Quote:
Originally Posted by Heliocon
Uh what? No it doesnt, please post where you saw this. Its alittle misleading, the only way it could beat the 980 is if it was running a limited amount of threads, like say 4 (1 per core) while the 980 has 6 cores but can only use 4 threads and since the quad has a higher native clock it beats it. But the new intel cpu's are a rip off, most have integrated graphics which you have to pay for in the chip cost and are a money waste. Also they are no faster than the previous I7 generation, what they did was change the architecture from 40->32nm which reduces net heat from the CPU and therefore allows a higher stock clock speed. In reality a normal i7 (like a 930/940) can outperform the new range when OC'ed properly. The current new range of intel CPU's are there mid-low range sandy bridge, the high range wont come until end 2011/2012 so until then the 980+ is king (also is 32nm unlike other 1g i7s).
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I got the info from a magazine - Custom PC (UK) that did a fairly extensive test of the Core i5-2500K and the i7-2600K in their current issue.
I don't have the magazine to hand (in work currently), but the gist was that in all but very highly multi-threaded applications the Sandy Bridge processors are on a par or even beating the 980.
For gaming their recommendation was the i5-2500K. For video editing the i7-2600K was better. The i5-2500K was roughly on a par with the 980 in gaming (1fps lower in Crysis in their test, better in some other games).
As for being a "rip-off" they're actually very good value - gaming performance comparable to a 980 for a quarter of the price. (I take your point though that the 980 probably STILL is the ultimate processor for those wanting the maximum flexibility or for dealing with heavily multi-threaded apps, but for practical gaming and general purposes I think the Sandy Bridge are a great deal)
Others can make up their own minds but personally I can settle for a 1 fps difference if I'm saving 600 notes
(By the way the 'K' versions of the new processors are massively overclockable too)
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Edit: 28 Jan
I've read reviews in 2 other magazines since writing the above and they both back up Custom PC's view. In fact, if anything I wasn't forceful enough in my response above. I'll remedy that here - Sandy Bridge is described by Custom PC as "rendering almost every other processor redundant and pointless. The only reason you should look any further than the fastest LGA1155 CPU you can afford is if you use heavily multi-threaded, professional applications..."
The other mags (PCPRo and PC Format [if I remember correctly 
) are making equally enthusiastic noises.