Originally posted by: JeffreyLebowski
Originally posted by: swanysto
I don't think a Quad is necessary for what you need it for. I have one, and it was a waste of money. I don't care who tells you what, even the multi-threaded software out there now sucks. That being said:
Intel E8400 3ghz. Can OC it pretty easily. From what I hear 3.6 is not hard at all.
$165.00
EVGA 780 etc etc http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16813188043
this will allow you to upgrade to SLI if you choose.
$170.00
"G.SKILL 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066 (PC2 8500) Desktop Memory Model F2-8500CL5D-4GBPQ - Retail
Item #: N82E16820231241
$49.99" SAME
9800GTX runs everything I have thrown at it so far. Obviously not the high tech available, but also not ridiculously overpriced. 1gb version handles some games better.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16814125245
$180.00
Antec 300 case. Not sure how much you keep in your case, but I only keep 1 optical and 1 internal HDD, so your needs may differ, but it is more than enough for me.
$60.00
DVD Drive - I watch blu rays on my tv, but if you need one in your computer than disregard this part.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16827151171
$24.00
Corsair 650. You shouldn't need more power than this. I have great experience with these which is why I recommend it.
http://www.newegg.com/Product/...x?Item=N82E16817139005
$95.00
I am not too experienced with Heatsinks, but you will need one to OC. I use the Asus Amazing, but I don't know if they even sell it anymore. But I would figure about 50-60 for a good one. And the Antec 300 comes with enough fans to get you started, but you may want to add one or two in the front. I just added a couple $3 120mm fans in the front and it is golden.
So that should leave you right around $700 with only Vista to buy. If Vista is not in your budget than you can get a newer HDD or upgrade the vid card, or even go to an E8500.
You're comparing now specs. As time goes on multi-core support and multi-threaded apps will get better. I get the hint that the OP keeps his computers until the die, The Quad will last him longer as multi-threaded apps get better at utilizing the available power.
Originally posted by: In2Photos
Here is a similar build to the one you are thinking about. I built it a couple of weeks ago. I have zero regrets! Great PC.
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...280080&highlight_key=y
Originally posted by: zerogear
I generally don't care too much for i7, the demanding stuff I do is video editing and encoding, and the performance increase in i7 doesn't warrant the price for me, simply because a 18 minute encode vs a 12 minute encode won't matter if I queue everything up the night before, so it is done by the time I wake up, it is already done.
Personally, I'm waiting for maturity of the chipset + 8 core i7 (16 threads)
Originally posted by: In2Photos
Here is a similar build to the one you are thinking about. I built it a couple of weeks ago. I have zero regrets! Great PC.
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...280080&highlight_key=y
Rosewell PSU is hit and miss.. So, I don't generally recommend it.
Originally posted by: swanysto
Nice build, I just think you are spending 300 dollars more than you have to, and that video card is very underpowered for the price you are paying for that computer. I think you should really try to test a i7 system before you buy one, cause the speed advantage is really not as noticeable as everyone makes it out to be, especially for the kind of money you are investing. If you are dead set on a quadcore, you can always get a 9300 for around 150. And if you are the kind of person that buys a computer every four years, then you are not the kind of person who spends 24 hours on it, and needs every single micro second advantage.
Originally posted by: zerogear
And also, if it matters, you can *upgrade* to a 4870 for 169.99 after 30$MIR.
http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2284925&enterthread=y
Originally posted by: In2Photos
Originally posted by: swanysto
Nice build, I just think you are spending 300 dollars more than you have to, and that video card is very underpowered for the price you are paying for that computer. I think you should really try to test a i7 system before you buy one, cause the speed advantage is really not as noticeable as everyone makes it out to be, especially for the kind of money you are investing. If you are dead set on a quadcore, you can always get a 9300 for around 150. And if you are the kind of person that buys a computer every four years, then you are not the kind of person who spends 24 hours on it, and needs every single micro second advantage.
