[O/C]Intel i7 2600K (Sandy Bridge) Review

hokiealumnus · 01-03-11, 12:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by freeagent

Kinda kicking myself for buying a hex now. This arch. is impressive

Reading this review made wakeing up a pleasent experience today

I guess the hex would be ok for htpc duties

Nah, don't kick yourself. The 970 is still a killer chip and with two extra cores / four extra threads, it still whips SB for anything that can use all 12.

Glad I could make your morning a little better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EarthDog

Hokie, this is one of the best reviews I have seen at this site. Tremendous work!!!

As far as the architecture, all I can say is WOW and I suppose this answers the question if this is a sidegrade or to upgrade to Intel's new chip. For most people, it looks like a winner.

That's one heck of a compliment, thank you very much!

I completely agree too. There is a subset that may want to pass for a couple reasons, but it's a small subset and everyone else that's considering an upgrade should be happy this just fell in their lap.

Brolloks · 01-03-11, 01:10 PM

If I were to look at an upgrade from say 775 platform or even getting into from scratch then this platform is great value for money IMO for a strong 24/7 system.

Lutsk · 01-03-11, 01:12 PM

Does i7-2600K support DirectX 11?
Cuz still thinking between it and i7-950

Brolloks · 01-03-11, 01:17 PM

No, only 10.1

hokiealumnus · 01-03-11, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lutsk

Does i7-2600K support DirectX 11?
Cuz still thinking between it and i7-950

If you're referring to the on-die GPU, no. It supports DX 10.1 and Open GL 3.0.

Since you need a discrete GPU for the 950 anyway though, I wouldn't let that influence your thinking.

Lutsk · 01-03-11, 03:04 PM

And do we still need to buy a GPU with the i7-2600K. I ain't sure since it says it's integrated with GPU already.

hokiealumnus · 01-03-11, 03:05 PM

Depends on what board you get. If you get a P67 board, yes you have to buy a GPU. If you go H67 you don't, but you lose the ability to go with dual GPUs as well. If overclocking, I'd highly recommend P67 + discrete GPU as it doesn't seem the H67 features allow it to overclock.

Castiel · 01-03-11, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lutsk

And do we still need to buy a GPU with the i7-2600K. I ain't sure since it says it's integrated with GPU already.

If you plan on running an H67 board no. If a P67 Yes

Brolloks · 01-03-11, 03:36 PM

Note that the integrated CPU is not going to let you play BFBC2 at 1920x1080 with high settings, it is not really for gaming, more for those that want to work in Windows but dont want to buy another GPU, it is for everyday use.

Prime · 01-03-11, 05:11 PM

so i kind of grazed through, are these going to be compatable with x58? or are these a different chipset?

JohnnyGalaga · 01-03-11, 05:12 PM

Will these "Sandy Bridge" chips be any faster at converting your high-definition camcorder .mts files to the other editable formats like .avi or .wmv? Right now, it seems like it takes a good 45 minutes to convert a 10-minute .mts video clip to .wmv, and .avi's always come out looking bumpy when you play 'em back.

Castiel · 01-03-11, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galganaban

so i kind of grazed through, are these going to be compatable with x58? or are these a different chipset?

Different socket and chipsets

David · 01-03-11, 06:09 PM

The socket has lost a pin: now 1155 instead of 1156 IIRC.

Psycogeec · 01-03-11, 06:32 PM

finally a real look at this thing, thanks Hookiealumnus

Why do they call it I7 ?
for me it has been confusing to use the same name?
the socket is not compatable?
it has built in grafics, does a normal I7 have built in grafics?
Geesh, gimme a computer that goes together like http://www.amazon.com/Tupperware-Sha.../dp/B000CFZP3A something i can understand.

David · 01-03-11, 06:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycogeec

finally a real look at this thing, thanks Hookiealumnus

Why do they call it I7 ?
for me it has been confusing to use the same name?
the socket is not compatable?
it has built in grafics, does a normal I7 have built in grafics?

The i7-8xx and i7-9xx chips don't, IIRC. The i3s and i5s do.

ghost_recon88 · 01-03-11, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hokiealumnus

Depends on what board you get. If you get a P67 board, yes you have to buy a GPU. If you go H67 you don't, but you lose the ability to go with discrete GPUs as well. If overclocking, I'd highly recommend P67 + discrete GPU.

Wait say what? H67 does not allow you to disable the onboard GPU like P67 does? Some guy on XS was saying you can't overclock with H67, is that true as well?

dejo · 01-03-11, 06:40 PM

very nice review Jeremy. rather informative, with lots of stuff that others havent really alluded to. and is the best review I have seen on the sandy bridge.

hokiealumnus · 01-03-11, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnnyGalaga

Will these "Sandy Bridge" chips be any faster at converting your high-definition camcorder .mts files to the other editable formats like .avi or .wmv? Right now, it seems like it takes a good 45 minutes to convert a 10-minute .mts video clip to .wmv, and .avi's always come out looking bumpy when you play 'em back.

