bill - 7:56 am on Nov 9, 2011 (gmt 0)

I need to spec out some workstations for next year. When I look at sites like Dell for workstations they automatically present me with a bunch of Xeon chip options. I'd like to know if a "consumer grade" Sandy Bridge chip, like an i7, could be used instead. Are Xeon chips really that much better?

These would be for workstations that are on 24/7 for years on end. I need a chipset that will still be decent after 5 years.