Time to upgrade?

[guanyu210379]

Hello guys,
it has been a while since my last system update update, which was last year (HD5850 + SSD + new PSU).
I have planned to upgrade my system again this summer while waiting untill the Bulldozer (If I can still remember it correctly) can be reviéwed and compared to Sandybridge...but...Bulldozer is still way from the market...
Now, I plan to update my system components (proc+fan, mobo and ram) the rest will be kept as they are at the moment.
I am also thinking of selling my HD5850 since I do not have enough time to play games anymore...but still unsure of throwing away this card yet...I was thinking if I do not play games and use the internal Sandy bridge GPU, I can save lots of power consume.

I need your advices choosing the needed components.
1. Proc options i7 2600 or 2600K (no OC, possible use of included GPU)
2. Cheap but better than stock fan
3. Mobo P67 or Z68 (ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI..not planning for multiple GPU system)
4. A good and cheap 8GB RAM (2x4)

I have also to replace my keyboard+mouse since it is now already half broken...but this I can choose by myself...

Thank you very much for your advices and have a nice day

 

[guanyu210379]

And...yeah...forgot to write....will I feel the difference which worth the money for the upgrade or should I wait for something better which will come soon?

 

[Archean]

Hello guan!

Although i7 2600/2600K are excellent CPUs I would suggest you to hold on to your planned upgrade, as Intel is gearing towards Ivy Bridge release around Q1 12. Personally, I have delayed upgradation of my Core 2 Quad based system for the very same reason

 

[guanyu210379]

Ah!
There is already a next generation on the way?

I will wait then untill next year.

My Q6600 can still keep up with my need...just not as fast as the 2600 or 2600K.
I am just aiming for some performance upgrade (for video re/en/de-coding and not games) and possible power comsumption saving...so...not that I am in urgent need of a new system.

I think I can wait till next year.

 

[geofelt]

There is always a new generation on the way. If you wait, you will wait forever.
The 22nm ivy bridge will be a die shrink of the current 32nm parts. No doubt, there will be efficiencies in power consumption, heat, and manufacturing costs. That is good for Intel which allows them to price the new parts at what the market will bear. My thought is, that the current sandy bridge parts will be viable past ivy bridge.

If you are feeling a lack of cpu resources, then an upgrade is in order.
If your workload is multi core enabled, then the 2600 is in order since it has hyperthreading. The as yet unannounced bulldozer amy also be viable, since it is a multi core architecture, but may not have the same individual core prowess as sandy bridge.

Your Q6600 has a passmark rating of 2982. By comparison, the 2500 quad is 6571. The 2600K will be 9902. The reason the 2600K is so much higher is because of the additional hyperthreads. To my mind, the extra $100 for a 2600/k is not much worth it unless you have a definite need for many threads. I also think a "K" is very much worth it for the 2500. For a minimal extra, you will have the option to overclock to 4.0 or better very conservatively.

Look at the Z68 chipset only. It allows you to use "quick-sync' which can greatly speed up video editing. Z68 also allows you to use the integrated graphics and overclock. The integrated graphics is comparable to a $50 discrete graphics card. Plenty for HD movies and general work. Keep your 5850 until you check things out, but If you are not doing any first person shooter gaming, then it will not be needed. The Z68 chipset also has a hard drive cacheing capability that would help speed up your hard drive.
Some vendors even include the SSD on the motherboard:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128505

There is no need to change out your Zalman cooler. Sandy bridge runs much cooler than the Q6600, and even the stock fan is all you need.

Some editing apps can use massive amounts of ram to save hard drive I/O. If you use one of them, look at getting a full 16gb of ram. DDR3 ram is very cheap these days. Otherwise, 8gb(2 x 4gb) seems to be the sweet spot.

I am no expert on editing, but you need to do some research on quick sync. Here is an early article to get you started:
http://www.anandtech.com/show/4083/the-sandy-bridge-review-intel-core-i7-2600k-i5-2500k-core-i3-2100-tested/9

Do you have space for a second monitor? If so, consider one. It is one of the best desktop upgrades I have ever done.