enj

MY FIRST POST - Thanks in Advance for taking time to respond to my questions...

QUESTION 1: This list is my selection for a new machine (my first build)... Planned use is for fast ARCHITECTURAL RENDERING and heavy Video work/rendering...

Any comments/suggestions regarding the configuration will be sincerely appreciated...

Already Purchased:
CASE: COOLER MASTER HAF 932
PSU:CORSAIR Professional Series Gold AX850

TO BE Purchased:
MB: ASUS SABERTOOTH P67 (REV 3.0) LGA 1155
CPU: Intel Core i7-2700K Sandy Bridge 3.5GHz (3.9GHz Turbo) LGA 1155
MEMORY: CORSAIR Vengeance 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1600
CPU COOLER: Noctua NH-C14 140mm x 2 SSO CPU Cooler
VIDEO CARD: EVGA 03G-P3-1584-AR GeForce GTX 580
BOOT DRIVE: Crucial RealSSD C300 CTFDDAC128MAG-1G1 2.5" 128GB SATA III
HARD DRIVE: HITACHI Deskstar 7K3000 2TB 7200 RPM SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5"
OPTICAL DRIVE: LITE-ON Black 12X Blu-ray Burner with Blu-ray 3D feature SATA

QUESTION 2: MEMORY...

Are memory specifications unique to MBoard or CPU....?

Memory specs for Intel i7-2700k are: DDR3-1066/1333 (is this the memory on the chip or the memory need to operate correctly on the MB?)

Memory specs for ASUS SABERTOOTH P67 are: DDR3-1866 (Vengeance-9-10-9-27*1.5v) Dual Channel (This is the memory Vengeance lists for the MB)

Is there a conflict here or am I not understanding the information I'm reading...???

Thanks again...
Ed

Callandor

To answer one of your questions, here is a very good memory buying guide you can read.

So since you will be using an Intel Core i7 you will be interested in getting tripple channel memory.

I suggest getting a board that supports tripple channel memory so you can take advantage of it.

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IvanV

I'll try to answer question no 2: As far as I know, your future CPU, in combination with that motherboard, supports DDR3 1600MHz just fine. The thing is that the official DDR3 standard does not mention any speed higher than 1333MHz (because no one bothered to update the text) and that's why Intel doesn't mention them in it's official specifications.

As for no 1, someone else will give you better info. My main concern is whether you'd be better off with a professional graphics card from Nvidia Quadro or AMD FirePro lines, but I really can't give you a proper answer. Pro cards used to wipe the floor with the gaming cards in pro applications (thanks to their drivers, the hardware itself was mostly unchanged), I'm not sure if things have changed or not.

Another thing to consider would be the cooler, which is huge. With the motherboard you picked, you shouldn't have problems with the cooler reaching the graphics card, but there might be problems with RAM. So, you might want to consider an alternative, as there are coolers that are just as efficient, yet slightly less unwieldy. Also, if you're not going to overclock, you don't need to go for the high-end behemoths, a decent and quiet one should serve you well.

And finally, a tip about the motherboard (which is an excellent one, by the way), mount a small fan on it and the components under the sheet will be much cooler.

EDIT: I have to step in and correct Callandor, the Sandy Bridge i7s, such as 2600K, only have dual channel memory controllers, it's only the older ones, i7 9XX for socket 1366 that can go triple channel (and the very latest and obscenely expensive i7-3960X has quad channel controller).

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If anyone has Portal 2 and hasn't played the co-op and wants to do me a favour, let me know (PM me or whatever).

Callandor

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Takaharu

Unless you don't have the budget to spring for it I'd actually recommend the Z68 chipset if you're going to be doing heavy architectual rendering. Assuming you're using CAD software you'll benefit from the extra CPU power and memory.
Unless you're using Adobe CS5.5 your best bet would be to go for a Quadro/FireGL graphics card, if the budget will allow for it. Adobe CS5.5 can use the GPU of a GTX 285, (can't remember 400 series), GTX 570 and GTX 580.
I know that Adobe After Effects is very memory-hungry so you should be content with 16GB RAM. You can use 4x 4GB sticks with a Z68 board.
Consider getting an additional harddrive in RAID. If, for any reason, a harddrive goes pop you'll want to know all of your data is secure. You might require more than 2TB with the work that you intend to do too. However, should the need arise, you can add harddrives for extra storage at a later date.

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killzTM

If you want to save some money do for the 2600k. Its the same as the 2700k but 100Mhz diffrence, and as both cpus are unlocked all you have to do is bump up the miltiplyer by 1 and it would be a 2700k.

enj

Thanks very much for all the input... I should have joined you guys much sooner...
You've given me some ideas and research to do...
If anyone else has any other ideas, please pass them along...
I'm not in a BIG hurry to build and will take the time to research...
Thanks again...
Ed

BlueMak

Are you going to use that 580GTX for work only? Blue Ray for work?
IF no, then you might want to skip on both of them. The player to save money and the 580 to save money and noise. I don't know a thing about architecture apart from The Fountainhead (which might be a bit behind the more recent developments in fictional architecture), but when I do work which requires lots of mental work, I don't want to have something as loud as a top of the line graphics card next to me.


