i7-4930K upgrade or hold out till Haswell-E

[microfire]

I have had my X79 platform for 15 months now, and the i7-3820 I got with it has done me well.
Although when I brought this platform, I did so with the intention to upgrade the CPU later on. That time is now and the Ivy Bridge-E is now a reality.

I am questioning if it is worth upgrading to the i7-4930K? I the past I would just go and get this, but it different this time around.
The timing of this is so close to Haswell-E, not only that, new X99 chipset, and DDR4. All that is going to be one big massive upgrade.

Just like everyone here (or good portion) of, we all hate waiting, and get stuff now.
There is no time like now, but Haswell-E is looking to be September (about 7 months away), therefore might be just worth the wait?

In my particular case, I have recently just added another 16GB RAM to total out with 32GB all 8 slots full. The RAM is the giant heat sink type (which I will not buy again in future builds) that does not allow heat sink like the Noctua D14 SE2011.

Pretty much going to be stuck with my Cooler Master Evo 212, not to sure how well it will fair with the i7-4930K

Basically I can move forwards right now and then being stuck with what I got later on, or change to new platform very soon.

With 8 core Haswell-E, and likely one that with take the place of the i7-4930K, then the Ivy Bridge-E with 6 cores may be redundant very quickly?

 

[Railgun]

To each their own. I'm still rocking a 970 and will finally upgrade to H-E. If you want a chip for an incremental upgrade, go for it. Easy to see the difference between the two.

 

[microfire]

If you look at my sig current as of today. I move my old stuff down to my other rigs. I prefer to use 2 computers at one time. If I shutdown one if overclocking, then I still have one going. The 3rd computer is play around stuff on an old Sony TV, just for fun.

I have never had a X58, but looked it up, looks like a pretty nice processor, and has been around for a long time.

When Haswell-E come around, I will still have the X79, it will just sit in where the AMD system is.

I would of liked to get the i7-4930K with a Noctua D14 SE2011, but the 8x 4GB vengeance RAM will not allow me to install it. This is disappointing, as I would get the Noctua D14 SE2011 packaged as a combo deal with the i7-4930K for only $50 extra.

However the current Cooler Master Evo 212 just fit in perfectly with 8 high heat sink RAM modules installed, even with dual fans attached.

With using what I have got in the system already. What would be a realistic overclock on the i7-4930K with the Cooler Master Evo 212?
Would fixed strap of 125MHz and turbo disabled for final clock of 4250MHz be asking to much from the Evo 212, or am I dreaming?

 

[ATMINSIDE]

What are your uses for the system?

 

[microfire]

This one, pretty much everything. Encoding, VM's, large RAM disks, playing games. Although bothers me if what I pay for a 6 core now, will be exactly the same cost as a 8 core in the coming few months. Although no one know for sure, and the price of the 8 core might be more than would one would hope for.
Just don't know for sure what Intel are doing, looks like the i7-4930K will have a successor with 8 cores at the same price point.
But let say they don't have them at the same price point, Intel might even go for 4 SKU's, 4 core, 6 core, and then two top tier 8 cores.
The way I see it, the X79 is already quad channel, that is not changing. Haswell has not been jaw dropping, considering it is an architectural change, which are usually where the massive gains are made.

 

[WhitePaw]

There is always a upgrade around the corner..

get the one you like instead.. and enjoy the system

Cooler Master Evo 212?? on cpu's like that?

4930k got performance plenty, if its not enough, ditch that crappy cooler, and OC the chip

 

[microfire]

There is always a upgrade around the corner..

get the one you like instead.. and enjoy the system

Cooler Master Evo 212?? on cpu's like that?

4930k got performance plenty, if its not enough, ditch that crappy cooler, and OC the chip

Yep that's what I will be using, as is the only thing that will fit in between all 8 identical ram modules.
The cooling stays, I have just spend cash on upgrading another 4 modules, I ain't going to weather. Remaining funds are for CPU only at this stage.
If I can do 4.2GHz on the evo with the i7-4930K I will be happy with that. Most people can't get further than 4.5GHz without extreme measures, so I won't miss 300mhz if possible the evo will handle it?

 

[WhitePaw]

i dont know how high you will be reaching with that cooler..

but i think like this, do you want 4930K get it.. the other option isnt going to be a cooler chip exactly, in fact they seem to go downhill on every new LGA realese. when it comes to overclocking ability. vcore slingshots

 

[Woomack]

Evo 212 should be fine for 4930K. This CPU even though has 6 cores is generating less heat than 4 core haswells. I was running mine on old TRUE120 @4.5GHz so slightly better cooler. All depends how high you set voltages but every 4930K at ~1.25V should run at least at 4.2GHz.
If you need CPU now then 4930k is a great option but since we haven't seen haswell-E results then I can't say if it's worth to wait. Usually every new generation is ~0-10% faster at the same clock and I wouldn't expect more.

 

[ATMINSIDE]

Sounds like you'll benefit from more cores to me. More so than an architectural change can help you.

 

[microfire]

Thanks for the good answers, very helpful, as I have not been here for awhile, and is good the hear what people think rather than just review based, where they typically have the best of everything.

