Like a lot of folks I'm trying to decide to go either i7 or i5. I was 100% sold on i5 but then I started breaking down the pricing and now I'm not so sure. Here's my thinking.
GPU/monitor/psu/case/... - you'll use the same no matter which one you pick so don't figure them in.
mobo: x58 vs p55 = It looks like around +$50 for a x58 with the same features as a p55
cpu: i7-920 vs i5-720 = +$80 for the i7 if you can't get to a B&M for a deal and have to order online otherwise it's a wash.
memory: 3x2GB vs 2x2GB = +$50 for the 1 extra stick
So the i7 vs i5 looks to add up to around a ballpark $180 difference. For that $180 you get 2 things... significant memory bandwidth increase for apps where it matters and a socket that allows a possible upgrade path to the 6cores when they come out.
So if ~$200 is a deal breaker for you then you'll be going the i5 route. If ~$200 is doable for you then the 2GB memory bump + bandwidth + socket upgrade looks like it's worth it to me since it would translate into an additional 1.5 years of use out of the system (for me at least).
thoughts? (All this goes out the window if/when the i7-920 disappears. Anyone know when that's supposed to happen? I may need to buy now and build later.)
GPU/monitor/psu/case/... - you'll use the same no matter which one you pick so don't figure them in.
mobo: x58 vs p55 = It looks like around +$50 for a x58 with the same features as a p55
cpu: i7-920 vs i5-720 = +$80 for the i7 if you can't get to a B&M for a deal and have to order online otherwise it's a wash.
memory: 3x2GB vs 2x2GB = +$50 for the 1 extra stick
So the i7 vs i5 looks to add up to around a ballpark $180 difference. For that $180 you get 2 things... significant memory bandwidth increase for apps where it matters and a socket that allows a possible upgrade path to the 6cores when they come out.
So if ~$200 is a deal breaker for you then you'll be going the i5 route. If ~$200 is doable for you then the 2GB memory bump + bandwidth + socket upgrade looks like it's worth it to me since it would translate into an additional 1.5 years of use out of the system (for me at least).
thoughts? (All this goes out the window if/when the i7-920 disappears. Anyone know when that's supposed to happen? I may need to buy now and build later.)