Upgrade Current Rig

[vegettoxp]

Hello there Guys, just wanted to share with you my Blue Print to upgrade my current Rig with some new toys. Please look over my ideas and share your thoughts and comments or recommendations on hardware, thank you all in advance.

PC Case - From: CM Cosmos To: Corsair Graphite Series 600T (Whire Color)

Motherboard - From: Asus Maximus Formula SE To: Asus Rampage IV Formula

Processor - From: Intel Core 2 Quad (QX9770) to Intel Core i7 (3820)
Processor Cooler - From: Thermalright To: Intel Liquid Cooler

System Ram: From: G-Skills 8GB To: G-Skills 16GB (F3-10666CL9D-16GBXL)

SSD - Intel SSD 520 Series (120GB)

Thoughts, Recommendations, Opinions, all are welcome, thanks all!

Josh

 

[Blain]

Hello there Guys, just wanted to share with you my Blue Print to upgrade my current Rig with some new toys. Please look over my ideas and share your thoughts and comments or recommendations on hardware, thank you all in advance.

Thoughts, Recommendations, Opinions, all are welcome, thanks all!

Josh

We really need to know how this PC will be used in order to give you any meaningfull recommendations.

 

[vegettoxp]

We really need to know how this PC will be used in order to give you any meaningfull recommendations.

Sorry about that, this PC will be used for Photoshop, Alots of Video Editiong and of course the usualy computer work and games here and there.

Josh

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

I recommend you use it for fun

 

[vegettoxp]

Of course news toys are always fun! Also guys I have been reading that Ivy-Bridge will be coming out this year too or next year, whats the case on this? Should I wait for IB or go with Sandy-E?

 

[lehtv]

Sandy Bridge E is a bit of a fail in my book. Less features than on the Z68 chipset, bad performance for the price. X58 was a lot better enthusiast platform.

I'd wait for Ivy Bridge to be released - grab the hyperthreaded quad equivalent to 2600K and OC the hell out of it, that will be one fast video editing/encoding CPU. What is the Thermalright cooler you have and is it compatible with LGA 1155/1156?

Avoid paying ridiculous amounts for the motherboard, only pay for features you need.

 

[Blain]

Don't play the waiting game... Buy what you want now.
Waiting... Before you know it your life will have passed by.

There will ALWAYS be better tech just around the corner.

No need to swap cases. Use that $$ for something that really matters.

 

[vegettoxp]

I agree with you guys, the waiting game is always bad. If there is something you like, go for it. With me getting the 2011 Socket, I will also be ready for IB-E Platform. So in my opinion me getting the Sandy-B E Platform, I will be good.

 

[lehtv]

The CPU you're considering - 3820 - costs the same and performs the same as 2600K. But with 2600K you pay less for the motherboard and get SSD caching and the integrated GPU for backup. In this case SB-E would only make sense if you wanted three or four GPUs and more than 4 available RAM slots.

2600K has $20 off on newegg at the moment: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070

It will probably not be worth it to upgrade from SB-E to IB-E, just like it's not worth it to upgrade from regular SB to regular IB. QX9770 was released 4 years ago, so assuming you stick to that upgrade interval, your next upgrade is not going to be even Intel Haswell (2013), probably not even its die shrink Broadwell (2014), but more likely Skylake in 2015.

 

[billyb0b]

the CPU upgrade is a nice one! Significant and speedy upgrade there you will notice!

 

[mfenn]

The CPU you're considering - 3820 - costs the same and performs the same as 2600K. But with 2600K you pay less for the motherboard and get SSD caching and the integrated GPU for backup. In this case SB-E would only make sense if you wanted three or four GPUs and more than 4 available RAM slots.

2600K has $20 off on newegg at the moment: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16819115070

It will probably not be worth it to upgrade from SB-E to IB-E, just like it's not worth it to upgrade from regular SB to regular IB. QX9770 was released 4 years ago, so assuming you stick to that upgrade interval, your next upgrade is not going to be even Intel Haswell (2013), probably not even its die shrink Broadwell (2014), but more likely Skylake in 2015.

:thumbsup::thumbsup: I agree 100%.

OP, you're paying $370 + $320 = $690 for a CPU and mobo setup that performs the same as a $305 i7 2600K + $140 GA-Z68XP-UD3 = $445 setup. And you can't even OC the 3820!

 

[vegettoxp]

You guys are awesome, thank you so much for your advice. I have bought the case on Friday and I ordered the Asus Rampage IV Formula and it will be here next week and I will continue to order my items one by one and I will order the Processor in the end.

Your thoughts on 3820 or 3930K? And If I go the route of 3930K, wil that be a good choice?

 

[lehtv]

Return the Rampage IV Formula for a full refund. As noted, you will be better off with LGA1155.

3930K is $600, no way that's worth it for anyone but those with money to burn and those whose income or work hours depend on multithreaded processing power.

 

[vegettoxp]

Well noted, but 3930K is no problem, because I have some connection to get that at a cheaper price, but I am happy to read your recommedations.

 

[lehtv]

What sort of discount are we talking about? Would it be possible to get a 2600K for cheaper as well?

