Intel Core i7: 930 vs 870 vs 860

S

Skitsofrenic

New Member
I used to think the ones with higher number was better but I don't know much about CPUs.. so here I am to ask the professionals!

I picked 930, 870, and 860 because those 3 are priced close to each other.

- Which one of those 3 comes out on top?
- If they are all priced exactly the same, which one would you take home?
- What are the Pros and Cons of each CPUs listed?
- Are those 3 cores used for different purposes or are they the same except for the speed?
 
joh06937 said:
he means that would be a "con" and not a "pro."
Click to expand...

Haha I see.. Can anyone explain why 930 would result in a more expensive build than 860/870?

Also, tech savvy recommended that I go with 950 than 930. Would paying $50 more for a 950 be worth it? In what ways is the 950 better than 930?
 
950 isnt worth $50 more than a 930, only thing that is different is a slightly higher clockspeed. I'm assuming your looking at microcenter, as the 950 is about $50 more there than the 930($249 and $199 respectively).

The 930 would be more expensive than a 1156 based system, as 1366 motherboards are more expensive, and it costs more to buy three DIMMs of memory vs two dimms of memory.
 
bomberboysk said:
950 isnt worth $50 more than a 930, only thing that is different is a slightly higher clockspeed. I'm assuming your looking at microcenter, as the 950 is about $50 more there than the 930($249 and $199 respectively).

The 930 would be more expensive than a 1156 based system, as 1366 motherboards are more expensive, and it costs more to buy three DIMMs of memory vs two dimms of memory.
Click to expand...

Yep, I was looking at microcenter as they have sweet deals on CPUs right now.

So 860/870 uses the 1156 and 930 uses the 1366? Are 1156 and 1366 both Motherboards? If so, regardless of the price.. which one is better?

And about 930 requiring 3 memory doesn't bother me as I can just get a decent 3x 2Gbyte memory deal.
 
1366/ 1156 is the socket type

860/870 => LGA 1156 => H55/H57/P55 chipset. Mobo $80 - 180 (depends on what you need)
Support RAM dual channel, most ppl would get 2 x2GB RAM

930/ 950 => LGA 1366 => X58 chipset. Mobo $190 - 300 (depends on what you need).
RAM support triple channel. Most ppl get 3 x 2GB RAM

X58 platform is the better one. Are you going to SLi or Crossfire?
 
daisymtc said:
1366/ 1156 is the socket type

860/870 => LGA 1156 => H55/H57/P55 chipset. Mobo $80 - 180 (depends on what you need)
Support RAM dual channel, most ppl would get 2 x2GB RAM

930/ 950 => LGA 1366 => X58 chipset. Mobo $190 - 300 (depends on what you need).
RAM support triple channel. Most ppl get 3 x 2GB RAM

X58 platform is the better one. Are you going to SLi or Crossfire?
Click to expand...

Nope, don't think I'll go sli/cross just yet. Maybe when I get some more cash to spend, I could go with an upgrade.

Even if I wasn't going sli/cross, would the 1366 build still be better with an extra ram?

Just comparing the 930, 870, and 860, which one of the 3 is a superior cpu?
 
I think that the 870 is a bit faster than the 930, but if you can afford triple channel memory (three dimms) then you should get a bit more speed with the 930, since it uses the X58/LGA1366 platform. Honestly, I think the difference is negligible. You can get the 870 or the 930, depending on which motherboard & RAM you want to get. A setup with the 870 should also turn out around $200 cheaper.

Just another note: the 930 should offer more upgradability, since you can buy hexa-cores for socket 1366. Still, I don't think it makes much of a difference since in a few years you should be able to buy one of Intel's next-generation CPUs with a new motherboard that's cheaper and just as fast as the 980x.
 
Last edited:
spynoodle said:
I think that the 870 is a bit faster than the 930, but if you can afford triple channel memory (three dimms) then you should get a bit more speed with the 930, since it uses the X58/LGA1366 platform. Honestly, I think the difference is negligible. You can get the 870 or the 930, depending on which motherboard & RAM you want to get. A setup with the 870 should also turn out around $200 cheaper.

Just another note: the 930 should offer more upgradability, since you can buy hexa-cores for socket 1366. Still, I don't think it makes much of a difference since in a few years you should be able to buy one of Intel's next-generation CPUs with a new motherboard that's cheaper and just as fast as the 980x.
Click to expand...

Awesome reply, thanks!
 
Yea as far as upgradability goes the 930 wins without a doubt. They are replacing the 1156 socket with 1155... Not sure why but as far as i know 1366 isnt going anywhere
 
spynoodle said:
No problem. :o If it were me, I'd probably go with the 870 for experimental reasons. Since it uses Socket LGA1156, I could put in one of the dual-core i3s for some fun overclocking. :good:
Click to expand...

Eh, if you drop down to 1156 your number of PCIE lanes is cut in half, you drop from Triple Channel memory down to Dual Channel Memory, etc.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top