New PC Build

[Agent Smith]

I didn't get much help from another forum so I'm posting here. Below are the questions I was asked to answer about my build.

So far the system I want to build is the following:

Motherboard: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...cm_sp=&AID=10440897&PID=3332167&SID=u00000687

CPU: I'm debating between a Xeon E3-1230v3 or a Xeon E3-1240V3

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116906

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16819116905

RAM: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820148558

I will be buying 3 more of those sticks in time for a total of 32 GB for a RAM drive.

Case: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...cm_sp=&AID=10440897&PID=3332167&SID=u00000687

I will be reusing a GTX 560 TI, an Antec 520, An Adata 128 GB SSD for the OS, a 500 GB Hitachi HDD and a ASUS DVD/RW drive.

1. What YOUR PC will be used for. That means what types of tasks you'll be performing.

Gaming and video editing.

2. What YOUR budget is. A price range is acceptable as long as it's not more than a 20% spread

$500

3. What country YOU will be buying YOUR parts from.

The US of A

4. IF you're buying parts OUTSIDE the US, please post a link to the vendor you'll be buying from.
We can't be expected to scour the internet on your behalf, chasing down deals in your specific country... Again, help us, help YOU.

Won't happen

5. IF YOU have a brand preference. That means, are you an Intel-Fanboy, AMD-Fanboy, ATI-Fanboy, nVidia-Fanboy, Seagate-Fanboy, WD-Fanboy, etc.

I like Gigabyte motherboards, Crucial memory and Intel CPUs

6. If YOU intend on using any of YOUR current parts, and if so, what those parts are.

I will be recycling a 128 GB SSD for the OS. A GTX 560 TI video card. An Antec 520 PSU and a ASUS DVD/RW drive.

7. IF YOU plan on overclocking or run the system at default speeds.

If the CPU I agree with comes within my budget and is overclockable I will overclock.

8. What resolution, not monitor size, will you be using?

At minimum 1920 x 1680. I think that's what I have now. Will eventually upgrade to a new video card and would like to give SLI a try and buy a bigger monitor.

9. WHEN do you plan to build it?
Note that it is usually not cost or time effective to choose your build more than a month before you actually plan to be using it.

January 2014.

X. Do you need to purchase any software to go with the system, such as Windows or Blu Ray playback software?

Nope!

 

[FuryRosewood]

Server Processor != Not a clocker. Id keep this in mind if you are looking at using a xeon processor with your board. You may be better off if you are looking to OC to spend money on a i5, especially if you are gaming more than you are editing video

 

[Jiniix]

I think it's stupid to look at parts now, if you plan to buy them in January. I'd expect a lot of things to be on sale then.
And as Fury said, the Xeon (any Xeon) is a server processor and can't be overclocked.
You can get a i5-4670K for like $10 less, which can be OC'd. The motherboard you're looking at is very nice.
Personally I would buy 16GB RAM now, run it in dual channel and then upgrade later to 32GB by adding a new kit.

 

[Agent Smith]

Thanks for the responses. I'm doing my research ahead of time so I know in fact what I want to go with come January. So I'm not making last minute decisions. I may buy the CPU after Thanksgiving if it's on sale. I'm on disability so I will be saving $250 a month. I can't save in December because I have to buy stupid Christmas presents. LOL

I do know the Xeon CPUs can't be overclocked, but I was looking at Passmark scores and saw that the Xeons for the money you get more power. The others seem not to compare according to Passmark scores.

So the motherboard is a keeper?

 

[Jiniix]

Not for a Xeon chip. You pay a bunch for the ability to overclock whenever you use the Z87 chipset.
An i5/i7 and a Xeon is basically the same. In-game you won't see 1% difference if they're clocked at the same speeds. For gaming you should either get H87 chipset and i5-4430 or Z87 chipset and i5-4670k. Only Xeon if there's a good deal on it.
Btw, Passmark scores are irrelevant to be honest. Especially when it comes to gaming. It's about as precise as Windows Experience Index, which isn't a lot.

 

[Agent Smith]

Is there a reliable CPU bench mark website that can compare CPUs then? I can't find any besides Anandtech which doesn't list the Xeon's. I was going to go with an i7 2600k, but a guy on my other forum suggested I go with a Xeon1230V3.

One reason why I'm going with that board is because one day I may pick a different 1150 CPU.

 

[jamesd1981]

Cpuboss http://cpuboss.com/

 

[Jiniix]

A i7-4770K is a bit more expensive, but it's overclockable and currently the best CPU available in LGA1150 for anything other than extreme servers.

CPUBoss: 1240V3 vs 4770K
You can see that at stock the performance is exactly the same, but the Xeon is listed as more value/performance. If you overclock the 4770K, the value would obviously go up.
A Xeon is not a bad choice, but only fully taken advantage of when using ECC RAM and possibly dual CPU setup (can't be done on LGA1150)
You pay for stability testing too with the Xeon brand name. Any Xeon chip is tested thoroughly to ensure that it lives up with the name.