New build suggestions, $800-1000 Photo Editing and Gaming rig.

[thechargingskies]

Approximate Purchase Date: In the next month or so.

Budget Range: $800-1000 for suggested parts.

System Usage: Raw photo processing (photoshop, Nikon's crap software, etc), Gaming, Media storage.

Are you buying a monitor: No.

Parts to Upgrade: Case, Mobo, CPU/Cooler, Ram, PSU, Video Card. I've already got monitors, HDs, a Samsung MZ-5PA SSD, and an optical drive.

Do you need to buy OS: No

Preferred Website(s) for Parts: Directron.com

Parts Preferences: Historically, I've been using Asus mobos and Antec Sonata cases.

Overclocking: No

SLI or Crossfire: No

Your Monitor Resolution: Dual 1920x1200 monitors

Additional Comments: Emphasis on quiet cases/fans/psus, but I'm not looking to dive into water cooling. Not looking to do super high end fast twitch gaming, but expansive stuff like Skyrim or new stuff like upcoming Far Cry.

Why Are You Upgrading: At 3.5 years, my current pc is showing it's age, especially when faced with hundreds or thousands of 20mb raw photos to sort through. I plan on using the old one as an HTPC if I can figure out a way to disguise it in the living room.

 

[TheBigTroll]

id suggest this
http://pcpartpicker.com/p/jJpn

i included a SSD just in case you want another. you would have to reformat the ssd you are using for the new system

 

[lt_dan_zsu]

i7 2600k $290
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819115070&Tpk=i7%202600k
asrcok atx mobo
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813130645
530w psu
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817182199
case
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16811352007
cooler
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16835214023
ram
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820231308
7950
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814161400
or 7950 boost
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814202007
one is $926.56
the one with boost is $946.56

 

[excella1221]

Hmm.. would hyperthreading really be a necessity for photo processing?
I think 4 cores is enough for the job.

 

[TheBigTroll]

you only require hyperhtreading when you video edit. photo not so much

 

[lt_dan_zsu]

If you aren't doing things like photo editing professionally, I would just go with an i5, that will be fast enough.

 

[excella1221]

He's only photo processing though, so the builds you suggested could be improved on the GPU component if you swap out the i7 with the i5.

 

[thechargingskies]

Thanks for the input so far. I do some high end photo processing (large panoramas based on 20-30 20+ mb raw files and the like) but I'm not certain whether that's hitting more on the processor, ram or gpu.

Can I assume from the lack of cards running dual DVI ports these days that that standard is really being supplanted by DisplayPort? Are there any drawbacks to DisplayPort vs. DVI?

 

[TheBigTroll]

most cards still have dvi. they are just as good but displayport is just newer and slightly better but not enough to make a difference on a 1080p screen

 

[lt_dan_zsu]

I would think that photo editing would use more ram than anything, but an i7 would help. But that $50 you are saving could translate to 15+ more fps in games.

 

[thechargingskies]

Best answer selected by thechargingskies.