New computer Need advice

[djegoo]

Hi
I am going to acquire a new computer, and since i am really not expert in it, i hope you can orient me to the correct choice. In fact, I have 2 major questions :
1: Choose a Core2Quad, or an i7? and for which reasons?
2 : Get a Windows7, or stay on my vista ultimate SP2 and further updates?

Here is my actual config : I only have a 2y-o laptop getting quite old
Core2duo T7700@2.40 GHz
2Go Ram------> gonna add some mem until i get the new computer...
Geforce 8600M GT 256Mo

I would like to know what is the major improvement/diffference betwen a core2quad and an i7 technology, in simple human words, not in technical or commercial way
I also want an advice about the windows version, since i read somewhere on the net that Windows seven is equivalent to Vista SP2 with just a new skin and superficial bugs (folders display) fix, i would like to have your advices or experience if some of you have already tested both

Please avoid unconstructive answers such as "Seven Suxxxx keep your vistaaaa" or unargumented answers.

[neo0.]

I know next to nothing about cpus.. You should definitely make the switch to windows 7 though. It's a huge step up from vista.

[Godzilla]

I know next to nothing about cpus.. You should definitely make the switch to windows 7 though. It's a huge step up from vista.

Although it is an improvement, I have to say in my opinion it should have been Vista SP3..

As for CPU's, go for the i7. i7's hyper threading technology make them the better choice over the core2quad series of CPU's.

And also you may want to take a look at this chart:

http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/2009 ... ,1380.html


Are you buying a pre-built computer or assembling one yourself?

[neepneep]

Get an i7. It has more brains to process stuff with than a core2quad and it is simply faster. It will make rendering with Indigo an absolute pleasure. If you go for the cheaper 920, then you can easily overclock it up to 3.8 ghz with passive cooling.

And get Windows 7. I've been dual booting between the two and Vista just feels like a coagulated piece of mucus compared to Win7.

Also don't skimp out on the hard drive. Get something fast otherwise it will be a bottleneck and slow everything else down (money to burn? get SSD)

[pixie]

Get an i7. It has more brains to process stuff with than a core2quad and it is simply faster. It will make rendering with Indigo an absolute pleasure. If you go for the cheaper 920, then you can easily overclock it up to 3.8 ghz with passive cooling.

And get Windows 7. I've been dual booting between the two and Vista just feels like a coagulated piece of mucus compared to Win7.

Also don't skimp out on the hard drive. Get something fast otherwise it will be a bottleneck and slow everything else down (money to burn? get SSD)

There's 860 i7 with cheaper Motherboards, don't know if it's as easy to OC as 920 though. And it is faster.

[Jambert]

I'm running with 2 i7920 O/C @ 4ghz, 65°C when burning with watercooling. Realy fast, not realy expensive, 800/900 euros without GC. I can make some test when I'll be home.

P6t deluxe v2
core i7 920
6 Go Gskill 1600Mhz
Caviar digital 32 mo 500 Go
Watercooling from Docmicro

I was running with Q6600, it's realy faster now

[djegoo]

OK

Thanks for your answers
Well i am not expert in computer building, if i build it myself (with a lot of help from a friend!) i know it will be cheaper, that s what he told me. For the moment i have always bought ready to use laptops since i was studiyng and needed to move, but maybe now i ll get a "real" computer, because i really want a nice machine and i know it will essentially be used to

So this seems to be unanime, the i7 is really better. For the OS i think i ll get a W7 then since it is the new version... afterall, which version of windows has not been "experimental"...
i ll still be able to put this good old one as a slave

You are gonna laugh, my comp indicates 80°-85°C when running at 100%, i removed the cap in order to get more air entering when i put it over my big fan!, then it gets at 70 (ahh laptops...), GOnna buy a mini fridge to put it inside when rendering ! it will prevent noise and keep it cooool !

[Godzilla]

Well i am not expert in computer building, if i build it myself (with a lot of help from a friend!) i know it will be cheaper, that s what he told me.

You'll save hundreds, maybe a thousand or more on a build like this. Prebuilt computer companies basically rob their customers.

