High-End personal Workstation Guidance

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this is especially awesome since i just bought a Lian Li A77f. Whatever i got a good deal on it so i'm fine with it and it's awesome brushed aluminum awesomeness.
 
Right!, Taylor ... MY bad ... 1155 ... not 1156

... Guess I need to read up ...

... I just do not have that much PERSONAL interest in truncated busses, lower pin counts, and crammed little chassis ... but that is just ME ...

... Doing an 1155 in a micro-ATX form-factor, swapping the 2nd GPU X16 slot, for lots of onboard ports, just kicks the hell out of ATOM ... and you can ditch your X-Box, too ...

... Coupled with an external media RAID (in another room), the sandy+1156 micro-ATX makes perfect sense for student gamers who have a home theater audio system. Portble and fairly quiet ... very compact ... makes sense for folks who move around and have limited space ... BUT ...
... Not that great for Graphics and Video editing ... Does not have enough expandability and flexibility for "full-blown" project-studio multiplexing.

The 1155/sandy/micro-ATX is perfect for the media den, and the budget project studio ...

... IF you are using capture cards, HD-SDI bit-rates, Slot-Drives, etc. , then you are gonna want an 890G, 890FX, X58 type solution, with bunches of lanes, and a mid or full tower, just so you can pop the lid and make easy changes.

... I am coming around to the "POWER-MICRO" media-PC, tho ... Because the lower heat and power consumption, of the Sandies, coupled with the much better (and lower heat) *SINGLE*SLOT* GPU solutions (Like the GTX570) ... Well ... Those two major developments are really game-changers, because one can now dedicate ALL the lanes, from a 2nd GPU slot, to extra hi-band I/O-ports ... making this small and powerful form-factor perfect for the media den ... just need external RAID, somewhars else, in da house.

BUT ... If you are going with the Mid or Full ATX tower form-factor, anyway ... if you CAN ... then I would STILL recommend an 890G/FX or an X58/1366 build, just for the extra lanes and slots.
, if not for the greater pin-count and bandwidth and MAX-RAM capacity (of the X58).

And, until I can see the TOTAL (fullypopulated) costs, and benches, of the various ~comparable builds, I will be on shakey ground, issuing any sort of authoritative recommendations, so, until the smoke clears and the first adopters have a chance to REALLY shake the sandies, down ... I really might as well take a little nap.

... I can only "go with what I know", for the moment ... I'll get to reading, as soon as lots more benches are available and the the platform road-map has "unfolded", so to speak.

I am just the kind of guy who EITHER wants to live in an efficiency apartment OR, to live in a really nice house, in a good neighborhood ...
... I despise "middlin'" tract-houising with small closets, 10 foot bedrooms and pop-corn ceilings ...
Either go for extreme economy or palpable luxury ... middlin' "solutions" just do not appeal, to me.

... Of course ... 1155 could kill X-Box+ATOM, if the price for micro-ATX (and smaller) is not too much higher (than an alternative collection of discreet entertainment solutions).

Until I have a firm handle on PRICING and cost/capability, I just won't know what to say to folks.

There are plenty of techs who will "beat me" to that punch but, all that will happen, with or without me.

Graphics Workstations, on the other hand, and ROBUST Multimedia Project Studio Multiplexing is my specialty, because that is what I "do", and that is where my interests lie ... but the extreme media-den potential, of the micro-sandy form-factor, is rapidly encroaching on the low end of the "pro" market, for power media content creation (rather than "simple media consumption" ).



 
my next generation build

(puff build v4.0):

CASE: Lian Li A77f black.

