Hi all, Im looking to start a new PC build in the coming months, i havent been keeping up with the latest technology (think my last pc build was 3 years ago) so i have been looking about and reading about the latest stuff to gain the knowledge again. My last PC build was an AMD based system, but i think i want to switch to a Intel based build do to the perfomance gains. Im going to look at building a box which could play the latest games, at the moment the only game im playing is Football Manager 2010, so more a CPU and Memory strain rather than a graphics card killer. However in the future i may look to start using my PC as my game box (rather than my PS3 and 360) but at the moment graphics arnt top of my list. As well as games, i would want the box to be able to do photo editing. At the moment i am thinking about getting the Intel i7 920 CPU, im not sure if this is overkill for what i want and if i would be better of going for one of the i5, Lynnfield Socket 1156 CPU's and saving a bit of cash. The issue i have with this is the future proofing of the PC, if i build a socket 1366 box, i have alot more scope for improvement in years to come i guess? If i was to go i7 920, which motherboard would be best for me? My requirements would be that it came cope with tripple channel memory and upgradable in years to come. Any advise of if i am looking at the right CPU and also a good Motherboard and RAM for what im after would be great. Thanks
Could you do us a favour, and have a look through here? That'll give us a lot of the information we need from you. With regard to the rest of your questions, we can certainly spec a low-rent graphics card, so you can upgrade later if you do want to switch to gaming on it properly. The 920 is certainly a solid CPU and 1366 is a good socket with future releases planned; you could equally say the same about 1156 so really it depends on what you'll use the computer for, all of which is in that linked page. 1366 motherboards are all X58, so all specify triple-channel memory; others have SATA 6Gb/s and other new features like USB3, so those are especially future-proof and upgradeable. But first, we need to know what you can spend and what you plan to use it for.
Appologies for the lack of information in my opening post. Here is somemore information: Budget: At the moment i havent set a particular budget but i know im not going to what to really go over the £600-£650 mark, for that i need: Motherboard CPU Memory I have a case already and i am hoping my PSU is still up to the job (Im using this in my AMD Athlon 64 PC at the moment. I have a sound card and will pick up a graphics card in later months. Im using my current monitor also and i already have a harddrive, so really im looking for advise on the 3 parts listed above. Used For: To be honest, in the begining im going to be using the PC mostly to play Football Manager 2010 (Which is why at this stage a good graphics card is not high on the agenda). As well as this, i want to get into photo/video editing so they are the primary uses. In the future (later this year) i am hoping to use it as more of a games box. Additional Questions: Socket 1156 vs 1366? Intel i7 920 vs waiting for the i7 930? Having been away form PC bulding for a while, i am so confused as to which Intel socket is the one of the future (and therefore more future proof). I dont want to end out getting a Socket 1366 montherboad and CPU if when the 6 Core intels come out they go on 1156 sockets
seconding: Intel i7 920 vs waiting for the i7 930? I'm buying similar parts when i get payed in the next couple of days but can't find any info on the new 930's. Closest I've come to a date for them is 2nd of march so still wondering if I should hold off or not. Otherwise i'll be looking at a 920, 6 gig xms3, and an asus p6tSE (not doing SLI) has anyone got any info at all on the 930? all I can find out thats different is its clocked a little higher at stock.
from what i can gather it is just a higher clocked 920. so same core (bloomfield), and same process tech.
I think the 930 is Gulftown. Make sure the board you are after can support the new CPU. With the server stuff, I know you need a newer revision of the IOH for Westmere, and I suspect the same holds true for the desktop boards and Gulftown. I can only speak for what I have done with the server parts, but the changes are a bit subtle for the most part. But is the extra PCIe lanes and DIMM slots worth it to you? These are the biggest things LGA 1366 (Tylersburg) has to offer of an LGA 1156 (Kings Creek) platform. I think Kings Creek will be supported further out into the future than Tylersburg if only by virtue of being released later.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_future_Intel_microprocessors#.22Bloomfield.22_.2845_nm.29 im pretty sure gulftown is the codename for the 6-core chips.
For that budget i'd buy (what i bought on Tuesday), 6GB DDR3 1600Mhz (http://www.aria.co.uk/Products/Comp...8+1600MHz+Triple+Channel+Kit+?productId=34290) Asus P6T SE (http://www.ebuyer.com/product/161061) Intel i7 920 (http://www.scan.co.uk/Products/Inte...halem-266GHz-QPI-48GT-s-Cache-8MB-130W-Retail) Comes in around £475.
after checking the wiki page too I'm just gonna buy a 920 as i'm getting a titan fenrir anyway to overclock it but yeah Abhorsen thats the rig i've been eyeing for the last month. Got payed this morning too!
My parts are at home waiting to be built! Other than my Case which arrives today. The Titan Fenrir i ordered is out of stock tho
http://ark.intel.com/ProductCollection.aspx?codeName=29886&code=gulftown Westmere I know at least a bit about but I can't say anything
Please could someone take a look the case in the following link so see if it is good enough in your opinion for an i7 build? Its the case i used for my last build about 3-4 years ago and im looking to re-use rather than have to get another case. http://www.antec.com/Believe_it/product.php?Type=Mg==&id=MTI4NQ== Many thanks guys.
