19 replies to this topic

[kcidmil]

Hello everyone my name is Ben and I've run into a bit of a dilemma.  Our desktop that we got from a friend is done and is so far outdated I just don't feel like fixing it.  So I've decided to build a whole new setup but I've run into a bit of a snag.  I can't decide which board and chip combo to go with.

 

It will be a family PC used for a variety of things.  Mainly light-moderate gaming by me along with some video editing, the wife does a lot of video work (weddings and such), and of course whatever craziness the kids come up with (i'm assuming Minecraft and Chivarly).

 

After a lot of researching I've narrowed it down to 2 choices, however reviews and tests show you what the performance "should" be but doesn't always hit the results of real use.  So I go looking for people who have been there before.

 

What I'm looking at is in the poll question, I'm open to suggestions though.  I'll put my thoughts on both combo and the rest of my build below.

 

I7-3770k w/ ASUS P8Z77-V LX:  I thought of the new 3rd gen for the ivy bridge and it's power, and I can get the combo for a good price.  However a good price doesn't always mean I'm getting something that is durable.

 

I5-3570k w/ ASUS Sabertooth Z77: I've dealt with the sabertooth line before and like the cooling ability, the 3rd gen I5 would keep me within budget.  Plus I think I remember seeing one test where it seemed the I5 did better at video editing process than the I7.

 

The rest of the build is pretty much set in stone.

 

CPU fan: Noctua NH-D14

Case: NZXT Guardian (the multiple temp display is a nice touch)

Mem: 2x 8GB Corsair Vengence DDR3 1600

PSU: Ultra LSP750

Graphic: MSI GeForce GT 640 1GB (wish I could afford something better)

HD: 1tb WD (to run windows) 64gb SSD (video editing)

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EuroFight]

In my experience, unless you are planning on a serious overclock, you won't see any difference from a high-end board. Based on the fact the system will be used for video editing, I would go for the i7 due to HyperThreading support. If cost is a major issue, you could go for the i7 2600K (Sandy Bridge) instead of the 3770K.

Also, I would suggest the GT640 would be a bit weak for your needs, so if possible I would go for at least a 560/650Ti or Radeon equivalent (7770/7850) which would offer much improved performance over the GT640 as you will be doing some gaming on the system.

Other than that, it looks like a solid build for your needs

[d6bmg]

If you wan to OC the processor beyond 4GHz 24X7, then go with I5 conbo, otherwise go with I7 combo.

Reason: V-LX isn't a good choice as 24x7 overclocking motherboard.

[ComputerEd]

Based on the description it sounds like you do not need a ton of horse power nor that you plan to be an overclocker. In fairness unless she is doing a lot of high end video work and long renders the overclock will not gain enough to be worth the hassles. With this in mind I would look for something like an i5 3450 or 3550 if you want to go the Intel route. You could go the FX route if the video work will push multithreading hard.

 

The key here though is how much video work is being done and what kind. If this is her job then the i7 suggestions above are good but I would ramp it up a bit and go with the i7 3820. The 3820 is in the same price range as the none K i7 chips and has a little higher clock speed. While the motherboard will cost more you have potential for more RAM and higher RAM throughput as well as more advanced processors as an upgrade path if the job becomes more demanding.

[Prunes]

Like Euro wrote, you should try to fit a 560/560 Ti into your build. I have a 560 Ti, and it can runs pretty much all games at very good quality at 1050p. I know it's not HD and all. I'm just saying that you should see a substantial improvement between the two cards.

If you aren't overclocking, I'd say the Noctua cooler is overkill. I know it's nice and quiet. But something like the much praised CM hyper 212+ should be more than fine. The saved money could go towards a better gpu for instance. 

And like Ed wrote, you could save some money on the 3450 or 3550. If the system ain't going to run 24/7 with heavy rendering and encoding, then you could opt for the cheaper MB, since it'll last plenty long.

So there's some places to save money, if the editing work ain't 100% professional and fulltime. 

[vandreadstriker]

Agree with what ComputerEd said, you won't benefit much from the HT if your video editing activities are 'moderate'. I'd personally define moderate as a "side-job", "not rushed by deadlines"; something that you do on an on/off basis (therefore, no hardcore skills utilised, no very demanding workload). So, if you're doing 'Moderate', I'd say get an i5. If you're doing 'More than moderate', get an i7. If its your whole life (24/7 rendering & editing), get a 2011 X79 system (i7 3820 or even a 3930K). It really depends on what you do and how you do them.

