i5-2550K Fail or Win?

[MrWizard]

Im building a new rig and was going to buy a 2500k untill i seen the 2550k. So now im wondering after reading some reviews is this in fact a gimped 2500k with a bumped multiplier

and a clever marketing tactic by intel to get rid of some old chips similar to what AMD did with the Phenom line? Or is this all hogwash. I was thinking with the lack of Quick Sync

that the 2500k is still a better option but maybe im wrong. Can anyone shed some light on the subject for me

*Case Switch 810

*Mobo (TBD) thinking GIGABYTE GA-Z68XP-UD3P

*CPU (TBD) 2500k or 2550k is whats in the budget

*GPU XFX Radeon HD 6870 2GB

*Psu Corsair HX850

*Ram 2x CORSAIR Vengeance 8GB (2 x 4GB)Arctic White

*Cooler H100

 

[SieB]

The 2550k is just a 2500k without the igp, the 2550k also has an extra 100mhz but an extra 100mhz isn't going to be noticeable.

You would get overclocks at lower voltages than a 2500k with a 2550k, but you would still only get the same clocks just at a lower voltage. Same as with the 2600k and 2700k.

As for quicksync, unless you actually do a lot of encoding you aren't going to need it but the 2500k is cheaper than the 2550k and the only advantage really is a lower overall voltage, there is no guarantee that if you get a 2550k that it will be a good overclocker either, so you might end up with a 2550k that is just as good as a 2500k but for more money.

My opinion is the 2550k isn't really worth it and you might as well save some money and get an OEM 2500k instead.

 

[MrWizard]

Wow that was fast. Thanks for the advice. I was thinking along the same lines but it never hurts to have more info from informed sorces. I think the 2500k will be my choice

 

[DiscoDave]

Saving for the 2500K atm. Going to try Intel for a change. Been with AMD for years!!!

 

[MrWizard]

I also have been a fan of AMD for years as you can tell by my current rig in my profile. I built a a Athlon 64 X2 3800+ 939 rig back in 2006 with a EVGA 6800gs that my son still games on today and with a vid card swap from his 6800gs to the 6670 from my HTPC rig he is able to play the Diablo III beta with no issues I was realy hoping for better things from AMD with Bulldozer but i feal like they let me down lol. Now its time for another build and the chance to give intel a shot so i thought the 2500k is the best choice to start with. Also im interested to see for myself first hand the performace difference in overclocking a intel cpu as apposed to amd. I overclocked this 965 BE to 4.3ghz from the stock 3.4 and didnt see what i was expected as far as a peformance jump. Also OC the gpu clock from 850MHz to 900MHz and Memory from 1200MHz - 1250MHz

3DMark Score Graphics Score CPU Score Jane Nash New Calico AI Test Physics Test

10145 3DMarks 9794 11368 30.14 FPS 27.18 FPS 1463 operations/s 17 operations No OC results

10968 3DMarks 10446 12904 32.23 FPS 28.91 FPS 1686 operations/s 19 operations With OC

Somehow i expected more out of it with a 1ghz OC but who knows maybe someone here can tell me but to me it just seems like it didnt do much sept just make more niose and get alot hotter. 30c idle 55c full load to 45c idle 65c full load with the OC. I felt like i was going to blow up my cpu lol. AMD says 62c max for a 965 but i have seen TTL push a bulldozer over 70c and no sparks or fire lol

 

[Lexxikonn]

Sieb is a machine of computing knowledge, treat his word as gospel. He has no sense of time or being, just computing information.

 

[MaXiMiZe]

Saving for the 2500K atm. Going to try Intel for a change. Been with AMD for years!!!

Won't regret that one bit

 

[MaXiMiZe]

Sieb is a machine of computing knowledge, treat his word as gospel. He has no sense of time or being, just computing information.

Lol well said