RAM hits $5 a Gigabyte!

Checking out the prices, I noticed two brands that have just hit below the $5 per Gigabyte price range.  Here I have the specs for two of them with differences highlighted in yellow:

• Kingston HyperX Genesis 16GB (4x4GB) DDR3 1600MHz CL9 DIMMs, w/XMP (KHX1600C9D3K4/16GX)
• G.SKILL Ripjaws X Series DDR3 1600MHz (PC3-12800) 16GB (4x4GB) Quad Channel Kit (F3-12800CL9Q-16GBXL)

www.knowbytes.com knowbyte on YouTube knowbytes on BlogSpot	Kingston HyperX	G.SKILL Ripjaws X
System	Desktop	Desktop
System Type	DDR 3 CL9	DDR 3 CL9
MB Chipset	P67, Z68, LGA 2011, AM3, AM3+	P67, Z68, LGA 2011, AM3, AM3+
CAS Latency	9 9 9 27	9 9 9 24 2N
Capacity	16GB (4GB x 4)	16GB (4GB x 4)
Speed	1600 MHz (PC3 12800)	1600 MHz (PC3 12800)
Test Voltage	1.5 Volts	1.5 Volts
Height	30 mm / 1.18 inch	40 mm / 1.58 inch
Registered/Unbuffered	Unbuffered	Unbuffered
Error Checking	Non-ECC	Non-ECC
Warranty	Lifetime	Lifetime
Features	Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) Certified	Intel XMP (Extreme Memory Profile) Certified

Intel Core i7 3820 versus AMD FX 8150

The Intel i7 3820 has not been released as of the writing of this article. It is due out in the first quarter of 2012. (With that in mind, there are some pretty intelligent guesses in this article regarding some of its features based on other processors in this line, as well as historical trends. Wherever you see numbers or specifications in Italics, you can be rest assured, that they are intelligent guesses.) Running on the X79 chip-set (SB-E architecture), this is the least impressive of the three musketeers (i7 3960X, i7 3930K being the other two) that were announced together.

The Intel Core i7 3820 Processor is NOT extreme, and is NOT unlocked for overclocking. Depending on the pricing that Intel's marketing department decides on, the AMD FX 8150 may end up facing a price/performance challenge with this one.

The AMD FX 8150 is a beast of a processor in more ways than one, and it IS unlocked for overclocking and if you can call having 8 cores extreme, then it is also an extreme processor. The FX 8150 is AMD's flagship desktop processor, and can definitely go head to head with, and beat the i7 3820 in many ways. First of all we are going to look at the basics:

www.knowbytes.com knowbyte on YouTube knowbytes on BlogSpot	i7 3820	AMD FX 8150
Launched	First quarter 2012	October 12, 2011
Speed	3600 MHz	3600 MHz
Cores	4	8
Price (week of Dec. 10, 2011)	US $300*	US $240

*Because the processor has not been released yet, I am speculating based on Intel's pricing history with similar lines of processors. Based on that history, I figure that Intel would price it half as much as they want to sell the next one up, which is the i7 3830K.

The i7 3820 is due out in the first quarter of 2012, several months afterthe FX 8150. There clock speeds are exactly the same, so there is nocontest there.

The price, on the other hand, may end up giving AMD...

Intel Core i7 3930K versus AMD FX 8150

The Intel i7 3930K runs on the X79 chip-set (SB-E architecture, where the E might stand for expectations not fully met yet , and the K at the end of the processor model, stands for overclock-able or unlocked for overclocking). Recently released into the market on the footsteps of the X58 chip-set processors like the i7 970, it is Intel's younger sibling to the flagship Extreme Edition desktop processor i7 3960X.

The Intel Core i7-3930K Processor is a powerful "unlocked for overclocking" desktop processor, though, like the i7 3960X it has some simply unexpected minuses. 
The AMD FX 8150 also packs power, but in other ways, and is also unlocked for overclocking without showing off with an extra K at the end of the model number. The FX 8150 is AMD's flagship desktop processor, and can go head to head with, and even beat the i7 3930K when it comes to comparing specifications, and price versus performance value. First of all we are going to look at the basics:

www.knowbytes.com knowbyte on YouTube knowbytes on BlogSpot	i7 3930K	AMD FX 8150
Launched	November 14, 2011	October 12, 2011
Speed	3200 MHz	3600 MHz
Cores	6	8
Price (week of Dec. 10, 2011)	US $600	US $240

The i7 3930K was released over a month after the FX 8150 so the speed difference of a paltry approximately 12.5%, with the FX 8150 being 400 Mega Hertz faster than the i7 3930K, is not much of a deal. Unless one thinks in a traditional manner...