[djegoo]

I am not sure i understood everything on the link ou posted, but i guess that the least time it displays, the better it is?
I googlised a little what a benchmark is, but how do we calculate that? and what units is it? (yah i don t know anything about these stuff so i m always interested in understanding what i am buying)

another question : what are the 2 or 3 additionnal infos : e.g. : "1MB L2, 8MB L3" and "DDR3-1066"?? i mean i don t understand the mean stuff about this, is it some for of memory and the more there is and the better it is? what is a L2? a L3???

Jambert, I am interested in a config like yours, especially for 800-900 euros, that is what i think i can spend, though i won t buy it tommorrow, i just wanted to have an idea of what we can get for what amount of money. Just took me 3hours to understand half of what is what

haha! buying a computer is getting more and more technical! but i really don t like to buy something i don t understand!

[Godzilla]

I am not sure i understood everything on the link ou posted, but i guess that the least time it displays, the better it is?
I googlised a little what a benchmark is, but how do we calculate that? and what units is it? (yah i don t know anything about these stuff so i m always interested in understanding what i am buying)

A benchmark is a test that (In the case of computer hardware benchmarks) shows how much better one piece of hardware(s) is than another piece of hardware(s) (In this case the Processor).

The method used to test this particular benchmark was rendering an identical image in 3DS max on many different computers where the only variable between the computers is the Processor (and in some cases the RAM or HDD, but that doesn't effect the outcome very much at all). So basically, whichever processor renders the image fastest is the superior processor.

The list is using seconds as it's unit, seconds that the processor took to render the image. The further down on the list, the lower the render time, and therefore the better the processor. As you can see the bottom of the list is dominated by the i7-core processors.

[Meelis]

If u fill all memory slots, then u dont need fastest memory Like 1600+ MHz.
i7 can handle "only" ~25 Gb/s.
For example DDR3-1066 is ~8,3 Gb/s. If u fill 6 slots it makes 50 Gb/s, -> only 50% will be used.

Maybe in future with opencl, there is point in fast memory.

[Prof4D]

Я себе получили графическая станция от Intel,
S5520SC от Intel.
Socket 1366.
Процессоры XEON 5506 1.
Для выбора в BIOS можно подключить 1,2 или 4процессора.
Видео карта ATI RADEON HD4350 512память + в дополнение воспоминания 500мб Всего 1gab.
Память. DDR3 6GB. 800-1066-1333 МГц
Количество памяти, максимум на 1 процессор 48GB.Их можно положить 2 Всего 96GB.
2 PCI полной XP16, работающих в режиме КРОСС Пт
6 SATA, SAS на 1TB, RAID.
Блок питания 650 Ват.
, Собранных с помощью знакомого.
Существует это чудо 1200 $, он / она является демоном жесткие диски и монитор.
Но лучше взять процессор 5520 и выше.

[djegoo]

hI Prof4D, i tryed to understand what you wrote, but no success, except for components, i think it s ok. thank you for answering

I have anotther question, more general, to anyone else who can answer me : what is the main difference between a 32bit windows, and a 64 bit windows? Especialy for Indigo rendering (and i am still interested in knowing in general the difference it brings : performance? or what?)
Maybe you advise me another OS? like linux or something else? I really want the optimum machine for rendering and i am really motivated in learning some infos to understand what i am going to buy

[Jambert]

hI Prof4D, i tryed to understand what you wrote, but no success, except for components, i think it s ok. thank you for answering

I have anotther question, more general, to anyone else who can answer me : what is the main difference between a 32bit windows, and a 64 bit windows? Especialy for Indigo rendering (and i am still interested in knowing in general the difference it brings : performance? or what?)
Maybe you advise me another OS? like linux or something else? I really want the optimum machine for rendering and i am really motivated in learning some infos to understand what i am going to buy

+64
you can use more ram with indigo 64

+linux
win eat more ram than linux

+ win 64
It reminds me a topic with some tests, windows was a bit faster than linux but I don't remember why...

[Jambert]

I'm running with 2 i7920 O/C @ 4ghz, 65°C when burning with watercooling. Realy fast, not realy expensive, 800/900 euros without GC. I can make some test when I'll be home.

P6t deluxe v2
core i7 920
6 Go Gskill 1600Mhz
Caviar digital 32 mo 500 Go
Watercooling from Docmicro

Sorry I did forget, testscene Caterpillar