Most threads in a desktop cpu?

C

choppedliver

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jan 3, 2005
Messages
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I don't keep up with this stuff nearly as much as I used to... I am wanting to build a rig soon though with at least 4cores/8threads... was wondering what the most number of cores/threads in a DESKTOP cpu is right now and within say the next 6 months? I can't afford a server cpu/mobo. I like to run virtual machines and I like to encode x264 mainly. I don't do a lot of gaming.
 
6c/12t but they cost as much as lower to mid-range server parts. Look up Intel Sandy Bridge-E socket LGA2011 for X79 chipset. The i7-3930K and 3960X are the current top of the line. They came out a little under a year ago and a refresh, Ivy Bridge-E on 22nm, is rumored to release in the next few months (but there are also rumors of it being cancelled).

If the $500 to $1000 price range is too high, you can drop down to the previous consumer enthusiast line with 6c/12t. For those, look up Gulftown socket LGA1366 for X58 chipset. The i7-970,980,980X, 990X should be available in the $400-$900 range.

If you want affordable, the new AMD Vishera CPU's that just launched have great value for highly multi-threaded applications. There is a pretty good review on the front page of Anandtech about them. Power consumption is relatively high though, especially when overclocked.
 
Awesome info, Thanks. I hadn't even thought about AMD since bulldozer ( I think ) was such a disappointment. I figured at some point lower performance per thread would diminish the importance of having numerous threads.

My current cpu is a 4 core 4 thread q6600 "core 2" so Im not even in the "iFamily". Wondering how much jump I would get out of going to a 4/8 in perhaps the i5 family to save money, or would should I just go ahead and hold out for something in the current/soon to be released i7n family
 
rastaban said:
6c/12t but they cost as much as lower to mid-range server parts. Look up Intel Sandy Bridge-E socket LGA2011 for X79 chipset. The i7-3930K and 3960X are the current top of the line. They came out a little under a year ago and a refresh, Ivy Bridge-E on 22nm, is rumored to release in the next few months (but there are also rumors of it being cancelled).
Click to expand...

IB-E isn't scheduled for release until Q3 2013.

choppedliver said:
My current cpu is a 4 core 4 thread q6600 "core 2" so Im not even in the "iFamily". Wondering how much jump I would get out of going to a 4/8 in perhaps the i5 family to save money, or would should I just go ahead and hold out for something in the current/soon to be released i7n family
Click to expand...

No i5's are 4c/8t, you have to go i7 for that.
 
ahh.. well there goes that idea... I guess if were talking a year down the road I better be looking in the current i7 catalog
 
ND40oz said:
IB-E isn't scheduled for release until Q3 2013.
Click to expand...
Interesting, I didn't see the news on that (just looked it up). Looks like Intel is finally going 8 (maybe 10?) core in the desktop lineup.

choppedliver said:
ahh.. well there goes that idea... I guess if were talking a year down the road I better be looking in the current i7 catalog
Click to expand...

That gives you the mainstream Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge i7's as viable 4c/8t options (socket LGA1155, you can look up the chipset configurations on Wiki). The hyperthreading does come in handy for parallel workloads like transcoding.

Ivy choices: i7-3770K (overclockable), 3770, 3770S (low TDP, may throttle)
Sandy choices: i7-2700K (overclockable), 2600K (overclockable), 2600, 2600S (low TDP, may throttle)

Expect to pay a maximum of $330 for the 3770K
 
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