Intel Core i7 3960X versus AMD FX 8150

The Intel i7 3960X running on the X79 chip-set (SB-E architecture, where the E could mean, extreme, enthusiast, or Eloi as in Morlock vs the Eloi from Planet of the Apes?!?), Intel's flagship Extreme Edition desktop processor, recently came into the market following on the footsteps of the X58 chip-set processors like the i7 980X (with which it shares clock speeds).  The Intel Core i7-3960X Processor Extreme Edition is a beast of a desktop processor in many ways, thought it has some really stupid (one might use that word) shortcomings. The AMD FX 8150 is also a beast of a processor in other ways.
 The FX 8150 is AMD's flagship desktop processor (you can call it extreme because of some of its features, though that is an Intel marketing term only), and can go head to head with, and even beat the i7 3960X when it comes to comparing specifications, and price versus performance value. First of all we are going to look at the basics:

www.knowbytes.com knowbyte on YouTube knowbytes on BlogSpot	i7 3960X	AMD FX 8150
Launched	November 14, 2011	October 12, 2011
Speed	3300 MHz	3600 MHz
Cores	6	8
Price (week of Nov. 24, 2011)	US $1050	US $240

The i7 3960X was released over a month after the FX 8150 so the speed difference of a paltry approximately 10%, with the FX 8150 being 300 Mega Hertz faster than the i7 3960X, is not much of a deal. Unless one thinks...

i7 Sandy Bridge E processors released

Intel has released the following i7 3000 series processors today:

• Model: Core i7-3960X (extreme), Cores: 6, Threads: 12, Speed: 3300 Mega Hertz (MHz), Turbo Speed: 1 core @ 3900 MHz, Level 3 Cache: 15 MB, Socket: 2011, Manufacturing Process: 32 nano meter
• Model: Core i7-3930K (unlocked), Cores: 6, Threads: 12, Speed: 3200 MHz, Turbo Speed: 1 core @ 3800 MHz, Level 3 Cache: 12 MB, Socket: 2011, Manufacturing Process: 32 nano meter
• Model: Core i7-3820, Cores: 4, Threads: 8, Speed: 3600 MHz, Turbo Speed: 1 core @ 3900 MHz, Level 3 Cache: 10 MB, Socket: 2011, Manufacturing Process: 32 nano meter

Intel i7 2600K versus AMD FX 8150

Even though the Intel i7 2600K (baby 'almost twin' brother of the i7 2700K) came long before (in cpu time scale), the AMD FX 8150 showed up on the scene with a challenge.  Both these CPU's were launched in 2011, their speeds are close, they are both unlocked for overclocking, they have similar cache sizes and are being sold to the same market.  Both Intel and AMD were marketing these processors as their flagship desktop processors until the i7 2700K showed up on the scene.  But still the i7 2600K is almost a twin, and can still be considered to be one of Intel's flagship desktop processors.  They both sport multiple cores, and can handle pretty much anything you can throw at them.  Some key differences do exist.  And if you are price/performance sensitive, only one of them is the best choice for you.  We will start with the basics:

www.knowbytes.com knowbyte on YouTube knowbytes on BlogSpot	Intel i7 2600K	AMD FX 8150
Launched	January 9th, 2011	October 12, 2011
Speed	3400 MHz	3600 MHz
Level 3 Cache (L3)	8 Mega Byte	8 Mega Byte
Price (week of Nov. 10, 2011)	US $315	US $240

First of all, the speed difference is only approximately 6%. This may not be a minuscule speed difference when you are in the Gigahertz range...

Intel i7 2700K versus AMD FX 8150

First of all, is this a fair comparison?  I would say so.  They were both launched towards the end of 2011, their speeds are pretty close, they are both unlocked for overclocking, they have similar cache sizes and are being sold to the same market.  Both Intel and AMD are marketing these processors as their flagship desktop processors.  They both sport multiple cores, and can handle pretty much anything you can throw at them.  But there are some key differences, that can make one of them better than the other.  And if you are price sensitive, only one of them is the best choice for you.  Let's compare the basics first shall we.

www.knowbytes.com knowbyte on YouTube knowbytes on BlogSpot	Intel i7 2700K	AMD FX 8150
Launched	October 24, 2011	October 12, 2011
Speed	3500 MHz	3600 MHz
Level 3 Cache (L3)	8 Mega Byte	8 Mega Byte
Price (week of Nov. 10, 2011)	US $370	US $240

As you can see, the speed difference is only approximately 3%. The Level 3 cache is exactly the same, BUT...