Intel Core i7 4790k vs. AMD FX-9590

[ethaDAboss11]

If you are really serious about editing, and want to reduce render times, then yea, the i7 is worth it.  If its just a side project, which is what it sounds like, it is not.  For gaming, the vast majority of games will perform the same with an i5 as an i7 when at the same speed.  If you have spare money, and there isn't something else in your build that needs funding, then go for the i7.  But if you're on a budget, the i5 will perform just as well.

Ok. Yeah, video editing is kind of a side thing. Frankly, my X4 750k doesn't do too bad when it comes to editing, but it kinda sinks in gaming. I think I'm going to go with the i5. Gaming is a priority over editing, for me.

[Faceman]

Ok. Yeah, video editing is kind of a side thing. Frankly, my X4 750k doesn't do too bad when it comes to editing, but it kinda sinks in gaming. I think I'm going to go with the i5. Gaming is a priority over editing, for me.

 

You will be plenty happy with an i5 when it comes to editing and rendering.  With a nice OC on it, it performs incredibly well, and especially for gaming, you will notice a huge improvement.  An i5 is the right choice for you.

 

Lets see what your full proposed build is shaping up to be.  Include any old components that you intend to reuse so that I get the big picture.

[ethaDAboss11]

You will be plenty happy with an i5 when it comes to editing and rendering.  With a nice OC on it, it performs incredibly well, and especially for gaming, you will notice a huge improvement.  An i5 is the right choice for you.

 

Lets see what your full proposed build is shaping up to be.  Include any old components that you intend to reuse so that I get the big picture.

CPU: Intel Core i5 4690k

Motherboard: MSI Z97s SLI Krait Edition

GPU: EVGA GTX 970 SSC

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB Kit

Cooling: Corsair H100i

PSU: Corsair CX500M

Case: NZXT S340

SSD: Silicon Power S70

HDD: Hitachi 1TB

Case Fans: Corsair AF120

[ethaDAboss11]

Also, what is the best program/BIOS to overclock? I haven't had any experience whatsoever with overclocking, so I could use a little help.

[Faceman]

Also, what is the best program/BIOS to overclock? I haven't had any experience whatsoever with overclocking, so I could use a little help.

I love Asus for my motherboard.  The ease of use in their BIOS, their AI Suite III, Fan Xpert, they are the bomb.  You really can't go wrong with motherboard because it doesn't impact performance.  Its all about features and aesthetic, but definitely give Asus a long hard look.  Also, once you get your system up and running, I will be able to help you out better because the terminology in the BIOS is the same as what I run, so there won't be anything "lost in translation."

 

As far as overclocking goes:

 

Here are some guides, but the most important thing to know going into this is to keep an open mind.  Don't try and compare your results to others, just focus on getting the best result for your chip that you are comfortable with. Also, whenever you stress test, make absolutely sure that you set your voltage to manual before stress testing.  When you are done stress testing, revert back to adaptive voltage.  Failure to do so can cause overheating and overvolting which has the potential to damage your chip.  If you do everything as instructed, and keep a low voltage below 1.3v, you will be fine.

 

To start, do some research.  Understand what all of the terms mean, and wait to play with your settings until you understand everything.  I am here to help if you need it, I have the same motherboard, and the same processor(i5-4670k), but please become aware of what the different terms mean and where to find them.

 

http://rog.asus.com/...or-Overclocking

http://www.wikihow.com/Overclock-a-PC

https://teksyndicate...ng-guide/153447

http://www.overclock...with-statistics

http://linustechtips...clocking-guide/

Load Line Calibration, Why Overclockers Should Care

 

The LLC setting was the one setting that the Asus auto overclock does that is not good.  It sets it to the maximum value, which is not good, it causes vBoost(overvolting).  You want this set to 2-5 out of 8.

