Looking for a CPU for Video Editing but that will handle Gaming too

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mulder68

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Nov 6, 2013
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hi folks, first time poster

After reading thread after thread I am still none the wiser so would like some advice please.

I currently use a laptop from PC Specialist for video editing, web design and gaming. The specs are I7-2670QM Processor, 8GB Ram and NVidia GT555M GPU. This served me quite well for a while but cannot cope with the graphical demands of Adobe Premiere CS6 and After Effects CS6. It is also struggling with COD Black Ops these days.

Anyhow, I am looking to build a desktop PC primarily for video editing but that will also cope with music production and gaming (think new COD and Battlefield games, nothing more really)

I have been looking at the I7-3930K build such as this one http://www.learningdslrvideo.com/new-editing-computer-build/ but think that may be overkill and overpriced and then I have been looking at the Haswell I7-4770K which obviously has very good performance but won't render HD video as well as the I7-3930K

Will the difference between the two be purely how quickly the output files will render or is there something more to it than that?

I was thinking maybe a Nvidia GTX 760 card.

Many thanks in advance.
 
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genz
As a Video Editor, Music Producer (first and foremost), gamer, UK resident AND 3930k owner (as currently my only desktop), I thought I'd chip in on this decent if somewhat inefficient build by Sangeet.

I replaced the Phantek for the Dark Rock. £20 cheaper and much quieter (Important for your music work).

Replaced the mobo with the Gigabyte UD3, great reviews, better price and the UD copper plating reduces internal noise and thus the noise floor for your audio interface is lower. I tested this personally back when I used a passive (bus powered) interface. (I personally have the UP4, but that's because I plan to max out the RAM and UD3 goes up to 32GB not 64.)

Replaced the 780 for the R9 290. Faster at gaming, brand new, cheaper, and...
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CTurbo

CTurbo

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You never mentioned your budget. It's easy for me to recommend the 3930K if video editing and music production are a main concern. Of course the 3930K is no slouch in gaming ether. Is it worth the extra cost over a 4770k? In gaming, no. In video editing, rendering, and music production, yes.

The GTX 760 is at a all time low in pricing right now!


The FX 8350 would be alright too, but if you can afford an i7, you won't regret that decision.
 
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mulder68

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Nov 6, 2013
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Hi thanks for the replies

As for budget I could stretch to £1500 UK $2400 US but would prefer to spend less if possible.
Forgot to say I would actually prefer Intel over AMD
 
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8350rocks

8350rocks

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PCPartPicker part list: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/1Yelb
Price breakdown by merchant: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/1Yelb/by_merchant/
Benchmarks: http://uk.pcpartpicker.com/p/1Yelb/benchmarks/

CPU: Intel Core i7-3930K 3.2GHz 6-Core Processor (£371.99 @ Aria PC)
CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO 82.9 CFM Sleeve Bearing CPU Cooler (£23.98 @ Scan.co.uk)
Motherboard: Asus Sabertooth X79 ATX LGA2011 Motherboard (£230.99 @ Dabs)
Memory: PNY 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory (£87.75 @ Amazon UK)
Storage: Corsair Force Series GT 120GB 2.5" Solid State Disk (£93.42 @ Ebuyer)
Storage: Toshiba 2TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive (£59.99 @ Amazon UK)
Video Card: HIS Radeon R9 290X 4GB Video Card (£450.79 @ Overclockers.co.uk)
Case: Antec Eleven Hundred ATX Full Tower Case (£87.99 @ Amazon UK)
Power Supply: Fractal Design Tesla R2 800W 80 PLUS Gold Certified ATX12V / EPS12V Power Supply (£89.38 @ Dabs)
Optical Drive: Lite-On iHDS118-04 DVD/CD Drive (£10.78 @ Scan.co.uk)
Total: £1507.06
(Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available.)
(Generated by PCPartPicker 2013-11-06 15:01 GMT+0000)
 
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mulder68

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Nov 6, 2013
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Hi CTurbo

Sorry I probably didn't make my initial post clear and perhaps I should go back and edit it.

Yes, I am indeed looking to build a complete system but cannot decide on which processor I should get.

I know that the 3930k is much better for video editing but really my question is

Is it essential?

and what I mean by that is that if it will only take a difference of minutes to render a file or even a couple of hours then that really doesn't bother me so much as I am not necessarily timebound. However if we are talking a difference of days when outputting to say H.264 then I would consider the 3930K

Like most people I don't want to spend money on something that isn't crucial.

And over here in the UK a system with 3930K and GTX 760 is about $2500 whereas the 4770K is around $1500
 
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mulder68

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Hey 8350 thanks for the system build. That looks pretty good, especially as there is a £450 GPU in there.

I am not too familiar with ATI cards. Are they as good for Premiere Pro and other graphical software?
 
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mulder68

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So getting back to the processor. Where will I see improvements? When editing, rendering or both and is it that significant.

The video editing I do is mainly short films, video testimonials, interviews etc but I can live with an additional render time. It is mainly live editing where I currently have issues, especially if I apply a video effect to the footage.
 
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8350rocks

8350rocks

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R9-290X ($549) > GTX Titan ($899) > GTX 780Ti ($699) > R9-290 ($399) > GTX 780 ($499) > R9-280X ($299) > GTX 770 ($329) > R9-270X ($199) > GTX 760 ($229) > R7-260X ($149)

EDIT: Added pricing to show disparity in price/performace
 
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8350rocks

8350rocks

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Ultimately, it would honestly make a bigger difference in rendering, encoding and compiling. It will be good for video/photo editing and music software as well. It will also multitask significantly better than the 4770k.

Essentially, if I felt I needed more than the FX 8350, I would go to the 3930k. I wouldn't bother with a 4770k as the performance is too close to the 8350 to bother with spending that much more money ($160) to get marginally better performance over what I have.
 
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mulder68

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Thanks for the input guys.

It is really helpful although the suggestion of the ATI card has now given me another quandry?

will I be restricted to the amount of RAM I can use if I go for the Haswell over the Sandy Bridge?

It is odd that every PC supplier local to where I live have all suggested a I5 4570K over everything else.
 
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8350rocks

8350rocks

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4770k can use 32 GB RAM at maximum, 3930k can use 64 GB RAM at maximum. Not that you would ever need it for what you're doing; though, if you wanted to go for an all out workstation class rendering rig, the 3930k is clearly the better solution by a large margin in such specialized circumstances.
 
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mulder68

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That's excellent. I guess more than anything then it is down to personal choice and the advantage of performance over cost.

My biggest output file from Premiere Pro has been around the 1GB mark.

This is a 20 minute video file.

H.264 1080P

So if we are talking a difference of minutes rather than hours between the 3930K and the 4770K then I really see no need to purchase the 3930K

 
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mulder68

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Before I do decide are there any other processors that I haven't mentioned that you guys might recommend..?

These are just the two I have heard most about as well as the i5 that other suppliers mentioned.
 
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mulder68

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Before I do decide are there any other processors that I haven't mentioned that you guys might recommend..?

These are just the two I have heard most about as well as the i5 that other suppliers mentioned.
 
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CTurbo

CTurbo

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Yes. Take a look at the LGA1155 and LGA1150 socket Intel Xeons. They are perfect for what you are doing. They are essentially i7s for the price of an i5. The only downside is no overclocking.

a 1GB file? The 3930K would only save you a few minutes.
 
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mulder68

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And I presume they would be ok for gaming too?

 
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