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i7 4960X review

Then I'll upgrade at the time and not now when it's silly expensive for hardly any gain.

It doesn't really make any sense going for an X79 hex core unless you'll actually make use of the 6 cores giving a significant difference in performance from the off.
 
If the 4930 was at a similar price point to the i7-920, I think this would be pretty compelling. However, it's nearly double.

These chips really should not be anything like as expensive as they are, given that they're now much smaller native 6 core chips on a smaller process. They should cost a fraction of the 3930/60/70 to produce.

But of course it's mainly down to the price of the 4770 being so massively (over) inflated, so unless that is addressed then there'll likely be little downward movement.

With mainstream Haswell only being refreshed in 2014 and not replaced, hopefully we'll see some rebalancing of prices when Haswell-E launches.

Though I fear this will only happen if AMD launches big Steamroller / Excavator chips, and this is up in the air. We only know for sure that there'll be 'small' APUs.
 
It doesn't really make any sense going for an X79 hex core unless you'll actually make use of the 6 cores giving a significant difference in performance from the off.

Exactly that's what I mean, I'll upgrade when I feel I there's a need for it. While some here do probably need X79 for various tasks I think some have bought them under the impression you'll get better gaming performance as well.
 
The grammar and writing on that review is shocking. I really don't like Overclock3D, find them very unfriendly :/

But on topic: Ivy-E is very underwhelming. I will save my cash for Haswell-E :D

To be fair, what was Intel's last chip that wasn't underwhelming? I'd say Sandybridge. IvyBridge wasn't a massive leap ahead of Sandybridge and probably clocked a little worse on average, why was anyone expecting IB-E to be so different?
I remember when Haswell came out and a review showed that a 4770K with a pretty high overclock could match a 3960X at stock almost 2 years after it was released. Haswell is not impressive either compared to SB and IB.
SB and SB-E were a decent step up from the gen 1 chips, but since then the 3rd and 4th gen chips have been underwhelming and not really worth the upgrade for people with Gen2 chips.
Like many I can't help but wonder if this would have been different if AMD had chips that were competitive at this end of the market.

Exactly that's what I mean, I'll upgrade when I feel I there's a need for it. While some here do probably need X79 for various tasks I think some have bought them under the impression you'll get better gaming performance as well.

Of course it doesn't make much sense to buy IvyBridge/Haswell now and then upgrade to IB-E in the future as it's probably false economy. So if you're upgrading now IB-E might make sense and if you're not upgrading now then IB-E might be one to go for in the future?
 
why was anyone expecting IB-E to be so different?

For me the fact it retained a soldered lid, was a die shrink and retained the high 130w TDP all pointed to IB-E being a bit more of a beast then it is.

Regular Ivy went to TIM lid, took a die shrink and reduced TDP along with it.

I and many others expected a fair bit more then appears to have been delivered.

If you want a 6 core unlocked Intel chip, go sniff out a used 3930K and save a few hundred quid is my advise.
 
For me the fact it retained a soldered lid, was a die shrink and retained the high 130w TDP all pointed to IB-E being a bit more of a beast then it is.

Regular Ivy went to TIM lid, took a die shrink and reduced TDP along with it.

I and many others expected a fair bit more then appears to have been delivered.

If you want a 6 core unlocked Intel chip, go sniff out a used 3930K and save a few hundred quid is my advise.

Fair points. That said if Intel had known the 4960X was going to be able to hit 5GHz quite easily (or at least easier than SB-E) surely they wouldn't have needed to knacker Haswell with the TIM under the IHS?
 
I don't know the logistics behind the whole TIM thing (I wish I did!) but the only rational explanation is that solder could have adverse effects on the iGPU, which IMO shouldn't even be on an 'unlocked' chip that commands a premium.

Personally I think Intel are just mucking up only having them selves to compete with, trying to manipulate sales to certain areas at higher price points then would usually be required.

As many have said, we really need AMD to come up with something that can at least clock for clock match SandyBridge to even the playing field and force better competition. You only have to look at graphics cards to see what healthy competition can do to performance, in the space of 2 years performance has more then doubled!
 
As many have said, we really need AMD to come up with something that can at least clock for clock match SandyBridge to even the playing field and force better competition. You only have to look at graphics cards to see what healthy competition can do to performance, in the space of 2 years performance has more then doubled!


Exactly! part of the reason intel are commanding a premium is that they know AMD is no competition in terms of performance right now, just like Titan is.

If AMD come up with a real challenge to intels line up then its benefits the consumers massively!
 
They did indeed, but we don't know exactly what changes were made between HD3000 & HD4000 IGPU's that could warrant the sensitivity to solder - if that was indeed the case.

As said though, I genuinely believe anyone buying a 'K' series chip has absolutely zero intentions of skimping out on a dedicated GPU, seeing the IGPU as a viable alternative - Something perhaps Intel should take a long look at before taking Broadwell to fabrication.
 
I picked the right time to get a 4770k me thinks ;)
wished though that there would be a faster cpu for the z87 chipsets with better thermals :/ these 4770ks are unlocked but are HOT lol :D
 
For me the fact it retained a soldered lid, was a die shrink and retained the high 130w TDP all pointed to IB-E being a bit more of a beast then it is.

Not trying to be rude, but what exactly pointed to a soldered IB-E being better than a naked IB? The difference between SB-E to IB-E couldn't practically be any better than SB-naked IB just like the jump from IB-E to Haswell-E cannot be any better than IB-Haswell (or naked IB to naked Haswell).


It doesn't really make any sense going for an X79 hex core unless you'll actually make use of the 6 cores giving a significant difference in performance from the off.

A valid point, but then so was "no point wasting money on a C2Q when a C2D is just as good" (for ref in case people don't understand that the C2Q's proved to greatly outlast the C2D's).
 
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