Dream Machine

[Linksoul]

I'm new to computer building. I have ran into several problems with people telling me this is better than that, etc... The computer I wish to build will be used for; Gaming (Ultra/Highest Graphics), CAD, and occasionally the computer will be hooked up to a 70" plasma TV.
I was hoping somebody can redirect me to a forum or website to help me, or list their computer info so I could copy cat or something. And price isn't a problem.

Ex Problem: I was told the i7-920 was better than the 975 because it was cheaper, and could be overclocked on air to the same core speed of the 975. This confuses me because: A 920 OC'd = 975 Normal (by theory above), wouldn't OC'ing a 975 be better if I have the money to drop on it?

Thanks is given to those who submit answers.

 

[jack_attack]

You'll run into the opinions a lot, because most of it is. Some people are content with an Athlon II X2, some need more. It's all what you're doing with it.

That being said, and this is fact, if you want the best CPU your money can buy, get an i7. The 930 is coming, so it might be best to wait until that comes, the 920 might/should drop a little. Do you need that much computing power, I don't know. The i5 is also a very competent little chip, sometimes actually beating the 920 in certain cases. If it was me, and I had the cash, I'd get a 920 and clock it as far as I safely and stably could.

Overclocking is a little bit like the lottery, except the odds aren't so terrible. Some chips just don't like to be clocked higher than spec, some you can get really nice gains. Can someone fill Linksoul (and me) as to what batches of 920's clock the best? I know the D0's clock nicely, but are getting tricky, and pricey, to secure.

 

[arthurh]

Welcome to THGF.

I'm new to computer
building. I have ran into several problems with people telling me this is better than that, etc...

Building your own PC can be very fulfilling....., or frustrating, depending on your knowledge of the subject.

One of the best ways to learn more about building your own PC for example would be to read something like this article for starters.

Next you might read this article about selecting motherboards.

Ex Problem: I was told the i7-920 was better than the 975 because it was cheaper, and could be overclocked on air to the same core speed of the 975. This confuses me because: A 920 OC'd = 975 Normal (by theory above), wouldn't OC'ing a 975 be better if I have the money to drop on it?

At this point you are getting information that may or may not be fact based on the individual posters experience and knowledge. But to answer your question is the 975 better than the 920.... absolutely. The real question is do you have the knowledge to make that so? Also most PC builders have to work with a budget in mind and in that respect the 920 wins hands down because they have learned how to over clock successfully.

The 920 can usually be overclocked to ~ 4GHZ! Since the 970 is currently top of the line it can be overclocked to ~ 4.5GHZ. For those following this you know I am not talking about exotic cooling solutions, only after market air or normal water cooling. So, you need to ask yourself if you are willing to learn what you need to know in order to accomplish your goal/s.

Because if your funds are not a factor then what you know about components and their capacity and compatibility with each other become paramount.

One other thing I will say is that you want to game with ultimate performance and be able to do CAD. Your gaming "could" be less than you desire depending on how involved with CAD you are. There are people here who know far more about this particular subject than myself that would be more than willing to help you thru that part of your build.

Last but not least is if you "Copy Cat" some ones build it may still need to be fine tuned as all components are not perfectly equal.Thus the reason to learn as much as you can about this hobby.

So, as to components. You picked the i7-975 LGA 1366 CPU which is a quad core with Hyper-Threading capabilities meaning it acts like a 8 core CPU with most rendering and CAD programs. NOT so great for gaming thou.

Turns out that some how Hyper-Threading works against this platform as compared to the i5-xxx LGA 1156 platform when it comes to all out gaming performance. This is information from reading and not personal experience on my part.

Any way, you can see that there is a lot of room for fine tuning a system based on your needs which may change as you gain more knowledge about building a high end PC.

Good luck to you and happy building!

 

[Linksoul]

Best answer selected by Linksoul.