[Faceman]

CPU: Intel Core i5 4690k

Motherboard: MSI Z97s SLI Krait Edition

GPU: EVGA GTX 970 SSC

RAM: Corsair Vengeance 16GB Kit

Cooling: Corsair H100i

PSU: Corsair CX500M

Case: NZXT S340

SSD: Silicon Power S70

HDD: Hitachi 1TB

Case Fans: Corsair AF120

 

This is a good build, but we can do better.

 

The things I would change are quite a few, let me put this into PcPartpicker, then I will explain to you my rationale for each choice.

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DBHnFT

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/DBHnFT/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i5-4690K 3.5GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($219.75 @ OutletPC)

CPU Cooler: Cooler Master Nepton 240M 76.0 CFM Liquid CPU Cooler  ($103.99 @ NCIX US)

Motherboard: Asus Z97-AR ATX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($139.99 @ Amazon)

Memory: G.Skill Sniper Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1866 Memory  ($61.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: A-Data Premier Pro SP900 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($61.99 @ Amazon)

Storage: Seagate Barracuda 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive  ($47.89 @ OutletPC)

Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 970 4GB SSC ACX 2.0 Video Card  ($329.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Phanteks Enthoo Pro ATX Full Tower Case  ($99.99 @ Amazon)

Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA NEX 650W 80+ Gold Certified Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply  ($54.99 @ NCIX US)

Total: $1120.57

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-03-04 22:23 EST-0500

 

CPU Cooler:  The H100i has a lot of issues.  Namely mounting problems with LGA1150, loud pump, loud fans, buggy software.  Avoid that, go with the Cooler Master Nepton 240M.  It is the most quiet AIO on the market, and comes with two incredibly high end fans that won't need to be replaced.

 

Motherboard:  I did pick an overkill motherboard.  If you want Asus, you have to overpay.  You can get the same features, but a different color scheme for $20 less.  Its up to you.  I own the AR myself and love everything about it.  A very stylish, yet neutral color scheme to fit in with any choice of components. The Krait is also an excellent motherboard, you can't go wrong with either.  There are also more motherboards in the $120 price range, but I would stick with either Asus or MSI.

 

RAM:  No need for 16GB of RAM.  8GB is more than enough.  Start with 8GB, if you decide that you need more, then buy more, but don't start with 16GB when that money can be better spent elsewhere in your build.

 

Storage:  Avoid Hitachi and Toshiba HDDs, stick with Western Digital or Seagate.  The Barracuda is fantastic, and at a very good price.  SSD, The A-Data SP900 is a mid-high end SSD, but at a very amazing price of only $61 right now.  I would jump on that.  Avoid Kingston and Silicon Power.

 

Case:  Nothing wrong with the one you selected, I just wanted to make you aware of the Enthoo Pro.  It is amazing.  Best case for $100, easily.

 

PSU:  The CX500M is a very budget oriented PSU.  I would avoid it because you have the budget for a much nicer one.  The one I selected is excellent, and leaves room for SLI if you want to go that route.  If you want something more high end, with nicer cables, a no-fan-spin feature, and 10 year warranty, the EVGA SuperNOVA G2 series is amazing.  The 750W model often goes on sale for $80, and at that price, it is unbeatable. 

 

Don't invest into case fans just yet.  That money can be better used on core components.  Case fans are an easy add, and can be added at any time.

 

[i_build_nanosuits]

This is a good build, but we can do better.

nice build, i agree with all the choices except maybe the motherboard i'd stick to the krait cause IMHO it looks better, has similar features and is cheaper most of the time.

[Faceman]

nice build, i agree with all the choices except maybe the motherboard i'd stick to the krait cause IMHO it looks better, has similar features and is cheaper most of the time.

 

Yea, I agree.  Unless you really love Asus motherboards, no real reason to spend an extra $20 on one.  The Krait costs $20 less, and does everything just as well except maybe fan control.  MSI is supposed to have better onboard audio.

 

[i_build_nanosuits]

Yea, I agree.  Unless you really love Asus motherboards, no real reason to spend an extra $20 on one.  The Krait costs $20 less, and does everything just as well except maybe fan control.  MSI is supposed to have better onboard audio.

