Why I didn’t buy the i7 920 and went with the i7 950
If you’ve overclocked for any length of time (years), you learn that certain CPU’s are prime candidates for massive overclocking (OC). There is the low end and the high end chip and the costs are saved or spent are considerable.
I’ve read many forum posts on the 920’s excellent capacity to reach 4GHz and beyond. I’ll note that over the past couple of years I’ve purchased the low bin models of Dual core CPU’s and OC’d them to great effect. With that said, quads have proven a bit different. And just maybe not all 920’s fair so well.
In between the winners are enough losers to match. The 920’s are binned at 2.66GHz for a reason. If Intel’s system defers the 920’s to operate at 2.66GHz, there’s probably a good reason for it. In the day of single CPU’s even some Dual CPU’s going with the lower bin was almost a given.
Now we are dealing with Quads all put on one die. My personal experience with Quads is nothing like it was with Single or Dual CPU’s of the past. The returns on spending less haven’t come through in solid OC gains. Since I use “In Air” heat sink/fan system builder. Fancy water setups are not an option - neither is their expense.
Well after two sub par Quad OC’s with less costly CPU’s I went with the i7-950 this time around. To no surprise, I’m running at 4.0GHz with room to bump up more.
Now I’m sure that there are 920’s that do the same and possibly even more, but there is a level of caution that goes with it. Also as noted earlier, water cooling and other expenses needed to bringing lower end CPUs up to speed tend to negate the value. It’s at some point if the expense of cooling starts to negate the OC speed value, what exactly is gained?
