New CPU for Rendering

JamesHodgart

Honorable
Jun 23, 2012
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0
10,510
Need a new CPU for next year for rendering in MAYA and After Effects.

Im currently running an AMD x4 Phenom II but the more I learn the slower my render times. I have around £350 to spare on a new board and CPU but I really don't know what to go for.

My choices are:-

i)Intel Core i7 3770k with Z77 board
ii)AMD Bulldozer x8 (would work on my current board but I need to upgrade for more RAM space.
iii)...Or wait for the new AMD "Piledriver" series?

Would I see any large performance differences with an upgrade?

Im currently using 6GB of DDR3 RAM but I plan to upgrade this to 16GB for next year. Im also running a NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450. Do you think my 750w PSU would be enough? Or would I need to pick up something more powerful?

Sorry for being a pest guys, any help would be very much appreciated. THANK YOU!
 

adzx

Honorable
Apr 21, 2012
132
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10,690
Go for the I7 with the z77 board, there would be a huge performance difference between that and your current system.
 

viridiancrystal

Distinguished
Jul 27, 2011
444
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18,790
Well, if your budget fits the i7, then that is the best choice. The current FX-8xxx's give the i5's and sometimes the i7's a run in heavily threaded software (like rendering), but the i7 is definitively better.

However (pure speculation, and putting many "if's" into the equation) getting a FX-8xxx, or as pointed out a PII x6 (as long as it is with an AM3+ board) will save you some money over the i7 solution, and PD is looking to improve easily over BD by 15-20% at the same clocks, which would most likely put it over an i7 in highly threaded software.

Personally I would say wait for PD and see how it fares against the i7, but then one might say wait for Haswell.

The i7 will be a solid choice no doubt, betting on PD fighting against it might be a bit of a risk.


EDIT: Also want to point out your 750w power supply will be enough for any of the cpu's being mentioned.