What would you buy?

[ingeborgdot]

This is a general question I guess but if you had $1500 give or take a couple dollars what would you put into a computer? I have a case already, a nice Antec one so that is out of the equation. This computer will be for general use, but will be needed for some HD video editing. A 24" or so screen will be in the equation too. So, who goes first to build their dream machine on a budget? I am ready to see what you would choose compared to what I am looking at. It's just a little comparison thing I guess. Let's have some fun.

 

[mfenn]

I'm confused, is this a real build or just dreaming? I see strains of both in your post.

If it's a real build, I'd say that you already have a pretty stacked machine in your sig, the only real weak point being the GPU. Spend $400 on a GTX 670 and you will be set.

 

[ingeborgdot]

It's going to be a real build.

 

[DSF]

Yeah I agree with mfenn, with the exception of the GPU your machine is already nicer than most. I'd venture to say that in a lot of ways it's nicer than the computer I'm hoping to build in six months or so.

What exactly are you hoping to gain?

 

[lakedude]

Not an expert but the HD video editing is going to need some space and some horsepower. Reading and writing to the same drive is going to slow things down so I suggest a "from" and a "to" drive or some other way of speeding up your storage I/O, like maybe RAID.

 

[MrMuppet]

For some HD video editing, I'd get an i7 (possibly a hex if I could afford it), a big SSD (or two^) and plenty of ram (I think). Not sure why you're asking?

 

[ingeborgdot]

This is for a whole new computer for my wife's brother. I am not hoping to gain anything I guess as it is for someone else.
I am really asking just for the fun of it. I really want to see what other people would do. I like to see the different likes that people have. No one has to answer if they don't want to. I am just picking peoples brains I guess.

 

[lehtv]

$1500 is too much to spend. This isn't a dream machine. Dream machines aren't for "general use with some HD video editing".

Asrock H77 Pro4/MVP $90 - ATX, USB3.0, 4x SATA6gb/s, official Xeon support
Xeon E3-1245 V2 $278 - 3.4GHz(3.8GHz), 4C/8T, Intel HD P4000 graphics
2x8GB G.Skill Ares 1600MHz $95
Seagate ST2000DM001 $100 - Dual 1TB platter 7200RPM
Crucial M4 256GB $190
Lite-On DVD-RW $18
Rosewill Capstone 450W $56 AP - 80+ Gold

= $827

+ Dell U2412M $320 1920x1200 IPS

= $1150

 

[ingeborgdot]

At least a quarter of the usage will be video editing. That is enough time to justify something powerful. I guess some does only sound like only a little but it will be a quarter of the time. Sure it is not a full video use machine but there is no way I would want to spend as much time rendering that the slower machines would give me. I have had slow machines and even if you did 10% video editing on it the fastest machine available is worth the difference in price. This is not for me either, as it is for my wife's brother.

 

[lehtv]

The CPU performance is about as good as it gets on this budget. 3770K would be the same but with overclockability, however that, a Z77 board and an aftermarket cooler would cost another $100 at minimum, not really worth it. Unless you're near a microcenter. A cheap option for multithreaded performance would be an AMD FX-8120 for $150, overclockable to 4.5GHz or so. It'd rival 3770K@stock in heavily multihtreaded work but would be just as bad in single threaded as the cost would suggest, and consume a ton of power.

Rest assured the RAM is good enough and the SSD and HDD are both fast.

What video editing tools will be used?

 

[DSF]

What sort of build did you have in mind ingeborgdot?

 

[mfenn]

At least of a quarter of the usage will be video editing. That is enough time to justify something powerful..

The Ivy Bridge Xeon that lehtv recommended is faster at stock than your 2600K when overclocked to 4 GHz. It won't slow down anybody's video editing or encoding.

Oh yeah, and since this is a real build (even if not for you), please update your OP with the answers to the questions in the sticky. We might be able to fit a six-core in the budget depending on whether or not you need an OS license, monitor, mouse, keyboard, etc.

