Should I Go With An i5-4690K or Get the E3 Xeon 1231/41 v3?

[MeesterJackson]

Guys the original topic has been settled, the Xeon was the one I was going to pick, but now it has changed to discussing about if I should go with a 4790k or a 5820k. There are drawbacks to both systems so the 5820k doesn't immediately win just because of better performance. If you're interested in the newer discussion, just PM me about it so this post doesn't continue to pop at the top of the list in the thread and confuse people. Thank you. 

 

Ok, so this has been bugging me for awhile. 

 

To start things off immediately, this is a very important decision because this CPU will be with me from the middle of October this year, until Fall of 2015 (because that's when I'll have more spending money and knowing Intel's track record, Broadwell will release probably in Spring/Summer of 2015) until I pick up the new i7 chip. 

 

I am going to be gaming, recording, editing, and rendering videos, editing photos in Photoshop, anddd once and awhile probably livestream in HD here and there. 

 

The Xeon isn't OC'able, but has hyper threading and has shown that it at MOST loses like 8ish frames (and that's only in some) games compared to the i5. The i5 overall does better in games, the minimum frames per second are slightly better than the Xeon's as well, but it doesn't have HT which is a decent hit in workstation usage. The Xeon is A LOT cheaper than the i7 and is only about 20-40ish dollars more (depending on the model) than the i5. 

 

In short, the Xeon is an i7 that performs a tad worse in games and can't be OC'd, but it has HT which makes it better in workstation use even if the i5 is OC'd by a bit. 

 

(If you're wondering where I'm getting some of this info from, here's a YouTube video comparing a Xeon and i5 from the last gen of Intel CPU's):

 

Ze Link: 

 

 

So what do you guys think I should get? 

[Flight1sim]

Wasnt there a techquickie about Xeon Vs Core i?

But i'm just saying watch it, then choose from all the facts you see. That way, you can know for sure what you want.

 

But i personally would go with the i5

[MeesterJackson]

Wasnt there a techquickie about Xeon Vs Core i?

But i'm just saying watch it, then choose from all the facts you see. That way, you can know for sure what you want.

 

But i personally would go with the i5

The techquickie talks about the E5 Xeon series, not the E3. 

[Flight1sim]

The techquickie talks about the E5 Xeon series, not the E3. 

Oh whoops, I think i5 still, because although it doesnt have hyperthreading, it's still a better option IMO

[MeesterJackson]

Oh whoops, I think i5 still, because although it doesnt have hyperthreading, it's still a better option IMO

How is it a better option? lol They're pretty on par for the most part honestly, I'd just like some personal opinions on which one should I get.

 

(Though I thank you for actually doing that). 

[Flight1sim]

How is it a better option? lol They're pretty on par for the most part honestly, I'd just like some personal opinions on which one should I get.

 

(Though I thank you for actually doing that). 

In case you want to mess around with Overclocking, you can do it, and you can also render very well with the i5.

Really, its up to you, but I'd prefer the benefits of the i5 over the xeon

And if you dont want to OC at all, you can save a lot more and get a i5 4690

[MeesterJackson]

 

Also that part of Linus's video always makes me cringe. He never flat out says "Or you could get an E3 Xeon in place of an i7 if you don't have the money for the i7." He always makes it seem like the Xeon is overly expensive and that none of them perform the same as consumer i7's. I think it may just be because he's sponsored or something so he can't say it, but still it's annoying to hear one of my favorites spew out things that aren't necessarily true. TekSyndacite already made a "Ocelot Build" video where he talked about the Non-Haswell Refresh E3 Xeon (the 1230 v3) being better than an 8350 and performing the same as an i7. Which made me giddy as hell lol (considering he's a bigger tech YouTuber). 

 

@Flight1sim

 

EDIT: Whoops the link is broken. It's supposed to start at 4:40 just a heads up. 

[Flight1sim]

 

Also that part of Linus's video always makes me cringe. He never flat out says "Or you could get an E3 Xeon in place of an i7 if you don't have the money for the i7." He always makes it seem like the Xeon is overly expensive and that none of them perform the same as consumer i7's. I think it may just be because he's sponsored or something so he can't say it, but still it's annoying to hear one of my favorites spew out things that aren't necessarily true. TekSyndacite already made a "Ocelot Build" video where he talked about the Non-Haswell Refresh E3 Xeon (the 1230 v3) being better than an 8350 and performing the same as an i7. Which made me giddy as hell lol (considering he's a bigger tech YouTuber). 

