XPS 730 or XPS 730X

W

WabeWalker

Supreme [H]ardness
Joined
Sep 3, 2007
Messages
4,508
Hi, I've been given an offer through work: if in the next 3 months I buy a new computer from Dell Canada, then my employer will pick up half the cost.

I'm looking at the XPS 730, with a Q6600 (GTX 280, 4GB ram) = $2,200 canadian.

Or the XPS 730X, with the i7-920 (GTX 280, 3GB tri-channel DDR 3) = $2,850 canadian.

My question, really, is this: I have a limited technical ability (I can swap out the gpu and add more ram to a system) but with this 730X system from Dell would I be able to swap out the CPU, say, two or three years from now?

I only buy a new gaming system once every four years, so this machine has got to go the distance. I've got one eye on upgrading the system already. (18 months from now I would probably add an extra GTX 280 when those cards start to fall in price).

All I know is that my previous system, which I loved (a Dell Dimension 3GHZ P4), was virtually un-upgradable, other than the ram and the GPU (and even then I ran into troubles because the dimension only had a 350 watt power supply).

Does anybody know anything about this system - is it even possible to upgrade the CPU? How difficult would it be?

We're talking about a difference of $650 here (significant), and I'm guessing that at least initially I'm not going to see any difference at all in gaming performance (except that Far Cry 2 will actually run slower on the i7 machine!). But what about the future? It seems to me that the Q6600 platform has reached the end of its cycle, whereas the i7 is only just beginning.

Any thoughts or ideas would be extremely helpful - so thanks.
 
Whoa! i'd say swap out the mobo on the 920 system...i think they'll give you the intel smackover board as default.

then overclock that thing and it will future proof you for those 4 years or more
the current i7 processors out now are enthusiast level, i'm sure it will last you- so you wont have to swap out cpu etc.

on top of that... the nextgen of intel processors will be on a different socket anyways meaning new cpu won't fit

don't fret too much about farcry 2 :p

edit: well those prices aren't cut in half yet, so the difference is less?
 
Suprfire said:
Whoa! i'd say swap out the mobo on the 920 system...i think they'll give you the intel smackover board as default.

then overclock that thing and it will future proof you for those 4 years or more
the current i7 processors out now are enthusiast level, i'm sure it will last you- so you wont have to swap out cpu etc.

on top of that... the nextgen of intel processors will be on a different socket anyways meaning new cpu won't fit

don't fret too much about farcry 2 :p

edit: well those prices aren't cut in half yet, so the difference is less?
Click to expand...

Doh!

You're right, the difference is less!

I'm a copy editor, so I can't do basic math! God that is frickin' embarrassing. Oh well, at least there weren't too many grammatical errors in my post.

So you're saying the i7 is the way to go. Spend the extra cash? EDIT: Also, what do you mean that the next generation of CPU will be on a different socket? Isn't the i7 already the next generation? I also don't like the idea of buying a new computer and, as you say, swapping out the mobo - I want a system that's going to run, right out of the box. I'm not sure why I would even want to do that? Shouldn't the XPS 730X at $2,8000 Canadian be adequate for gaming already?
 
yeah its adequate, but you can soooo push it more, its like (heard this from somewhere) buying a Ferrari and never going over 60mph.

the die shrink after core i7, to..uh... 32nm will be a difference socket, so it wont fit on the current motherboard :p

when you swap out the mobo (takes a half an hour)...it will run out of the box

if you think the performance is good out of the box, then great, but a few years down the road, you're going to want another upgrade maybe- that's where you can overclock :D

also, im skeptical on 2.66ghz paired with that 280, im sure it wont affect it too much, but you want the full ability of the 280 to come out
after you buy the system+mobo, just read up on some articles about overclocking because it's not like you have to do it here and now; you'll eventually find out how
 
Suprfire said:
yeah its adequate, but you can soooo push it more, its like (heard this from somewhere) buying a Ferrari and never going over 60mph.

the die shrink after core i7, to..uh... 32nm will be a difference socket, so it wont fit on the current motherboard :p

when you swap out the mobo (takes a half an hour)...it will run out of the box

if you think the performance is good out of the box, then great, but a few years down the road, you're going to want another upgrade maybe- that's where you can overclock :D

also, im skeptical on 2.66ghz paired with that 280, im sure it wont affect it too much, but you want the full ability of the 280 to come out
after you buy the system+mobo, just read up on some articles about overclocking because it's not like you have to do it here and now; you'll eventually find out how
Click to expand...


K im not 100% on this but socket 1366 will be around for a while (high end). socket 1160 (something like that) is intels low end socket.
so please stop telling people that socket 1366 is going to die in a few months that don't make sense.


To awnser the op's question. Go for the i7 system is money is no problem
 
Sirk1000 said:
K im not 100% on this but socket 1366 will be around for a while (high end). socket 1160 (something like that) is intels low end socket.
so please stop telling poeple that socket 1366 is going to die in a few months that don't make sence.


To awnser the op's question. Go for the i7 system is money is no problem
Click to expand...


Who said months?!?! OP said 2-3 years for his system to last.

so tell your own "poeple" and make "sence" :rolleyes:

One last thing for OP

Q6600 is like 2 year old technology
quads have been upgraded twice to Core i7

Q6600(65nm) -> Q94xx (45nm)-> i7 920 (architecture change)

so essentially you're buying in reverse :p
not that the q6600 is bad or anything.

ps. i believe Firefox 3.0 has a built-in spell check.
 
your saying i7 socket will be changing when they shrink it down to 32nm.
And what im saying is your wrong and it wont be changing for a while.


ps.Don't give a flying fuck.
 
Guys, guys, come on, don't do this - I appreciate all of your input. Thanks.

Also, in Canada, the XPS 730 still is available - but maybe early next year, when I'm going to buy this thing, it won't be.

Anyhow, it seems that this i7 thing is probably the way to go, yeah? I read somewhere that right now the Q6600 provides the best value for your dollar - but I am trying to get 4 years out of this system (I was able to get 4 years out of my old 3GHZ P4, which is still on my desk, even as I write this, so it is possible).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top