CPU: i7-2600k (not sure if i need k but its not much more so what the heck!?)
CPU cooler: Thermalright Archon

MOBO: ASUS P8P67 Deluxe or ASUS P67 Sabertooth

GPU: Geforce GTX580 (with a Nvidia Quadro 4000 to follow when i get the loot)

MEM:
G.Skill Ripjaws-X F3-12800CL7Q-16GBXH DDR3-1600 PC3 12800 16GB(4GB x 4)
CL 7-8-7-24-2N 1.6V - Designed For Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs
or
2x G.Skill Ripjaws-X F3-12800CL8D-8GBXM DDR3-1600 PC3 12800 8GB(4GB x 2)
CL 8-8-8-24-2N 1.5V - Designed For Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs

SSD (os + apps): OCZ Vertex 2 OCZSSD2-2VTXE120G 2.5" 120GB SATA II MLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD)

HDD (x4 in RAID 5): 1.5tb Hitachi Deskstar 7K3000 Sata III 6.0gb/s !!!

PSU: Seasonic x-850

Keyboard: Razer Lycosa (for cad program key customization mastery!!!)

Monitor: HP-zr24w (still... looks unbeatable).


What do the experts think about this puppy.
I read the full reviews on the new intel SBs and as far as i can understand adding 20 bucks for the k (overclocking extras?) i can't see why i'd choose the lesser un 'k'ed i7-2600. Tell me why please. Also, if anyone has insight as to mobo choice, inform me please. I don't really grasp the significant difference between the two i spec'd above. Also, the SSD and the memory might change if other vendors release newer just as compatible stuff in the near future.
 



Can not recommend for "Pro Graphics Build" ... Wait for Socket 2011

 
i figured you would say that. Socket 2011 (R) sounds like the solutions... i'm just wicked scared with what the pricing would be... maybe if bulldozer drops around the same time and it is challenging, then it won't be rediculous. i guess i'll just hand draw this semester away. It's a shame too, i was getting pretty antsi. But as said before by someone far smarter than me, 'good things come to those who wait.' Thanks for the input.
 
That might be the best for me in the immediate future, however, this build is to last me long after i build it, and knowing that a processor with 2011 pins vs. 1366 pins provokes much improvement in what's to come. It'd be nice to jump on the 2011 when it first drops so i can build a nice base in which minimal upgrades would come later. More Sata III is nice, quad channeled memory is super nice, and probably the cpu performance will be really nice. Also, who knows what bulldozer is going to be like. I think i gotta wait this one out for a bit.
 


If you can manage to "suck air" until then ? ... Waiting WOULD be advisable !

 


Good advice for Puff, *if* he's not hurtn' now. Us? We couldn't wait. No way. Plus, I get the satisfaction of her calling me every day telling me how much she love's it and how much easier her life is now as a result. I'm happy.
 


I'll just use a pencil. I've heard that's what they use to do in the old days... I'm all for bringing back tradition! At least this thread caught me up to speed on the state of things. I'm ready for the next wave. Bring on the Big Kahuna!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21dPC2Va6U8
 
Puff, I feel your pain. I'm all over that i7-2600k like white on rice in a snowstorm... but it's just not the right way to go. LGA 2011 just looks way to sweet to pass up.
 



If you are going to fork out the BIG bucks, you want a system that breathes !!!

This is a MAJOR PLATFORM CYCLE (happens maybe every 4 years) ...

... If you can wait, you will catch the "big wave".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR62JCqqUDQ&NR=1&feature=fvwp

Ain't "Blue-Screen" GREAT ?!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygq0kn7ed7s&NR=1


Sorry, Kiddies ... Adults only, on this next one (lascivious!).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UA_G2Ts8xmo








 
I should have added a wireless network card to the build. It never occurred to me there would not be a wired internet connection in her studio, but there isn't. So she decided to buy one and install it herself. The one she got was a Cisco-Linksys WMP54G pci adapter. BIG MISTAKE. There are numerous complaints about this card NOT working with 64 bit Win7. There are instructions on the 'net about how to force it to work, which she followed. It seemed to work for awhile, but later on in the day she got the BSOD followed by no display output at all.

Removing the wireless nic and re-installing windows was the only way to get her going again.

If you're building a system for a school workstation, and you must have a wireless connection, make sure you pick a wireless card that will work with 64 bit Win7!
 
Hey guys!