Faster, yes. How much? Depends on where you're clocked at right now. IF it's comparable to rendering -and I'm not sure it is-, you'd may see a 10-15% improvement clock-for-clock (based on cinebench results).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Psycogeec

finally a real look at this thing, thanks Hookiealumnus

Why do they call it I7 ?
for me it has been confusing to use the same name?
the socket is not compatable?
it has built in grafics, does a normal I7 have built in grafics?
Geesh, gimme a computer that goes together like http://www.amazon.com/Tupperware-Sha.../dp/B000CFZP3A something i can understand.

Good questions. They do separate them a bit though in that they designate them as the second iX generation. The naming scheme is iX 2xxx. The first X is the 7/5/3 (i.e. i7), the 2 designates second generation Core iX series and the last three are CPU #.

Previous i7's didn't have built-in graphics. Some i5's and i3's did though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghost_recon88

Wait say what? H67 does not allow you to disable the onboard GPU like P67 does? Some guy on XS was saying you can't overclock with H67, is that true as well?

Err...that was a mistatement and I need to edit my prior post. You can use discrete graphics on H67, but you can not use Crossfire/SLI (see chipset diagram). The P67 doesn't allow use of the integrated graphics at all.

According to this comparison chart, if raising the K-series multiplier = "Performance Tuning", that's correct and the H67 boards don't overclock.

Quote:

Originally Posted by dejo

very nice review Jeremy. rather informative, with lots of stuff that others havent really alluded to. and is the best review I have seen on the sandy bridge.

That is a bold statement so I won't hold you to it, but I'm very flattered. Thank you very much!

trueplaya4ever8 · 01-03-11, 11:53 PM

*ponders*

What boards will do at least 8x/8x SLI/Xfire on the cheap? Not looking to drop an arm and a leg for a motherboard.

hokiealumnus · 01-04-11, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trueplaya4ever8

*ponders*

What boards will do at least 8x/8x SLI/Xfire on the cheap? Not looking to drop an arm and a leg for a motherboard.

Any P67 board with two PCIe x16 slots should suffice. Just check their specifications to make sure they didn't do something quirky. Sandy Bridge chips all support 8x/8x but only when paired with a P67 PCH.

01-03-11, 01:10 PM	#22
Brolloks Benching Senior on Siesta Premium Member #8 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Land of Long Horns	If I were to look at an upgrade from say 775 platform or even getting into from scratch then this platform is great value for money IMO for a strong 24/7 system. __________________ Should I get a Quad- or Dual-Core? - How about joining us in the Benching Lounge for some secrets - Want to bench sub-zero...take a look. Heatware 280-0-0 HWBOT Profile
	QUOTE Thanks

01-03-11, 01:12 PM	#23
Lutsk Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Canada	Does i7-2600K support DirectX 11? Cuz still thinking between it and i7-950
	QUOTE Thanks

01-03-11, 01:17 PM	#24
Brolloks Benching Senior on Siesta Premium Member #8 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Land of Long Horns	No, only 10.1 __________________ Should I get a Quad- or Dual-Core? - How about joining us in the Benching Lounge for some secrets - Want to bench sub-zero...take a look. Heatware 280-0-0 HWBOT Profile
	QUOTE Thanks

01-03-11, 03:04 PM	#26
Lutsk Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Canada	And do we still need to buy a GPU with the i7-2600K. I ain't sure since it says it's integrated with GPU already.
	QUOTE Thanks

01-03-11, 03:05 PM	#27
hokiealumnus Water Cooled Moderator Overclockers.com Lead Editor Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Raleigh, NC	Depends on what board you get. If you get a P67 board, yes you have to buy a GPU. If you go H67 you don't, but you lose the ability to go with dual GPUs as well. If overclocking, I'd highly recommend P67 + discrete GPU as it doesn't seem the H67 features allow it to overclock. __________________ Enjoy benchmarks? Join the benching team! \| New to water cooling? Read the Beginner's Guide to Water Cooling Your PC. xsuperbgx - "As a wise man once said: "Less talky. More clocky."" \| cyberfish - "When overclocked, it's undefined behavior." I.M.O.G. - "Vaseline on Ivy Bridge is a bad idea. But not so bad of an idea that it can't be fixed with a torpedo heater, a dishwasher, an oven, and a few hours. " \m/ OverClockers mATX L33T Club \m/ - Join Now! - My mITX Build Last edited by hokiealumnus; 01-03-11 at 08:22 PM. Reason: Accuracy.
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[O/C]Intel i7 2600K (Sandy Bridge) Review

