Xeon E1230v2 vs Core i5/7 series

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jbltecnicspro

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Hey all, I remember reading something similar on this site, but for some reason I can't find it. I'm currently running a Core i3, and while it's just fine for my uses, I want to have a bit more of a future-proofed system that's fit for both programming and gaming. I was looking at upping my processor to a Core i5, but then I saw the Xeon E1230v2; and I remembered that some people have used them instead of a Core i processor. Should I consider getting one instead? I have confirmed that my motherboard (an intel board that does NOT overclock) is compatible with the Xeon, so I know that it will work. My price range is around $220ish, but I'd be willing to up it by $10 if an E1230 is a good processor. What do you all think?

EDIT: My understanding is that the E1230 is comparable to an i7 that doesn't overclock, and is much cheaper. So to me, it seems like a no-brainer, unless there's something I'm not aware of (which is where you guys will come in) :) Thanks!
 
Well if you are not interested in overclocking or the ivy bridge version xeons, then this should be a fine chip for your needs. Also, it may require a server grade motherboard, although I've seen people get by with regular z68 boards .
 
I would recommend a 2500k or 3570k...as xeons are used for more rendering and server type stuff...

which motherboard do you have at the moment?
 
Oh you are right, that v2 is the Ivy Bridge version. It also does not have onboard video like the i7 3770 series. Anyway, it still is a solid choice.
 
If your mobo supports it then it's a great choice since you're not overclocking and you don't need onboard graphics (I'm assuming you have a dedicated GPU since you mentioned gaming). In your situation it's basically an i7 3770 but much cheaper.
 
I'm running an Intel Xeon E3 processor on my MSI Z77 board and am very pleased with it. I'm also not bothered by overclocking these days so the Xeon E3 was a good choice for me. This rig has great performance, is silent and idle power consumption is about 44W.:)
 
Xeons are not more future proof. They exist because they are guaranteed to support virtualization features, ecc memory, and other features like remote management that only enterprise motherboards are guaranteed to have. What you get when you combine hardware that wasnt tested to work together is unpredictable.
 
bAMtan2 said:
Xeons are not more future proof. They exist because they are guaranteed to support virtualization features, ecc memory, and other features like remote management that only enterprise motherboards are guaranteed to have. What you get when you combine hardware that wasnt tested to work together is unpredictable.
Click to expand...

Meh, with 1155 E3 chips, they seem to usually work in desktop boards, I've not heard reports of Xeons not working in Z68/77 boards due to incompatibility. Plugging the chips into Z68 or Z77 boards all you risk losing is ECC memory support...which if you're gaming and programming you're probably not concerned about anyway.

I'm a happy consumer with an e3-1230 in my M4Gene-Z/Gen3.0 OTOH I got my board and chip for the cost of the board.
 
bAMtan2 said:
Xeons are not more future proof. They exist because they are guaranteed to support virtualization features, ecc memory, and other features like remote management that only enterprise motherboards are guaranteed to have. What you get when you combine hardware that wasnt tested to work together is unpredictable.
Click to expand...

I should have clarified when I meant that my motherboard is compatible. Intel actually lists it as being compatible with the Xeon E3 series. So it will definitely work, no question. As for future-proof, I simply meant all the processing power that it possesses will allow me to keep this computer well into the years. I mean, before my i3, I was using an old Pentium 4 Northwood. And even that - on the most basic level and using Windows XP - was still very doable in terms of programming work for school. I'll move my i3 into another computer and build a cheap HTPC off of that.
 
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