Dual quad (Xeon) vs. single quad (i7)

[sdpcuser2010]

Please be easy on me here, team---I'm a little over my head here...the PC's I've built a few years ago seem like it was the dark ages.
I want to build a serious workstation for video editing (Premiere & After Effects) and file conversions like BluRay to matroska h264 files.
As my thread title suggests, I am weighing the pros and cons between a dual socket motherboard for a pair of quad Xeons, or keeping it a lot more simple and going with a single quad i7.
I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts.
Here's what is spinning around in my head:
--All the apps I intend to use are multi-threaded.
--DDR2 on the dual xeon board vs. DDR3 on the newer motherboards (speed, price, etc)
--new processors vs. older ones (speed, price, etc)
--is more (sockets, in this case) faster? (can I assume that two quad xeons is faster than 1 quad i7?)
--looking at the Supermicro X7DALEO dual socket motherboard for the Xeon route
--can't seem to find a dual socket motherboard for two quad i7's

Thank you for any input..I appreciate it!

 

[amdfangirl]

You can do it with both.

BIOS normally has the most control.

Software works fine too.

Check your motherboard maker. They should have overclocking software.

Remember not to go too extreme. You are potentially putting your hardware at risk (a minor OC of ~15% won't hurt). Just make sure you have your temps under control.

 

[sdpcuser2010]

ok--I see. Is this a really killer cooler system you would recommend for this processor? (Intel Core i7-860)

 

[sdpcuser2010]

sorry---meant to write: "Is *there* a really killer cooling system you would recommend for this processor"

 

[amdfangirl]

Depends how much you want to spend

Budget: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103064&cm_re=tx3-_-35-103-064-_-Product

http://www.frostytech.com/ < research

Highest perf. http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835608018&cm_re=noctua-_-35-608-018-_-Product

 

[sdpcuser2010]

ok--i think you've seriously changed my mind to build a LOT cheaper single quad.
I can't thank you enough.
I'm off to bed!

 

[killerswan]

ok--i think you've seriously changed my mind to build a LOT cheaper single quad.
I can't thank you enough.
I'm off to bed!

I suggest talking to a reputable computer company that can give you solid, accurate advice on a proper system for the apps you will be using. AMDgirl has some good suggestions, but is also lacking basic information about the products she is discussing such as the difference between a Core i5 and i7....the difference she points out is hyperthreading....that is hardly the difference between the two...how about the integrated memory controller and QPI links? that is what makes the two series of procs so different. Advice always sounds good when you dont know what is right and what is wrong.
I would start off with a call to the software manufacturers and find out what system they recommend and go from there. Follow their specs not specs from someone who doesn't know what their talking about. Either build it yourself or find someone that can build to your specs for a fair price. After all, you get what you pay for.

 

[amdfangirl]

^ http://ark.intel.com/Compare.aspx?ids=41316,37147,42915,

The only difference between a Lynnfield Core i5 (LGA 1156) and a Lynnfield Core i7 (LGA 1156) is that the Core i7 has TxT (Trusted Execution Technology) and extra virtualization instructions (which don't really make a difference to his computer) on top of the Hyperthreading I've mentioned already. Lynnfield Core i5 and i7 are essentially the same die with certain features disabled.

The difference between a Lynnfield Core i7 and a Bloomfield Core i7 is an extra QPI link for the Bloomfield, slightly larger die size for the Lynnfield, an integrated memory controller for the Lynnfield, more aggressive Turbo Boost (auto overclocking) and the fact Lynnfield i7s have TxT.

It's pretty easy to get lost with Intel's current naming scheme.

There is only a minor difference between the performance of Lynnfield and Nehalem. Besides, the main question was whether to buy a Dual Xeon or Single i7.