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01-03-11, 03:36 PM	#29
Brolloks Benching Senior on Siesta Premium Member #8 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Land of Long Horns	Note that the integrated CPU is not going to let you play BFBC2 at 1920x1080 with high settings, it is not really for gaming, more for those that want to work in Windows but dont want to buy another GPU, it is for everyday use. __________________ Should I get a Quad- or Dual-Core? - How about joining us in the Benching Lounge for some secrets - Want to bench sub-zero...take a look. Heatware 280-0-0 HWBOT Profile
	QUOTE Thanks

01-03-11, 05:11 PM	#30
Prime Member Join Date: Oct 2009	so i kind of grazed through, are these going to be compatable with x58? or are these a different chipset?
	QUOTE Thanks

01-03-11, 05:12 PM	#31
JohnnyGalaga Member Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: USA	Will these "Sandy Bridge" chips be any faster at converting your high-definition camcorder .mts files to the other editable formats like .avi or .wmv? Right now, it seems like it takes a good 45 minutes to convert a 10-minute .mts video clip to .wmv, and .avi's always come out looking bumpy when you play 'em back. __________________ Case & Power Supply: Cooler Master HAF 932 Corsair CMPSU-850TX 850W ATX12V Motherboard: ASRock X58 EXTREME6 LGA 1366 CPU & Cooler: Intel Core i7-950 Cooler Master Hyper 212 Plus Graphics Card: ASUS ENGTX460 GeForce GTX 460 1GB 256-bit GDDR5 Memory: G.SKILL PI Series 12GB (6 x 2GB) DDR3 1600 MHz 7-8-7-24-2N 1.5V SSD: OCZ Vertex 2 OCZSSD2-2VTXE60G 60GB SATA II Optical Drive: Samsung SH-B123L Black 12X BD-ROM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-ROM HDD: Western Digital Caviar Black WD1002FAEX 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache Modem: USRobotics 56K PCI Faxmodem 5660C PCI 56 Kbps V.90, V.92 Floppy: 3.5" Standard 1.44MB Internal Disk Drive Black OS: Windows 7 Professional 64-Bit Monitor: Acer G235HAbd 23" LCD 1920 x 1080 5ms 300 cd/m2 0.265mm Computer Build Photos
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01-03-11, 06:09 PM	#33
David Forums Super Moderator Overclockers.com Lead Editor Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Hiding from Americans and making pretty colours in a drybox in St Andrews	The socket has lost a pin: now 1155 instead of 1156 IIRC. __________________ David J. Nelson MChem(Edin) PhD(Strath) AMRSC [Academia Profile] OC Forums Super Moderator // Overclockers.com Editor The Workhorse: [Lenovo W510] Intel Core i7-720QM / 8 GB DDR3 / nVidia Quadro FX880M / Crucial M4 256 GB SSD / Windows 7 The HTPC/Server: AMD Phenom X4 9650 / 6 GB DDR2 / nVidia 8300 / 5 TB of HDDs / Antec Solo II Case / Windows 7 The Gaming Rig: AMD Llano A6-3650 / 4 GB DDR3 / nVidia GTX260 / 2x 500 GB HDD in RAID0 / Antec Dark Fleet DF-85 Case / Windows 7 The Benchmarking Setup: Various LGA775 chips / Asus Rampage Formula / 2 GB OCZ 1066 MHz DDR2 / nVidia Quadro NVS 285 / 320 GB HDD / Windows 7 My research fellowship is eating all my time, so I may be slow to reply to emails and private messages.
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01-03-11, 06:32 PM	#34
Psycogeec Member Join Date: Sep 2006	finally a real look at this thing, thanks Hookiealumnus Why do they call it I7 ? for me it has been confusing to use the same name? the socket is not compatable? it has built in grafics, does a normal I7 have built in grafics? Geesh, gimme a computer that goes together like http://www.amazon.com/Tupperware-Sha.../dp/B000CFZP3A something i can understand.
	QUOTE Thanks

01-03-11, 06:40 PM	#37
dejo Senior Moment Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: Tyler, Texas	very nice review Jeremy. rather informative, with lots of stuff that others havent really alluded to. and is the best review I have seen on the sandy bridge. __________________ if it screams, crank it. if it cries, kill it Asrock z77 ex6 2600k @4.8ghz Samsung 2x4gb rams OCZ Vertex4 256gb ssd EVGA GTX480 Sparkle 1250 gold PSU Arc Midi case
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01-03-11, 11:53 PM	#39
trueplaya4ever8 Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Saint Cloud, FL	ponders What boards will do at least 8x/8x SLI/Xfire on the cheap? Not looking to drop an arm and a leg for a motherboard. __________________ Asrock Z77E-ITX \| Core I5 2400 ES \| Corsair H70 \| 2x4gb GSKill Ripjaws 1600mhz C9 \| MSI GTX 660Ti 2GD5/OC \| Dell 2312HM \| Cruical M4 256GB \| Samsung Spinpoint F4 2TB \| Corsair AX750 \| BitFenix Prodigy My Heat http://heatware.com/eval.php?id=25800
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