 

[DSF]

I think it's pretty clear he intends to stick with the 3930k regardless of forum input.

It seems to be the way he likes to build things, when you look at where he's coming from:
QX9770
Asus Maximus Formula SE
Coolermaster Cosmos

It's his money.

 

[lehtv]

He's coming from a 4 year old system. It'd make more sense to tighten the upgrade interval with the money saved by not buying overpriced components.

 

[vegettoxp]

lol, thanks guys. I am still not sure about the processor, but I hopefully I will have a decision soon. I got the QX9770 from my cus for free and this time I am try to do the same if possible. I am not a rich guy, I jusy save up money and buy whatever my budget lets me buy.

 

[mfenn]

lol, thanks guys. I am still not sure about the processor, but I hopefully I will have a decision soon. I got the QX9770 from my cus for free and this time I am try to do the same if possible. I am not a rich guy, I jusy save up money and buy whatever my budget lets me buy.

In that case, you would do well to take lehtv's advice about building a more moderate system. Basically, the issue with building a monster system every 4 years is that the price-performance curve is exponential. What that means is that, as you go up the scale into higher-performance parts, you are paying relatively more for each extra bit of performance.

For example:
- An i5 2500K is about twice as much as an i3 2100, but it performs about twice as well as an i3 2100 in highly-threaded workloads.
- An i7 2600K is about 50% more expensive than an i5 2500K, but only performs about 25% better.
- An i7 3820 is about 25% more than an i7 2600K, but performs the same

Motherboards are even worse. That $300 Rampage performs within a couple of percentage point to a $130 mobo.

If you are on a limited budget (aren't we all), it's better to make the price-performance curve work for you by buying midrange equipment more often. As Ken says, the only way to future proof your machine is to save money and spend it on future hardware.

 

[lehtv]

i7 3820 itself is actually the same price as 2600K, but maybe you mean that combined with the motherboard, it'll end up being about 25% more expensive?
http://pcpartpicker.com/us/part/intel-cpu-bx80623i72600k
http://pcpartpicker.com/part/intel-cpu-bx80619i73820

The worst of the CPU price scaling is when you get to the hexacores. An i7 3930K is twice as expensive as 2600K, and its extra 50% processing power is useful only (1) in heavily multithreaded applications, and (2) for people who care about such high end performance. To most people it just doesn't matter if it takes a bit longer to do something like encode a video, if that saves them $300 for a future upgrade and the performance is already top notch.

@ OP, did you mean literally that you will try to get 3930K for free from your cousin? Obviously that would be pretty awesome. But if you end up paying considerably more than for 2600K it probably isn't worth it.

 

[T_Yamamoto]

you could use the money you save to buy a better gpu, maybe an ssd, etc etc.

 

[vegettoxp]

I am really taking your guys recommendation and I will look into 2600K Processor. If I can get the 3820 3930K for free, then I will go that route, thanks all!

I also have been thinking how many apps/games take advantage of 6-Core Processor. It looks as if I will be wasring money on Hex Core and I am better off getting the Quad core and I know there are apps that take advantage of Quad-Core.

Youe guys thoughts in this?

 

[vegettoxp]

I also poked around and I am gona Go with Corsair H100 with Two Noctua (NF-F12 PWM) Fans instead of using the fans that comes with H100, Good Choice?

 

[lehtv]

H100 with two noctuas would cost $140, you're aware of that, right? You can get a sufficiently high performing tower cooler for $50: Scythe Mugen 3 or HR-02 Macho. Either will achieve very decent temps at 4.5Ghz, hell, even Hyper 212+ can do 4.5Ghz, while making less noise than a H100.

However, I could imagine the higher TDP i7-3930K benefitting from a H100, of course assuming a high overclock. But even then, the Mugen 3 or HR-02 Macho would achieve an overclock within a couple of hundred MHz at similar temps. The extra MHz you get with a higher end cooler just aren't worth another $100.

 

[vegettoxp]

H100 with two noctuas would cost $140, you're aware of that, right? You can get a sufficiently high performing tower cooler for $50: Scythe Mugen 3 or HR-02 Macho. Either will achieve very decent temps at 4.5Ghz, hell, even Hyper 212+ can do 4.5Ghz, while making less noise than a H100.

However, I could imagine the higher TDP i7-3930K benefitting from a H100, of course assuming a high overclock. But even then, the Mugen 3 or HR-02 Macho would achieve an overclock within a couple of hundred MHz at similar temps. The extra MHz you get with a higher end cooler just aren't worth another $100.

The biggest issue that I have with the Air Cooler is the Weight they put on the board. I currently have the Thermalright for my 775 Socket and its good, but its also tall. This is the reason why I went with The H100, this way I install the Radiator and don't have to worry about putting pressure on the board.

Also can you comment on the things below too, thanks, you have been real helpful!

Liquid Cooling - H100 with (2) NF-F12 PWM Fans (Better To Blow Air On To Radiator or Away From Radiator)?

G-Skills System Ram - Recommendation? (For Rampage IV Formula)

SSD Drive - Currently look at Intel 520 Series (120GB) Good Choice?