New Gaming PC Build - Help!

[RussianSensation]

Bulldozer has 8 cores which some games can already take advantage of.

Which games can use 8 threads? Maybe Arma series?

 

[RussianSensation]

What is the difference between that Gigabyte board an the other 30 Z68 models that they make? There is another for $118 that looks similar. What am I looking for in a motherboard these days? In the past you really only needed to worry about 1 or 2 models from each major brand, now there are 32 models from each brand.

Features.

With Gigabyte, the easiest way to differentiate boards is to remember that the number generally corresponds to rankings.

D series = Ultra Durable 2 components
UD series = Ultra Durable 3 components:
http://www.gigabyte.us/MicroSite/48/tech_080924_ud3.htm

With UD, you get 50,000 hours rated Japanese capacitors and more efficient Ferrite chokes. There is a bunch of other marketing drivel here:
- Dual CPU Power
- VR 12 Power Design
- Driver MOSFET integration

After that, you separate the boards based on their #:

i.e., UD3 is lower than UD4 lower than UD5 lower than UD7, etc.

So UD7 = ultra premium, UD5 high end, UD4/3 mid-range

Then what follows after determines features. If the board is UD3, that's your basic 3 level board. UD3P means "Premium" features for 3 series line.

As you move up the ladder, the added features across UD3/4/5/7, etc. include better VRM cooling, more power phases, more SATA 3 / USB 3.0 ports, eSATA ports, Firewire ports, 16/4x PCIe vs. 8/8x, some boards have 3 PCIe 8x slots. Upper end models add support for SLI on top of Crossfire.

Overclocking wise, even Gigabyte's $118 board can hit 5.0ghz on the 2500k with proper cooling.

 

[wuliheron]

What I stated has nothing to do with cpu power and more to do with it would be impossible for BD to be any faster than 2 6950's, because 2 6950's are allready the bottleneck with a 2500k. In other words you willl see no fps increase no metter what cpu you use.
In fact I'd bet that even 2 6990's would not be bottlenecked by a overclocked 2500k.

Sorry, but you are wrong. A 6970 won't run Nvidia physx for a game like Metro 2033, but it can be run it on the cpu. When it does run on the cpu, it can reduce your fps drastically. The newer bulldozer and sandy bridge E coming out with 8 cores can handle full blown matrices for physics and AI making them faster then the mere sum of their cores. As more games come out that can handle an arbitrary number of cores quad cores will slowly become obsolete for better gaming rigs.

 

[wuliheron]

Which games can use 8 threads? Maybe Arma series?

Metro is the most famous example right now and will run Nvidia physx on an arbitrary number of cores. However, my point is that this is the future of gaming. There was a bit of lag between the invention of dual core processors and the release of programs like MS C++AMP that make it easier to program for an arbitrary number of cores, but they've finally made it to market. Most programs don't need all those cores and its not worth the extra effort, but video games are a major exception to the rule.

 

[Jacky60]

In fact I'd bet that even 2 6990's would not be bottlenecked by a overclocked 2500k.

Well my 4ghz i7 920 definitely bottlenecks my 2 6990's and while I hope a 2500K wouldn't bottleneck them I'd like to know how much you're prepared to bet because I bet a 2500K at 5ghz would bottleneck them.

 

[dma0991]

Wouldn't two HD6990's be lane bottlenecked considering that the SB platform only has x8x8 for dual GPU and only x4 per GPU? Maybe not applicable to boards like the Asus Maximus IV Extreme with x16x16x8 but for the regular board without a NF200 I think there might be lane bottleneck.

 

[happy medium]

Well my 4ghz i7 920 definitely bottlenecks my 2 6990's and while I hope a 2500K wouldn't bottleneck them I'd like to know how much you're prepared to bet because I bet a 2500K at 5ghz would bottleneck them.

It depends....
If you running a 1080p monitor, yes but @ 2500x1600 or eyefinity resolutions ,which is the least you should have with 2 6990's, I would bet the bank that the 2500k at 5.0 would not be the bottleneck unless your playing cpu dependent games.

Remember a i7920 @ 4.2 =~ a 2500k @ 3.8.

