the most expensive, the lowest the least?

If so, does your budget restrict the purchase? Yes - buy what you can afford. No - buy the highest and most expensive.

If the ranks and prices don't line up, then there is a buying opportunity there. One of them is providing better bang-for-buck. Probably go with that, unless budget restricts, then go with what you can afford (as before).

...and due to the roughly equal number of opinions favoring one side over the other, I tend to believe that there truly can't be that big of a difference if it is so arguable.

If that is true, pick one at random. It won't matter. While ever you're basing you purchasing decision on a poll you are conducting consisting of other people's opinion that's producig a evenly split result, then any choice will be the right one.

Or will it?

 

[xaira]

get the 920 at microcenter

 

[laluma22]

Hi guys if i were you i would wait a bit with i7 920 cause i bought a i7 920 with intel dx58so and on stock cooling it has abbout 83C on load with prime 95 so if you are going to use a seperate cooler thermalright 120 ultra or something like that than you shuold buy the 920 because you can get him even faster than the i7 975 extreme ^^

hope this could help..if i also may ask what mobo are you going to buy

 

[ElectroGoofy]

It is true that that the i5 and new i7s are less expensive, and they DO have better turbo boost.... my main problem with them is that they DON'T support triple channel memory. Also, I have only seen a couple of 1156 mobos that have 6 RAM slots, while almost every 1366 I have seen has had 6 RAM slots, therefore allowing much greater amounts of memory.

The two major pluses to the 1156 CPUs that I have seen are: 1. Substantially less expensive, and 2. have much greater turbo-boost abilities (allowing applications that only use 1-2 cores, which are the most abundant currently, to run faster. The only thing is that this won't help as much with applications that utilize all 4 cores.)

I think that if I had to choose between an i7 920 or a new i5 or i7s, I would choose the 920.

But yea.... could somebody direct me to the article on here with the i5 vs. i7 benchmarks? I saw it one time and have been unable to re-locate it.

 

[laluma22]

ok so ehm thats not true the i7 920 i am speaking about has a ability of tripple channel it is socket 1366.but ask your self a question how does it go a quad core with tripple channel!! it has no sence but is still faster . so if you want to buy something then buy the dx58so extreme mobo withj i7 920 it has just 4 ram slots but who cares do you need for gaming and such things more than 3 GB ddr3 on 32 bit NO! and do you need at 64bit system more than 6gb well yes if you run a server ^^ so 3gb on 32 bit are enaugh and 4 slots also beside you will just use 3 of them

hope this could help and sry for agressive writing a bit under stress^^

greets laluma22

 

[ElectroGoofy]

Well true, in some cases, but it really depends on what you are using it for. I use my computer for 3D rendering, so it helps to have as much RAM as possible.

But even if I was using a computer just for gaming, I would like to have as many RAM slots as possible so it would be more future-resistant, as well as being able to support more RAM for multitasking (I do quite a bit of that).

 

[laluma22]

well elekctrogoofy i dont think that someone will use more than 6gb because 5gb for games on 64 bit are still enaugh^^
well i also were wondering what system he is using 32bit or 64 bit because for 32 bit 3gb are enaugh.

greets laluma22

 

[warmon6]

Tom's did a series meant to compare the newly-introduced i7 860 and i5 750 a few days ago. I'm only an intermediate user, so a little bit of it was techno rambling mumbo jumbo to me, but I understood most of it. Tom's is recommending the i5 750 outright, and seems to be favoring the i7 860 over the i7 920 last. I'm just not sure what makes the i5 750 "so much better" than the other two. I've asked around before, and I see opinions on completely polar opposite sides of the spectrum. Some are saying that the i5 750 exceeds the i7 920's performance, citing the 750- and 860's superior turbo boost tech. Others are saying there is no reason to choose a 750 over a 920, citing the i7's hyperthreading. I am at a lack for where to go next.

