Okay, I've seen a few guys talk about gaming rigs, but I am looking for a computer that does more than perform decently with new games. I'm in need of a computer that can do a decent job at all of the following:
- Video editing/rendering (just started using Vegas Pro 13).
- DAW work (namely Ableton) averaging 4 VSTs per audio track, reaching upwards of 40 tracks.
- Light gaming. The newest game I own is GTA IV, though I might consider GTA V depending on the computer I end up with.
- Ideally running Win7, but I'm somewhat okay with Win8 if the hardware will run things smoother.
I've been trying to get ideas from Newegg's combo deals, at the moment, and these two builds really sparked my interest as a good starting point (I will upgrade RAM at a later date, so I'm not too worried about which brand of RAM comes with them right now):
AMD Build
AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz Eight-Core CPU
MSI 970 AM3+ MOBO
SAPPHIRE Radeon R9 270 2GB (w/boost and OC)
Team Dark 8GB MEM
WD 1TB HDD
Rosewill Stallion 600W PSU
Enermax Coneus Case
vs
Intel Build
Intel Core i5 4690K Haswell 3.5GHz Quad-Core CPU
MSI B85 Gaming MOBO
HyperX Fury 8GB MEM
Transcend 128GB SSD
WD 1TB HDD
Corsair CX 750W PSU
Deepcool Steam Castle Case
Now, I'm fine with forking out a little extra for a video card, if the Intel build is a better choice; I'm not trying to cheap out, just trying to avoid overspending on my new rig. This will be my first personal DIY build, though I have done these for/with other people plenty of times in the past. I'd rather get more power/performance than I'll typically need, as it leaves me room for the resource hungry games that I might buy in the future, or better performance with audio/video work when things are stepped up down the road. I'm also looking for a build that can support upgrades/updates if ever needed, and won't be too outdated in the next couple years. I'm leaning towards the i5 build, since the CPU is more updated, but I'm not sure that's entirely a selling point just yet. I am not really in the loop with the newer AMD chips, so feel free to make suggestions. MoBo, CPU, GPU, and RAM quantities are definitely open for suggestion.
My current set-up is an outdated gaming laptop (feel free to laugh at my Gateway P-7805u turd lol), and it's been holding me back for a long time. It's done well, but I've never been able to afford an upgrade. If the new build can keep up in about 3-4 years, in the same way my current laptop is, I'll be happy. I'm not expecting the best rig for $600; just looking to get by for a while without too many problems. Being able to update the CPU and GPU would be a nice option after a couple years, if it's cost effective; just as an example. I tend to lean towards AMD in that respect, but lately the Intel chips seem to really be worth the extra that you pay; especially since the price gap isn't very big to step up the performance. Also, I may want to step up to dual SLI video cards, depending on the performance gains I might see from those; if it's mostly good for gaming, then I'm not really interested.
I will be mulling around my options for a month or two, but I'd like to see what you guys say; that way I can start shopping around for deals/etc., and see what might be the most cost efficient until it's time to buy. I've been out of the computer loop for the past few years (kind of obvious), so any/all advice/help is welcome. I've mainly seen questions regarding gaming, but I don't really know how to translate the gaming knowledge into other areas.
- Video editing/rendering (just started using Vegas Pro 13).
- DAW work (namely Ableton) averaging 4 VSTs per audio track, reaching upwards of 40 tracks.
- Light gaming. The newest game I own is GTA IV, though I might consider GTA V depending on the computer I end up with.
- Ideally running Win7, but I'm somewhat okay with Win8 if the hardware will run things smoother.
I've been trying to get ideas from Newegg's combo deals, at the moment, and these two builds really sparked my interest as a good starting point (I will upgrade RAM at a later date, so I'm not too worried about which brand of RAM comes with them right now):
AMD Build
AMD FX-8320 3.5GHz Eight-Core CPU
MSI 970 AM3+ MOBO
SAPPHIRE Radeon R9 270 2GB (w/boost and OC)
Team Dark 8GB MEM
WD 1TB HDD
Rosewill Stallion 600W PSU
Enermax Coneus Case
vs
Intel Build
Intel Core i5 4690K Haswell 3.5GHz Quad-Core CPU
MSI B85 Gaming MOBO
HyperX Fury 8GB MEM
Transcend 128GB SSD
WD 1TB HDD
Corsair CX 750W PSU
Deepcool Steam Castle Case
Now, I'm fine with forking out a little extra for a video card, if the Intel build is a better choice; I'm not trying to cheap out, just trying to avoid overspending on my new rig. This will be my first personal DIY build, though I have done these for/with other people plenty of times in the past. I'd rather get more power/performance than I'll typically need, as it leaves me room for the resource hungry games that I might buy in the future, or better performance with audio/video work when things are stepped up down the road. I'm also looking for a build that can support upgrades/updates if ever needed, and won't be too outdated in the next couple years. I'm leaning towards the i5 build, since the CPU is more updated, but I'm not sure that's entirely a selling point just yet. I am not really in the loop with the newer AMD chips, so feel free to make suggestions. MoBo, CPU, GPU, and RAM quantities are definitely open for suggestion.
My current set-up is an outdated gaming laptop (feel free to laugh at my Gateway P-7805u turd lol), and it's been holding me back for a long time. It's done well, but I've never been able to afford an upgrade. If the new build can keep up in about 3-4 years, in the same way my current laptop is, I'll be happy. I'm not expecting the best rig for $600; just looking to get by for a while without too many problems. Being able to update the CPU and GPU would be a nice option after a couple years, if it's cost effective; just as an example. I tend to lean towards AMD in that respect, but lately the Intel chips seem to really be worth the extra that you pay; especially since the price gap isn't very big to step up the performance. Also, I may want to step up to dual SLI video cards, depending on the performance gains I might see from those; if it's mostly good for gaming, then I'm not really interested.
I will be mulling around my options for a month or two, but I'd like to see what you guys say; that way I can start shopping around for deals/etc., and see what might be the most cost efficient until it's time to buy. I've been out of the computer loop for the past few years (kind of obvious), so any/all advice/help is welcome. I've mainly seen questions regarding gaming, but I don't really know how to translate the gaming knowledge into other areas.