Intel Core i7 980x or Intel Core i7 950

[S-C-3-1-3]

Either an Intel Core i7 980x with a single hard drive and stock cooler, or an Intel Core i7 950, with an after-market cooler and solid state hard drive. I use Mathematica 7, Maple 14, along with Pro Tools M-Powered, all during multitasking with the typical office and internet browsing applications. Of course, I will not be utilizing all 6-cores, but it is all about lasting the longest while still remaining relatively up to date specifications.

Looking forward to hear your advice and happy new year!

 

[tinytomlogan]

Well the 980 is pointless the 970 is a MUCH better chip for the average enthusiast.

If it was me Id go for the 950 bundle with a Noctua NH-D14 and the biggest Kingston V+ 100 drive you can afford, youll have a much snappier rig that way that a 980 @ stock with a mechanical hdd.

 

[S-C-3-1-3]

Well the 980 is pointless the 970 is a MUCH better chip for the average enthusiast.

If it was me Id go for the 950 bundle with a Noctua NH-D14 and the biggest Kingston V+ 100 drive you can afford, youll have a much snappier rig that way that a 980 @ stock with a mechanical hdd.

In my situation, the cost to upgrade to the Intel Core i7 980x from the Intel Core i7 970 is under a dollar. Thus, I would purchase the 980x, unless of course, the 970 is superior. I was looking at the Crucial C300 128GB drive:is the Kingston V+ 100 quicker or any particular reason you have suggested it?

When you say snappier, what exactly do you mean? More powerful? Would I ever regret not going for the 980x and upgrading to a solid state later? What do you think of getting the top of the line Sandy bridge i7 when it comes out? Would I need to overclock the 950 to get it to compete with the 980x? Would a Gigabyte Silent Cell HD5750 do me well, or would it be worth it to spend the extra $70 to purchase the GTX 460? I am also trying to get it fairly silent, too.

Thanks again!

 

[tinytomlogan]

The 970 will allow a higher bclk at lower volts so yes its better or I would not have told you to buy it.

I think you are better off with the 950 package and an SSD as I said fella.

You will need to overclock all CPU's to get the most from your hardware matey.

If you are not gaming then the GPU wont make any difference to you, the cost between the two systems is still VERY different btw.

 

[inesshell]

The 970 will allow a higher bclk at lower volts so yes its better or I would not have told you to buy it.

I think you are better off with the 950 package and an SSD as I said fella.

You will need to overclock all CPU's to get the most from your hardware matey.

If you are not gaming then the GPU wont make any difference to you, the cost between the two systems is still VERY different btw.

i agree with the 950. i recieved a 950 at work quite recently and it oc quite nicely for what I do regularly with CATIA and PS. My main rig has the 980x and is obviously the superior over the 950. I have not pushed it to its limits with the stuff I do for work and school. The 950 or even a 930 will achieve what most gamers/ enthusiasts need for everyday computing and work. 950 and a solid cooler will work you wonders.

My advice is save the extra cash and get the 950

 

[S-C-3-1-3]

The 970 will allow a higher bclk at lower volts so yes its better or I would not have told you to buy it.

I think you are better off with the 950 package and an SSD as I said fella.

You will need to overclock all CPU's to get the most from your hardware matey.

If you are not gaming then the GPU wont make any difference to you, the cost between the two systems is still VERY different btw.

Sorry, I assumed you had recommended the Intel Core i7 970 because it is typically less expensive than the Intel Core i7 980x.

Does over-clocking the processor decrease its life? I am a little nervous about over-clocking: any tutorials you could recommended? Would the Noctua NH-D14 allow for a good over-clock? With it, what would be a reasonable, stable over-clock to expect? Would 3.5GHz be practical, or is that too much?

I game rarely with my computers, but I use Mathematica 7 and Maple 14 to construct 3-D graphs and such. Would I benefit with nVidia's 'CUDA' factors?

Thanks again!

 

[S-C-3-1-3]

i agree with the 950. i recieved a 950 at work quite recently and it oc quite nicely for what I do regularly with CATIA and PS. My main rig has the 980x and is obviously the superior over the 950. I have not pushed it to its limits with the stuff I do for work and school. The 950 or even a 930 will achieve what most gamers/ enthusiasts need for everyday computing and work. 950 and a solid cooler will work you wonders.

My advice is save the extra cash and get the 950

Thanks for your reply! Have you over-clocked your Intel Core i7 980x? When you stress your computer, what is the CPU usage while using the Intel Core i7 980x, in comparison to the Intel Core i7 950?

Would I ever regret not purchasing the 980x for the extra amount. CATIA looks similar to Autocad. Do you know how this would work with Mathematica and Maple 14?