P67 vs z68?

[Macclan_06]

heres the build


Case: Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case with Upgraded USB 3.0
Item #: N82E16811129021

HDD: Western Digital Caviar Blue WD5000AAKX 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive -Bare Drive Item #: N82E16822136769

GPU: EVGA SuperClocked 015-P3-1582-AR GeForce GTX 580 (Fermi) 1536MB 384-bit GDDR5 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Support ... Item #: N82E16814130590

dvd/cd drive: LITE-ON Black SATA DVD-ROM Drive Model iHDS118-04 - OEM Item #: N82E16827106276

PSU: CORSAIR Enthusiast Series TX750 V2 750W ATX12V v2.31/ EPS12V v2.92 80 PLUS BRONZE Certified Active PFC High Performance Power ... Item #: N82E16817139021

memory: G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1866 (PC3 14900) Desktop Memory Model F3-14900CL9D-8GBXL Item #: N82E16820231455

MOBO: ASUS P8Z68-V PRO/GEN3 LGA 1155 Intel Z68 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard with UEFI BIOS Item #: N82E16813131790

CPU: Intel Core i5-2550K Sandy Bridge 3.4GHz (3.8GHz Turbo Boost) LGA 1155 95W Quad-Core Desktop Processor Without IGP BX80623i52550K Item #: N82E16819115230

OS: Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium SP1 64-bit - OEM Item #: N82E16832116986

CPU COOLER: COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 EVO RR-212E-20PK-R2 Continuous Direct Contact 120mm Sleeve CPU Cooler Compatible with latest Intel ... Item #: N82E16835103099

thermal compound: Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
Item #: N82E16835100007


Now the question ... for gaming which chipset is better the p67 or the z68.. if the p67 is the better way to go, is it future proof (ivy bridge) and will that RAM and gpu be ok or do i need to change it up.

 

[nikorr]

Now the question ... for gaming which chipset is better the p67 or the z68.. if the p67 is the better way to go, is it future proof (ivy bridge) and will that RAM and gpu be ok or do i need to change it up.

Z68 is more video task friendly. I like Z68, but its your choice. They are bot great and future proof, to work with Ivy Bridge.

 

[nikorr]

There are 3 major differences between the P67 and the Z68.

Intel SRT (Smart Response Technology) lets you to use a small SSD (<50GB) to work as a caching drive to speed up the boot, start up of apps and access times.

IGP Support (Integrated Graphics on Processor) the Z68 boards have build in support for the IGP. The main advantages of this is that it will allow you to use the IGP for things like backup graphics and help with trouble shooting issues. Also with the Lucid Logix Virtu software you switch between the IGP and the dedicated video card for the best performance for the application that you are running.

Intel SATA III controller is better performing then the old Marvell controller that is used on the P67 boards.

Z68 is also great overclocker!

Z68 is going to be Ivybridge compatible. H67 and P67. H61 is not.

Those are the differences between the Z68 and the P67.

Once they release the Ivy Bridge they are going to be getting new chipsets as well to replace the Z-68 , P67 and of course there will be new motherboards to go with them. The new chipsets will be Z77 , Z75 , H77 , B75 and the mobile equivelent.

 

[nikorr]

The RAM is OK @ 1.5V + XMP profile. Just what 2550K likes : ))

 

[Macclan_06]

Thank you very much for you reply! I must say I absolutly love this site, I have been constantly googling questions or doing research on my first time build above, but I always find my self landing on this site for the best info, the community here is great I love you guys haha!

I think i will roll with the z68 any other suggestions from anyone else,


(random questions but is my psu good, will this ram work well, and will everything fit in this case. I know the fan is a bear but i think i saw videos of it in this case before.

 

[nikorr]

That PSU is great, but next time post link to the item, so we can check the price,

as many times guys here knows even better price or even better PSU,

that just got on sale : ))

 

[Macclan_06]

Thanks alot nikorr your replies were very helpful!

If im not mistaken the i5 2550k doesnt have the IGP in it because its easyier to o.c that way compared to a i5 2500k.. If i get i5 2550k with a z68 the igp capabilities you just listed would be useless for me but will it perform better than a p67 with a i5 2550k because its newer?

or should I go with the p67 since there is not IGP in the i5 2550k? sorry if im confusing im very new here

 

[nikorr]

Thanks alot nikorr your replies were very helpful!

If im not mistaken the i5 2550k doesnt have the IGP in it because its easyier to o.c that way compared to a i5 2500k.. If i get i5 2550k with a z68 the igp capabilities you just listed would be useless for me but will it perform better than a p67 with a i5 2550k because its newer?

or should I go with the p67 since there is not IGP in the i5 2550k? sorry if im confusing im very new here

Right, that is for the Ivy Bridge, that Z68 : ))

 

[nikorr]

Just in case : )

 

[Macclan_06]

ahh indeed, indeed I follow you! im wondering which will perform better with a s.c gtx580 and i5 2550k either p67 or z68.

I feel like newer is better therefore z68 but does performance back this up>?

 

[insect1cide]

From a performance point of view, both P67 and Z68 offers identical performance.

The exception to this is when you use a Z68 motherboard in tandem with Virtu (a program that intercepts the dedicated GPU and the IGP calls, to direct the calls to the right GPU (depending on whether you’re gaming with the dedicated GPU or converting videos with the IGP) which actually decrease performance within video games, by 5-10%. Note that if you don’t use Virtu, performance is not affected.

