Processor comparison What's the big diff?

netcommercial

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Video Guys has the DIY 9 on the chalkboard over there and it has a few different CPU options, such as:
Intel Core i7 3960X
Intel Core i7 3930K
Intel Core i7 2600K

Tom's Hardware has the 3820 ON SALE!

Question:
300 bucks difference- I see two cores and not much else...What does that mean to a guy who wants to edit video? I was thinking about the PNY Nvidia Quadro 4000 (2gb of ded Ram) to couple one of these with.
I finished my 4 minute Trailer for my web series and neither Nero 10 or Pinnacle 14 will export the file not to mention the hours it took to render between effects and splices. I am looking at Avid Composer M6 after I build this puter.

1. What will those other two cores do for me? (as an NLE editor)

2. The cache difference of the cheaper one (3820) has 2 cache's. the other (3930k) has 3. However the 3930 with three has a smaller cache for it's first cache then the cheaper 3820 with only two. Please elaborate if you know.
Plus the 3820 cheaper one, looks like it is faster. (Due to two less cores?)
500.00 is the top of my budget for this, 300 looks even better :pt1cable: .

Thanks in advance for your insight.


Links for specs overview comparison.

Intel Core i7-3820 Quad Core Processor

http://stores.tomshardware.com/search_techspecs_full.php/masterid=941070289



Intel Core i7 3930K Hexa Core Processor

http://stores.tomshardware.com/search_techspecs_full.php/masterid=928223449

If these guys would badge their product a little better, I would know to go get the biggest motor with the most torque in my price range....
 
The real difference between these processors has more to do with the boards. The Intel® Core™ i7-3930K, i7-3820 and the Intel Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition are socket 2011 and all support quad channel memory and the boards have upto 40 PCI-e lanes allowing you to run SLI or Xfire at the full x16/x16.

The Intel Core i7-2600K is a socket 1155 processor that only supports memory in a dual channel configuration and the boards top out at 24 PCI-e lanes.

In the end it really comes down to what you are going to be doing with the system as to the better value/performance for you. If you are gaming the socket 2011 processors have very little value or performance difference for you. For you since you are looking at applications that will take advantage of extra cores and thread and the memory bandwidth is useful using one of the socket 2011 Intel Core i7's like Intel Core i7-3930K would be your best option.


Christain Wood
Intel Enthusiast Team
 

devBunny

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The 3960 is silly money for very little extra oomph.

The 3930 is near enough another 50% for the extra cash over the 3820. Think about buying a second half-performance computer for the difference between the 3820 and 3930. It can't be done.

However, if you don't have apps that will utilise 6 cores, or if you don't really need to save time that badly, the 3930 isn't needed, much as it might be nice to have. In that case it's down to whether your budget comfortably encompasses it.
 

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@ intel enthusiast- Thanks for the input. So the extra two cores, give more performance in my application then will the Gig speed?


@devBunny YES media composer 6 by Avid will utilize, (I think) I do not know what you mean by "second half computer"?

Example: With a 256 Nvidia video card and 2.3 dual quad intel, it takes 15 minutes to load 3.40 minutes of edited video. So yes, I need more speed Scotty!

How much more performance will I get for the 300? And the difference between the Cache's?
Forget the 2600 after Intel's input.
2011 Socket seems better for my application

300 more gives me two more cores..Does this mean I can load more Ram?

I am new to this spec stuff. It is like being a broke race car driver who has to build his own crate motor.
Should I get the 454 or 350 (old school sizes now they are liters), I know.
Pending on application.... Short track or Rally.
 

devBunny

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what [do] you mean by "second half computer"?

It was a bit clumsily put. I was just trying to express that you effectively get one and a half computers worth of 3820 power by getting a 3930, but not for half the additional cost of a computer. In other words, don't think of that $300 as being the difference between two processors, look at the total system cost. What would you rather have, a 4-core computer for, say, $1200 or a 6-core machine for $1500? Bang-for-buck, it's best to get 6 cores if you can use them and have the budget.

So the extra two cores, give more performance in my application then will the Gig speed?

Yes and no. When running a light load, the 3820 runs at 400MHz more than the 3930 but .....

3930: 3200MHZ, turbo 3800MHz .... http://ark.intel.com/products/63697/Intel-Core-i7-3930K-Processor-%2812M-Cache-3_20-GHz%29

3820: 3600MHZ, turbo 3800MHz .... http://ark.intel.com/products/63698/Intel-Core-i7-3820-Processor-%2810M-Cache-3_60-GHz%29

... when your app is working the processor hard it will be running in turbo mode and both 3930 and 3820 run at the same speed.

And the difference between the Cache's?

It very much depends on the application load. If you're actively running several apps at once or if your data set is very large and being accessed in a distributed way then the cache will more frequently not have the data that's required. A bigger cache is then better. But the difference in performance between the 3960 and the 3930 isn't huge, counting both the extra cache and the higher clock rate of the 3960. Not enough, at least for me, to justify the cost difference.

300 more gives me two more cores..Does this mean I can load more Ram?

Cores are about threads and threads are about what tasks the application will work on simultaneously. It's not really about memory, although if a video program is running 50% more threads on a 3930 than on a 3820 then those threads will necessarily be accessing more memory.

With a 256 Nvidia video card and 2.3 dual quad intel, it takes 15 minutes to load 3.40 minutes of edited video. So yes, I need more speed Scotty!

Aye, Capn' and Ah can have it for ye in aboot 9 hoors. Aye, I know, ye're wantin' it in 6. Ah'll see whut Ah can do.

I'm guessing that that's mostly a hard drive bottleneck but that's a different story, one about SSDs and large amounts of RAM.
 

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Thank you for such a detailed explanation devBunny. I appreciate your time in doing so. I understand now

Great Scotty impersonation BTW... Givin- it all she's got!