[dig314]

I still haven't bought a new PC. Hopefully I will buy one around the end of the year. PCGaming and PCSX2 will be the most taxing uses for my PC. (Video encoding doesn't matter because it will be very infrequent.)

I am a FAN of AMD, but not a Fan-boy. There is a difference. The best thing going for the Phenom II x4 lineup is the VALUE it offers.

For me, 4 Cores is the way to go ( I know PCSX2 only uses 2 ).

:???:
Of the sites I regular follow, 2 recommend Core i5, one recommends Core i7 860, and one still recommends Core i7 920. That makes it hard for me to decide. AMD is STILL a possibility, especially if they lower prices again.

Paying $100 to $200 more for an Intel system that performs 5 to 10% better is not a good value. On the other hand, I purchase a new system every 4 or 5 years - - that extra cost over time doesn't add up to much.

Anyway, please share your thoughts on the Lynnfield lineup.

Dig


anandtech - for cost effectiveness: the Core i7 860
"In terms of cost effectiveness however - the Core i7 860 is the way to go. With cheaper motherboards and higher operating frequencies than a Core i7 920, for the majority of users the 860 will be the better pick. "

Tom's Hardware: Core i5 Recommend Buy
"But based on our benchmarks here and our game testing with single and dual Radeon HD 4870 X2s and GeForce GTX 285s, we’re most excited about the value of Core i5. "

HardOCP - Core i5 Editor's Choice
"If you are first and foremost a gamer and an overclocker, the Core i5-750 makes every other solution look like wasted money. "

bit-tech still recommends i7-920
"With that in mind, even if you like the look of the Core i5-750, you really should decide whether you can stretch to an i7-920 as things currently stand, just to make sure you're getting a good deal. Either way, our advice is to go out and buy a Core i7-920 before Intel realizes its mistake and discontinues it."

 

[masta.g.86]

Well, how about I offer my thoughts on this.

My current system (see signature) was built just 2 months ago. I was well aware of Intel's Core i5 and initially considered waiting for its release but obviously decided not to.

Why? Well, Intel has 2 modern socket platforms. (1156 and 1366) AMD has 1. (AM3) Which Intel socket specification is here to stay and which will go the way of the dodo? What if I choose the i5 platform and want to upgrade to the high performance i7? I can't without buying a new MB. Intel can say that both platforms will be supported and that may well hold true, but if you want to start with a value build you can't upgrade to the high performance CPU because of the socket limitation.

 

[Cheesus]

The easiest way to tackle this is not to look at how much its worth spending, but rather how much you're willing to spend. Otherwise you'll end up getting lost in 'buts' and 'what ifs'.

Don't fall into the trap that is good marketing. You'll end up using more money than is needed.

 

[StriderVM]

Exactly what Cheesus said, especially because a hardware's price/value could easily go low or high depending on the circumstances such as competitions performance/price.

Specify a budget then go from there's don't go higher because you'll probably regret it later on because new stuff will come out a month from your buying date.

 

[dig314]

Thank you for the good advice.

At current prices, my budget can afford either AMD or Core i5.

The i7 has Hyper-threading, while the i5 does not.
Is it true that Hyper-threading only improves performance in some PC Games?
As far as PCSX2, does Hyper-threading only make a noticeable difference in Software mode?

Dig

 

[Cid Highwind]

The added benefit of Hyper Threading is trivial at best. Most important of all, I think that you'll only see the difference in side by side comparisons and benchmarks. In a real situation you will find that the processor is blazing fast regardless. It's 4 of the fastest cores in the world, a world that is just switching to multicore software support anyway.

In the Pentium 4 it was nice for having some very nice resource management, making multitasking a smoother experience. But when you have 4 cores already, it's a completely different situation.

 

[Cheesus]

Thank you for the good advice.

At current prices, my budget can afford either AMD or Core i5.

The i7 has Hyper-threading, while the i5 does not.
Is it true that Hyper-threading only improves performance in some PC Games?
As far as PCSX2, does Hyper-threading only make a noticeable difference in Software mode?

Dig

As Cid said, with HT the difference is small at best.

With Lynnfield you get the Turbo option to make up for it though. Which, if you don't overclock, will help you significantly in PCSX2.

If you can afford i5, go for it. Its superior to the PhenomII line in terms of performance. So much so, that it actually gives the i7 a run for its money in terms of performance, and absolutely crushes it when you factor in value.

 

[bkwegoharder]

you'll only see big gains in a few programs with hyperthreading like Cid Highwind said because there are already 4 cores. Resident Evil 5 uses up to 8 threads and I think there have been great gains shown in it with an i7.