In the earlier days here, I was always trying to shoot for the highest possible overclock. Problem was I never really had a stable system, always on the edge of failure, due to living to close to the limitations. I still overclock, but more reserved, and go for overclocks that work and I can actually use. This is what happens when you start overclocking in 1998, before then I did not know that is was possible, until I got a Voodoo 2 card and wanted more frames for Unreal, lol old days 2x Voodoo 2 in SLi plus overclock, and have become old age now haha.

Anyways I have the i7-4930K on order as on today, should arrive tomorrow, and then I will see how it goes and a budget cooler. I will likely only overclock on stock voltage for now, even though it comes with a Noctua DH-14 SE2011, just cant fit that massive cooler on unless I remove my RAM, which means down grading from 32GB down to 16GB of value RAM the generic stuff that overclocks very well in my AMD system.

 

[Janus67]

If you wanted to you could sell your vengeance ram and buy some low profile ones (gskill Ares I believe are the low profile line for example)

 

[microfire]

Problem is I just brought brand new set of vengeance to match the set I already had only 4 days ago. Returns here or from shop I brought it from demands a massive restocking fee.
I have a 2x 4GB G-Skill Ares 1866 CL9, if I had of known earlier I might of gone with a second set of this, it would of been cheaper. But seemed no logic in upgrading from 16GB to 16GB, that why I got another quad vengeance set to match what I had for 32GB, now that's an upgrade. Btw I don't like mixing ram modules that are not the same.
CPU upgrade came about by chance since I suddenly started really using my desktop again, after being stuck on a laptop for a while.
Although is really dumb how much crazy high heat spreader ram there is around these days, personally I think it looks terrible.

 

[WhitePaw]

Ops vengeance and X79.....

do they work on your board/cpu?

 

[microfire]

Yeah they work really well, rock solid. The first kit I brought had a X in the model number, meaning that the kit was tested in a X79 motherboard and has XMP 1.3 profile.

The second kit I kind of made a mistake, it had an A in the model number (didn't see this when purchased it), but it still had quad channel label on the packaging and the modules look physically identical, although the XMP profile is only 1.2 and the kit was only tested with a Sandy Bridge processor and in a Series 6 chipset.

Luck for me the A kit mixed in with the X kit that I already had, booted up right away and held the XMP profile to 1600. At close inspection the new modules appears exactly the same (old, and probably the same IC under the heat spreaders), which is what I wanted, all 8 matching.

One other thing, funny enough, the A kit was the only kit approved in the manual, but only for up to 6 dimm's. I think I got lucky that all 8 are running together, essentially the kits I have are basically the same.

Here it the difference (I wasn't mean to get them mixed up) but wasn't at home to check when ordering:

Vengeance 16GB - Dual/Quad Channel DDR3 Memory Kit (CMZ16GX3M4X1600C9)
Vengeance 16GB - Dual/Quad Channel DDR3 Memory Kit (CMZ16GX3M4A1600C9)

 

[microfire]

I have upgraded to the i7-4930K and have no regrets. Just dropped in the new processor and was at my goal within about 30 minutes, which was 125MHz strap and turbo disabled for final clock of 4250MHz from the Evo 212. Temps are more than reasonable considering the cheap cooler used, 70c - 80c with prime95.

Noticed the idle temps were way lower than the 4 core SB-E that was in there, and generally when running most other things that are not like prime, the system put out way less heat.

Thanks for the help, and yeah, there is no time like now, upgrade successful

 

[EarthDog]

Nice choice... and glad you didn't go with the "X" CPU. People who buy those have more money than sense as there are little real world improvements to be had with it, yet it costs double a 4930K.

 

[Ajay57]

Nice to hear and Congrats on the successful up grade, just did nearly the same here as well!! I am looking at Ram for my new Platform here, and decided to go with G.SKILL instead.

This is the set below.

1, G.SKILL RIPJAWS Z SERIES 1866 9.0 16GB KIT QUAD CHANNEL, DESIGNED FOR X79 PLATFORMS (F3-14900CL9Q-16GBZL).

If you need an tips on Overclocking the Asus P9X79 just let me know!!

EDIT: Whats that about 4960X ED??? Hmmm!

Respectfully,

AJ.

 

[EarthDog]

Its a $1K chip that is pointless for 99.9999% of users, correct Ajay. In your case, you gained a couple hundred Mhz on an overclock, but could have done so a lot cheaper and without a day trip to get it... but, you don't want to hear that kind of talk (but you asked!!!), LOL! So long as your are happy with your purchases, that is what matters in the end.

Why are you upgrading ram now Ajay? Was ram the issue in the first place? I thought it was the board that was the issue?

EDIT: In looking at the thread, I have no idea why I even mentioned that CPU... as the OP never did!!! Funny that you posted after though... . Sorry!

 

[Johan45]

Nice to hear and Congrats on the successful up grade, just did nearly the same here as well!! I am looking at Ram for my new Platform here, and decided to go with G.SKILL instead.

This is the set below.

1, G.SKILL RIPJAWS Z SERIES 1866 9.0 16GB KIT QUAD CHANNEL, DESIGNED FOR X79 PLATFORMS (F3-14900CL9Q-16GBZL).

If you need an tips on Overclocking the Asus P9X79 just let me know!!

EDIT: Whats that about 4960X ED??? Hmmm!

Respectfully,

AJ.

That's nice ram Ajay, a shame you couldn't get that light up stuff to play nice! It matched your colour scheme so nicely!