# Upgrade to SB or Keep i7 860 and just upgrade RAM and MOB???



## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

Okay so I have been trying to make a decision between upgrading to SB or Keeping my i7 860 and just upgrading the Memory and Motherboard.

It wouldn't be that hard of a decision.... but with some of the really highend MOB prices soon to be dropping on the P55 Chipset It makes one wonder... Which way would make more sense to go?

So do you think someone with a i7 860 Capable of hitting 4.2Ghz should go after a Sandy Bridges Setup either a 2500K or a 2600K?

Would it be enough of an upgrade to warrant the purchase?


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## overclocking101 (Jan 3, 2011)

well clock for clock, 1155 and 1156 are almost the same. now your cpu can hit ONLY 4.2?? you sure it wont go higher?? most of them hit 4.4/4.5 no sweat. that said I would stick with the 860 grab a asus or gigabyte higher end p55 (the evga p55's dont oc as well or as easy) and one of the new sb ddr3 ram kits (ones that run xmp at 1.5v ish) they seem better able to run higher/the same freq at lower voltage and nicer timings. but imo sandy bridge is not worth the cost. non "K" chips will only oc using turbo mode and "K" chips still have a multi limiter. only real benefit is different ram dividers so ram may run more stable on P67 but maybe not


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## sneekypeet (Jan 3, 2011)

mine only boots 4.2 for benches on a gigabyte. I say just keep what you have for now.


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

overclocking101 said:


> well clock for clock, 1155 and 1156 are almost the same. now your cpu can hit ONLY 4.2?? you sure it wont go higher?? most of them hit 4.4/4.5 no sweat. that said I would stick with the 860 grab a asus or gigabyte higher end p55 (the evga p55's dont oc as well or as easy) and one of the new sb ddr3 ram kits (ones that run xmp at 1.5v ish) they seem better able to run higher/the same freq at lower voltage and nicer timings. but imo sandy bridge is not worth the cost. non "K" chips will only oc using turbo mode and "K" chips still have a multi limiter. only real benefit is different ram dividers so ram may run more stable on P67 but maybe not





> mine only boots 4.2 for benches on a gigabyte. I say just keep what you have for now.



I can get to 4.2 comfortably on Air.... I haven't tried going any higher since I have switched to water cooling.

I am getting that from allot of my buddies at home too. It seems allot of people are worried about SB and it's overclocking limits. I just thought that the K series were completely unlocked. I guess I am wrong. 

So then let me ask you guys.... in terms of performance.... How much would I be losing compared? When looking at some reviews it seems like I wouldn't be losing that much at all. But then in other reviews it seems like I would be loosing allot?

Which is it?

It sounds like that is what I would do... just update the MOB and RAM. For now... At least until I see what Bulldozer brings or maybe the replacement to the X58.

As far as updating the RAM.... would you guys go for a Really High speed Kit or a Moderate speed kit but low latencies?


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## Deleted member 74752 (Jan 3, 2011)

I have yet to meet a Gigabyte mb I didnt like.   I don't know why, but the Evga 1156 mb's just don't play well with this platform.


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

rickss69 said:


> I have yet to meet a Gigabyte mb I didnt like.   I don't know why, but the Evga 1156 mb's just don't play well with this platform.



Yeah I noticed.... When I had a P55-GD65 Board....it was allot more responsive with boot times and seemed allot more stable. I went with the EVGA P55 Mainly Because I needed a Replacement for the MSI Board after I sold it. But my intention was to never end up keeping it this long.

I have a special place in my heart for Gigabyte to.... My first MOB manufacturer!


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## Smety (Jan 3, 2011)

I say keep your processor and get a CPU water cooler like the Corsair H50 and bump that up to 4.5GHz 

From what I've seen so far, with the SB processors you can only overclock the turbo settings...


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## entropy13 (Jan 3, 2011)

Ignore Sandy Bridge for now.


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

entropy13 said:


> Ignore Sandy Bridge for now.





Smety said:


> I say keep your processor and get a CPU water cooler like the Corsair H50 and bump that up to 4.5GHz
> 
> From what I've seen so far, with the SB processors you can only overclock the turbo settings...



Thanx Guys that is what I think I would do for now .... As far as the H50.... I haven't changed my Profile.... But I am already real water cooled with a XSPC Kit. But thanx for the suggestion


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## dir_d (Jan 3, 2011)

Go SB sell me p55 lol, actually SB shouldnt be considered if you have that machine wait till Ivy bridge and make the same thread


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

dir_d said:


> Go SB sell me p55 lol, actually SB shouldnt be considered if you have that machine wait till Ivy bridge and make the same thread



I got yah.... The reviews to me out there were just confusing though. The way they are making these CPU's sound is that they are a huge increase over the last gen. So I wasn't sure.