Also, I have bad experience with EVGA and I would suggest to get another brand even if it is a bit more expensive.

That's just me though.

Also, what about monitors?

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This is slavery, not to speak one's thought. [Euripides-The Phoenician Women (c.411-409 B.C.)] http://www.macedonia.info/FALLACIESANDFACTS.htm Sic semper tyrannis.

Judas

The build looks impressive no doubt.... i don't entirely know ho intensive you are going to be... as i've heard many people say heavy "something" be it rendering or programming or whatever the task is that they are doing.. and i find out later it wasn't as hardcore as they thought...

Not saying what your doing isn't... just it really isn't a good gage.... Perhaps you could give us the names of the programs your going to be using for referrence.

There are a few things i would highly consider..

First... your memory.... don't go with 4x4gb if you can help it.... trust me... considering the value of DDR3 memory... rated 1600mhz (which i wouldn't suggest going much higher than 1600mhz, typically the benefits are lost as you have to losen up the timings.... I don't know how many machines with the 1155 and even 1366 sockets not to mention the older 1156 socket.... benefits going above 1600mhz quickly deminish, specially if you can't hold your timings.... At least not without spending huge dollars on super incredibly rare ram...

Like i was saying... try and avoid getting smaller modules... there is 1600mhz DDR3 2x8gb kits now in great supply, and doing the math, they are reasonably valued. The 1155 sockets support 32gb DDR3 now.. so why fill your motherboard up and in the future having to replace all 4 modules just to max it out.. right? Plus you gain other advantages with the larger modules.

My other question is... have you checked out the intel 2011 socket cpu/motherboard combination... i know the price is going to make a bump, the cpu difference isn't huge... at least going for the currently available lower end 2011 cpu available today, which is about 500-600 dollars vs the 2700k which isn't all that much less.. The motherboard will be considerably more though in comparison...

Still the other advantages of 2011 can be seen. I think it's worth at least looking at.... specially depending on the level of requirements your task will have.

Quote:

QUESTION 2: MEMORY...

The Memory speed is directly effected by the CPU FIRST..... and then later whatever the motherboard is allowed to support....

For example you cannot take an asus sabertooth, and then stick the lowest end i3 cpu in it and get anything higher than 1333mhz... even with attempts at overclocking... it's just.. kinda hardlocked and doesn't play well from my experience thus far..

where as the higher end models typically don't have this issue.. Still like i had mentioned above.. 1600mhz seems to be the current sweet spot without having to splurge a lot of cash to get considerably better real world results with "faster" mhz ram.... Timings is the real question....

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blibbax

What do you mean? Z68 supports no faster CPU and no more memory than P67 (iirc there are P67 boards that support 32GB). It seems to me Z68 would be a waste if you don't need its extra features (Lucid, quicksync, integrated graphics, SSD caching).

This is an area of concern for me also. What software exactly are you using? If it doesn't benefit heavily from CUDA, the 580 is most likely either inappropriate or overkill.

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Takaharu

Z68... lol. Damn I was tired. I meant to say X79 (ie: socket 2011).

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kris23

if you want the best out currently, i recommend getting a Socket LGA2011 system

Newegg.com - Intel Core i7-3930K Sandy Bridge-E 3.2GHz (3.8GHz Turbo) LGA 2011 130W Six-Core Desktop Processor BX80619i73930K

its the most powerful platform available. Everyone has pretty much answered your questions but to put it simply...

All DDR3 motherboards from Intel can support practically all speeds of DDR3 available on market up to 4GB density per stick of RAM. many boards support even higher 8GB densities but that support isn't guaranteed on all boards, be sure to check with the motherboard specs on this limit.

As long as the memory voltage is within 1.5-1.65v and you stick to a well-known brand (corsair works in practically everything), you will never have any issues with compatibility.

Just make sure to test the RAM thoroughly so you know they all work 100%

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OldBuzzard

Cooling:

Why not go with either the Corsair H60 or H80?

Danged good cooling solutions that will not interfere with any RAM you may end up using.

Plus, not having that huge heatsink sitting in the middle of the case allows for better airflow to help cool the other components.

On Newegg, the H60 is priced a bit less than the Noctua NH-C14, and the H80 a bit more.

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Judas

FYI.... far as my testing has gone.... even some intel 1155 socket boards support "unofficially" 8gb modules... It all depends on the cpu being used as the memory controller and such on IT are what determines those factors... and even then... it's still worth a shot..

I have found that even in the past.... for example intel's BX440 chipset... which clearly stated a maximum of 128mb DIMM size was allowed.. up to 384mb of ram.... And even without bios updates.... Dimm sizes increased to 256.. and then finally 512mb.... and those same boards allowed up to 1.5gb of ram to work flawlessly even though they clearly didn't "support more then 0.384mb...

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Randy P

If you're doing rendering I would suggest a second card. Go SLI. If you're doing what I think you're doing then most animators leave their rigs running nonstop over-night to render. If this is the case a second card should help you lots.

Merry Christmas!!

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