New Computer Recommendations

Rajada

I'm going to build myself a new computer, my budget is about $1100 max. I'm looking to build this computer to be able to handle exactly what the artists and programmers here do, so who better to ask? Specifically, I have done TONS of level design on old Unreal engines, so I want something that I will be able to smoothly use UDK/UE3 Editors on.

I got a quote of sorts from a local electronics store for about $1000, but I'm taking issue with some of the choices.

Mainly, what's the consensus on the i5 cpu versus the i7 cpu? Is it worth the extra money? I'm hearing the i7 is good for 3D, but is it better than the sandy bridge version of the i5 (since they are comparable in price)?

Secondly, my last video card purchase was an ATI 3850 HD, the salesperson recommended the NVidia EVGA GT560. My old card had extremely unstable drivers. I'm looking for stability, but I've heard EVGA isn't the best choice. For a little more money, is there something else anyone would recommend? (I've heard since I'm going for an Intel CPU I assume NVidia is a more compatible choice, is there any truth to that?)

Those are my big questions, other than that I pretty much have a good idea of what other components I will be getting. Any opinions or suggestions would be much appreciated.

tylarrose

well in my rig i have

i7 2600k
asrock p67 extreme 6
gigabyte gtx 560 ti
16 gb corsair 1600 mhz ram
1 tb hardrive
750 watt psu

all for 1126
just add a case i had lying around and keyboard/mouse and you win.

and for my uses i have yet to see any use for anything faster.

now most of my stuff would be semi overkill because i like to play the vidya.
so you could probably swap the motherboard for a cheaper one and substitute a gtx 550 and drop the psu to 450 watts and you would still have the same performance in 3d applications plus you will now some spare cheddar for the monitor and stuff if you dont already have one or you could beef up the cpu and get even more performance.

but the i7 is definitely better than the i5 because of the hyper threading which makes the proccesor run as if its an eight core which will help most everything

and as for the driver thing these days Nvidia has the solid drivers.
and amd cpus will behave the same as the Intel cpus with the graphics card. its just a marketing ploy by amd to get you to buy more of their shit

also graphics card brands dont really matter because if you are buying a refrence style card there will be no differences other than the warrenty and the stickers. but if you get one the custom cooled cards then that is were you should do your research but generally anything from msi, asus, or gigabyte should be very high quality

right now i use Maya, Realflow, Zbrush, Vray, indigo, keyshot, and intense gaming and they all just seem to "flow" nicely
and have yet do slow down and lock up

Rajada

I ended up picking up some extra cash and going for the i7, even though many people have told me that hyperthreading isn't used by many applications. I just have a hard time believing that hyperthreading wouldn't help at all, and it sounds like you're running the same intensity of programs I'm planning on using so even though I just yesterday finished ordering my parts, thank you for confirming my thoughts on that.

I ended up finding the GTX 560 ti DS which has the two fans and I have yet to find any negative reviews other than the expected occasional DOA which I expect from any device manufacturer in some quantity.

Now I just gotta wait for the package with my processor and pray everything works when I snap it together.

I almost bought this power supply that was a 600 watt but four people had it shoot sparks when they plugged it in. Thank goodness for customer reviews, I just grabbed a Corsair 750, easiest choice I made out of all the components!

so in the end I should have a nice rig with...

Corsair 750 watt PSU
EVGA GTX 560 Ti DS GFX
Asus P867 MB
i7 2600K processor

And of course I've already covered all the RAM and peripherals. Luckily I already have a nice monitor/KB/mouse.

nick2730

Go with I5, i7 is just not worth the 100 dollar difference, you can save money and put into other parts. Yea i7 is better for rendering and other thing but the difference doesnt justify the price, unless you can afford it lol

Since you on a budget id go for
core i5 199
8gb g.skill ddr3 mem 40
evga 560 ti 220
some kinda of z68 board either gigabyte or asus, 120

i just bought a i5 8gb and a gigabye z68 board for 350.

Rajada

nick2730 wrote: »

Yea i7 is better for rendering...

That's sort of the exact reason I'm going with the i7. I plan to do 3D rendering/design.