For a 750 cpu/mobo combo you will apparently spend notably less than a comparable 920/860 cpu/mobo combo. I do not know how true this is. Fry's is having a sale on i7 920's today for 225 dollars, and the best price I will find on an i5 is prob 199 dollars. For a mobo, will I be able to get a nice one at a good price for either of these? There really can't be THAT much price difference, and due to the roughly equal number of opinions favoring one side over the other, I tend to believe that there truly can't be that big of a difference if it is so arguable.

Well it depends on what you'll use it for. If it just going to be used for email and web surfing then i would say I5. If it going to be gaming that only going to use 1 graphic card the the get the I7 8xx's. If your going to need 2 graphic cards for a game and/or need max ram bandwidth for memory intensive programs then the I7 9xx's cpu's.

Here's some pros and cons to each CPU series.

I5:
Pros:
Cheap cpu.
Great turbo
Will get the job done for most to all programs.
Runs cooler than the I7 9xx's
Can run faster 1333 MHZ ram than the I7 9xx's.

Cons:
No HT
No triple channel memory
Doesn't have full dual 16x bandwidth for 2 video cards.
Will not be upgradable with 6+ core cpus.

I7 8xx's
(pretty much the same as i5's)

Pro's:
HT
Can be cheaper than the 9xx's (depending on locations and store)

I7 9xx's:
Pro's:
Triple channel memory
HT
full Dual 16X video bandwidth.
upgrade option down the road to the Core i9 when you need 6 cores

Con's:
Can be expensive. (depeding on location and store)
can be very hot if not in a well ventilated case.
Can only run 1066 MHz ram unless over clock to fully use cheaper 1333 MHz.
not as powerful turbo as the i5 and i7 8xx's cpus.

Well i hope this helps.

 

[ElectroGoofy]

well elekctrogoofy i dont think that someone will use more than 6gb because 5gb for games on 64 bit are still enaugh^^
well i also were wondering what system he is using 32bit or 64 bit because for 32 bit 3gb are enaugh.

greets laluma22

This is true, currently 6 gigs is enough, but what I was meaning was that IMO I would prefer more slots to make it more future-resistant, but yea, I get where you're coming from

 

[laluma22]

yep i hope that we could help that one who opened this thread^^

greets laluma22

 

[trepanation]

Well it depends on what you'll use it for. If it just going to be used for email and web surfing then i would say I5. If it going to be gaming that only going to use 1 graphic card the the get the I7 8xx's. If your going to need 2 graphic cards for a game and/or need max ram bandwidth for memory intensive programs then the I7 9xx's cpu's.

Here's some pros and cons to each CPU series.

I5:
Pros:
Cheap cpu.
Great turbo
Will get the job done for most to all programs.
Runs cooler than the I7 9xx's
Can run faster 1333 MHZ ram than the I7 9xx's.

Cons:
No HT
No triple channel memory
Doesn't have full dual 16x bandwidth for 2 video cards.
Will not be upgradable with 6+ core cpus.

I7 8xx's
(pretty much the same as i5's)

Pro's:
HT
Can be cheaper than the 9xx's (depending on locations and store)

I7 9xx's:
Pro's:
Triple channel memory
HT
full Dual 16X video bandwidth.
upgrade option down the road to the Core i9 when you need 6 cores

Con's:
Can be expensive. (depeding on location and store)
can be very hot if not in a well ventilated case.
Can only run 1066 MHz ram unless over clock to fully use cheaper 1333 MHz.
not as powerful turbo as the i5 and i7 8xx's cpus.

Well i hope this helps.

Thank you, this explained things to me very well. I am now leaning towards an i7 860 as opposed to an i7 920. What's this about the 920 being unable to run RAM faster than 1300MHz, though? Does that mean that 1600MHz RAM will be unusable? If not, does that mean there is absolutely no difference between 1300 and 1600 RAM? Does it make a difference to the motherboard or any other parts? Because I know I've read that some people are running RAM higher than 2100 MHz with their i7's and that confuses me a little bit.

