I've got an itch: Topic 1 - CPU

[foscooter]

Got the itch, but not ready to scratch!

I got the “time to build a new system” itch again. Keep in mind; this will be my 6th or 7th build, so I’m no noob.

Before I go into detail, see my signature of my current rig.

I use this mainly for Office applications (Word, Excel, and Finance/Budget programs), surfing the web, and movie watching. I usually have several applications running at once (i.e. Excel, Quicken, Outlook, IE, and downloading something), but I have not monitored my usages thru Task Manager, but I will. I don’t notice much bottlenecking, but I do demand a responsive system.

It’s also set up in a home network with my wife’s PC, my TV, Blu-Ray player, and Wi-Fi printer through a router. I’m not a gamer, but would like a powerful enough machine if I do play. In the future I would like to copy/convert my DVD collection to my PC.

Since I have several topics, I’ll break down it down into threads for the appropriate categories: CPU, Motherboard, RAM, Graphics, and Storage (SSD). I’ll use the PSU and case I have, as well as all the other components (monitor, printer, etc.).

After weighing the options to upgrade to the upcoming Ivy Bridge CPU and Z77 chipset motherboards, I think I’ll wait a while (until the bugs are fixed, if any. Remembering the Sandy Bridge motherboard chipset bug, requiring a total recall).

I don’t want to go the LGA 2011 route, as everything is way more expensive. Although I do like the latest SBM $2600 rig!

But that doesn’t mean I couldn’t do some “upgrades” within my current system.

So here I go (finally)…


Topic 1: CPU

The Ivy Bridge CPU may give better performance (a few more MHz) and power saving features (a few less watts), but has yet to be released, even though it’s coming. I also know that my current motherboard will support IB, with a BIOS update.

My real question is: Will I benefit from having a hyper-threading CPU.

I currently have an i5 2500K, but I am thinking about an i7 2700K. If I am “multi-tasking” like I listed above, will my programs benefit with HT?

It’s about hyper-threading, not processor speed. I have my 2500K turbo feature OC’d to 4200MHz, for when it needs it. I don’t think I need to over clock 100% of the time. This is the beauty of the Sandy Bridge Processors: Scaling up speed with usage needs.

 

[WR2]

I’ll wait a while (until the bugs are fixed, remembering the Z68 chipset bug, requiring a total recall)

When did this happen? I must have missed it.

 

[WR2]

My real question is: Will I benefit from having a hyper-threading CPU.

Yes you will.
-But- I think the 'real question' should be 'will I benefit enough to spend an extra $340' beyond the cost of the i5-2500K you already own.
And that answer, I think, is no.

Unless of course you can find a good home for the i5-2500K system. Sell it? Re-purpose it? Now you have a reason to build a new rig - and it might was well be Ivy Bridge too.

 

[13thmonkey]

you'll benefit from quicksync if your converting program can use it, ditto with hyperthreading, although the gtx680 has some wizzy video converting feature.

One thing I would say with regards to plans to store lots of video, either converted or otherwise is that having a dedicated device for this is better than having them on the PC. It makes the PC more sacrificial as your precious data is not stored there. For instance I've gone down the windows home server route (V1), its a really light machine, only uses about 65W total, has 5TB of storage, it backs up every PC in the household every day, and provides the ability to restore to any restore point, all files are duplicated, and the whole thing is backed up. So with the laptop + PC in the household they are both covered, and able to do a bare metal reinstall in about 1.5-2hrs (more if your laptop is only on 10/100 ethernet).

So if you want to build, you could build a small quiet machine, that does something extra for the whole family or reuse your current parts in that build.

 

[foscooter]

-But- I think the 'real question' should be 'will I benefit enough to spend an extra $340' beyond the cost of the i5-2500K you already own.
And that answer, I think, is no.

Good point. Microcenter has them for $299.99, but still. I would (try) to sell the i5 2500K in craigslist, if that's all I upgraded. If it can to a CPU & mobo, them my wife would get the "old" ones, and I'd (try to) sell her old stuff on craigslist.

So if you want to build, you could build a small quiet machine, that does something extra for the whole family or reuse your current parts in that build.

Good point. So build my own NAS?
I do back up regularly, on each machine, then sync them together. Do you have a monitor on a backup server? I'll look into backup servers and NAS.

 

[WR2]

I'd hate to see a i5-2500K get relegated to a minor job like a NAS or HTPC.
That's the realm of $50 CPUs IMO. Selling the 2500K could get you a mini-ITX CPU/MB/CPU/RAM/Case/PSU for a NAS/HTPC build.

 

[WR2]

Do you have a monitor on a backup server? I'll look into backup servers and NAS.

They're usually 'headless' - without a monitor, keyboard or mouse. Controlled remotely over the network.

 

[13thmonkey]

i use my main monitors other input, and an old keyboard, have to touch it once every 3months or so, everything else is Remote desktop connection.

all media in a location, no local copies (or only ones you don't care about), has made looking after 3-4 laptops and a desktop much easier.

I use windows home server V1, V2, is ok but lacks a feature (disk extender, ability to merge disks into a big pool on the fly without raid, add and remove disks as desired, no rebuilds). I'm sure there are other solutions though.

 

[foscooter]

Thanks, but we're getting off topic.

The question was: Will I benefit from having a hyper-threading CPU (2700K vs. 2500K)?

 

[CDdude55]

When did this happen? I must have missed it.

I beileve he's refering to the issue where the chipset would quickly degrade over time. More specifally the SATA controller was buggy and Intel recommended that people try and put as less stress on the controller as possible. They fixed the issue with the B3 revision of the chipset.

 

[WR2]

I thought that issue was all squared away by the time the Z68s started arriving.
The first Z68s shipped were B3s.

 

[WR2]

Thanks, but we're getting off topic.

The question was: Will I benefit from having a hyper-threading CPU (2700K vs. 2500K)?

Question answered above.

 

[CDdude55]

I thought that issue was all squared away by the time the Z68s started arriving.
The first Z68s shipped were B3s.

Ya it was a P67 problem if i remember.

 

[foscooter]

Sorry if i was wrong, and it was the P67 chips. I just remember waiting until B3 came out, and got a Z68 mobo.

Edited the OP.

 

[foscooter]

Best answer selected by foscooter.

 

[foscooter]

Thank to all who replied, even if we got off topic.

The sale at Microcenter was just too good to pass, so I picked up a i7 2600K for $199.99.

Probably gonna sell the i5 2500K on craigslist for $100.00.

I now have no intentions of upgrading the motherboard to a Z77 chipset, yet.

I opened a thread about NAS, but I'm not going to do it. I already do sufficient backups.

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

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