 

If you won't overclock, ever, you have no use of the K SKUs (and that NH-D14. No overclock = better stick with stock or Low Profile coolers). But a quick search reveals that the i5 3450 is ~$30 cheaper, while the 3570 is ~$15 cheaper. At those prices (and if I have the money to spare), I'd get a 3570K in a heartbeat. Doesn't really burn your pocket that much; better stock performance and, most of all, a chance to overclock. Its your choice really, but when you look at the prices, it's hard to justify getting a 3450/3570 over a 3570K unless you're on a "stick tightly to budget" policy. I'd personally say get a K SKU if you're looking for an i5/i7 CPU (again, if you have money to spare).

 

Now, I always believe that you're wasting good resources if you go and buy a K SKU but get a Board with no proper equipment for overclocking (bad phase design, no cooling on VRMs, those things). So I honestly think that you shouldn't choose your first option. It's an ASUS board all right, but you'd really need something "beefier" than that for an overclocked IvyBridge CPU IMO. Quick search on 3570K + Sabertooth Z77 cost ~$550, so why not compromise? Get a 3770K for 330 + a Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H for $188? A great performing board, an i7 and a good price.

At this point, any 'high(er)-end' board would be good for you. IMO generally speaking, "high(er)-end boards from ASUS (the likes of "-V", "-V Pro", "Sabertooth", "ROG"), Gigabyte (anything with an "X" ending on the chipset, e.g Z77X-UD3H) , ASRock (Anything denoting with "Extreme" or "Fatal1ty") or MSI (Those board with a "G", e.g Z77A-GD65) usually have no noticeable difference in performance at stock. When you overclock them, some will be able to go higher, some with better voltage, etc; but clock-for-clock, they all perform very similarly in terms of computing performance. So you really don't need to insist on hanging to a certain brand really. ASUS and Gigabyte in general provide board with excellent durability, some people are kind of avoiding ASRock & MSI (though I have no real issues after dealing with both on different systems)

 

Gaming, anything with a good GPU would do. This, IMO, is another reason not to overspend on a Motherboard. If you get an i5 3570K + a Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H instead (~$418 instead of $530-550 for 3770K combo), you'd be able to get a HD7870 or at the very least a HD7850.

 

Edited by vandreadstriker, 25 February 2013 - 11:19 AM.

[kcidmil]

Ahh perfect, the replies I was looking for.  When I was going through and assembling my list I felt that I might be going a little beyond what I needed.  My video editing is nothing but videos from my Go Pro.  The wife does odd jobs every now and then for friends who want videos of events. She's wanting to start working with HiDef hence the SSD drive.  But it's nothing that would leave the comp running 24/7.  

 

I'm not really looking to overclock, I'm just wanting something that will have power enough to do my editing, as well as allowing me to play some games easily without having to lower the quality.  Right now I have my eyes set on Planetside 2 and Eurotruck Sim 2.  The kids love playing Minecraft with just about every mod known to man.  

 

I have lost hardware in the past when I first started out it was an expensive lesson.  So I tend to go overkill on cooling for a little insurance.  Hmm time to go back and do some tweaking.  

[wevsspot]

i5 3570K

Asus P8Z77-V LX

Radeon HD7950

16Gb or more of DDR3 1600Mhz memory

 

[Shurman292]

i5 3570K

Asus P8Z77-V LX

Radeon HD7950

8 or 16Gb memory

 

 

+1, except with the suggestion of 16gb or (at the most) 32gb memory.  Rendering HD video on 8gb is painful haha

[wevsspot]

Fixed because I agree  

[d6bmg]

i5 3570K

Asus P8Z77-V LX

Radeon HD7950

16Gb or more of DDR3 1600Mhz memory

 

 

+ a cooler like Hyper 212 EVO?

[kcidmil]

Well I went back and changed the setup... then went back again... and then again... lol.  This is the setup I'm looking to get.  

 

Mobo- ASUS P8Z77-V LX

CPU-  I5-3570K

Mem- 2x 8GB Corsair Vengeance 1600

Fan- Coolmaster Hyper 212+

GPU- 2GB Visiontek Radeon 7850

PSU- Ultra LSP750 750watt

Case- NZXT Guardian