Question 1

does the ram used with this cpu have to be low voltage ram?

Accepted Answer

Intel's Ark entry for the i7 5775C calls out DDR3L, which nominally operates at 1.35 V, but goes on to state that it is rated for 1.5-V operation, which is the voltage level for standard DDR3.  I would advise erring on the side of caution and staying away from running any of your RAM higher than that, but you should be fine with standard DDR3 DIMMs @ 1.5 V.  Anecdotally , I've been running my 5775C for a couple years with a DDR3 kit from Corsair @ 1.5 V (CMZ16GX3M2A1600C9), and I've had no issues.  If you can't find any DDR3L DIMMs you like, or you already have a DDR3 kit that runs at 1.5 V, you can go ahead and use 1.5-V DDR3 without worry.

Question 2

What kind of performance gain would I get from my current I7-3770 if moving to a I7-5775C? Not a gamer. Just home and office.

Accepted Answer

I'm not certain you would notice a huge difference in most tasks.  The one area where the i7-5775C would be somewhat noticeable for home/office users is in video playback since it has a far better iGPU in it.  If you haven't had issues with this in the past it's not really a worthy upgrade.

Additionally, I believe the two processors use a different pin layout (1155 for the 3770 and 1150 for the 5775C) which would necessitate a new motherboard purchase.  Fewer of these are available as Skylake has been around for about a year now and Kaby Lake should be arriving in a few months. These newer processors use a completely different board and require different RAM as well.

While I use my Broadwell for office use and I think it's absolutely perfect in that setting, I'm not sure you would see a hugely significant benefit from the investment given your current hardware.  If you need to speed up processor intensive tasks you're goign to need a new motherboard, and it'd make sense to jump to the most recent architecture (i7-6700 or -6700k).  If you need the better graphics the 5775C is a great processor, but an inexpensive dedicated GPU could easily be added to you current system at low cost.

Question 3

so this cpu is unlocked? so i can overclock it?

Accepted Answer

Yup. I would water cool or get a big air cooler if you want to OC.

CPU Overclocking Enabled (with Intel® Z97 Chipset),2: Fully unlocked core multiplier, power, base clock and DDR3
memory ratios enable ultimate flexibility for overclocking.

Still using this CPU in a VR machine. Chip is great if you can't upgrade to a newer socket.

Question 4

hey everyone, is this cpu better than the i7 4790k? I can use either on my asus maximus 7 hero board. need opinions.

Accepted Answer

Eric, I built a little media computer for my wife to watch Internet TV using a 5775c.  I liked it so much that I decided to replace my my own giant (mid-ATX) loud (heat needs fans) mondo powerful 4790K computer to a tiny (mini-ITX) quiet 5775 computer that does just about as well.  I'm not looking for my next upgrade and I don't need any more power; this 5775c is just about perfect and does everything I want.

Question 5

What socket is needed or this specific processor?

Accepted Answer

LGA 1150, but make sure your motherboard will support Broadwell first. Z97 typically does, but others sometimes don't.

Question 6

Is this compatible with? 
RAM: G.skill F3-12800CL7D-8GBRH (DDR3-1600 PC3-12800), and
Cooler: NH-D14 ?

Accepted Answer

For the RAM, yes.  
For the NH-14, there are different models.  When selecting the NH-D14 make sure that it's compatible (under specifications) with LGA 1150.  I saw a model that was compatible with LGA 1150 and one that wasn't so you have to get the one that is.

Newegg has the item that is compatible for you.  I've gotten the item number for you.  It's Item#: N 8 2 E 1 6 8 3 5 6 0 8 0 1 8.

=)

Question 7

wILL THIS PROCESSOR WORK W/ DDR3 1866 RAM?

Accepted Answer

Yes it should. You should check your motherboards compatibility though as it probably won't default to that speed by itself.

Question 8

when you figure out that this is almost a 4790k with almost a quadro k2000, It doesn't look so expensive. If you edit 1080p or less, I think this can do it without a separate graphics card. Remember that this graphics processor is built to standards of reliability greater than a quadro card and later you can add a card if you need 4k. If you video edit 1080p, this processor is a good choice. ?

Accepted Answer

You are likely correct. It is as powerful as a lower end dedicated graphics card. I think Anandtech com has done some benchmarking on the graphics in this chip that you may want to look at.

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