Decisions Decisions: Gulftown or LGA 2011?

[Deadlyraver]

For quite some time, I have the i7 920 installed on this computer. I have appreciated it's longevity in performance with newer technologies and am looking forward to keeping it for a longer period of time. However, I do admit that I got incredibly p!$$3d off that Intel ditched LGA 1366 awhile back, leaving my once intended upgrade to the 970 Gulftown chip on hold for quite some time in exchange of observing CPU performance from Intel's newer chips. Surprisingly, however, the chip itself is not that far off of the last generation of the current latest chips (Source).

With that in mind with the current series of chips, I have returned to the thought of upgrading to Gulftown. I want long-lasting performance of I was going to overhaul my PC, so with the LGA 2011 chips available I have to get a CPU, motherboard, and optimized RAM for the newer platform if I purchased the i7-3820. The Total cost with the built I would most-likely want with an ASUS P9X79 and Mushkin Blackline 16GB kit is about $650+tax at the store I work at.

However, I have found a seller with a 12GB Corsair Dominator GT kit and the long-searched i7-970 Gulftown chip for about $600. I have checked my P6T and it is fit for the chip.

After starring at dozens of charts and comparing specifications towards the best performance per dollar after the upgrade, I am tired and require a consensus. Leaving the decision to you guys, grabbing a coffee and good luck.

Oh, and I have no intentions to overclock if that plays a role in the decision.

 

[AxilleasT]

Hello,
I can certainly appreciate your dissapointment in the discontinuation of the 1366 platform, however, CPU design takes a long time and would be a little self-defeating if we had to adhere to limitations of Socket B. Now, to answer your question - both the 970 and 3820 are very powerful processors. I'm not sure what you are trying to compute with these processors, but would recommend the cheaper option as the upgrade path of Socket R/3820 would cost more than the increase in performance you would experience. That being said, the 2011 platform is really quite impressive, and if you did decide the expense was worth an upgrade, I would suggest the 3930K because it is a hexa-core chip like the 970, unlike the quad-core 3820, and would let you experience the performance and financial investment more easily than the 970.

Additionally, if you a primarily a gamer, than I would ask you what your 920 is preventing you from accomplishing. Maybe wait a little longer? Enthusiast Ivy Bridge processors are around the corner, giving you some time to save a little more if your current options feel too narrow/indistinguishable.

Good luck and happy building!
~AT

 

[TRWOV]

For $600 I would go LGA2011:

ASRock X79 Extreme3 LGA 2011 Intel X79 SATA 6Gb/s ...
Intel Core i7-3820 Sandy Bridge-E 3.6GHz (3.8GHz T...
G.SKILL Ripjaws Z Series 8GB (4 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR...

$550 in total, $50 left for shipping. If you insist on the Asus you could go for the LE version of the board, you don't seem to lose much: Computer Parts, PC Components, Laptop Computers, L...

In your case I would OC the CPU though or look at a 1155 build .The LGA2011 platform doesn't offer any performance benefit for games over LGA1155 unless you're going for quad SLI or something.

 

[repman244]

You really need to say what kind of work you do with your PC. If you game, you won't benefit from any of those two CPU's (i7 970 and the 3930k).
However, if you do some rendering, simulation and similar then it all depends on the price of the i7 970, if you can get a nice deal I would say go for it (the difference between 970 and 3930k isn't huge, unless you really really need that small performance increase).
No point in getting a 3820 and a new MB if you can put all 6 cores in use.
Also, is there any serious need to get another 12GB RAM? I think the RAM you have is good. Unless you want to add more of it.

If it's for gaming only, then you should be looking at LGA 1155 with an IB CPU.

 

[Deadlyraver]

It is used in music production, DJing, gaming and it plays as a dedicated game server sometimes.

I would like to add in the fact that I am well aware of the upcoming Ivy-Bridge CPUs for LGA 2011. Usually, however I often start building with the starting lineup of the next gen platform. As for the 970 I was considering the cost for the added number of years of compatibility, perhaps wait for 4th gen LGA2011?

 

[brandonwh64]

It is used in music production, DJing, gaming and it plays as a dedicated game server sometimes.

I would like to add in the fact that I am well aware of the upcoming Ivy-Bridge CPUs for LGA 2011. Usually, however I often start building with the starting lineup of the next gen platform. As for the 970 I was considering the cost for the added number of years of compatibility, perhaps wait for 4th gen LGA2011?

At this point its kind of a toss up but I def would not do the 970 for 600$ when like others have said you could go sockett 2011 for the same price.

 

[Deadlyraver]

Then it has been concluded, wait for Ivy-Bridge 2011.

 

[ZenZimZaliben]

Do you Overclocking your i7 920? They overclock very well, although run fairly hot, but with a good air cooler you should be able to get around 3.6ghz+ and if your chip is cherry 4Ghz isn't out of the question.