 

[ingeborgdot]

Yes, an OS, monitor, mouse, keyboard will be needed. We can up the budget a little if needed.
I will most likely get from newegg unless anyone can find me someplace cheaper. I have not found any yet.

 

[ingeborgdot]

My ignorance scares me sometimes. I did not realize and I guess I never checked either that you could use a Xeon on a standard board. I thought it needed to be a server board. Also, what is better about a Xeon over an i7? All people talk about is the i7 and I don't much hear talk about the Xeon CPU. Anyone care to fill in an ignorant person.

 

[Ken g6]

I did not realize and I guess I never checked either that you could use a Xeon on a standard board. I thought it needed to be a server board.

A lot of people don't realize that. It's only since the e3 series that they've worked on consumer boards, and only (some of) the latest consumer boards officially support them.

Also, what is better about a Xeon over an i7?

For your purposes, price. The Xeon is slightly faster, more efficient, and has better graphics than, the 2600k at stock, and it's only slightly slower than an i7-3770/3770k. (0.1GHz difference at most.) But it's cheaper than both (except when something's on a good sale, like the 2600k is now.) The Xeon also supports server boards and certain virtualization instructions that the other processors don't, but they have nothing to do with video editing.

 

[mfenn]

Yes, an OS, monitor, mouse, keyboard will be needed. We can up the budget a little if needed.
I will most likely get from newegg unless anyone can find me someplace cheaper. I have not found any yet.

OK, in that case I recommend taking lehtv's build above and adding:

Windows 7 Professional 64-bit $140 - Pro is necessary if you want to take advantage of the 32GB upgrade that lehtv has set you up for.
Logitech G400 $43 - technically a gaming mouse, but it has good precision which is useful for productivity apps

They keyboard is a pretty personal choice. If you're not going to be doing a lot of typing on this machine, any $20 keyboard will do. If you will be doing a lot of typing, then consider a mechanical keyboard like the Das Keyboard Professional S.

 

[ingeborgdot]

So how do we find what boards support them?

 

[lehtv]

Manufacturers usually list compatible CPUs on the product page. Here's Asrock H77 Pro4/MVP: http://www.asrock.com/mb/cpu.asp?Model=H77%20Pro4/MVP

If Xeons aren't listed, they should still work just fine on boards that support the consumer equivalents.

 

[mfenn]

If Xeons aren't listed, they should still work just fine on boards that support the consumer equivalents.

OP, Just make sure your buddy is OK with "should" before you get one. I.e., if he needs the build ASAP, go with what is officially supported so there is less chance of playing the RMA game.

EDIT: Obviously, if it is officially listed, you are good to go.

 

[ingeborgdot]

Okay, I am in the buying process. I just got a 750watt gold cert. psu, and a Samsung 256GB SSD.
I was wondering if the ASRock would still be the board to get but I am looking at around the 150 buck range. Would the Xeon still be the way to go there also? Price for price is Xeon faster than an i7?

 

[Tushaar]

Buy gold.

 

[ingeborgdot]

Gold what?

 

[Ken g6]

I'm surprised nobody, including me, ever asked you to answer [thread=80121]the sticky questions[/thread].

Maybe he meant to buy gold because it's a better investment than a computer?

Anyway, your PSU is overkill unless gaming is going to be happening. Xeons are the same speed as i7s, clock-for-clock, process-for-process, socket-for-socket, assuming you're not overclocking.

 

[ingeborgdot]

I could not resist the price. Normally priced at 179, marked down to $159, and then with a promo code and a rebate it was $89. I could not turn it down.
I checked prices at other places and it was selling for 172 at another place.
There will be some OCing. Not much but some.
So would you recommend a Xeon over an i7?

 

[mfenn]

You have to choose between a Xeon processor and overclocking, you can't do both. Oh yeah, and Ken makes a very good point about the sticky. Please fill that out, including what parts you've currently bought and how much budget is left for the rest.