I assume you are referring to me.
The video card is more than fine for my use. I do 2D photo editing and some internet use. No need for anything fancy there. I have no doubts that I could have saved a few hundred and done a Q8x00 series or something else. But like the OP here I buy computers once every 4-5 years. The i7 will allow me to expand more than the Q8x00 PC would have as long as Socket 1336 is around. It is a gamble I know, but Lightroom absolutely flies now and that is what I am after. Edits are instantaneous. I don't spend all my time on my PC. I have two young kids so I only use it after they go to bed. That means I have LESS time to spend waiting. Every micro second does count. I used to have to let my PC run all night exporting my files and then run around in the morning trying to upload them. Now I can get them done before bed and shut off the PC until next time. I probably save more money in energy use than I spent going to i7.
Originally posted by: swanysto
Originally posted by: In2Photos
Originally posted by: swanysto
Nice build, I just think you are spending 300 dollars more than you have to, and that video card is very underpowered for the price you are paying for that computer. I think you should really try to test a i7 system before you buy one, cause the speed advantage is really not as noticeable as everyone makes it out to be, especially for the kind of money you are investing. If you are dead set on a quadcore, you can always get a 9300 for around 150. And if you are the kind of person that buys a computer every four years, then you are not the kind of person who spends 24 hours on it, and needs every single micro second advantage.
I assume you are referring to me.
The video card is more than fine for my use. I do 2D photo editing and some internet use. No need for anything fancy there. I have no doubts that I could have saved a few hundred and done a Q8x00 series or something else. But like the OP here I buy computers once every 4-5 years. The i7 will allow me to expand more than the Q8x00 PC would have as long as Socket 1336 is around. It is a gamble I know, but Lightroom absolutely flies now and that is what I am after. Edits are instantaneous. I don't spend all my time on my PC. I have two young kids so I only use it after they go to bed. That means I have LESS time to spend waiting. Every micro second does count. I used to have to let my PC run all night exporting my files and then run around in the morning trying to upload them. Now I can get them done before bed and shut off the PC until next time. I probably save more money in energy use than I spent going to i7.
Sorry, your avatar is the same as the OP so I got you guys confused.
Originally posted by: surreal1221
Doesn't seem newegg has any 9300's available, but they're not going for $150 though. The 9300 that they have listed is $50 less than the i7 920.
As far as the video card, what other cards should I take some time to look into?
Originally posted by: In2Photos
Originally posted by: swanysto
Originally posted by: In2Photos
Originally posted by: swanysto
Nice build, I just think you are spending 300 dollars more than you have to, and that video card is very underpowered for the price you are paying for that computer. I think you should really try to test a i7 system before you buy one, cause the speed advantage is really not as noticeable as everyone makes it out to be, especially for the kind of money you are investing. If you are dead set on a quadcore, you can always get a 9300 for around 150. And if you are the kind of person that buys a computer every four years, then you are not the kind of person who spends 24 hours on it, and needs every single micro second advantage.
I assume you are referring to me.
The video card is more than fine for my use. I do 2D photo editing and some internet use. No need for anything fancy there. I have no doubts that I could have saved a few hundred and done a Q8x00 series or something else. But like the OP here I buy computers once every 4-5 years. The i7 will allow me to expand more than the Q8x00 PC would have as long as Socket 1336 is around. It is a gamble I know, but Lightroom absolutely flies now and that is what I am after. Edits are instantaneous. I don't spend all my time on my PC. I have two young kids so I only use it after they go to bed. That means I have LESS time to spend waiting. Every micro second does count. I used to have to let my PC run all night exporting my files and then run around in the morning trying to upload them. Now I can get them done before bed and shut off the PC until next time. I probably save more money in energy use than I spent going to i7.
Sorry, your avatar is the same as the OP so I got you guys confused.
No problem. Just wanted to make sure I answered any questions just in case.
