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November Computer Buying Help Thread - with new 6-core Sandy Bridge systems


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Intel's new CPUs and motherboards have hit the market, and I've updated the 6-core High End and High End CUDA workstation recommendations here:

 

 

They get a bit of a performance bump for the same money as an i7-980, while using less power and incorporating a few new technologies in the chipset. Nothing earth shattering here - don't go replacing your previous generation 6-core i7 box or anything - but if you're planning on buying a workstation at that price point, the new stuff is better than the old.

 

Please post any "what sort of computer should I buy" type questions here.

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Bridging video cards doesn't combine their memory - if you want to do something involving complex textures, run games, run CUDA, you want the option with more memory on one card. Also, SLI and Crossfire are not as efficient in 3D apps as they are in games, so I usually only recommend multiple video cards for people wanting serious multi-monitor setups or CUDA.

 

Ivy Bridge is, IIRC, due for next year. It's going to be a revision of Sandy Bridge with a tinier fab process (22nm? I think?) that will allow for higher clock speeds. I read that they're supposed to use the same MBs though a BIOS upgrade may be needed.

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So is there any alternative of GTX580 3GB? may be other card from different brand? it would be great if you give us a link to the latest and best graphic cards from different company with ranking regardless their prices. so one can easily see what he needs?

 

BTW, I was suggested to seat tight and wait for the next IVY processors. If the difference is not that noticeable I would rather buy the pc two month ahead.

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PROCESSORIntel® Core™ i7-2600 processor (8MB Cache, 3.4GHz)editOPERATING SYSTEMGenuine Windows® 7 Home Premium, 64Bit, English

MEMORY16GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1333MHz - 4 DIMMseditHARD DRIVE1TB Performance RAID 0 (2 x 500GB SATA 3Gb/s 7200 RPM HDDs)editMONITORDELL UltraSharp™ U2412M 24" Monitor with Adj Stand, Widescreen, VGA/ DVI/ DPeditGRAPHICS CARDSingle AMD Radeon™ HD 6870editOPTICAL DRIVEBlu-ray Combo Drive (8X BD-R, DVD+/-RW) with DVD+R double layer write capability

price:C$1,732.00

The above spec is from Dell, is this a good deal. My friend says he can get me another 10% discount. I've already customised it from 12-16 g ram and 6870 radeon from 6450.

Just want to know if i'm getting a good deal of it. Will use it mostly for 3dmax,ps.

 

thanks,

DTM

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So is there any alternative of GTX580 3GB? may be other card from different brand? it would be great if you give us a link to the latest and best graphic cards from different company with ranking regardless their prices. so one can easily see what he needs?

 

BTW, I was suggested to seat tight and wait for the next IVY processors. If the difference is not that noticeable I would rather buy the pc two month ahead.

The only manufacturers of 3gb GTX580s are:

eVGA

Asus

MSI

Zotac

Palit

Gigabyte

Edited by Slinger
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Andrew, I am looking to add to my render nodes as well. Your link to the "Basic Render Node" looks like a cost of about $1560 (although I did not see a cooling unit included....anything else missing?). How would 3 of these ($4700) compare to something like a single Boxx RenderPro 12 ($4300) in terms of speed?

 

If I can definitely get more out of my own build, I would break down and build my own. Although I am tired of building machines and no tech support.

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The CPU in that spec is a retail box - it will come with a cooler that will work fine, given a reasonable case like the one included. If you want to OC or just prefer a cooler system you'd want to add a larger cooler that supports LGA2011 CPUs.

 

Now, comparing three of those nodes to a RenderPro - I'm assuming the pricing is for the basic spec, with the 2.4GHz CPUs? The RenderPro would have 12x2.4GHz = 28.8GHz, while the three nodes would have 18x3.2GHz = 57.6GHz. That's double the power, and the three nodes' i7's are a newer generation that use less power and are a bit faster, per GHz. BUT you have to have three boxes instead of one, and that's more space and less convenience.

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I don't know why the shortage, but I can see why it would be popular. Best at that price point. If you want to do something now, you don't lose much by going to the i7-980: this CPU: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0058FO22O/?tag=andylynnnet-20 on this MB: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00407ZUUY/?tag=andylynnnet-20 with this RAM: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004F9FKNY/?tag=andylynnnet-20 for example.

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Don't buy CPUs on Ebay. You'll overpay, or get something without a warranty and not know where it's been. The 3930 is less than 10% faster than the 980, so if one needs a box built now the 980 is fine.

 

Less than 10% , are you sure about that . @stock speed , the I7 3930K with a Asus or MSI mainboard is more than 19% faster than the I7 990X (I7 990X > I7 980 ) with heavy multithreaded apps .

 

For example : Cinebench R11.5 . 11.14/9.3 ~ 1.19 . I think you didn't test them both before??

 

 

i7-3930K_R11.jpg

 

i7-990X_R11.jpg

Edited by Superkames
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hello all,

i truly cant afford the i7's. Been using amd since my 1st pc. currently im using x6 1055T. OC to 3.4Ghz. Up till now she never let me down. Perform greatly in work and as well in leisure. But now im planning to upgrade to 8150FX+asus v formula.Still kinda blur with its performance with 3d rendering loads. Any comments will be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance.

 

regards,

muck

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hello all,

i truly cant afford the i7's. Been using amd since my 1st pc. currently im using x6 1055T. OC to 3.4Ghz. Up till now she never let me down. Perform greatly in work and as well in leisure. But now im planning to upgrade to 8150FX+asus v formula.Still kinda blur with its performance with 3d rendering loads. Any comments will be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance.

 

regards,

muck

 

You can look at this article at behardware.com : I like it because they tested their CPUs with realworld Apps

AMD FX-8150 and FX-6100, Bulldozer arrives on AM3+

 

3d Studio Max 2011 - Mental Ray

IMG0033879.jpg

IMG0034363.png

 

3d Studio Max 2011 - V-Ray 2.0

IMG0033880.jpg

IMG0034364.png

 

I think you should upgrade to an I7 2600K Sandy Bridge system if you cant afford the i7 3930K's . I7 2600K overclocking headroom is really good and the price similar to an AMD bulldozer FX 8150 system. One more thing , the I7 2600K is must more stronger than any AMD's Cpus in single thread.

Edited by Superkames
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