...

[Tweakin]

I've just spent a crapload of money to delve into the world of the i7, along with refreshing my old system...and I find myself unhappy.

Sure, the i7 is a really fast system, and my sli cards chew through games like never before...but I find myself longing for my old IP-35E that cost $50, and my e6750 that I got for $75, and the GS Kill 8GB kit for only $49.

That system did everything I needed, and did it well. Now I have all this water cooling, sli enabled, triple channel ram, passive this and active that, RAID0 VR's, Terabytes of storage, custom case...the list goes on and on....

But I still don't think it is right...my little $200 dually was right!

 

[Gikaseixas]

which area do you see your dual core cpu doing a good job comparing to your i7? Games i guess but everything else you should see big improvements.

 

[geokilla]

Core i7s and GTX285 SLIs are pretty overkill in my opinion. There's no need to spend that kind of money when you can get similar performance for half the price. To me, I'll stick with Core 2 and Phenom II. My rig in sig was only $650 CAD and it pretty much gives me what I need.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

Well said!

I love my Q9650 on this UD3R board; and I am still playing with it, hence my standoffish stance with i7 but those D0's are looking quite tempting!

The only reason why I upgrade is gaming. Other than that, I am running an 8400 for email and What? else. O posting in threads - although

 

[vj8usa]

Originally posted by: Tweakin
I've just spent a crapload of money to delve into the world of the i7, along with refreshing my old system...and I find myself unhappy.

...

But I still don't think it is right...my little $200 dually was right!

What were you expecting? I remember your old thread (and your older thread) from when you went to an E8400/E8500 and then Q9650 and didn't see any real improvement.

Seriously, what sort of improvement are you looking for? There isn't some magical setup that will make everything you do happen instantly. Like I said in your earlier thread, everyday computing (launching little apps, bootup time, that sort of thing) will get see a bigger improvement from a quality SSD instead of more CPU/GPU power.

On the other hand, if you do something that will actually benefit from i7's architecture, like rendering or encoding, the difference can be quite noticeable.

 

[Markfw]

My thoughts exactly. Not only are they not great bang/buck, but not that much more bang than a Q9650 either ! I could afford one easy, but why ?

 

[Kraeoss]

so i take it that if i get a ssd and put it into my system it'd be considered a better upgrade than to a 4+ghz dual or expensibg @$$ video card ?

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: vj8usa

Originally posted by: Tweakin
I've just spent a crapload of money to delve into the world of the i7, along with refreshing my old system...and I find myself unhappy.

...

But I still don't think it is right...my little $200 dually was right!

What were you expecting? I remember your old thread (and your older thread) from when you went to an E8400/E8500 and then Q9650 and didn't see any real improvement.

Seriously, what sort of improvement are you looking for? There isn't some magical setup that will make everything you do happen instantly. Like I said in your earlier thread, everyday computing (launching little apps, bootup time, that sort of thing) will get see a bigger improvement from a quality SSD instead of more CPU/GPU power.

On the other hand, if you do something that will actually benefit from i7's architecture, like rendering or encoding, the difference can be quite noticeable.

+1

Although with all respect I foresee the OP neglecting any and all advice communicated in this thread too (old habits die hard?), and no doubt in about 12 months we'll see yet another thread exclaiming "WTF!? my new $3k 6-core gulftown rig doesn't open my emails any faster than my $200 dualie..."

Epic lulz will ensue then too.

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: vj8usa

Originally posted by: Tweakin
I've just spent a crapload of money to delve into the world of the i7, along with refreshing my old system...and I find myself unhappy.

...

But I still don't think it is right...my little $200 dually was right!

What were you expecting? I remember your old thread (and your older thread) from when you went to an E8400/E8500 and then Q9650 and didn't see any real improvement.

Seriously, what sort of improvement are you looking for? There isn't some magical setup that will make everything you do happen instantly. Like I said in your earlier thread, everyday computing (launching little apps, bootup time, that sort of thing) will get see a bigger improvement from a quality SSD instead of more CPU/GPU power.

On the other hand, if you do something that will actually benefit from i7's architecture, like rendering or encoding, the difference can be quite noticeable.

My old system died...and since most of those great deals were gone, I did not see any reason to pay simular monies to get another quad...so I went with the i7. It wasn't an easy decision, but the system is stellar. I guess it just comes down to buyers remorse...

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: Idontcare

Originally posted by: vj8usa

Originally posted by: Tweakin
I've just spent a crapload of money to delve into the world of the i7, along with refreshing my old system...and I find myself unhappy.

...

But I still don't think it is right...my little $200 dually was right!

What were you expecting? I remember your old thread (and your older thread) from when you went to an E8400/E8500 and then Q9650 and didn't see any real improvement.