 

@Flight1sim

 

EDIT: Whoops the link is broken. It's supposed to start at 4:40 just a heads up. 

Ok i now see your point.

didnt realize the E3 was that similar to the i7's performance!

You should go with the E3

[MeesterJackson]

In case you want to mess around with Overclocking, you can do it, and you can also render very well with the i5.

Really, its up to you, but I'd prefer the benefits of the i5 over the xeon

And if you dont want to OC at all, you can save a lot more and get a i5 4690

Well I'll be getting the next i7 and OC'ing that so if I wanted the i5 to perform nearly as good as the Xeon in rendering, I'd need to OC it. 

 

Which more benefits to the Xeon is that it performs like an i7 and an OC'd i5 in rendering for TONS less power consumption. 

[MeesterJackson]

Ok i now see your point.

didnt realize the E3 was that similar to the i7's performance!

You should go with the E3

Did you watch the original video that I posted with the original post? lol 

 

i5-4690k = 240 USD, Xeon 1231 v3 = about 250 USD, Xeon 1241 v3 (has 100 more Mhz) about 260ish USD, the current i7-4790k = 340 USD. 

[Flight1sim]

Did you watch the original video that I posted with the original post? lol 

 

i5-4690k = 240 USD, Xeon 1231 v3 = about 250 USD, Xeon 1241 v3 (has 100 more Mhz) about 260ish USD, the current i7-4790k = 340 USD. 

nope

but ok i 100% agree at this point!

[MeesterJackson]

nope

but ok i 100% agree at this point!

But hmm...see with the i5 I could get OC'ing experience (I've never done it before). 

 

Just more things to factor in. Like I said, I'd like more peoples opinions on this, sort of like a discussion not a flat out "Just get this one because blah blah" and then the person never responds to my replies to their post lol.

 

Which is what you haven't, thankfully, been doing lol. 

[Flight1sim]

But hmm...see with the i5 I could get OC'ing experience (I've never done it before). 

 

Just more things to factor in. Like I said, I'd like more peoples opinions on this, sort of like a discussion not a flat out "Just get this one because blah blah" and then the person never responds to my replies to their post lol.

 

Which is what you haven't, thankfully, been doing lol. 

I'm bored

The Xeon does have a great improvement over the i5, although it has no overclocking,

Enjoy overclocking Broadwell next year!

P.S what motherboard are you getting for the xeon? You could get a Z97 motherboard for broadwell, or wait till intel announces for sure that its compatible

[MeesterJackson]

I'm bored

The Xeon does have a great improvement over the i5, although it has no overclocking,

Enjoy overclocking Broadwell next year!

P.S what motherboard are you getting for the xeon? You could get a Z97 motherboard for broadwell, or wait till intel announces for sure that its compatible

Well again, I don't want to completely rule out the i5, it IS an option. Remember the Xeon does do a tad worse in games and it's not EXACTLY an i7 in performance, just stupidly close lol. 

 

Motherboard is 100% Z97 even if I get the Xeon, I think I may buy an H105 with it to prepare for Broadwell and to get some early experience with AIO water coolers (though this is just an option). 

[Flight1sim]

Well again, I don't want to completely rule out the i5, it IS an option. Remember the Xeon does do a tad worse in games and it's not EXACTLY an i7 in performance, just stupidly close lol. 

 

Motherboard is 100% Z97 even if I get the Xeon, I think I may buy an H105 with it to prepare for Broadwell and to get some early experience with AIO water coolers (though this is just an option). 

I suggest the Maximus VII hero, and the H105 or 110, depending on what you like. 

But still, the Xeon is the best value

 

EDIT: A while ago you were an advocate for the Xeon, now your on the i5!?!

[Faa]

Well again, I don't want to completely rule out the i5, it IS an option. Remember the Xeon does do a tad worse in games and it's not EXACTLY an i7 in performance, just stupidly close lol. 