 

i dont know if the kraith use the same audio chips as my z87 gaming but this thing has really good onboard audio..as for fan control msi has that down to a science in the uefi its very well layed out and very intuitive...you can control both cpu fan headers individualy and each system fan headers individualy as well...heres what it looks like on the gaming series but the krait feature the same uefi: (btw this is a random pic from the internet, not my own uefi i have fans plugged in every headers on mine..)

 

[Faceman]

i dont know if the kraith use the same audio chips as my z87 gaming but this thing has really good onboard audio..as for fan control msi has that down to a science in the uefi its very well layed out and very intuitive...you can control both cpu fan headers individualy and each system fan headers individualy as well...heres what it looks like on the gaming series but the krait feature the same uefi:

 

 

Yea, that looks really similar to the Asus Fan Xpert III.  I do really like Fan Xpert because you don't have to be in the BIOS to make all of your changes, its a big convenience thing to not have to restart your computer every time you want to tweak something.

 

The Asus onboard sound is by no means bad, its really good, but it sounds like the consensus opinion is that MSI does it a little bit better.

[ethaDAboss11]

Ok. So should I sell the components in my system now and save up some money just to fill the gaps, then purchase those parts?

[Faceman]

Ok. So should I sell the components in my system now and save up some money just to fill the gaps, then purchase those parts?

 

My bad, I misunderstood.  You already own so much.  The only things you need to sell are your CPU, motherboard and GPU.  You could sell the PSU if you want, not necessary, but if you can get $30 back for it, not a bad move.

 

Keep everything else.

 

Only thing you really need to buy is i5, Z97 mobo, SSD, GTX970

[ethaDAboss11]

My bad, I misunderstood.  You already own so much.  The only things you need to sell are your CPU, motherboard and GPU.  You could sell the PSU if you want, not necessary, but if you can get $30 back for it, not a bad move.

 

Keep everything else.

 

Only thing you really need to buy is i5, Z97 mobo, SSD, GTX970

It's fine. If I were to redo a build, that's exactly what I would do, knowing what I know now. When I first built it, I literally looked up "graphics card" on Google, and saw the first one. It happened to be the Asus GTX 760. I picked it out not for it's performance, but for it's looks. Yeah, it was dumb. For the AMD CPU, I saw a video saying how the X4 750k is a great budget alternative to the i5, so I bought that. I should have learned what everything means, then looked prices and different parts up. I probably would've done something close to what you did on PCpartPicker. 

[ethaDAboss11]

How does this build sound (link below)?

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/parts/partlist/

[ethaDAboss11]

Sorry...wrong link!

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2x49P6

[Faceman]

Sorry...wrong link!

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/2x49P6

 

You need to quote or "@" someone in order to see that you have responded to them.

 

Yea, that build looks fantastic! 

 

[humpingpandas]

FINAL SOLUTION

You probably could've worded that a little differently.

[ethaDAboss11]

You need to quote or "@" someone in order to see that you have responded to them.

 

Yea, that build looks fantastic! 

 

Great...now I'm debating on whether to go with an i5 4690k or a Xeon E3-1245v3. I do some pretty serious rendering, so the i5 might struggle there. That's why another option could be the Xeon. Personally, from videos I've seen, the Xeon isn't too far behind the i5 when it comes to gaming. Also, with games that take advantage of more threads will benefit from having the Xeon over the i5. I don't know. What do you think?

[Faceman]

Great...now I'm debating on whether to go with an i5 4690k or a Xeon E3-1245v3. I do some pretty serious rendering, so the i5 might struggle there. That's why another option could be the Xeon. Personally, from videos I've seen, the Xeon isn't too far behind the i5 when it comes to gaming. Also, with games that take advantage of more threads will benefit from having the Xeon over the i5. I don't know. What do you think?