So In that case....With the RAM.... Should I go for straight out speed like a 2100Mhz Kit or should I go for a Moderate speed kit like 1800 mhz but with lower latencies?


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## dir_d (Jan 3, 2011)

These CPUs seem the same as last gen just higher/lower overclocks so far. What i mean by that is you can hit 5ghz on air on a K model but if its not a K model OCing sucks and you are better off with a high level p55 or x58.


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

dir_d said:


> These CPUs seem the same as last gen just higher/lower overclocks so far. What i mean by that is you can hit 5ghz on air on a K model but if its not a K model OCing sucks and you are better off with a high level p55 or x58.



Got yah.... so looking at the selections right now the MOB are already seeming to be getting depleted at new egg. Meaning allot of the high end boards out there are already gone. I hope there is some what a decent selection out there... by this weekend (B-day Weekend Present to me  ) Other wise I might be forced to go SB by default.

Seriously look around..... New Egg/ Tiger Direct are both getting pretty low on Choices.


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## entropy13 (Jan 3, 2011)

Upgrade from those XMS3's and get some new G.Skill Ripjaws. XD


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

Well When Are they releasing or have they already??? Well I found a good supply of P55 Motherboards too at Super Biiz /Ewiz but I have never ordered from there before.

Has any one ordered from there yet? How is their CS?

Update Specs too!


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## Deleted member 74752 (Jan 3, 2011)

_f you don't mind a micro you won't do any better than this... GIGABYTE GA-H55M-UD2H LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI Micr...

On water:





_


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

rickss69 said:


> _f you don't mind a micro you won't do any better than this... GIGABYTE GA-H55M-UD2H LGA 1156 Intel H55 HDMI Micr...
> 
> On water:
> 
> http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq69/rickss69/ScreenHunter_01Oct090720.jpg_


_

Wow holy SHit 4.7Ghz..... it was a little fuzzy..the writing was a little small.... But is that what I saw???

Damn man!

I got to go back to Gigabyte!!!_


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## Deleted member 74752 (Jan 3, 2011)

Yeah, 4.7GHz...truth is just about any Gigabyte board will do that with this platform. You will be building more heat with the i7 but 4.5GHz should not be out of the question.

Here is an Asus mb with my 875 on air...











Got it here last night but it wasnt stable enough for WPrime...


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

rickss69 said:


> Yeah, 4.7GHz...truth is just about any Gigabyte board will do that with this platform. You will be building more heat with the i7 but 4.5GHz should not be out of the question.
> 
> Here is an Asus mb with my 875 on air...
> 
> ...



Alright man i knew I should have stuck with Gigabyte to begin with!!!!

Allot lower clock with the Asus Board For sure... Still a nice clock but way lower!


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## Deleted member 74752 (Jan 3, 2011)

Keep in mind that was with an air cooler on the Asus...it would do better with more cooling. I just never liked Asus bios's.


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

How about something like this????

http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-P55A-U4&title=GIGABYTE-GA-P55A-UD4P-Socket-1156-Intel-P55-CrossFireX-USB3-0-SATA3-0-A-2GbE-ATX-Motherboard

Or this????

http://www.superbiiz.com/detail.php?name=MB-P55UD4P&title=GIGABYTE-GA-P55-UD4P-Socket-1156-Intel-P55-DDR3-CrossFireX-SLI-A-2GbE-ATX-Motherboard

And have you had much experience with High end MSI Boards??? The one I had was awesome.... But because I only had one experience.... I would hardly call it fact yet? Do you have anymore experience?



> Keep in mind that was with an air cooler on the Asus...it would do better with more cooling. I just never liked Asus bios's.



Me either.... Yeah I didn't take into account you were using air Duh!!!


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## Deleted member 74752 (Jan 3, 2011)

MSI for me has been kind of iffy...not bad, but lacks a little when pushing them. Their video cards are great tho!  I have not used the Gigabyte UD4 but I bet they do well. Do a little googling around for bench results on them.


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## 20mmrain (Jan 3, 2011)

Thanks Will do bud... I appreciate all your help bud! One more question.... You have any experience with ram types?

If so Which would you go for when overclocking???? High Speed like 2100 Mhz or Low Latencies???


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## Deleted member 74752 (Jan 3, 2011)

I'm not really ram savvy.   I just swap my GTX Dominator's around to whatever I'm working on atm...7-8-7-20 2000MHz. Not sure they even make these anymore.


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