So now I guess I'm going to change my build around to befit an i7 860 a little better. Is the transition of 1366 mobo - 1156 mobo a bad thing?

 

[laluma22]

ehm... if you buy a i7 920 than you will be able to use ram with 1066 133 1600 and 1800 and 2000 but their sped will be just on fsb 1066 cause the fsb of i7 920 is 1066 so in any case you will have to overclock the speed a bit if you want 1600 or 1333

 

[yobigd20]

daship is right on the money, short and sweet. Get the i7 920.

 

[laluma22]

yobigd20 is rigt get the i7 920 with intel dx58so extreme series you wont have any probs the next years you can easily overclock to 4x3,0Ghz with stock and with a aftermarket like thermalright 120 ultra to 4x3,988Ghz

 

[warmon6]

Thank you, this explained things to me very well. I am now leaning towards an i7 860 as opposed to an i7 920. What's this about the 920 being unable to run RAM faster than 1300MHz, though? Does that mean that 1600MHz RAM will be unusable? If not, does that mean there is absolutely no difference between 1300 and 1600 RAM? Does it make a difference to the motherboard or any other parts? Because I know I've read that some people are running RAM higher than 2100 MHz with their i7's and that confuses me a little bit.

So now I guess I'm going to change my build around to befit an i7 860 a little better. Is the transition of 1366 mobo - 1156 mobo a bad thing?

You can get faster ram but the cpu will just underclock it to 1333 Mhz or 1066 mhz.


"Is the transition of 1366 mobo - 1156 mobo a bad thing?"

No. It not a bad thing. it just mean that the I7 860 will fill your need.

 

[laluma22]

yeah probably your right but as i saw right now the i7 860 is at 2320-262€ boxed or bulk^^

but the i7 920 is at 239 box so this 7€ would be worth taking a 920 it is faster but it has just 2,66ghz the 860 2,80ghz but who cares the i7 920 is still faster so if these 7 € are not a problem take it.

greets laluma22

wont be a prob to overclock

 

[ibnsina]

Another pro and con


Power Consumption:

i7 920 130W TDP

i5-750 95 W TDP
i7-860 "
i7-870 "

Thats around 26.9% difference.
.......................................................................................................

When overclocking these cpu's by 1200 MHz , expected power consumption to go up by 45%.

 

[warmon6]

Another pro and con


Power Consumption:

i7 920 130W TDP

i5-750 95 W TDP
i7-860 "
i7-870 "

Thats around 26.9% difference.
.......................................................................................................

When overclocking these cpu's by 1200 MHz , expected power consumption to go up by 45%.

nice catch.

 

[laluma22]

if you read warmon6 his tread it was about i7 860 and about my conclusion i7 920 never spoke about i5. i5 is in tread mentioned but not by me i just concludde that it is better to buy a i7 920 than a i7 860 (differenc 7€) of course i5 is better to overclock but also has not turboboost etc.

so he will always gett better oc with i5 but he will gain also with less oc on i7 920 better performance

greets laluma22

 

[tywyn]

According to http://www.techspot.com/review/193-intel-core-i5-750/page10.html the i5 750 is only using 11w more than an i7 920 running at stock. At 4Ghz does HT really matter?

 

[kdn]

Didn't see many i7 860 benchmarks, I'm still not sure if 920 or 860 is the best cpu to buy at this time! can't make my mind

 

[warmon6]

if you read warmon6 his tread it was about i7 860 and about my conclusion i7 920 never spoke about i5. i5 is in tread mentioned but not by me i just concludde that it is better to buy a i7 920 than a i7 860 (differenc 7€) of course i5 is better to overclock but also has not turboboost etc.

so he will always gett better oc with i5 but he will gain also with less oc on i7 920 better performance

greets laluma22

well the I5, i7 8xx's, and i7 9xx were all mentioned in the first post and in the title of the thread. so instead of saying 920 is the best option (which is what i would get if i was getting cpu atm) I just made a pro and cons list of each cpu and let him decide what is best for him.