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Need help choosing a CPU for my next PC build

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  • Intel i7
  • Build
  • CPUs
Last response: in CPUs
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October 28, 2013 7:57:17 PM

Hi all. Want to build a new desktop machine ASAP. It will be W7 Ult 64-bit, and I have been on Intel's site (ark.intel.com) looking at chips. This machine will be used for music composition - no gaming, nor anything graphics-heavy. Cubase, and all of the virtual instruments and plug-ins, are very taxing, and want to get the best CPU for the job.

I am looking to get an i7, and am not sure what the best one to get is. I am going under the assumption that an 8m Cache is better than a 6m Cache? And what should I be looking at in terms of best performance? For ex., an i7-4770 and an i7-4900MQ are pretty similiar (the frist being 8M/3.80 GHz - the latter being 8M/3.90 GHz) but the 4900MQ is almost double the price. Plus, the 4770 has a Clock Speed of 3.4 GHz, whereas the 4900MQ is 2.8 GHz. I assume 3.4 is better? What else to take into consideration?

Thank you for any insight.

More about : choosing cpu build

a c 109 à CPUs
October 28, 2013 8:25:43 PM

If you are in the market for an i7, you won't need anything more than a 4770. The i7-4900MQ is a notebook processor so it won't work in a desktop build. If you want to save a bit of money the 3770 is a great choice and honestly I doubt you'd notice the difference. The 4770 is about 10% faster. Either choice is a good one. If you don't want to overclock get the non-k models.
October 29, 2013 12:59:39 PM

Hey - thanks.

Was not aware that the MQ was for notebooks.

When you say, "you won't need anything more than a 4770" - that almost makes it sound like, "yeah - it's a great CPU, but it will be good enough for you". Sorry if I mistook it, but that's what it sonded like. Not that there's anything wrong with what you said! :) 

Thing is, I am not just looking for a CPU that is "good enough" - I am looking for "the best". Understandably, "the best" may be a relative term, and there may really be no such thing.... Please keep in mind, that music production is extremely taxing on a computer. Moreso than gaming - although many people may not want to believe that. It's not more taxing in terms of graphics, but is so in terms of RAM and CPU cycles. So, I am looking for something that is up to snuff.

Any other ideas?

--edit---

Ooooh - just went back to ark.intel - and they have new CPUS that were not there yesterday... including:

Intel® Core™ i7-4960X Processor Extreme Edition (15M Cache, up to 4.00 GHz)

Hmmmmmm.....

Thanks again.
a c 109 à CPUs
October 29, 2013 5:21:15 PM

Honestly, the i7 4770 is very very fast with any kind of cpu heavy task. I know that music production is very taxing, but that is exactly the kinds of workloads that the i7 4770 was made for. It isn't a gaming cpu, that would be the i5s (which perform as well as an i7 in gaming) however an i7 absolutely destroys an i5 in this kind of workload.

In the end the 4770 is definitely no slouch for your intended use, but if you want to spend 1200.00 on a cpu and motherboard that is your choice, and the only thing that will out perform a 4770.
!