Seriously, what sort of improvement are you looking for? There isn't some magical setup that will make everything you do happen instantly. Like I said in your earlier thread, everyday computing (launching little apps, bootup time, that sort of thing) will get see a bigger improvement from a quality SSD instead of more CPU/GPU power.

On the other hand, if you do something that will actually benefit from i7's architecture, like rendering or encoding, the difference can be quite noticeable.

+1

Although with all respect I foresee the OP neglecting any and all advice communicated in this thread too (old habits die hard?), and no doubt in about 12 months we'll see yet another thread exclaiming "WTF!? my new $3k 6-core gulftown rig doesn't open my emails any faster than my $200 dualie..."

Epic lulz will ensue then too.

I'm not an english major so I must not be saying things correctly, but you missed the point totally.

I'm a hobbiest...I love building rigs and seeing what they can do. My point was in this project I went farther out there then I have ever done before, sli, water, RAID0 VR's, you saw the list. My final point was that when it was all done, I didn't have the "good job done", or "WOW" factor, or whatever you wish to call it feeling...like I got when I was playing around with my earlier systems.

I had no expectations that it would open Outlook 33% faster, or the Internet would jump to life and amaze me with it's all-knowing power. I expected faster gaming, which is why I tried sli and that was a great improvement, and this was achieved...but that's not the point...now that's it's all done I just don't care, hence I wished I still had my little $200 dualie.

 

[alkalinetaupehat]

With the purchase of a new gaming rig, there tends to be some backlash, even if you made pretty wise purchases. I felt the same way about my new rig, that I should've got an E8400, or waited for Nehalem, or eight million other things. What I've ended up doing is letting the system sorta grow on me, and now I'm pretty happy with the decisions I've made. Part of it for me was figuring out how to use my new PC better.

The old rig could barely run games, F@H was a joke on it, and there wasn't too much I could do in multi-tasking. All of that happens now with my new rig, and then some, so perhaps what you want to look at is more how to use your rig better than your last one, if nothing else but to justify the purchase to yourself (Which should be the only person here that should matter).

Also, go for a run, eat an orange, or do something. You sound like you've been inside a lot.

 

[VirtualLarry]

I agree with the OP. My primary system is still my AMD A64 3800+ single-core, 1GB RAM, 250GB HD, for day-to-day browsing, youtube, etc.

I use my dual-core E2140 @ 3.2 (actually at 2.8 right now for testing purposes) for running MagicJack, and running SeventeenorBust (distributed-computing program). Also for DVD burning, and watching 1080P videos (recently), because the AMD rig has severe DPC Latency issues (mobo problem?).

I build my Q6600 quad-core as a monster gaming rig, and I haven't even really hooked it up much, save for testing the overclock.

I like the small, simple systems, for day-to-day stuff.

Heck, I still miss my Athlon XP 1800+ system that I decommissioned a year or more ago.

 

[wwswimming]

well, i could relate somewhat. i still like my old Opteron system. maybe it's the case
color (red XQ-Pack), maybe it's the Raptor boot drive.

overall, i'd say for most users, Intel, AMD, & Microsoft have worked themselves out
of a job. i have Vista 32 & 64 but i prefer XP and will stick with it until the major 3D
applications i'm learning come out in Mac or Linux.

a dual core is fast enough - heck, the dual core 1 GHz Dell Xeon workstation i had in
2003 was fast enough (to run CAD & PCB layout with industrial strength size models.)

although my current system is obviously my fastest system, maybe a person's "best
system ever" is the system they did their best work on.

just look at Carl Rosendahl & his co-founders at PDI/Dreamworks, creating next-generation
video & animation tools in the mid-80's on a VAX 11/780.

for that matter, i wonder what JKRowling used to write her Harry Potter masterpiece.

i probably did my best work on a Pentium 120 in 1996-1997.

 

[fffblackmage]

this is why i havent upgraded from my e6320 i got a couple years ago. an e6320 at 2.8GHz is fast enough. graphics card, on the other hand... im still using an x1950xt 256MB.

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: VirtualLarry
I agree with the OP...I like the small, simple systems, for day-to-day stuff.

That's what I was trying to say..I love to build systems, but the thrill factor is totally gone for me...at least for now!

 

[aigomorla]

Originally posted by: Tweakin

But I still don't think it is right...my little $200 dually was right!

LOL... and this is why you stepped into h2o?

for me personally, i like my 975. Its one hell of a chip, clocks better then any of my Q's i have b4, and has more threads.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

AAahh, its the "Law of diminishing marginal utility" - thanks Macro Economics

 

[TurtleCrusher]

I know my PC is overkill for what i use it for, but a few years from now it'll still be perfectly capable of running new games (possibly with a GFX upgrade).

I use my EeePC for almost everything. 600mhz (when unplugged) of pure power baby!

 

[nerp]

I am glad to report that I never really get that feeling because I've long ago stopped upgrading beyond what constitues ideal price/performance. I know the feeling, though, having spent money on upgrades that didn't do much to improve performance but certianly took a bite out of my wallet.

