Should a NON-GAMER upgrade to i7?

[spencerfine]

Right now im recovering from weeks of computer downtime and i believe my MB is damaged. will turn on but no picture signal with multiple graphics cards, psu, cables, switched out etc. possible pci-e socket damage but the other one doesnt work either so, i need a new mobo. The setup below has served me well for 3 or so years and im thinking of upgrading it but im a little confused at the performance gain. i do a little video editing for friends and family and a lot of unraring, multitasking, and watching a lot of blu ray/ hi def stuff and thats pretty much it with cpu intensity. I don't mind spending 650 or so but if i truly dont need it could someone let me know?

This is the setup now:

MB -broken asus p5w dh deluxe
gpu -ati 4670 - 512gddr4
ram -corsair 1gbx4 6400 c4
cpu -e6600 2.4 -which id like to overclock to 3.0 again
psu -antec hx520
case -antec p180
raptor -os Windows 7 RC1
storage -1tbx2 seagate barracudas

Any suggestions on a cheap new socket 775 that will more than do the job to replace the broken one or:

Consideration config:

msi eclipse sli -because maxpc says its the best, even though i would only have 1 vcard - (hmm is the MSI overkill?)
i7 920
6gb corsair uh 10333 or 13000? (the faster speed whatever its called)

heres the chart on the head to head comparison of the cpu's =on&prod[2200]=on]http://www.tomshardware.com/charts/desktop-cpu-charts-q3-2008/compare,823.html?prod[2271]=on&prod[2200]=on

 

[WR2]

Depending on the software packages you use a non-gamer could benefit even more from the i7 upgrade than someone mostly interested in gaming.

Your chart link didn't work:

From review @ AnandTech

 

[spencerfine]

WR2 that was fast -my mistake on the chart thx for your input

 

[WR2]

THG WinRAR chart

@ $289 a/r MSI Eclipse SLI does seem to be a bit more than you need to spend when you can get decent X-58 boards under $200.
Interesting in overclocking at all? That might be a discriminator on which MB to choose.

 

[The Third Level]

i7 would be a good upgrade but realize that you're gonna be spending at least 600....if you don't think that's worth the cash I recommend a Phenom II 940 or 955, and AM2+ mobo. You can get both of those together for maybe 350.

 

[yomamafor1]

The price difference between an comfortably priced Core i7 and Phenom II 940 is only 70 bucks top.

I would say go for the Core i7. For a little over 50 bucks more, you get almost twice the performance in CPU-intensive applications.

 

[WR2]

some AnandTech charts with Phenom II X4 955 included

 

[spencerfine]

Thx for the replies! i found an open box MSI X58 Eclipse SLI LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard OPEN BOX for $250 at newegg and yes i definatly want to overclock the poop out of this chip. it also looks like people are leaning towards the p6q motherboard for some reason but i like the x-fi built in and the overclockability. im not sure but with overclocking this seems like the one to get. The phenom looks great for the budget minded but I'm on the computer so much that I'm going to adapt a borg implant next month...

 

[jennyh]

Thing is, you never see i7's benched at 'comfortably priced' do you?

It's still all about the cpu and gpu with gaming. If you're a gamer then always buy a cheaper cpu at the expense of a faster gpu. Unless you are buying the fastest gpu now, and plan to upgrade it every time a faster gpu is released then don't even consider i7 for gaming.

 

[jennyh]

The 920 gives up 600mhz compared to the 955 and STILL kicks its ass

Not in gaming.

Edit - tbh this doesn't really matter as the best option is buying a new mobo.

 

[spencerfine]

i just bought a 4670 vcard because anything else i was told is overkill and for gaming, so i think im covered there. primarily it will be used for upscaling 1080p images to my front projector. my peni-----screen is 133". so im hoping that was just in the middle of undercooking and overdoing it with a gtx 260 or something along those lines just for upscaling

 

[spencerfine]

are you the same guys who fight over whether star trek or star wars kicks the others ass? jk

 

[yomamafor1]

It's still all about the cpu and gpu with gaming. If you're a gamer then always buy a cheaper cpu at the expense of a faster gpu. Unless you are buying the fastest gpu now, and plan to upgrade it every time a faster gpu is released then don't even consider i7 for gaming.

Not sure if you have problem reading, but according to the title..

Should a NON-GAMER upgrade to i7

Not only that,

i do a little video editing for friends and family and a lot of unraring, multitasking, and watching a lot of blu ray/ hi def stuff and thats pretty much it with cpu intensity

So for someone who runs CPU-intensive applications, Core i7 makes a lot more sense.

 

[spencerfine]

Picard: "THERE ARE FOUR LIGHTS"

true yomamafor1 but i appreciate his time.

