P45 worth it over P35?

[BlahBlahYouToo]

what does the P45 offer over the P35?
looks like really just PCIe 2.0 and faster FSB, and a higher price tag.

for a budget system to last me the next 5 years, is it worth it to go P45?
i'm thinking no, since nehalam is a new socket layout anyway, so the cpu upgrade path is null.

are there any PCIe 2.0 video cards yet? does it make that much of a performance difference?
will they stop making PCIe 1.1 cards eventually?

 

[akhilles]

For 5 years, def. P45 at a minimum. Most new cards are PCI-E 2.0. HD 4850 included. It may not make a difference in a single-card setup, but it may in a Crossfire.

 

[iBPJohn]

Here check out this review, the P45 actually performs better than a x38 in crossfire. (So yes the p45 would be worth an upgrade to make the system last longer)

http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=761&p=0

Is this a "budget" gaming system or just a budget system?

 

[Zap]

If you already have a P35 chipset board and aren't using Crossfire, don't sweat it. If you are buying a new board (especially if going Crossfire) then get the P45. Seems like they're available for just above the P35 pricing. I see the budget ones starting at just barely under $100 with rebate, kind of like when the P35 just came out.

 

[GundamF91]

Definitely get P45 if you are getting a new board (no sense getting P45 if you already have P35 board). The PCI-e 2.0 will prove to be useful in the future.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: iBPJohn
Here check out this review, the P45 actually performs better than a x38 in crossfire. (So yes the p45 would be worth an upgrade to make the system last longer)

http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=761&p=0

Is this a "budget" gaming system or just a budget system?

it's a budget gaming system. building a new system with a pci-e 1.1 card.

tomshardware seems to think there's not much to offer over a P35 in performance.

 

[Quiksilver]

Originally posted by: BlahBlahYouToo

Originally posted by: iBPJohn
Here check out this review, the P45 actually performs better than a x38 in crossfire. (So yes the p45 would be worth an upgrade to make the system last longer)

http://www.legionhardware.com/document.php?id=761&p=0

Is this a "budget" gaming system or just a budget system?

it's a budget gaming system. building a new system with a pci-e 1.1 card.

tomshardware seems to think there's not much to offer over a P35 in performance.

that could change though in 4-5 years from now which he would like it to last.

 

[foges]

In 4 to 5 years all of todays motherboards will be outdated and the difference between a p35 and p45 will seem so insignificant that it doesnt matter. unless the OP plans on upgrading everything but the motherboard within the next 5 years i dont see how a p45 will be a substantial benefit.

 

[dingetje]

the p45 is a big letdown.....not worth it

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

the only thing that makes me lean towards P45 is that future video cards may make use of the pcie 2.0 extra bandwidth.
the CPU upgrade path is limited as pin layouts change frequently, but perhipheral card slots have longer staying power.

 

[ultra laser]

It would be much wiser to go the P35 path right now. P35 has had time to have all its bugs worked out. Buying a P45 board at this point in time would make you a beta tester.

 

[The Odorous One]

Moving from an Abit IP-35 Pro to an Asus P5Q-E was a great move for me. The P45 gave me some additional features that I wanted and have proved to work well for me:

1. 8 phase power. I was able to OC my Q6600 to 3600 from 3400 MHz by switching to the Asus. The Asus doesn't droop, in fact, vcore increases a bit when the cpu loads up and that is a great thing to see.

2. Drive Xpert raid. The P5Q series uses a Silicon Image on-board controller chip for a 2 drive SATA Raid. Raid setup is a breeze, results are on par with ICH10R.

3. 8 x 8 PCIe 2.0 graphics for Crossfire. It's getting a bad rap but I say it's too early to tell. Regardless, if you are running resolutions 1900 x 1200 or lower, the P45 solution is fine. For me, my resolutions are below 1600 x 1200 (may upgrade to 1900 x 1200 in the near future) and CF performance with 4850's is fantatstic!

Overall very satisfied with performance and features over the P35.