I think this feeling is heightened these days because we've hit a plateau in terms of the raw performance available for low cost and the demands that everyday software places on machines. Today, a very inexpensive budget system with integrated graphics and 4 gb of ram can plow throw almost everything you need to get done with a computer. It's not like the old days when playing an mp3 and opening a web browser without audio skipping was a pipe dream. Back then, a basic generational upgrade unlocked a whole new realm of possibilities. Today, a generational upgrade requires benchmarks to really see and enterprise-level databases, complex rendering or video editing software or the absolute latest multicore games to see any real difference.

I think the real feeling of "wow" is taking place in labs and companies where system engineers are beginning to virtualize larger and more demanding environments in increasingly smaller, cooler, denser, faster and efficient packages. Being able to condense 10 machines into 1, and then ten of those into 1 a few years later is a real leap. At this level, when you are dealing with such large scale progress, incremental speed advances on the desktop level with individual applications is pretty insignifcant.

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: aigomorla

Originally posted by: Tweakin

But I still don't think it is right...my little $200 dually was right!

LOL... and this is why you stepped into h2o?

for me personally, i like my 975. Its one hell of a chip, clocks better then any of my Q's i have b4, and has more threads.

Water was the only thing that really drove me through this project...but some of that thrill was lost when I can't complete the system the way I intended due to lack of parts...

 

[dflynchimp]

Originally posted by: Tweakin
I've just spent a crapload of money to delve into the world of the i7, along with refreshing my old system...and I find myself unhappy.

Sure, the i7 is a really fast system, and my sli cards chew through games like never before...but I find myself longing for my old IP-35E that cost $50, and my e6750 that I got for $75, and the GS Kill 8GB kit for only $49.

That system did everything I needed, and did it well. Now I have all this water cooling, sli enabled, triple channel ram, passive this and active that, RAID0 VR's, Terabytes of storage, custom case...the list goes on and on....

But I still don't think it is right...my little $200 dually was right!

and here I am, raining on your little parade...

Buying computer hardware is never about getting a dream system that you will stick with forever and ever... it's about balancing your available budget with what's best on the market right now. It would appear that your pocket is deeper than mine, judging by your purchase, but in 3 years, I could get myself a system with similar performance as yours for much less money.

I'm not bashing you for spending big. Alot of people rail on heavy spenders because they're too egocentric to think everyone has the same budget/expense mindset regarding hardware. A computer hardware hobby is ultimately still less expensive than things like skydiving or luxury cars.

 

[Tweakin]

Originally posted by: dflynchimp

Originally posted by: Tweakin
I've just spent a crapload of money to delve into the world of the i7, along with refreshing my old system...and I find myself unhappy.

Sure, the i7 is a really fast system, and my sli cards chew through games like never before...but I find myself longing for my old IP-35E that cost $50, and my e6750 that I got for $75, and the GS Kill 8GB kit for only $49.

That system did everything I needed, and did it well. Now I have all this water cooling, sli enabled, triple channel ram, passive this and active that, RAID0 VR's, Terabytes of storage, custom case...the list goes on and on....

But I still don't think it is right...my little $200 dually was right!

and here I am, raining on your little parade...

Buying computer hardware is never about getting a dream system that you will stick with forever and ever... it's about balancing your available budget with what's best on the market right now. It would appear that your pocket is deeper than mine, judging by your purchase, but in 3 years, I could get myself a system with similar performance as yours for much less money.

I'm not bashing you for spending big. Alot of people rail on heavy spenders because they're too egocentric to think everyone has the same budget/expense mindset regarding hardware. A computer hardware hobby is ultimately still less expensive than things like skydiving or luxury cars.

Your not raining on my parade...you didn't get what I was trying to say...SIGH

I'm going to shut up now...

 

[NoSoup4You]

I spent $2,500 about three years ago on an AMD X2 4400+ rig. I loved it and it served me well with only video card upgrades an an extra hdd for storage over the three years.

I swapped in some budget Intel parts to the rig a few months ago (e8400, p43, 4GB ddr2) and I'm frankly stunned with how happy I am with it. It was so cheap compared to my old X2 4400 build, and yet it's light years faster (understandly it's much newer).

I'm now convinced that I get more appreciation from building budget rigs that still kick ass, so my days of dropping $500 on a cpu (which I did for the X2 4400+) and $200 for a motherboard (DFI Expert) are definitely over.

To each their own, of course.

 

[DrMrLordX]

Op, use all that CPU and/or GPU power to go crunch some numbers for f@h or some other worthy distributed computing project. Maybe then you will feel better about yourself, at least until your next electrical utility bill arrives.

 

[Pelu]

Sometimes upgrading from one series into a new one right away after release.. is kinda frivolous... Like changing your dvd player because now u have black furniture and want the dvd player black too...