CORSAIR XMS3 6GB (3 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model TR3X6G1600C8 G - Retail for $114
Open Box: MSI X58 Eclipse SLI LGA 1366 Intel X58 ATX Intel Motherboard for $250
Intel Core i7 920 Nehalem 2.66GHz LGA 1366 130W Quad-Core Processor Model BX80601920 - Retail for $280

tax is $60
shipping is $10

total is $713 -what do you think? oh poop, i forgot the cpu cooler, and have no idea what to get

 

[WR2]

You want to carefully read the condition statement for open box items.

 

[WR2]

XIGMATEK Dark Knight $40 is a great socket 1366 CPU cooler at a great price.

 

[spencerfine]

cool thanks. ive been reading a lot and it seems that this mobo is crap despite what maxpc says. half the people are complaining about something or other. its a little better with the EVGA and evga is a great company but their boards are RMAing all over. The best solution atm looks like the asus p6t deluxe v2. any thoughts?

 

[jennyh]

Spencer, if you are sure it's the mobo that is broken then just replace it. You don't need the best or fastest pc for how you use it.

Most mobo failures are simple bios chip replacements btw, so that might be worth looking into to.

 

[jennyh]

double post

 

[spencerfine]

im not exactly sure that it is the MB but all indicators point its way. ive swapped psu, monitor, dvi cables, vcards (gtx 260 that im returning and this 4670 i just picked up all will not load.) system seems to boot, with no post just the sounds and the signal is never picked up. with the gtx 260 i was able to boot into safe mode but not regularly and yes i have the newest bios, ive tried just one stick of ram and pulling everything else out, reseting cmos, and pulling the battery about 100x. my buddy thinks it is a pci-e slot error but when i put it in the other slot it does the same thing---nothing just a blinking monitor light. this is the MB right? its not the psu, hd, vcard, ram, monitor, cable -so i cant fix it and am stuck with this ---ur right i can just replace it somewhere that still sells these but what if its the chip? i dont know. its been a month waiting for new parts and trying dif things with no luck

 

[jennyh]

I know what you mean. I would normally try a new graphics card, cpu or psu first too.

It looks to me like you have done already so that only leaves the mobo or cpu. Why not try your cpu in your friends mobo so you can discount that possibility.

If you can use your friends pc then you can switch out every part and try out every combination. I've been doing the exact same thing these past few days.

In the end, I knew I had broken my bios by trying to flash it in windows so I finally had to give up and just buy a new one. A new bios that is, not a new mobo.

If you think thats the most likely fix then you can probably get one on ebay. Here are two I just found -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BIOS-Chip-ASUS-P5W-DH-DELUXE-P5WD2-P5LD2-DELUXE_W0QQitemZ380119564060QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Motherboards_CPUs?hash=item5880e43f1c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BIOS-Chip-ASUS-P5N32-E-SLI-P5W64-WS-PROF-P5W-DH-DELUXE_W0QQitemZ170326221715QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Motherboards_CPUs?hash=item27a83be393&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

Good luck with it.

 

[spencerfine]

I know what you mean. I would normally try a new graphics card, cpu or psu first too.

It looks to me like you have done already so that only leaves the mobo or cpu. Why not try your cpu in your friends mobo so you can discount that possibility.

If you can use your friends pc then you can switch out every part and try out every combination. I've been doing the exact same thing these past few days.

In the end, I knew I had broken my bios by trying to flash it in windows so I finally had to give up and just buy a new one. A new bios that is, not a new mobo.

If you think thats the most likely fix then you can probably get one on ebay. Here are two I just found -

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BIOS-Chip-ASUS-P5W-DH-DELUXE-P5WD2-P5LD2-DELUXE_W0QQitemZ380119564060QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Motherboards_CPUs?hash=item5880e43f1c&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BIOS-Chip-ASUS-P5N32-E-SLI-P5W64-WS-PROF-P5W-DH-DELUXE_W0QQitemZ170326221715QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Motherboards_CPUs?hash=item27a83be393&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1683|66%3A2|65%3A12|39%3A1|240%3A1318|301%3A1|293%3A1|294%3A50

Good luck with it.

You're awesome. thank you, ill give $15 a shot before $715

 

[jdhobby]

I'll never buy an open box MB again. Several years ago I bought one ASUS A7N8X Deluxe Retail and later bought three more of the same MBs as open box (refurbished) versions. All of the open box MBs died after a few years but the Retail one still works great.

 

[WR2]

Open Box Item Return Policy @ NewEgg

 

[loneninja]

The price difference between an comfortably priced Core i7 and Phenom II 940 is only 70 bucks top.

I would say go for the Core i7. For a little over 50 bucks more, you get almost twice the performance in CPU-intensive applications.

I managed to get the Phenom II 940, 2x2Gb 1066 memory, and a Biostar 790Gx motherboard for $279.98 last week.