I thought rendering was just a side project for you. In that case, I would go straight for the i7-4790k.

[ethaDAboss11]

I thought rendering was just a side project for you. In that case, I would go straight for the i7-4790k.

Yeah, it is a side project for me. But when I render, it's pretty heavy (i.e. After Effects, Cinema 4D, etc.)

[i_build_nanosuits]

Yeah, it is a side project for me. But when I render, it's pretty heavy (i.e. After Effects, Cinema 4D, etc.)

xeon E3-1231V3 if you dont overclock, i7-4790K if you want unlocked multiplier...and yes some games do already benefit and feel smoother with an 8 threaded chip like that...and there's more to come.

[ethaDAboss11]

xeon E3-1231V3 if you dont overclock, i7-4790K if you want unlocked multiplier...and yes some games do already benefit and feel smoother with an 8 threaded chip like that...and there's more to come.

Ok. Thank you very much!!!!!

[ethaDAboss11]

I thought rendering was just a side project for you. In that case, I would go straight for the i7-4790k.

This is kind of a side project, but I was thinking about building a mini-ITX gaming PC for when I go on trips. How does this build look?

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nrxNTW

 

PCpartPicker didn't have the RAM I wanted, but here is the Amazon link for it. 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-HyperX-FURY-2x4GB-1333MHz/dp/B00J8E91K4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425656249&sr=8-1&keywords=1333+ram

[KirbyTech]

So much misappropriation of funds in your current build.

 

At 4k, it isn't going to matter much.  You need a stronger GPU, not CPU.

Remember he mentioned rendering. So it would make sense, not everyone who games on a PC has that as top priority.

[Faceman]

This is kind of a side project, but I was thinking about building a mini-ITX gaming PC for when I go on trips. How does this build look?

 

http://pcpartpicker.com/p/nrxNTW

 

PCpartPicker didn't have the RAM I wanted, but here is the Amazon link for it. 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Kingston-HyperX-FURY-2x4GB-1333MHz/dp/B00J8E91K4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425656249&sr=8-1&keywords=1333+ram

I would redo it.  Don't spend initial money on a CPU cooler, use that money towards a stronger processor.  CPU cooler can easily be added later, and is much less expensive than having to buy a new CPU.  The i7-4790k is going to be the much better buy for you in the short and long term.

 

You want at least 1600Mhz RAM, especially if rendering.  We can get you some performance stuff for just as much.  With ITX, you only have 2 DIMMs, so buy a single 8GB stick, and add a 2nd later if needed.

 

The GTX960 is really a terrible card, its in no mans land.  For less money you get the same if not better performance from a $150 R9 280, and for just $20 more, you could have a vastly superior R9 290.  Avoid the 960.

 

Here is a new build that ends up costing the same.

 

PCPartPicker part list: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wxYhxr

Price breakdown by merchant: http://pcpartpicker.com/p/wxYhxr/by_merchant/

CPU: Intel Core i7-4790K 4.0GHz Quad-Core Processor  ($324.98 @ OutletPC)

Motherboard: ASRock Z97M-ITX/AC Mini ITX LGA1150 Motherboard  ($101.98 @ Newegg)

Memory: G.Skill Ripjaws X Series 8GB (1 x 8GB) DDR3-1600 Memory  ($54.99 @ Newegg)

Storage: Crucial BX100 500GB 2.5" Solid State Drive  ($181.44 @ Adorama)

Video Card: Sapphire Radeon R9 280 3GB Dual-X Video Card  ($159.99 @ Newegg)

Case: Corsair 380T Mini ITX Tower Case  ($99.99 @ Newegg)

Power Supply: EVGA 600B 600W 80+ Bronze Certified ATX Power Supply  ($34.99 @ NCIX US)

Total: $958.36

Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available

Generated by PCPartPicker 2015-03-06 17:45 EST-0500

 

 

EDIT*  Wait, I misunderstood.  Is this ITX PC supposed to be just for gaming?  Or also for rendering as well?