Quote from fosch:
What are the differences between the i7 and Xeon lines of processors from Intel? More importantly, which one is better for trading?
Quote from LeeD:
Xeon processors include extra circuits for data exchange between processors in case motherboard contains 2 or more processors. Xeon also comes with wider variety of cache sizes. Otherwise I7 and Xeon based on the same architecture are the same.
And specifically to the 920 and W3520, you can run a W3520 on a desktop motherboard that will run a 920, so you can get a higher performing non-server MB and memory. The 920 is one of the most reliable OCing CPUs, the W3520 more so. The W3520 is higher "binned" than the 920. In practical terms this means it is more robust and more stabile. So stable you can get OC to 3.9 and it is tradeable stable.
You may also be able to buy a less expensive OEM version of the W3520. But, still costs more than:
Sandybridge i7 2600K
Quad cpu
There's more test results in for the 2600K, so new scores for PassMark:
i7-920, 5,557 (W3520 in i7 MB) around $300
W3520 (on i7 MB OC 3.9) 9,700
i7-970 (hex core) 9,989 $1000, but can be had new private sale around $500-$600
i7-2600K, 10,367 $340
Friend running the W3520 OC @ 3.9 swapped his W3520 out for a 970 @stock. 970 stock benchmarks on his system at barely better than the W3520, but it does way more work in the same time on real world tasks at lower watts and heat.
so, the 2600K has in hands down for bang for buck
but, if money is no object, for real work for multi-threaded apps, more and more reports have the 970 well on top
still early for the 2600K...
higher end Sandybridge on the way, including Hex cores and Oct cores
