Question 1

I would like to purchase this CPU but what motherboards are available for it right now? Are we to expect some new compatible motherboards within the next month?

Accepted Answer

I bought the ROG Gene IV motherboard http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131805 however it didn't work out of the box, because the bios installed on it didn't know the new CPU. Luckily this MB does come with USB BIOS update option, so all I did to make this work was to download latest bios put it on USB ( following the provided directions) and after 2 minutes of updating ( it took longer that I would expect) it was update and then it booted I would think that with other motherboards this will be similar problem, so as long as you can update bios with USB , you should be fine I think. It definitely worked with the one I bought

Question 2

Does any motherboard that supports FCLGA2011 work with this CPU or does it have to be a specific motherboard that supports the 4th generation CPU's?

Thank you!

Accepted Answer

Most of the older x79 motherboards have an updated bios to support this processor. Best thing to do is look at the motherboard you are interested in, then visit that motherboards website to see their download section. Once there you can take a look at the bios revisions and see if one of them added the processor compatibility.

Keep in mind you will have to flash the bios on the motherboard before it will recognize the processor. This can be tricky unless you buy one of the ASUS motherboards that allow you to flash the bios from a USB stick with no processor installed.

Question 3

Hi! Was wondering if anyone has this cpu with the Rampage IV Extreme to try to figure out compatibility? Thanks!

Accepted Answer

It is compatible and works great with the Rampage IV Extreme.  I just put this together.  What's needed however is a separate pc that you can download the latest BIOS with and install it via a USB stick.   There is an auto update feature on the Rampage IV that allows you to flash update the bios without having to have a running system.   Plug in the power supply, with the system installed and there is a button on the back that will auto update from the usb stick on just standby power.

Question 4

Im looking at buying this processor, but I'm unsure of what size cpu cooler I should get. I looked at the specs page, but didn't see any 'size' listing on it? What fan/cooler would work, or would anyone recommend for it? Thanks. :)

Accepted Answer

I'm running the Corsair H80i high performance water/liquid cpu cooler and it is on sale right now for 79.99. I have a asus p9x79 pro mother board and a 850w power supply and with this cooler I have the i7-4930 oc'd 4125 MHz. With this cooler the cpu never gets above 55c while playing BF4 so if your not overclocking and just looking for a nice cooler and not have to worry about it going up in smoke I highly recommend going with a liquid cooler for this cpu. With air this this cpu got really hot 75 to 80c just on normal cpu clock settings playing BF3. .....go water the systems are not hard to install at all and are very quite compared to air coolers..........any other questions I'll be happy to reply.   I love this cpu!

Question 5

what type of motherboard will go with this chip??

Accepted Answer

any intel motherboard that has a LGA 2011 socket. here's a link to them: http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&N=100007627%20600238945&IsNodeId=1&name=LGA%202011 also when you put your computer together, you might need to update the bios on the motherboard before you get your computer up and running....it would be handy if you get a motherboard that lets you usb flash the bios.

Question 6

Why would you increase the socket size with a 22nm? I have been doing alot of digging and was under the impression that the LGA-1150 was the way to go for High-End Gaming... please correct me if I am wrong.I thought that the Ivy Bridge CPUs were all smaller sockets and a 22nm processor but It seems that even the best Intel CPUs are LGA2011 (or at least the most expensive ones).

Accepted Answer

If playing games, reading email, and ripping tunes is all you are going to do with your PC, then you should go with a LGA-1150 Haswell CPU like the 4770K as you won't need more than four physical cores, fast dual-channel memory, and one really good graphics card for the tasks at hand.

BUT ...

If you want to run true 16-channel, and not 2x8-channel, PCIe 3.0 into two, or more, graphics cards, or you want to run lots and lots of memory over four DIMM channels, or you want to run graphics design or CAD/CAM applications, or you want to run multiple OS's as virtual machines under a hypervisor like VMware, then you want the biggest, baddest, affordable CPU you can buy ... the 4930K.

I have two PCs that I started building recently.  The gamer PC has a 4770K, 16GB of memory, and an EVGA 780 GTX Hydro Copper Classified in it.  It sits next to my 61 inch, 1080P, HDTV.  The development/testing PC has a 4960K, 32GB of memory, and two Heat Killer modified, XFX 7970 DD Black graphics cards in it.  Both PCs are liquid cooled and both PCs' components are housed inside CaseLabs cases.

The two extra cores in the 4960K CPU do not make the big chip faster for gaming because today's PC games use, at most, four cores.  The extra memory channels might make data retrieval a bit faster and 2x16-channel PCIe SLI graphics card setups are, in my opinion, overkill for todays games.  That is why the 4770K Haswell CPU is, in my opinion, the optimum choice for gaming PCs.

My development PC has two AMD-based graphics cards in it because I run multiple, virtual OS's: one card supports Windows client applications; the other card supports Linux web and server applications.  Neither card is configured as a Crossfire card.

I realize this is a long reply but I hope it not only answers your question but also informs you as to why one CPU is "better" then the other?

Question 7

Does this processor require a fan?

Accepted Answer

I presume you mean does it come with a fan, as to my knowledge all processors require a fan.

And unfortunately no, this one does not come with a fan. There is a different part number for this i7 with the fan included. I unfortunately don't know what it is.

I bought this CPU, and the fan separately.

Cheers

Question 8

Does this processor include the CPU fan too?

Accepted Answer

No, it does not. You'll want a decent aftermarket fan anyway for something this high-end, the stock cooler would probably have a hard time keeping it cool.

Question 9

Sorry if this sounds basic but I couldn't find the answer on the product specs page...

This cpu is rated at 3.4ghz but I didn't see anything about turbo boost. Does this cpu support it? And if so, how high does the clock speed go with turbo boost?

Thanks all for answering!

Accepted Answer

It does. I think it goes to 3.9 ghz with turbo boost stock. I personally have my turbo boost up to 4.6 ghz, as this processor in general is fairly easy to overclock.

Question 10

Can this processor be overclocked?

Accepted Answer

Seems i am the only one running it on the ASUS Rampage IV Gene LGA 2011, i want to game but i do video editing and wanted something future proof and smaller then a monster Eatx, way to big for me... I am easily getting 4.8GHZ with 1.38v on a H100i and Corsair just came out with a new case, the Corsair CC-9011070-WW MicroATX Mid Tower Air 240, What a sweet case! So i got the BOMB of chips, Nice small size and NOTHING comes close to it in power.... I just can't wait to put some GTx 880 in SLI with it..... Wahoooooooom talk about future proof... This one gonna run like my i7 920 did 6 years ago and still rocking out!

Questions & Answers