What features you lose when using Sandy Bridge processor on Z77 motherboard?

[sunnydurian]

Currently I have a new MSI Z77A-GD65 motherboard. After reading some reviews of the Ivy Bridge processor, it seems that there are not much CPU performance improvement over the Sandy Bridge processor. Given the good price on both i5-2500k and i7-2600k at the moment, I am in the process of making the decision which chip to go for.

What features will you lose when using a Sandy Bridge processor on Z77 motherboard?

PCI-Express 3.0

Native USB 3.0

Lucid Virtu MVP (Hyperformance and Virtual Vysnc) - Poorer performance due to Sandy Bridge using Intel HD Graphics 3000

Intel HD Graphics 4000

Intel Quick Sync Video

A comparison of i5-3570K vs i5-2500K http://ark.intel.com...are/52210,65520 and i7-3770K vs i7-2700K http://ark.intel.com...are/61275,65523

 

[AndyMosh]

PCI-E 3.0, HD 4000 and Virtu MVP I think. Might as well wait and get IB imo.

 

[magicc8ball]

Memory controller that will handle up 2667 but that also depends on the cpu.

 

[Master&Puppet]

PCI-Express 3.0

You will loose this because the SB only has a pcie2 controller. This will only matter if you have 2 pcie3 cards and even then the fps drop will be 15% or less.

Native USB 3.0

The controller for this is motherboard based thus why you get it on p67s etc.

Lucid Virtu MVP (Hyperformance and Virtual Vysnc)

This is mobo software so it will work with an SB chip but it won't work as well because of the next point.

Intel HD Graphics 4000

SB only has HD 3000 which is quite significantly poorer.

Bear in mind that the way lucid works is to combine the power of your gpu with your integrated graphics and deliver it through the mobo output. If you have the poorer integrated graphics then Lucid will not work as effectively (when it works at all).

 

[BKCXb]

would Z77 boards even have USB 3.0??? Sandy bridge chips needed a USB 3.0 controller added to the motherboard, with IB having it built into the CPU the z77 motherboards don't need a USB 3.0 controller.

would you be locked down to USB 2.0 or do z77 boards have a USB 3.0 controller built in anyway?

 

[DoctorZ]

usb 3,0 is build in the chip set itself not in the processor

 

[sunnydurian]

would Z77 boards even have USB 3.0??? Sandy bridge chips needed a USB 3.0 controller added to the motherboard, with IB having it built into the CPU the z77 motherboards don't need a USB 3.0 controller.

would you be locked down to USB 2.0 or do z77 boards have a USB 3.0 controller built in anyway?

Yes some Z77 motherboard has added extra USB 3.0 controller from third party such as VIA / Asmedia.