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Win 7 32 for a new computer: intel vs amd, etc.

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I have win 7 32 already, and I'm looking to build a new computer. One that I can use as a workstation, but also as a mediacenter I can watch movies on through the internet and on blu ray. All through the computer displayed on my 40" hdtv that I'll use as a monitor.

I just want something that won't overheat all the time (like my 3yr old hp laptop) when i'm doing cpu and graphics-intensive things.

I'm not a gamer, but i want to edit videos/photos and make dvds without having to wait a long time for rendering/processing. I also want to be able to watch hd content through the wireless N. I don't want playback to be choppy.

I want a media center-type cpu case (not a tower) and I'm trying to decide if I should go with an i7,3gb ram, what kind of video card should i use? one with an hdmi out, probably. do i need a separate cooling fan?

I'm trying to stay under $1100 for everything. Should be easy since I already have a lot of things.

I already have win 7 32, monitor (hdtv), webcam, wireless N, keyboard/mouse.

First time builder, any advice is appreciated. Thanks!

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bsh7 said:
I have win 7 32 already, and I'm looking to build a new computer. One that I can use as a workstation, but also as a mediacenter I can watch movies on through the internet and on blu ray. All through the computer displayed on my 40" hdtv that I'll use as a monitor.

I just want something that won't overheat all the time (like my 3yr old hp laptop) when i'm doing cpu and graphics-intensive things.

I'm not a gamer, but i want to edit videos/photos and make dvds without having to wait a long time for rendering/processing. I also want to be able to watch hd content through the wireless N. I don't want playback to be choppy.

I want a media center-type cpu case (not a tower) and I'm trying to decide if I should go with an i7,3gb ram, what kind of video card should i use? one with an hdmi out, probably. do i need a separate cooling fan?

I'm trying to stay under $1100 for everything. Should be easy since I already have a lot of things.

I already have win 7 32, monitor (hdtv), webcam, wireless N, keyboard/mouse.

First time builder, any advice is appreciated. Thanks!



i7 is good processor... if yu'e done ur research yu knw that it has 4 cores and 8 threads.... so as far as everything regarding editing n all is concerned ur great...
If you don't want high end gaming and you have a good amount in hand, take ati radeon 5xxx series or nvidia gt 240.. depends on your budget.. your all good...

The CPU will come with a basic HSF (heatsink-fan). Unless you plan to overclock, you won't need anything more or better. The stock Intel HSF is pretty quiet.
If you're not a gamer, something like a HD5450 or HD5550 is sufficient. If you think you might want to try any games, get a HD5670. The video card will also have a cooler already installed on it. There are fanless cards available, if fan noise (e.g. during movies) is a distraction, but most GPU fans are pretty quiet too unless the card is under heavy load like during a game.
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Nehelem i7 processors run a bit hot don't they? I mean, they have a 130W TDP. If you want a cool running machine, maybe you should look at Clarkdale and Lynnfield processors or even AMD quads.

I assume you've been using your laptop for encoding and that it's a dual core. You'd be surprised how big the improvement would be moving to even a mid-level quadcore. Don't get me wrong, the 4-core, 8 thread i7's are killer for video encoding.

Just throwing it out there...

Thanks for your advice! How about the motherboard? Is USB 3 close enough around the corner to get a motherboard with that on it already? I won't need a separate sound card, right? Also, is the LG 10x blu ray drive going to be pretty quick, or is there a lot of lag time for reading blu ray discs in general?

If I were buying a mobo for myself, I would definitely want USB 3.0; not for today, but certainly within the year, there will be some peripheral I'll want (like an external drive) that will use it.
Unless you're an audiophile, with a set of speakers as expensive as your PC, you probably won't need a sound card.
I don't know about the Blu Ray drive. I don't have one myself, and don't have any immediate plans to get one.
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