P67 vs H67 chipsets

LucianH

I'm putting together a spec for a new desktop PC based on the Intel Core i5-2500K and am trying to identify a motherboard. So the first decision is P67 or H67 (at least I think these are the options).

The main use of the PC is for the normal office applications (although normally with many apps/windows open simultaneously - often including running iTunes, iPlayer or a DigitalTV tuner). It’s also used frequently for image (large format) editing (Paintshop Pro or Photoshop), audio editing (eg, Goldwave) and video editing (old versions of ULead Video Studio).

I do not want to over-clock (I’d rather go for quiet and reliable) and from the research I've done so far, this opens up the possibility of using the H67 MB's which also lets me use the on-board graphics.

It's the use of the on-board graphics that I find attractive. I don't have any need for extreme gaming (my daughters’ play Harry Potter type games and I dabble with a few Motor Racing games) and if, god forbid, a boyfriend turns up on the scenes that wants more gaming capability, then I can always look at adding a graphics card at a later date.

So the question is, what are the views of the performance of H67 MB’s using the on-board graphics and are there any recommendations or known links to reviews for ATX form factor MB's? Most of the MB reviews I can find appear to be for the P67’s.

Lil306

Good review from Linus here.... http://youtu.be/wUgBNWtCsnk

P67 are more for gamers, H67 is great for budget users. Z68 is for those who want to overclock with onboard graphics built it

If needed you can always add a seperate graphics card at a later date anyway

Spank

If you not overclocking there's no need to get the K CPU as they are made to be overclocked

LucianH

Spank wrote: »

If you not overclocking there's no need to get the K CPU as they are made to be overclocked

That was also my first thought but it appears that the K version of the Core i5-2500 have better on-board graphics:

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/gallery/reviews/363982/intel-sandy-bridge/158161

Lil306

LucianH wrote: »

That was also my first thought but it appears that the K version of the Core i5-2500 have better on-board graphics:

http://www.pcpro.co.uk/gallery/reviews/363982/intel-sandy-bridge/158161

You should consider the extra 80 for the 2600k, since it has hyperthreading aswell

darkphoenix_2

Ok theres not particularly correct info here. The i5 2500 is the standers version, the 2500k is the 'unlocked' version which lets you overlcock it. The 'H' Series of motherboards dont allow overclocking, the P series do, and the Z series allow the onboard graphics to be used in conjuction with your normal graphics card.
If your not going to overclock its not really worth getting anything other than the H.

Processor wise either 2500, or 2700 are your best bets, depending on what your going to be doing. Gaming the 2500 as its currently the best out there, for encoding or video editing ect (cpu intensive programs) get the 2700 as it has hyperthreading.

LucianH

dfarrall wrote: »

Processor wise either 2500, or 2700 are your best bets, depending on what your going to be doing. Gaming the 2500 as its currently the best out there, for encoding or video editing ect (cpu intensive programs) get the 2700 as it has hyperthreading.

Thanks for the reference to hyperthreading since it's probably the ability to cope with cpu intensive applications that I want rather than gaming capability. Just one point, which cpu do you mean by the "2700" - do you mean the i7-2600? I can't see any reference to 2700:

http://www.intel.com/consumer/products/processors/compare-processors.htm?select=desktop

And, as a separate question:

dfarrall wrote: »

the Z series allow the onboard graphics to be used in conjuction with your normal graphics card.

I assumed that if I went for a H67 MB I could first use it with the on-board graphics and then could, if I wanted, add a dedicated graphics card at a later date - is this the case and will all H67 MB's allow this (and what slot would be used for this)?