Intel Z68 Chipset - thinking of upgrading?

[Druid_]

If you are thinking of upgrading to Sandy Bridge then wait another month or two and get the new Z68 chipset motherboard.

 

Here's a review

 

Most interesting is the ability to use the Sandy Bridge on die graphics alongside your native VGA card using GPU virtualization (using Lucidlogix's Hydra software solution). You will be able to connect a display to the output of a H67 or Z68 based m'board alongside your own VGA card and use both.

 

Otherwise use your dedicated cga card to run your main monitor and the intel on die graphics to run your smaller MFD screens. Nice solution methinks.

[RSharpe]

Otherwise use your dedicated cga card to run your main monitor and the intel on die graphics to run your smaller MFD screens. Nice solution methinks.

 

Hahahaha

[oritpro]

Otherwise use your dedicated cga card to run your main monitor and the intel on die graphics to run your smaller MFD screens. Nice solution methinks.

 

I already have a Sandy Bridge but if the Z68 is all that's it's cracked up to be than I would consider it a worthy upgrade.

 

I am not so sure about running more than one MFS screen using the on-die GPU though. I mean, how would you connect more than one?

 

CGA graphics, now that brings back some memories

[MustangSally]

Otherwise use your dedicated cga card to run your main monitor and the intel on die graphics to run your smaller MFD screens. Nice solution methinks.

 

Hope that's a typo.....I think i was playing F19 Stealth Fighter in CGA back in the olden days! :joystick:

[RSharpe]

Hope that's a typo.....I think i was playing F19 Stealth Fighter in CGA back in the olden days! :joystick:

 

Even F-19 would have been beyond the capabilities of CGA graphics!

[XarBat]

It is not a terrible idea, for most things; but think about it; if DCS A-10C is CPU bottlenecked, then using both the on die and PCI-E card at the same time would make it run slower. Better to just turn off most of the graphical effects in the OS; especially since I can't see the Alt-Tab selection menu when Aero is enabled.

[sobek]

It is not a terrible idea, for most things; but think about it; if DCS A-10C is CPU bottlenecked, then using both the on die and PCI-E card at the same time would make it run slower. Better to just turn off most of the graphical effects in the OS; especially since I can't see the Alt-Tab selection menu when Aero is enabled.

 

Not perfectly sure, but i think the CPU has a dedicated graphics section that just sits there idling if it isn't used.

[Druid_]

^correct. Running the graphics off the CPU won't slow it down, it runs in parallel.

 

p.s. Sorry for the VGA typo but glad it amused!

[EtherealN]

( Picture stolen from: http://blogs.pcmag.com/miller/2011/01/introducing_sandy_bridge_pushi.php )

 

That right there is a Sandy Bridge. On a P67 motherboard, the entire block on the left labeled graphics is just not on. It's doing nothing. (And for those who aren't aware: that's an actual GPU really, it's just sitting inside the processor instead of on a graphics card or as a mobo-mounted iGP like the GMA950's etcetera. If memory serves it's the offspring of the abortive Larrabee project.)

 

The only possible drawbacks I could see would be:

1) Hogging a bit of the L3 cache. Not likely to be a large issue methinks.

2) Increased heat generation. Only an issue to the most aggressively fanatic overclockers.

 

For myself, I probably won't bother. I use an OEM windows 7 so I'd have to convince MS to let me transfer the license or buy a new one. And besides, I'm already steeling myself against the future temptation to purchase an Ivy Bridge system. :P

Edited May 29, 2011 by EtherealN

[Druid_]

...besides, I'm already steeling myself against the future temptation to purchase an Ivy Bridge system. :P

 

Now your talking! The wait is killing me, I haven't built a new system for over a year :(. Maybe by then I can also snap up a couple of 120GB Vertex3s to RAID at a decent price :).

[sobek]

Now your talking! The wait is killing me, I haven't built a new system for over a year :(.

 

LOL, my current system is 5 years old. I feel your pain. :P:)

 

[...]

 

The only real merit of the integrated GPU is the really fast video encoding it can do. Apart from that (to be fair, it's no small feat, at least to some users) LucidVirtu is just a gimmick, IMHO.

[PoleCat]

If you are thinking of upgrading to Sandy Bridge then wait another month or two and get the new Z68 chipset motherboard.

 

Here's a review

 

Most interesting is the ability to use the Sandy Bridge on die graphics alongside your native VGA card using GPU virtualization (using Lucidlogix's Hydra software solution). You will be able to connect a display to the output of a H67 or Z68 based m'board alongside your own VGA card and use both.

 

Otherwise use your dedicated cga card to run your main monitor and the intel on die graphics to run your smaller MFD screens. Nice solution methinks.

 

If your thinking of purchasing a-b-c then wait just another month or two and you can have d-e-f. Only problem with this is that by the time you wait for d-e-f you could wait another couple of months and get even better g-h-i.:D

 

 

It never ends. You can always wait longer pay more and do better. It is the nature of the beast. ;)

 

Out

[XarBat]

What I meant is that the CPU would have to send data out to two different graphics sources instead of one; also using the onboard graphics would generate more heat for your CPU heatsink to dissapate. It might not be a major difference; and for non-flightsims; might speed things up. But I don't think it is a feature worth waiting for especially since, if rumors are correct, the 2011 pin processors are not that far into the future.

[Druid_]

If your thinking of purchasing a-b-c then wait just another month or two and you can have d-e-f. Only problem with this is that by the time you wait for d-e-f you could wait another couple of months and get even better g-h-i.:D

 

 

It never ends. You can always wait longer pay more and do better. It is the nature of the beast. ;)

 

Out

I really couldn't agree more, there is no good time to jump on the technology bandwagon. I only upgrade when the $/performance increase is worth it. At the moment upgrading my OC i7-920 to Sandy Bridge with Ivy bridge not far away does not make sense. Besides my 'hidden from wife' penny (or Dirham where I live atm) upgrade Jar is only half full.

 

As for utilising the onboard graphics of Sandy Bridge, personally I would give it a go if my monitor setup could utilise it. After all it will cost you nothing to try out. If it doesn't work or CPU temps are too high then go out & buy another VGA card.

Edited May 30, 2011 by Druid_

[EtherealN]

At the moment upgrading my OC i7-920 to Sandy Bridge with Ivy bridge not far away does not make sense.

 

Agreed on that. Definitely one of the most annoying things ever with tech. :P

I was using an e8500 before this rig, so upgrading was an easy choice for me (though it did take some willpower to not get an i7-875K before Sandy arrived). Ivy will probably be one of those where I "shouldn't" and perhaps should just do the planned MLU (a nicely-sized SSD RAID array). But trigate has novelty value, and I always get the "urge" every time there's a new generation of product. :D

[Druid_]

Been doing some research on upgrading and discovered a suprising issue with some of the new Z68 chipset motherboards. They do not include a VGA output for utilising the onboard graphics of the 2500 & 2600 intel cpu's.

 

For instance the flagship Gigabyte UD7 Z68 m'board costing a wopping $360 doesn't!

 

One m'board that does is ASROCKs Z68 EXtreme4 which costs around $220 and my initial thoughts are that this is an excellent m'board. My only concern is the pci-e allowable configs of 16/NC/4 or 8/8/4. Might not cut it in SLi with forthcoming GPUs. If you're only planning on ever using 1 VGA card though, this M'board gets my vote for now.