If Virtu is not used, performance is identical on both platforms, but then you’re not using the IGP to convert videos, making P67 just as good as Z68.

On top of that, most Z68 motherboards feature video outputs ports (VGA, DVI and/or HDMI), which take space that could be used for additional USB, FireWire, E-SATA and other actual useful ports that are present on P67.

In short:

If you absolutely want to use Intel’s Quick Sync to convert videos, despite the lower quality of converted videos and that you don’t mind the performance hit (5-10%) in video games, go with a Z68 motherboard.
If you don’t care about Quick Sync, don’t intend to use SSD Caching (which as I explained above, you don’t want to use anyway) and would rather have the extra ports, go either with a P67 motherboard or a Z68 motherboard without the extra ports, unless you can get a good deal on a Z68 motherboard.

 

[Macclan_06]

From a performance point of view, both P67 and Z68 offers identical performance.

The exception to this is when you use a Z68 motherboard in tandem with Virtu (a program that intercepts the dedicated GPU and the IGP calls, to direct the calls to the right GPU (depending on whether you’re gaming with the dedicated GPU or converting videos with the IGP) which actually decrease performance within video games, by 5-10%. Note that if you don’t use Virtu, performance is not affected.

If Virtu is not used, performance is identical on both platforms, but then you’re not using the IGP to convert videos, making P67 just as good as Z68.

On top of that, most Z68 motherboards feature video outputs ports (VGA, DVI and/or HDMI), which take space that could be used for additional USB, FireWire, E-SATA and other actual useful ports that are present on P67.

In short:

If you absolutely want to use Intel’s Quick Sync to convert videos, despite the lower quality of converted videos and that you don’t mind the performance hit (5-10%) in video games, go with a Z68 motherboard.
If you don’t care about Quick Sync, don’t intend to use SSD Caching (which as I explained above, you don’t want to use anyway) and would rather have the extra ports, go either with a P67 motherboard or a Z68 motherboard without the extra ports, unless you can get a good deal on a Z68 motherboard.

if I went with a z68, how do you disable virtu ( that 5 to 10 percent loss in gaming is crucial to me ) if the board doesnt run right with it disabled, the p67 will be my choice.

 

[insect1cide]

There should be an option to disable the Intel GPU when you are in the BIOS (using the GeForce cards as your output)... or you can just not install the Virtu software.

 

[insect1cide]

You need to enter Advanced Mode, go to the advanced tab and then System Agent Configuration on an asus mobo bios

 

[Macclan_06]

There should be an option to disable the Intel GPU when you are in the BIOS (using the GeForce cards as your output)... or you can just not install the Virtu software.

Yea ok I think i will go with the asus z68 pro gen3,

So the virtu comes with, but not functioning until I install the program?

does it come on a disk and you need to put that disk into the machine in order to have virtu, or will i have some remenances of virtu with out doing anything which i hope not and then i have no worries and should not install virtu because there is no igp on the 2550k

 

[nikorr]

Yea ok I think i will go with the asus z68 pro gen3,

So the virtu comes with, but not functioning until I install the program?

does it come on a disk and you need to put that disk into the machine in order to have virtu, or will i have some remenances of virtu with out doing anything which i hope not and then i have no worries and should not install virtu because there is no igp on the 2550k

It is a driver used by the program. If u don't install the driver, there is nothing to enable or disable.

 

[nikorr]

Comes on the DVD or u can download the latest version from the ASUS website.

 

[Macclan_06]

this site and you guys are my heros

 

[Macclan_06]

Comes on the DVD or u can download the latest version from the ASUS website.

if i never download virtu do i have to worry about pointing towards the gtx580 in the advanced bios as opposed to the non existant igp of the i5 2550k... or will my blessed pieces of techknowledgy do this for me and im all set just dont download virtu and boot up install everything just not virtu?

 

[nikorr]

if i never download virtu do i have to worry about pointing towards the gtx580 in the advanced bios as opposed to the non existant igp of the i5 2550k... or will my blessed pieces of techknowledgy do this for me and im all set just dont download virtu and boot up install everything just not virtu?

Its more than that.
OK, If u have the GPU connected to LCD and u don't have connected the iGPU (the mobo connected to the monitor), it will still select the GPU connected to the LCD.


To use Lucid Virtu u must use 2 cabled connections to the monitor!

So 1 is GPU and 2 is iGPU.

And u can disable the Virtu's start up, if u don't want to use it (if installed).

 

[Macclan_06]

Best answer selected by macclan_06.

 

[nikorr]

Read this to understand how it works.

http://www.channelpro.co.uk/case-study/6545/what-intel-z68-chipset/page/0/2

 

[nikorr]

Hope it make sense : )) Thanx for the vote.

Good luck!

 

[Macclan_06]

thx for baring with me nikorr im 100 percent clear now and will only be hooking up the monitor to the gpu so i have no worries now.

my concern now is asus vs gigabite, on newegg it seems like the last bunch of asus z68 pro boards that went out had a very high frequency of DOA!

that might be enough to push me away from asus towards gigabite.. any advice here and if anyone thinks gigabite over asus on newegg, pls send a link!

 

[Macclan_06]

board im looking at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131790