920 v 975

tomkat2009 · 29 Aug 2009 at 20:09

The eternal question.

Would you get a i7 920 and overclock it or get a extreme i7 975 unclocked?

Im thinking of the later, simply because Im so weary about OC'ing such an expensive item and just want "the best".

Yes there is that argument of you wont be utilising the power for games etc (what I use it for anyway), but I like the knowledge in knowing the power is there, and its a damn good chip rather than a bog standard one like the 920 seems to be.

Anyone elses views?

My dream spec at the mo seems to be:

zalman 1000w psu
i7 extreme
asus p6t mobo
2ghz ram (12gb)
ssd
4870x2 cooled with accelero in crossfire (essential 2 cards, 4gb ddr5)
antec p193 case
corsair h50 water cooler for cpu
blu-ray rw

course, this is still a dream

J86 · 29 Aug 2009 at 20:18

920 overclocked.

madindehead · 29 Aug 2009 at 20:19

Well, to be honest, I don't see the point of buying a 975. If you really have an extra £500 or so to spend, then sure. If you really don't mind spending it. But you could spend it on something much better. Like another graphics card. Or a nice big monitor.

Really, the i7 is designed to be overclocked. Just about everyone can hit 4GHz on air with a 920. You might as well buy one of those mate.

JonJ678 · 29 Aug 2009 at 20:22

I'm fairly sure you cant have 2000mhz ram without overclocking the processor. I'm also pretty sure you cant have 12gb of it either way, the board wont run that. Get 1600 mhz like everyone else or buy the 2000 and run it at 1600 anyway.

Even if overclocking both I'd want the 920. Only really interested in the x20 multiplier. The 975 is 'the most expensive' not 'the best', especially when any of the hundreds of 4ghz 920s wipe the floor with it out of the box.

Randomface74 · 29 Aug 2009 at 20:40

I'm using an old E6300 atm, dual 1.8 cores - and it's fine.

So I'd get a 920 and not overclock it at all.

madindehead · 29 Aug 2009 at 21:04

Well, there is a selection of 2000MHz RAM here: http://www.overclockers.co.uk/productlist.php?&groupid=701&catid=8&subid=1392&sortby=priceAsc

But still. Buy a 920 and overclock it. Use the change to buy something else.

tomkat2009 · 29 Aug 2009 at 21:58

thats the ram I was thinking of getting.
As far as temps go, how would the 920 fair at 4.2ghz with the corsair h50, and is it easy to roll back after overclocking to the original settings if its too hot etc?

nbkpsycho · 29 Aug 2009 at 22:03

920 overclocked :cool:

anti5580 · 29 Aug 2009 at 22:13

I was tempted to buy the 975 but once I noticed how well these 920 D0 overclocks and the money I would be saving I went for the 920 instead.

tomkat2009 · 29 Aug 2009 at 22:55

so do you specifically have to look for this "D0" or is is on all 920's?

Sniper Ash6 · 29 Aug 2009 at 23:18

tomkat2009 said:
so do you specifically have to look for this "D0" or is is on all 920's?

Unless practically no stock has been shifted since launch then they will all be the D0 stepping

oggiet · 29 Aug 2009 at 23:46

920 D0, had a 940 .... waste of money

DavyBoy · 29 Aug 2009 at 23:54

920 for sure..

I really don't see the point in spending £738 on a processor, you could have a nice Phenom II rig for that kinda money!

::edit::

rather than a bog standard one like the 920 seems to be.

LoL @ This!!

920 isn't a bog standard chip imo, most people are running at least 50% overclocks on their 920's, while others are pushing them even further...

Also, I would be using a better board than the Asus P6T if I were going to buy an EE i7 chip..

Jonny Wright · 30 Aug 2009 at 00:12

DavyBoy said:
920 for sure..

Also, I would be using a better board than the Asus P6T if I were going to buy an EE i7 chip..

Exactly classified or supercomputer.

Just get a 920 and take the other 500 and put it towards a holiday or something.

JonJ678 · 30 Aug 2009 at 01:37

I'm aware that 2000mhz ram is available for purchase. This requires a multiplier of x15 at stock speeds which I do not believe exists. Therefore a stock speed 975 and 2ghz ram will mean underclocking the ram to speeds far cheaper ram runs at.

The difference between the 920 D0 and the 975 is multiplier. The 920 has one of 20+1, the 975 has whatever you like. The difference in achieved overclocks on water tends to be a couple of hundred mhz, I believe they perform identically on air. Even suggesting overclocked 920 vs stock speed 975 is borderline trolling.

tomkat2009 · 30 Aug 2009 at 08:00

would that ram that was referred too be ok with the 920 and asus p6t?

Sayso · 30 Aug 2009 at 16:31

meet in the middle and get a 950

reflux · 30 Aug 2009 at 16:33

I can't get my 2000mhz OCZ rams to run at 2ghz, well 1900mhz at all. I don't think the board supports really fast memory.

setter · 30 Aug 2009 at 16:46

i7 920, ive opted for this and the asus p6t dlx v2, theese intel extreme chips cost far to much imho.

kitfit1 · 30 Aug 2009 at 17:04

A 920 should be the cpu of choice if you are running under air or even water cooling.
If however you are running under phase, then a 975 is the better choice by a long long way.

Just to clear up a myth that seems to go around as well. Running ram at 2000mhz is very easy with a 975, for the simple reason that you can set the ram divider to 2000mhz and just use the multi's to get your desired clock. The reason that it's hit and miss with a 920 is because to get to 2000mhz you have to be running a BCLK very near to the limit of the QPI link (4000mhz). With the 975, you only need to be running a BCLK of 133 to run the ram at 2000mhz.