 

Motherboard is 100% Z97 even if I get the Xeon, I think I may buy an H105 with it to prepare for Broadwell and to get some early experience with AIO water coolers (though this is just an option). 

I've already told you a while ago that a decent overclocked 4690K will outperform that Xeon quite easily in rendering and massively outperform the xeon in cpu limited games. Xeons are pointless unless you want to pair it with a 40$ H81 board.

[MeesterJackson]

I suggest the Maximus VII hero, and the H105 or 110, depending on what you like. 

But still, the Xeon is the best value

 

EDIT: A while ago you were an advocate for the Xeon, now your on the i5!?!

Yeah I definitely like Hero, been hearing a couple of issues, but nothing TOO serious/can't be fixed. 

 

As I said, both are sort of on par and have their pros and cons, so I to discuss a bit more about them lol. 

[MeesterJackson]

I've already told you a while ago that a decent overclocked 4690K will outperform that Xeon quite easily in rendering and massively outperform the xeon in cpu limited games. Xeons are pointless unless you want to pair it with a 40$ H81 board.

I'd have to overclock it past roughly 4.6Ghz which isn't always guaranteed to happen. The Xeon does quite well against an overclocked i5, as seen in the video in my original post. It also draws A LOT less power. 

[Faa]

I'd have to overclock it past roughly 4.6Ghz which isn't always guaranteed to happen. The Xeon does quite well against an overclocked i5, as seen in the video in my original post. It also draws A LOT less power. 

You want to see a proper comparison between a stock i7 and a i5 clocked at 4.8GHz?

[MeesterJackson]

You want to see a proper comparison between a stock i7 and a i5 clocked at 4.8GHz?

That's not the friggin' point, the point is, is that 4.8Ghz isn't always guaranteed. 

[Faa]

That's not the friggin' point, the point is, is that 4.8Ghz isn't always guaranteed. 

A 4670K at 4.2GHz is equal to a Sandy bridge (which I own atm) at 4.8GHz. I can show you tomorrow how much of a difference a CPU oc makes, your video you included was meaningless because the GPU was hitting its limit all the time.

[MeesterJackson]

A 4670K at 4.2GHz is equal to a Sandy bridge (which I own atm) at 4.8GHz. I can show you tomorrow how much of a difference a CPU oc makes, your video you included was meaningless because the GPU was hitting its limit all the time.

How do you know that? You act as if OC'ing grants a high boost in gaming, it doesn't..like at all unless it's a game like Crysis 3. It does help in rendering though, but the rendering performance is only going to beat the Xeon if you OC higher than 4.5Ghz. 

[Trik'Stari]

How do you know that? You act as if OC'ing grants a high boost in gaming, it doesn't..like at all unless it's a game like Crysis 3. It does help in rendering though, but the rendering performance is only going to beat the Xeon if you OC higher than 4.5Ghz. 

Methinks OP doth remember that games like Star Citizen (which will likely be CPU heavy) are on the horizon.

 

That being said, for that specific game, I honestly wouldn't know which to choose other than just going with a 4790k because I don't know enough about xeon's to make that sort of determination, I'd ask @LinusTech or @Sick or @nicklmg

[MeesterJackson]

Methinks OP doth remember that games like Star Citizen (which will likely be CPU heavy) are on the horizon.

 

That being said, for that specific game, I honestly wouldn't know which to choose other than just going with a 4790k because I don't know enough about xeon's to make that sort of determination, I'd ask @LinusTech or @Sick or @nicklmg

Methinks you didn't read the full post and how I said I was going to upgrade one of the currently said CPU's for the Broadwell i7. 

[Trik'Stari]

Methinks you didn't read the full post and how I said I was going to upgrade one of the currently said CPU's for the Broadwell i7. 

Ahh, you doth think correctly sir. That being said, I would think that for gaming a "consumer" or "enthusiast" oriented cpu's would be best for gaming, as far as I am aware the xeons are for servers and workstations.

 

Although, it will be interesting to see which (out of 1150 or 2011 socket cpu's) performs better in star citizen. Since 2011 has more pci-e lanes and thus, better crossfire/sli capability. The Dev for star citizen has stated that at launch, no single GPU will be capable of running it on ulta @1080p, it's a thoroughbred PC game, which makes me happy even though I'm broke