The system I am planning to build.

[Chevex]

I am a software developer, so naturally I know almost nothing about hardware . I've never built a PC before so I'm looking for input on this build that I have taken the time to put together. It is reasonably priced and all parts have pretty high ratings on newegg. I have a couple questions but any input is appreciated.

Here is the system I am planning to build:

ASUS P8Z68 Motherboard

Intel Core i7 - 2600K 3.4 GHz Processor

4 2GB 240-Pin DDR2

Seagate Barracuda 1TB 7200 RPM SATA 6gb/s HDD

EVGA GeForce GTX 560 1GB Graphics Card

I already have a case big enough and a 480w power supply. I have two questions:

1. Is all of this going to be compatible?

2. Is 480w enough power?

 

[wolfeking]

save money with very little performance loss and get a 2500K. HT is the only difference in the 2500 and the 2600 and it only makes like a 15--20% difference, not 100% like double the cores would.

480 is almost certainly not enough. Look for a 550 or up watt PSU from a quality brand, like Antec, PCpowerandcooling, XFX, Seasonic or Silverstone.

 

[Chevex]

save money with very little performance loss and get a 2500K. HT is the only difference in the 2500 and the 2600 and it only makes like a 15--20% difference, not 100% like double the cores would.

480 is almost certainly not enough. Look for a 550 or up watt PSU from a quality brand, like Antec, PCpowerandcooling, XFX, Seasonic or Silverstone.

What about for basic video rendering? Does HT make a big difference at all?

I'm comparing the two

2600K

2500K

And it looks like 2600K is 3.4 GHz vs 2500K which is 3.3 GHz. Also the L3 Cache is 8 MB vs 6MB. Are those going to make much of a difference?

Sorry, I feel kind of dumb.

 

[wolfeking]

the K means it is unlocked, i.e. you can go into the BIOS and set the Multiplier higher, causing the chip to operate at a higher speed. It would be very easy to make the 2500k to operate at 4.1-4.8 GHz.

For video editing, a better GPU will outweigh the CPU, as far as I know. Memory also helps. A 2500k, GTX570, and 8-12 Gb of RAM will aid you more than a 2600K, 8Gb, and 560ti.