Been reading through most of this forum and I'd like to say thanks for all of the great info! I am building a very similar system myself and have a few questions. When I started this process I was considering an i7-950 build almost identical to some of the ones suggested here; however, like many others I am now torn between that and the i7-2600k. I hear talk of the LGA 2011, but I'm ready to build this computer now.

So... if waiting's not an option, do I go with the i7-950 build or the i7-2600k build? I plan to have this computer for at least 2-3 years, but I want it to be as upgradable as possible. In other words, if a better sandy bridge comes out it'd be nice to only need a couple parts, rather than having to build a whole new computer. Anyways, I'd appreciate any feedback you guys can offer!

Thank you!
 
X58 ... build it cheap, too .... hyper212+ cooler ... good psu/case. ... ud3 or asus D .

RAM is really cheap, right now ... 12GB won't cost much.

just get ONE 90gb boot ssd ... a couple of F3s in RAID-0 ... GTX 570 ... dvdr ... done.

 
You might want to watch this interesting video:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Prod [...] 6819115071
Click to expand...

Thank you! I've watched that video once before. The part that confused me was the "enthusiast" vs "performance" comment. He mentioned that this product is not for enthusiasts who have the 1366, but that is was right below that at the performace level. With all the benchmarks that say this processor is faster, why would the guy in the video make that comment?
 
X58 ... build it cheap, too .... hyper212+ cooler ... good psu/case. ... ud3 or asus D .

RAM is really cheap, right now ... 12GB won't cost much.

just get ONE 90gb boot ssd ... a couple of F3s in RAID-0 ... GTX 570 ... dvdr ... done.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice! What you just described sounds almost identical to the i7-950 build I was considering before I started looking into the i7-2600k. I'm curious though, why do you suggest x58 build over sandy bridge. It seems like everyone I ask is saying "go with sandy bridge hands down"... I hope I'm not asking a big question, but I've just been having trouble justifying one over the other.

Thank you for your time!
 


I think what Alvin is saying is if you don't need it right now, then wait for Socket 2011. If you need it NOW then get the i7-950. By the way, the person we built the i7-950 for COULD NOT BE HAPPIER with its performance in 3ds Max 2011. She says it's better hands down than any other computer she's ever seen. And she's a 5th year architect major at a big name university so she's seen A LOT of computers!

If you need it now, get it now. Follow Alvin's advice as far as the specific components so you won't be over-spending.
 
Well then, here we go... This is what I've got right now:

Intel Core i7-950 Bloomfield
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115211&cm_re=i7_950-_-19-115-211-_-Product

ASUS P6X58D Premium
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813131614

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 12GB (3 x 4GB) DDR3 1600
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231358

Crucial RealSSD 128GB SATA III SSD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148348
-OR-
OCZ Vertex 2 90GB SATA II SSD
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820227601

(2x) SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

Antec Nine Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811129021

CORSAIR CMPSU-650TX 650W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS Certified Active PFC Compatible with Core i7 Power Supply
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817139005

ASUS Black 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 12X DVD-RAM 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM 2MB Cache SATA 24X DVD Burner - Bulk - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16827135204

(2x)ASUS ML248H 24" 2ms Full HD HDMI Swivel & Tilt Adjustable LED Backlight LCD Monitor Slim Design 250 cd/m2 ASCR 10,000,000:1
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16824236111

COOLER MASTER Hyper 212 Plus
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103065

COOLER MASTER R4-BMBS-20PK-R0 Blade Master 120mm Case Fan
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835103069

Arctic Silver 5 Thermal Compound - OEM
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835100007



I would greatly appreciate any suggestions or comments... I will probably purchase this tonight or tomorrow!

Thank you!
 


A **TWENTY PAK** of CASE FANS !!! I think they come in 5-paks ...

... Better go with a 750 watt corsair ....

Hyper 212+ COMES with good thermal paste ..

... You might need some video cables and one extra SATA drive data cable ("18" slim right-angle )...

... Need to check the connnectors, ion gpu and monitors ... also check length.
 
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