 

[RussianSensation]

Remember a i7920 @ 4.2 =~ a 2500k @ 3.8.

SB is ~15% faster in IPC. Then, 4.2ghz i7 920 is only as fast as a 3.65ghz 2500k in games, assuming no GPU limitation.

 

[Jacky60]

It depends....
If you running a 1080p monitor, yes but @ 2500x1600 or eyefinity resolutions ,which is the least you should have with 2 6990's, I would bet the bank that the 2500k at 5.0 would not be the bottleneck unless your playing cpu dependent games.

Remember a i7920 @ 4.2 =~ a 2500k @ 3.8.

I don't quite get that??? :\ Firstly I play Arma 2 not console ports so Eyefinity or even 2500/1600 would be difficult even for my rig to deal with. Second what does anyone with a puny 460 know about what I should or shouldn't pair my 6990's with and thirdly of course 2 6990's won't be bottlenecked by a 2500K if the game isn't cpu dependent. It took me some time to fathom what you are or rather aren't saying.
From what I understand you mean a 2500K won't bottleneck any game that doesn't need a more powerful cpu than a 2500K.

That's quite the dumbest thing I ever read here.

 

[Arg Clin]

A 2500k would certainly be a fine chip. If you want to potentially save a few bucks or if you're excited about Bulldozer, then wait - if not, then don't.

 

[dfedders]

Is there anything else coming out CPU (other than bulldozer), or video card wise prior to mid October that I should wait for?

 

[blckgrffn]

I just walked out of Microcenter a couple days ago with a 2500k and a Gigabyte Z68 Mobo for $293 after tax - and I have a $10 MIR to send in. It's hard to beat the power there. The 2500k will only ever see a modest OC, it's in my Dad's rig and as he lives hours away I am not going to tweak it out, just raise it to 2600 speeds.

http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0364087

Splurging?

http://www.microcenter.com/single_pr...uct_id=0364085

Then again, I would spend the money to get 2600k (or even the vanilla 2600) for the extra threads rather than an uber nice board, but that is just me. I am not looking for massive overclocks.

 

[thegimp03]

Features.

With Gigabyte, the easiest way to differentiate boards is to remember that the number generally corresponds to rankings.

D series = Ultra Durable 2 components
UD series = Ultra Durable 3 components:
http://www.gigabyte.us/MicroSite/48/tech_080924_ud3.htm

With UD, you get 50,000 hours rated Japanese capacitors and more efficient Ferrite chokes. There is a bunch of other marketing drivel here:
- Dual CPU Power
- VR 12 Power Design
- Driver MOSFET integration

After that, you separate the boards based on their #:

i.e., UD3 is lower than UD4 lower than UD5 lower than UD7, etc.

So UD7 = ultra premium, UD5 high end, UD4/3 mid-range

Then what follows after determines features. If the board is UD3, that's your basic 3 level board. UD3P means "Premium" features for 3 series line.

As you move up the ladder, the added features across UD3/4/5/7, etc. include better VRM cooling, more power phases, more SATA 3 / USB 3.0 ports, eSATA ports, Firewire ports, 16/4x PCIe vs. 8/8x, some boards have 3 PCIe 8x slots. Upper end models add support for SLI on top of Crossfire.

Overclocking wise, even Gigabyte's $118 board can hit 5.0ghz on the 2500k with proper cooling.

Thanks for the information...I had no idea what the UD#'s meant either. I'm not up-to-date on PC hardware these days but have been considering an upgrade to my E8500 @ 4.2ghz.

I'm not in a rush to upgrade, so is it smart to wait for next-gen?

 

[Shortlee]

Considering a AM3+ board will only support the first wave of AMD BD cpu's
and will be dead end next year, I somehow doubt that. AMD 's new socket FM2 wil be released next summer. Please don't ask him to wait till then.:thumbsdown::'(

The Z68 board I listed will also be used for the next wave of 22nm cpu's called Ivybridge.

Still think somehow it "could potentially last longer"? I think not!

If you looked at the Z68 board reviews, its also known for its tendency to boot looping
im not sure how long it would last as so it seems lots of people have encountered this problem , althought it does look like a nice bang for your buck mobo. and it does have room for upgrading [Ivybridge]