Intel Core i7 2600k = World's fastest CPU

[akshayt]

Core i7-990X Extreme Edition vs. Core i7-2600K. Page 9 - X-bit labs

Comparison with 990X 6 core Oced and at stock!

@STOCK

GENERAL PERFORMANCE
2600k is about 7-8% or so faster
ELearning 2600k is about 10% faster
Video Creation, about equal, but 2600k is faster
Excel, 2600k is about 10% faster
3D, 2600k is about 7-8% faster

GAMING PERFORMANCE
FarCry2, 2600k about 10% faster
StarCraft2, SB about 10% faster
F1 2010, SB about 7% faster
Mafia II, SB about 5% faster
Metro 2033, SB about 15% faster
Civilization V, about equal but 2600k is faster

ARCHIVING & ENCRYPTION & AUDIO PROCESSING
SB Wins = Photoshop, iTunes, Sonar X1 Producer
990X Wins = TrueCrypt(Noticed-This is irrelevant ), Lightroom 3(just 7-8% faster or so),
About Equal = Winrar

VIDEO TRANSCODING & FINAL RENDERING
990X Wins = X264, Adobe Premier, CINEBENCH, 3Ds Max(about 10% in 3DS MAX)
ALL WON HERE BY 990X


@OC

GENERAL PERFORMANCE
2600k is about 11-14% or so faster

GAMING PERFORMANCE
FarCry2, 2600k about 10% faster
StarCraft2, SB about 15% faster
F1 2010, SB up to 15 % faster
Mafia II, SB about 3-4% faster
Metro 2033, SB about 15-20% faster
Civilization V, about 5% faster

ARCHIVING & ENCRYPTION & AUDIO PROCESSING
SB Wins = Photoshop, iTunes, Sonar X1 Producer, WinRAR,
990X Wins = TrueCrypt(Noticed-This is irrelevant ), Lightroom 3


VIDEO TRANSCODING & FINAL RENDERING
990X Wins = X264, Adobe Premier, CINEBENCH, 3Ds Max(about 10% in 3DS MAX)
ALL WON HERE BY 990X

100% LOAD POWER CONSUMPTION
@ STOCK
SB 114 watts
990X 191 watts

@ OC @ 4.7 or so
SB 190 wattx
990X 267 watts


CONCLUSION

For gaming, general performance, audio/encryption work including photoshop and any other thing any enthusiast would do, Core i7 SB 2600k is better at stock as well as overclocked, however, as of now the difference won't be noticeable and perhaps not very significant in the future as well.

For 3D work or for highly multithreaded work like rendering etc, 990X doesn't deserve the premium it commands, however, it is no doubt the best. However, most of us are satisfied with Flash/Photoshop/Audio/Gaming/WinRAR etc and will prefer a 2600k at stock or even OC irrespective of the price.

However, for 3D/rendering, 990X is the way provided that is your profession and budget is no bar.

VERDICT

VFM CPU Year 2010 Q4 - 2011 Q2 IS 2500k
CPU Man of the Year IS 2600k
CPU Gaming PC of the Year IS 2600k



Yo!

 

[vickybat]

^^ Nice find buddy. Just imagine how powerful sandybridge-E socket 2011 will be. And then there is Ivybridge. Intel is playing ace after ace.

 

[akshayt]

Ivy Bridge is supposed to be about 20% faster than Sandybridge, that is all.

Also, Sandy Bridge E AFAIK will be the enthusiast range that will retail around 25-65k or so and probably perform just 10-20% faster than the current crop, best case scenario that is.

Anybody who has a Core i5 2500k today can relax for at least another 9-12 months before he upgrades his CPU, and if he is lucky, an OCed 2500k just may last till 2012 end/2013 mid

 

[vickybat]

^^ How about the ivybridge replacement of sandybridge-e? Socket 2011 will also get a die-shrink.

I say socket 2011 will be more than 30% powerful than the fastest 1155 processor currently. Intel themselves said that these were entry level cpu's.

Imagine a six or eight core sandybridge-e or ivybridge for socket 2011 or whatever the name may be.

 

[akshayt]

I am talking of speed at the same clock. The eight core Ivy Bridge will be faster of course.

Sure, 1 year down it will be time to upgrade to 8 cores.

But Sandy Bridge E will be meant as a 990X replacement and not 2600k replacement AFAIK as it gonna cost at least 30-50k or so!

 

[vickybat]

^^ Yes and the platform will be x79. Do you think bulldozer has a chance?

 

[akshayt]

From what I have read, BD may come close to Core i7 9xx/8xx series, at best near SB levels. But compared to Ivy Bridge it barely stands a chance