Originally posted by: swanysto
Originally posted by: In2Photos
Originally posted by: swanysto
Originally posted by: In2Photos
Originally posted by: swanysto
Nice build, I just think you are spending 300 dollars more than you have to, and that video card is very underpowered for the price you are paying for that computer. I think you should really try to test a i7 system before you buy one, cause the speed advantage is really not as noticeable as everyone makes it out to be, especially for the kind of money you are investing. If you are dead set on a quadcore, you can always get a 9300 for around 150. And if you are the kind of person that buys a computer every four years, then you are not the kind of person who spends 24 hours on it, and needs every single micro second advantage.
I assume you are referring to me.
The video card is more than fine for my use. I do 2D photo editing and some internet use. No need for anything fancy there. I have no doubts that I could have saved a few hundred and done a Q8x00 series or something else. But like the OP here I buy computers once every 4-5 years. The i7 will allow me to expand more than the Q8x00 PC would have as long as Socket 1336 is around. It is a gamble I know, but Lightroom absolutely flies now and that is what I am after. Edits are instantaneous. I don't spend all my time on my PC. I have two young kids so I only use it after they go to bed. That means I have LESS time to spend waiting. Every micro second does count. I used to have to let my PC run all night exporting my files and then run around in the morning trying to upload them. Now I can get them done before bed and shut off the PC until next time. I probably save more money in energy use than I spent going to i7.
Sorry, your avatar is the same as the OP so I got you guys confused.
No problem. Just wanted to make sure I answered any questions just in case.
Just as a side note, 4-5 years is the difference between P4 and i7. If surreal gets an i7, he will be completely skipping two generations of core 2's. Yet those past two generations have still not been caught up to by the programming side of the business. When I say programming, I mean programming, not just throwing insane graphics at a computer just to give you the illusion that it is not fast anymore.
Originally posted by: swanysto
Possibly, I just get weary on these boards cause everyone is always quick to suggest the latest and greatest. I have used an i7 computer, and I was not impressed at all. I really think I could get through the next 4 years on my system, and even a system in which I had an E8400. I play all the games, and have no problems. Is my computer going to handle games after 3 years? probably not, but neither is the i7, cause the i8 or whatever they plan on calling it will be out with i9 right there. Why spend an extra chunk of money when it isn't necessarily needed. If you read the reviews, the i7 is nothing spectacular. That is why the sales for the i7 is not what they thought it would be. People realize they aren't getting enough performance boost for the major money they are spending.
Are there die hards out there that absolutely NEED ever bit of performance gain? Yes. Are there people out there that just like having the latest and greatest? Yes. Is the thread starter one of those people? Not from what I have read. If he has been using a P4 till now, then I assure you, he is not hardcore enough to need the ounce of performance gain per extra $100 you get from i7.
Originally posted by: surreal1221
Based off of what I have priced (i7 920, MSI X58 mobo, and 6gb of DDR3 memory), I'm spending 554.97 on those three elements alone.
Any motherboard recommendations for the Q9400?
I'm going to take a look at what newegg has to offer in regards to the 9400 and 8x00 line, once i know the cost savings I'll come back and get some more input on perhaps going that route. thxs again guys
---------------------
Okay, comments, suggestions? Different mobo / memory combinations?
The following setups share the same mobo and memory.
Mobo is Gigabyte's EP45-UD3P for $134.99 and memory is Crucial DDR2 1066 4gb at 2x2gb for $75.99 (note: same price for DDR3 6gb worth - just tossing it out there).
Q9400 set up totals $440.97 (savings of $114 compared to i7 system)
E8500 set up totals $400.97 (savings of $154 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^)
E8400 set up totals $375.97 (savings of $179 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^)
For those just now tuning in, the above prices are only for the above elements of the system.
Originally posted by: surreal1221
swanysto, any thoughts about the above potential setups? Q9400 vs. the 8x00 series?