Buying 45nm Nehalem or 32nm Nehalem

Dommzyboy

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Hello I have recently begun looking for a new computer and decided I can wait for Nehalem to be released, but I am not entirely sure about it.

What will be the differences between the 45nm chips and the 32nm chips? (also price difference)

Could a DDR3 motherboard that supports Nehalem 45nm support 32nm Nehalem too?

If I bought a new computer in say about Q1 or Q2 of 2009, how long could the computer last me? As it would be a pretty good computer that I purchase.

 
The socket should probably be the same, so yes, it will be compatible for both chips. The 45nm will be out around Q4, the 32nm won't be out for a year after that, so it'll be a while. I'd also say that a reasonable Nehalem system in early 09 should last you a couple of years, easy, depending on how much top end you need. The E6600 was one of the first C2D's released, and it is still a reasonably good performer today, so that should be some indication.
 

JDocs

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I'd wait for the 32nm versions. Likely to have a higher IPC (better performance at the same clock speed) and dual die versions would be out by then as well. Plus less heat / power consumption means better overclocking.
 

aznguy0028

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to my knowledge, the 32nm nehalem would be in an octo-core version as well. gonna be a loooooooooong while before these things hit mainstream. and prices go down.
 

Dommzyboy

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So I guess i will just wait and get a 45nm 2.6ghz or more Nehalem, than further along the track il buy a 32nm if there is a big change. Thanks for your help guys.
 

Hellboy

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And there was me going to get my Commodore 64 out of the loft and play some games on it...

Cant wait to feel the power of it...
 

jonisginger

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Its the rapture.
 

bobbknight

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Nehalem is going to be expensive for the first 12 to 18 months after it comes out. The boards will be more expensive, the ram DDR3 will cost more, and the CPU will be over priced for at least 6 months to a year.
My price guess for these 3 parts needed for a good 64 bit system will cost between $800 to $1000, board, 8GB ram, and the CPU.
I'll prolly look at a Nehalem system after AMD starts to sell it's next great thing after Nehalem comes out. When Intel cuts the price in half like they did with the Quads last year.
 

Dommzyboy

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Il be fine with just getting 1 - 2 gig of DDR3 ram, and the 2.66ghz Nehalem will be about 300-600$. I'm willing to pay that, as I can always just stinge on the other parts like ram and graphics card.

Though 8 cores are getting a bit stupid now, anything after that and we should expect CPU's to be raising dead.
 

radnor

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Sorry but i cant dish that much money for a CPU. 200€ is my limit. For a GPU, well, that that limit i a bit higher. ill pay even more for a mobo if it is worth it. But 600€ for ONE cpu. No, completely out of the question.

And it is a terrible investment also.
 

Dommzyboy

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I can wait until the Lynnfield with the LGA1160 ports. But will these work right with the graphics cards that are made like 1 year later and the ram too.

Also when will it be a good time to buy a Nehalem Cpu? I just want a good gaming rig, that can last me about 4-5 years (and I would upgrade the ram and graphics card some times). Is it worth to wait for Nehalem and which Nehalem?
 

V3NOM

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The socket should probably be the same, so yes, it will be compatible for both chips

the nehalem socket is 1366 pins, therefore 100% incompatible with current boards out today.... IMO if i was gonna make a system now, i would get either a E8400 or a GOOD Q6600 (clock it up to 3.0GHz no voltage changes and ya good to go :kaola: ), a nice P45 or X38 and one or two HD4850's :)
 

radnor

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I can show ya the machine im mounting. Lets check the price in dollars. Here comes newegg !!!!

PSU: Corsair 750TX: 119$. Good PSU and excelent 12v Rail.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139006

Mobo: GIGABYTE GA-MA790X-DS4 : 124.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128075

RAM: G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 : 104.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231166

CPU: AMD Athlon 64 X2 6400+ Windsor 3.2GHz 149$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819103228

GPU: HIS Hightech H485F512P Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 164.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161235

GPU: HIS Hightech H485F512P Radeon HD 4850 512MB 256-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 164.99$
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161235

Total: 827$

That value counts the 4850 Crossfire. So, there is still money for a nice cooler, and a case if you dont want to reuse yours. I didnt included HDD, because well, you can reuse your own HDDs aswell. Ive been upgrading for some years now, and my Boot HDD it is still a 80 GB Special Edition from Western Digital. I got another of 750Gb i bought recently, but hey it was a great deal. Same for the DVD-RW. Reuse yours. Mine 4 years and still working flawless. Illl buy a BD-RW when BD Discs are cheap and BD-RWs are also cheap. I hardly use CDs/DVDs anymore. From Hard disk loading to External discs, hell, dont need no BD Discs.

Hope i helped. You can find better deals im sure, but was just to show you can mount a very decent machine for less 1000$.
 

Dommzyboy

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But I just want to know, if I bought say a Core2Quad 6600 core system with a nvidia9600gt, 2gig of ddr2 ram and other good stuff, how long would this last me?
 

randomizer

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I have a feeling that Intel might pull another chipset compatibility trick and force you to upgrade to a "compatible" chipset just so you can chop off a few nanometres.

EDIT: I meant Intel, I don't know why I said Nvidia.
 
As built? The rest of the year. You could use a better graphics card and more RAM.

Of course, i'm the maniac who spent $4500 getting 4GB 1800 DDR3, and a 3.2 quad...I plan to wait out the next socket change, because I don't believe there will be that big an improvement in proformance over the next few years, at least the way chips are currently designed.
 

sarwar_r87

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@dommzyboy: ur processor will last a while....specially if ur willing to OC. however u might have to upgrade ur ram and gpu depending on what screen size u game on and with what level of details

nehalem uses new sockets altogether.....so no u cant use dem on current MB. and its not worth waiting for nehalem as they will be way too expensive and according to a review in tomshardware, 2.93Ghz nehalem is a bit faster than 2.9 intel quadcore and about 12% faster than a amd 9950 OCed to 2.9GHz
 

szwaba67

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I just bought a carton of milk. How long will it last me? I can upgrade now and get, say, another carton, or should I just wait and see what kind of milk they have next year?
 




From what I have heard the octo core will also be naitive. The desktop wont get it until 32nm but I think the server will get it at 45nm. I know Dunnington (naitive 6 core Penryn based) is coming out before the end of this year for servers.



He was asking if the socket for 45nm Nehalems, LGC1366, would be compatable with the 32nm Westmeres. I would think it would more than likely be as the Northbridge no longer determines the MC that is now on the CPU so it will be much like AMDs current setup. The compatability will be there and up to the mobo makers to update the BIOS. Only you wont be able to use the newer features of the chip in a older mobo unless Intel sets the X58 up for future chips but I doubt that.

In my own personal opinion I would go for the 32nm die shrink. It will be much like Penryn in it will offer power and heat improvements there will be some more advanced instructions (possibly a new set of SSE) and probably a much more refined process that could mean higher OCs.
 


Because I understand architecture; We're past the days where you can get from 333 MHz to 3.33 GHz in a decade. At this point, if you want more processing power, its time to re-design computers from the ground up. If Intels top new CPU is 15% more effective than a Q9750, I'll be shocked. Is that worth spendind Over $1000 (probably $2000 when it comes out)?

As for more cores, they help...but I forsee major bottleneck issues in regards to RAM, limiting extra cores much past 4...

Of course, I could be wrong and you could get an extra 25%+ due to an architecture change, I doubt it though...
 

jeb1517

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lmao...that's pretty much what this epic thread boils down to.